93.Wrapping Up 2025: Podcasting Advice and End-of-Year Reflections

//🎥  Get extra podcasting support on my YouTube Channel! https://www.youtube.com/@demetriazinga

As we close out the year, I’m sharing end of year reflections and podcasting advice for 2025 rooted in purpose, clarity, and community. In this special Soul Podcasting episode, I’m looking back on the powerful conversations from this year, thanking each guest who poured wisdom into our space, and offering practical podcasting advice you can actually carry into the new year. You’ll hear reflections, lessons, and encouragement to help you podcast with more intention — not pressure — as you prepare for what’s next. Whether you’re planning to launch, refine, or realign your podcast in 2026, this episode is an invitation to pause, reflect, and move forward with soul.


//  2025 Interview Recap Links:

• https://soulpodcasting.com/carl-richards/
• https://soulpodcasting.com/marianne-hickman/
• https://soulpodcasting.com/neuroscience-secrets-for-podcasters/
• https://soulpodcasting.com/mista-yu/
• https://soulpodcasting.com/marketing-karma/
• https://soulpodcasting.com/launch-your-podcast/
• https://soulpodcasting.com/roy-coughlan/
• https://soulpodcasting.com/julie-marty-pearson/
• https://soulpodcasting.com/dennis-meador/
• https://soulpodcasting.com/cauvee/
• https://soulpodcasting.com/adam-torres/
• https://soulpodcasting.com/podcast-boss-mama/
• https://soulpodcasting.com/she-well-read/
• https://soulpodcasting.com/dave-jackson/
• https://soulpodcasting.com/podcasting-freedom/
• https://soulpodcasting.com/smart-podcasting-chris-jordan/
• https://soulpodcasting.com/angela-ross/

Thanks, Erin, for the review!

• Visit Erin Smith at https://www.workplacewoke.com/ and erinsowhy.com

///

• 📹Watch Soul Podcasting on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/@demetriazinga

See you next year! :-) Happy Podcasting!

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:14):
Hey, hey, beautiful people, Welcome back to the Soul Podcasting Podcast.
This is a space where we explore purpose driven podcasting,
soulful storytelling, and everything in between. And I'm your host,
Dmitria Zinga. Today we're gonna do something just a little
bit different because as twenty twenty five is coming to
a close, I just wanted to take a moment to

(00:34):
celebrate this incredible year of voices on this podcast and
just reflect on some standout moments and thank every single
guest who shared their story, their wisdom, and their heart
with us. Also, if you're watching on YouTube, don't forget
to hit subscribe. That way you won't miss behind the
scenes content, tips and exclusive episodes that you won't hear

(00:56):
anywhere else this year. You guys, Wow, twenty five it's
been amazing for Soul Podcasting Collective. I've had so many
conversations here that have inspired and challenged me and also
encouraged me to step fully into my voice, and I
hope that it's also encouraged you. I think we've laughed,
we've learned, and we've been reminded that podcasting isn't just

(01:19):
about downloads. It's about connection and making an impact. And
bringing our hearts and souls into what we're doing. So
some of my favorite moments this year deep dives into
storytelling and understanding like audience psychology, discovering creative ways to
amplify our purpose. These are things that really touched me,
and every single guest brought something unique to this podcast,

(01:42):
So today I want to give them their recognition that
I believe they truly deserve. So I'm going to start
with just some general thank yous for every single guest,
and then I have a few tips for you for
the upcoming year and helping you to really plan for
your year of podcasting. That's me up in twenty twenty six.
This episode is short and sweet, but I just wanted

(02:04):
to make sure that I end the year with gratitude.

(02:31):
So thank you to Angela Ross for our episode together.
She was my very first interview on soul podcasting, so
it's really exciting. We talked about done is better than perfect,
So Angela, thank you for reminding us that our voices
matter not because they're perfect, but because they're authentic and purposeful.
You showed us how podcasting can be healing and how

(02:52):
it can uplift underrepresented stories. So thank you for that.
Chris Jordan, He and I talked about smart podcasting for
Sirius Auntorepreneurs. So Chris, thank you for redefining what success
looks like. You showed us that strategy isn't just smart,
it's soulful. Knowing who we serve and why we show
up gives every creator confidence to move forward with intention

(03:13):
and not just hope. So thank you, Chris. Thank you.
Dave Campbell, we talked about podcasting freedom, and Dave, you
reshaped how we think about freedom and podcasting about how
it's not about the perfect gear or polished scripts and
being just absolutely perfect on our shows. But you talked
about how we can start with what we have and

(03:34):
letting our voice lead the way. You said progress beats perfection,
and you reminded us of that so beautifully. So thank
you Dave for showing up and helping us. Dave Jackson, Dave,
thank you for teaching us that long game of podcasting.
You have truly been in this for some time, and
decades of podcasting teaches us that longevity comes from consistency,

(03:57):
being curious, and truly listening to our audience. You showed
us that success isn't viral hits. It's lasting connection. I
appreciate that so much. Alana and Samra, thank you. You
guys were awesome the she Well Read Baddies. Thank you
for showing us that authentic community beats algorithm. Every single
time you brought us joy. You taught us that creativity

(04:19):
and consistency are things that really build connection, and that
being human on the MIC is the greatest gift that
we can give our audience. So thank you for your
humanity and for just your natural way of sharing yourselves
with us on Soul Podcasting and encouraging us to also
be ourselves. Manushka Elephant, thank you for bringing that Boss

(04:39):
Mama energy, because you reminded every creator that we can
build our show while we're building our lives, and we
can do it with purpose. I felt like your actions
and what you did and how you talked about your
world inspired so many women to embrace their voice without
apology and also to do this no matter what season
of life you're in, to do what's right for you.

