Welcome to Sounds Like Impact!
This edition we celebration National Optimism Month with guest curator Bill Burke, and I send shoutouts to some of my favorite women in podcasting!
ICYMI: Last week we had a guest curation from Camille Laurente of Hueman Group Media about finding joy in activism.
Community: #SoundsLikeImpact community member Maya Chupkov, of Proud Stutter podcast, is giving a FREE workshop on DIY podcast PR tomorrow! 3/14
Opportunity: 1619 Education Impact Grant due 4/15
Request: I would love your feedback on this newsletter as it approaches one year!
We are 7 subscribers shy of 700! Seems auspicious. Will you share this newsletter with someone in you life? ๐ค
๐ง #AudioForAction Theme of the Week
Finding Optimism in 2024
The last few years have been challenging for all of us โ weโre burnt out, exhausted, overwhelmed. I donโt need to tell you about thisโฆ you are probably experiencing some of this yourself. Optimism in the face of these challenges seems like a trite response. And thatโs exactly why I wanted to curate this list. Optimism has positive mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing impacts and itโs more accessible than you probably think. These shows are not full of toxic positivity, but instead highlight how we can navigate real challenges and adversity with an optimistic mindset, and how powerful that can be in our daily lives.
-Bill Burke, Founder of The Optimism Institute
Reminder: To guest curate, be interviewed, advertise and more, click here.
This extra special episode, Kelly shares the deep impact a positive outlook has had on her life and career, like how facing her own cancer diagnosis gave her greater empathy for others, and how her career gave her greater appreciation for how intellectual humility is a key ingredient for an optimistic outlook.
TED Talks Daily, Lifeโs an obstacle course โ hereโs how to navigate it / Maryam Banikarim
TED is always full of insightful, inspiring stories. This one is from Maryam, a community activist and leader, who shares a framework for survival during difficult times โ seeing obstacles as an obstacle course to be curious about โ a positive way to rethink some of lifeโs toughest hurdles.
How To Fail with Elizabeth Day, Dan Levy on Overcoming Rejection and Harnessing Grief
Optimism doesnโt mean everything goes right - it is more a signifier of how you react when things (inevitably!) go wrong. This episode is a perfect example of overcoming some of lifeโs biggest challenges with a favorite funny actor โ Dan Levy.
Untangle, Show Up As The Most Powerful Version of Yourself. With Anese Cavanaugh
Untangle is all about living your best life, and this episode dives into how to be intentional with your leadership, energy, and connections and why how you show up matters โ great lessons from the brilliant award-winning speaker, author and teacher Anese Cavanaugh.
The Science of Happiness, Why Grownups Should Be Playful Too
The Science of Happiness is chock-full of research-backed strategies for a happier and more meaningful life and this episode is no exception โ it is a great reminder about why acts as small as dancing in the rain to singing karaoke can bring more presence, child-like joy and happiness into our lives.
๐ฃ Spotlights
For the spotlight this week, in honor of Womenโs History Month, I want to share some women in podcasting who have helped me or accompanied me on my journey in podcasting, especially after I was part of the first wave of mass layoffs at Spotify in January 2023 (yes, media layoffs got me too!).
Itโs a few weeks to a year of this newsletter, and Iโm not sure where I would be without the thoughtful advice and support from these women; Iโm so grateful.
If you are not already familiar with the work of these individuals, please make sure to check out their work!
P.S. This list may get cut off in email so please open the entire post.
Juleyka Lantigua, Founder of LWC Studios
- , Founder of Podcast Allies & Host of
Arielle Nissenblatt, Community Marketing at Descript + Creator of Earbuds Podcast Collective
Alexandra Cohl, Audience Development at Slate + Creator of Podcasting by the Moon
Ivana Tucker, Founder of Moso Haus
Camille Laurente, Founder of Hueman Group Media
Natalie Tulloch, VP of Audio at Hello Sunshineโcongrats on your first show!
Christabel Nsiah-Buadi, Creator of
Rekha Murthy, Podcast Strategist
Joanne Griffith, Chief Content Office of American Public Media
Priscilla Alabi, Writer, storyteller and producer
Ruxandra Guidi, Co-founder of Fonografia Collective
Adesuwa Agbonile, Storyteller and myth-maker
Meggan Ellingboe, Strategic Communications Professional
Frances Harlow, Co-Founder of Arcana Audio
Ivy Le, Creator of FOGO
Mackensie Freeman, PR at Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis
Morgan Swift & Madison Richards, Marketing at The Podglomerate
And the entire
team! , , , ,
Some of these folks I had the pleasure of working with, some were connections through others, some were chance encounters and some were so kind to accept cold outreach.
Iโll stop here for now, but I also want to acknowledge all of the wonderful women who have guest curated and participated in interviews for Sounds Like Impact; more acknowledgement to come on that front!
Truly, thank you all! ๐
Wow so so honoured! Thank you so much. For including us and for continuing to create this great newsletters. 700 subscribers yay!
Thank you for the shoutout - I am Honoured! And thank you for all of your work and contributions!