I'm writing my first blog on my new website for my first podcast in the new year! "First" of all, thank you for reading it - for being here! I am grateful. I have a little daily affirmation note on the vanity mirror in my bathroom reminding me to say it out loud. Cliche? Maybe. But its working to clear the mental clutter and get me on my way each day.
We have all spent much more time at home lately due to this deadly, highly transmissable virus. We are doing what we must to keep ourselves, our families and our communities safe. I've been so fortunate to remain healthy. Say it again. I am grateful.
For me, the isolation has ultimately forced self-reflection. And THAT has been positive and productive. Sure, I've had days when my energy felt drained, bemoaning what I'm not able to do with friends and extended family - holidays, travel, parties, gym/yoga classes. But how you to react to the pandemic's ongoing challenges is what defines you.
I am choosing now, in 2021, to answer a question I had been avoiding - action I have pushing down on my "to do list" for too long. Since I anchored my last newscast more than a year ago: "what am I doing with my career now that I've left the TV news business"? I had been researching and developing an e-commerce fashion business related to TV news. But it didn't feel like the right fit in the end. It was too far from my true identity and skill set. I am after all, an experienced interviewer and storyteller.
Last fall, the Bleav Network was posting on LinkedIn that they were looking for podcast hosts. A podcast. It gave me pause. I really wasn't familiar with more than news podcasts at the time so I decided to do some research. The variety of content out there was inspiring! It made me think. I loved my most recent gig as a business show host interviewing entrepreneurs and sharing successful career stories. I know a lot of amazing people doing cool jobs, who are inspiring and motivational. More than 12 million are unemployed in the wake of Covid19. A podcast putting this all together may just work.
Enter a friend and former colleague Rob Petrone. He's an emmy-award winning food show host and had launched his own show on Bleav called Hot Takes On A Plate. When we spoke about it, he asked me a critical question. Why a podcast? It almost seemed too easy to answer.
I can be myself.
Podcasts are less filtered and strict compared to traditional news formats. I can create informative and engaging content on my terms, without answering to news directors or station managers. And guests can go in-depth without feeling restricted by the dreaded commerical break. This is how great stories are told. And I hope you'll join me on this journey, every step of the way. I think I've found my Bucket List Career, lets help you get to yours!
