09/27/2024
Today, I’m sharing a personal story that’s been a long time coming. It’s one that I’ve held onto for years, and today I want to share it—not from a place of anger or frustration—but from a space of inspiration and empowerment.
I started Women In Podcasting back in 2005. Now, for context, podcasting was still in its infancy at that time. In 2004 I spent a lot of time traveling, teaching people about this emerging platform—what podcasting was, where it was headed, and, most importantly, how they could use it to tell their stories, share their messages, and connect with audiences in ways that had never been possible before.
It was that vision of creating space for women’s voices that led me to create the Women In Podcasting Directory and community in 2005. I wanted to raise the voices of women because, frankly, we weren’t hearing enough from women in the podcasting space. It became a passion project, a calling, and I poured my heart into it.
Fast forward to 2018. I partnered with a Podcasting Festival an annual event with a fantastic community for podcasters, to host a Women In Podcasting event. I wrote out the agenda for the entire day, we were excited to bring more women podcasters into the world, to create a space for them to learn, connect, and thrive. I was excited, I was ready, and we were gearing up for something truly special.
And then...life happened in a way that none of us could have ever predicted.
On November 8th, 2018, I lost my home in the Paradise Campfire. It’s hard to describe the devastation of that day. My house, my beloved furbabies, and friends were gone. In an instant, everything I had built, everything I cherished, was taken by the fire. It was overwhelming. I notified the owner of Podcasting Festival, letting them know I couldn’t go through with the event. I wasn’t in the right state of mind or emotionally ready. I had lost everything, and I needed to focus on rebuilding my life from the ground up.
Soon after that, an unknown woman stepped in to do the Women’s Podcasting Day. That, in and of itself, wasn’t a problem. I believe there is room for all women in podcasting, and I’m not the only one who can teach it. The problem was something deeper, something that struck at the core of what I had built.
This woman took my business name—Women In Podcasting—a name I’d had since 2005, and began marketing herself as the founder. She used my business model and my vision—and presented it as if it was hers. And I stayed silent.
For years, I held my tongue. I didn’t want to be seen as a victim. I didn’t want to rant or lash out. But now, I find myself in a space where staying silent no longer serves me or the women I advocate for.
Because the truth is, silence isn’t the answer when someone takes what you’ve built and claims it as their own. It’s not about anger or retribution—it’s about advocating for yourself and others. It's about using your voice when it matters most.
I have spent years asking women to raise their voices, to stand up for themselves, to advocate for their own dreams, businesses, and creative work. So, how could I stay silent any longer?
This isn’t about pity. This is about power. The power to say, “This is my story. This is my truth. And I have the right to speak it.”
I share this with all of you because I want you to know that you have the power to do the same. We’ve all been in situations where it feels easier to stay quiet, where we think, “It’s not worth the fight,” or “What will people think?” But here’s the thing—staying silent when you should speak up only diminishes your light, your creativity, and your passion. And if there’s one thing I know, it’s that the world needs women’s voices more than ever.
So here I am, sharing my story with you not as a victim and not from a place of anger, but as a reminder to every woman listening: You have a voice. You have a right to stand up for what you’ve built, to protect your ideas, your business, your vision. And you can do it with grace, with strength, and with the full force of your authenticity.
I won’t stay silent any longer, and I encourage you not to either. Let’s be the advocates for ourselves that we ask others to be. Let’s raise our voices together.
