“Some people use a microphone so they can speak into the mic and hear themselves talk, but I do the podcast because I genuinely love it. Emails that I receive or social media messages I receive of how it can help people during this time and seeing people feel low or get sick or lose family members — how could I not be there?”
~Monica Rivera, You Wanna Do What?!
Monica Rivera is a favorite guest here at The Creative Impostor Studios. Launched in 2017, her podcast You Wanna Do What? boasts over 100 episodes and fans around the globe.
Not content with simply broadcasting strategies her listeners can employ to do more, want more, be more, Monica also offers consultant services to help would-be podcast creators become polished pros. Oh, and she holds down a full time day job in analytics. And delivered a popular TED Talk about the flipside of loneliness.
Monica’s pedigree translates into a hefty workload under normal circumstances. With COVID-19 adding additional stressors to everyone’s life, I thought it time to check in with this prolific creator and Jersey City resident. What effect has lockdown had on her podcasting POV and what shifts does she think the industry will make once pandemic restrictions are lifted?
Continued below…
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Article Continued
“So it’s not about speaking to millions of people. If the podcast resonates with millions of people, that’s great. But if also resonates with one person, then that’s the one person that I’m talking to.”
~Monica Rivera
Aside from her massive analytical skills, Monica’s top podcasting superpower is being of service to her audience. Her ability to gauge her listening audience’s interests and craft content to meet them where they are (or want to be) is built into the show’s DNA.
That thoughtfulness even prompted her to take a hiatus from the show, allowing her time to reexamine her reasons for wanting to podcast in the first place. Not the first course of action you might expect.
Then…global crisis. The situation compelled her to restart You Wanna Do What? with a rebooted why and a refreshed tagline: Your battle cry to want more, do more, be more. It’s her approach to this calibration that offers lessons for the rest of us – about starting a podcast or renewing our show’s intentions.
She brings this same level of excitement to life both behind and beyond the mic, tacking new endeavors with curiosity rather than performance ultimatums. Whether her projects prove to be huge fails or wildly successful, Monica’s steadfast in her focus and her advice to others: always be mindful of the why.
Peace, love, and podcasting!
Andrea
P.S. After our conversation, Monica also posted a remarkable episode called Anti-Racism and Being Black in America. Check it out here: https://www.youwannadowhat.com/episodes/126
Connect with Monica
Mentioned in this episode
Monica on The Creative Impostor episode 070 – Do one thing that’s completely different
Monica on The Creative Impostor episode 086 – Speak about the hard things
Monica’s TEDx Talk: The Flipside of Loneliness
Connect with me!
Email andrea@thecreativeimpostor.com
Facebook Group The Creative Impostor
Facebook Page @andreaklunder.creative
Instagram: @thecreativeimpostor
LinkedIn: @andreaklunder (I only accept connections from people I actually know, so include a message to say you’re a Podcast Envy listener.)
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