If you’ve been thinking about starting a podcast but fear is getting in the way, trust me, you are not alone. A few weeks ago, I woke up from a stress dream where I was sitting with a guest on my soon-to-come podcast and was totally bombing. At one point, we were both silent and I was struggling to come up with words for what to say, and in another, they were angry with me. When I opened my eyes, I can’t tell you how grateful I was that it was only a dream. But, I also realized, damn, I am having serious anxiety over what could go wrong.

I don’t know about you, but hearing from other women in this industry is a huge help. So, I asked around to see if I was the only one thinking my mind would go blank mid-interview. Good news, y’all. If you’ve had similar thoughts, you and I are definitely not alone.

✴ I started with Twitter

At first, I asked Twitter. GIVEMEPLUR was quick to respond. She is the host and creator of The PLUR Podcast, which focuses on EDM lifestyle and the important conversations that need to be had in R.A.V.E. culture. What she said echoed the lingering fear from my dream:

Her response didn’t just resonate with me, it began to become compounded with more fears: What if my mind is empty and there isn’t even anything said for them to dislike? Or, even if I do have something to say, what if it doesn’t add anything new to the conversation or I can’t express it well or I’m just repeating what everyone else is doing? What if...

I didn’t need my therapist there to tell me to start reframing my thought process. One way I do that is through realizing that more people than not struggle with the same thoughts. So, after I heard from GIVEMEPLUR, I asked some more of my favorite ladies in podcasting.

✴ So, what fears are we all having?

Kathryn Benson, co-host and creator of Truer Words, a podcast about the work of making art, said,

“Honestly, I was most concerned about the technical aspects of podcasting: whether we would be able to successfully record, edit, and publish our shows to a professional standard.”

Melissa Baumgart, co-host and creator with Kathryn, shared,

“Neither of us are published authors and I did feel some imposter syndrome at thinking that anyone might want to hear what we have to say, or that what we’re doing is meaningful in a crowded podcast landscape.”

LaChelle Chrysanne, creator and host of Day One Fans, a podcast about music, art, film, and culture plus the complexities of being an underrepresented creative, explained,

“Well, first I was fearful of doing it alone. I attempted to have a co-host but talking on the microphone with a format is not something that comes naturally to everyone so I had to brave it on my own. I was also nervous about stepping into a space that appeared to be overcrowded with content already, I didn’t want to create a podcast for the sake of doing it; it was really important for me to make something I didn’t see in the space already.”

Rita Phetmixay, creator and host of Healing Out Lao’d, expressed,

“I was so afraid of being judged and seen for who I really was — someone who sometimes is not always confident, or loud, or has all the answers to everything.”

Lauren Williams, creator and host of the Imperfectly Phenomenal Woman podcast, said,

“Prior to starting my podcast, I had two main fears: 1) I thought I wouldn’t be entertaining enough and 2) I thought I wouldn’t be able to carry on a 30 minute conversation with a guest.”

✴ How their experiences can help you

When I read through everyone’s responses, I noticed a through-line despite the variation in content. At base level, a lot of our fears come from that same place causing us to ask “Who am I to do this thing?” -- whatever that thing is. It’s something that comes up when we try something new and have maybe seen the world tell others like us that they aren’t welcome.

Making a podcast is an intimate form of creation just like any other type of art. One where we are putting ourselves out there in a completely new -- and very public -- way. The more we talk about and share our fears, the more I think we’ll realize that we share a lot of the same ones. And, I know for me, seeing that women currently out there rocking their own platforms even after having those same fears I might be having, helps me feel like I can do it.

Check back next week for how these podcasters overcame their fears and what their tips are for you to do the same.

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Feeling Afraid of Starting Your Podcast? Don't Worry, You Aren't Alone