(05:01):
So thank you for your authenticity and letting us into
your world. Adam Torrez, thank you for showing us how
authenticity and humor and passion matter just as much as
strategy when you're connecting with your listeners, and your journey
reminded us to bring our full selves to the microphone cave.
Thank you for showing that bold creativity and I loved

(05:22):
how your episode inspired creators to take risks and bring
their full personality to the mic, which you certainly did.
Loved talking with you. You were so much fun and
brought the energy. Dennis Matter, thank you for teaching us
that expertise paired with our hearts creates a powerful authority
building tool. You told us to start simple and stay consistent,

(05:43):
using our platform to truly connect, and I love that lesson.
Julie Marty Pearson, you were awesome. Thank you for reminding
us that messy beginnings can become impactful journeys. Podcasting can
heal us. It can help us connect with each other
and build community around those shared human experiences. Julie, you
were a pleasure to speak with on soul podcasting. Roy Coughlin,

(06:04):
thank you for showing that mission over money creates the
most powerful podcasts and that purpose and quality always beats shortcuts.
Seth Goldstein, you showed us that clarity and structure and
planning can turn a podcast idea into a launched show
that actually serves its audience. You brought us some insights
on how to just take action with confidence and just

(06:27):
go for it. George Olsen, you taught us about marketing karma,
which is a new concept that I had never heard
of before. But you showed us how that when we
sew in podcasting, it comes back to us like sowing
a seed, and it always comes back as connection and opportunity.
So your insights shifted how creators show up behind the
mic this year or so. Thank you for giving us

(06:49):
a little glimpse into what sewing and reaping is in
terms of marketing karma. Mista you you Seth Marshall. Thank
you for showing introverted creators like myself and yourself as
well and many others, that our voices are needed because
podcasting is more than just content. We believe it's a
calling and that it's a superpower behind every great show

(07:11):
when we can be authentic. So thank you Mistayu for
encouraging us to show up no matter our personalities. Aurora
Winter talked about neuroscience secrets for podcasters, so that was
a really eye opening show for me. Thank you for
showing us that connection is at random and that it's human.
Understanding how the brain engages helps our words to truly

(07:35):
resonate and transform others. Thank you for that, Aurora. Marianne Hickman,
thank you for reminding us fly storytelling matters when we
are our true, authentic selves. Leading into the messy, beautiful
parts of our journeys creates this magnetism for the audience
that we're supposed to serve. Marianne, you also brought a
lot of energy to my podcast and so I enjoyed

(07:56):
talking with you so much. Thank you for being part
of the show. And last, Carl Richards, thank you for
showing that connection always beats noise. Your insights encourage creators
to step fully into their voice with confidence and clarity,
and that's what this podcast is all about. It's a
place for podcasters to feel inspired and encouraged to move

(08:18):
forward in sharing our messages with the world and especially
with our corners of the world, speaking to the people
that we wish to make that connection with. So, before
we wrap up, I have three actionable tips to carry
into the new year, and I'm recording this right before
twenty twenty six rolls in, so whatever year you happen

(08:40):
to be listening to this, maybe these three tips might
even resonate with you in another year. So here are
three tips that I think can help you in twenty
twenty six and beyond. And the first is to reflect
on your wins and your lessons that you've learned. Reflect
on your wins and lessons. Take a few minutes this
week to jot down one episode, one guest, or one

(09:02):
moment that truly made you proud from your podcasting this year,
and I want you to set aside time to celebrate
what you learned. It's nice to go back and really
reflect on the things that you've done, to see your
improvements over the year, because truly we are always evolving
as podcasters, and it's nice to go back and to

(09:24):
reflect on the good and the bad and the ugly
and all the great stuff in between as well. So
just to see where we are today and taking those
lessons that we brought to the table for our audience
and taking our own medicine, that's the key. That's what
we need to celebrate. And also just take a note
of one lesson that came from maybe a challenge that

(09:45):
you had, this kind of reflection helps you to acknowledge
your progress and spot what to carry forward and what
not to keep doing. So I think it's important to
reflect on your wins and all the lessons that you
can learn, And for me, I will definitely be going
back to some of the lessons I've learned from my
guests this year. I think that's important for me to

(10:06):
glean from what I'm doing, not just the act and
the art of podcasting, because that is a lot of
work just to keep a podcast going. But I don't
want to only be podcasting for the sake of it,
or to put out content just to keep things going
on the hamster wheel of content creation. I actually want
to learn from every single interview that I have, from

(10:29):
every conversation that I share with you guys, I'm also
taking notes and I'm learning from those interviews. So I
want to use this time between now and New Year's
Day that's my reflection time to go back and to
appreciate these episodes. Number two, I encourage you to set
one to a few intentions for twenty twenty six. Keep

(10:51):
it really simple. Maybe it's being more consistent, Maybe it's
trying a new format or even inviting just one type
of guests or one new type of guests. So make
it a specific goal but achievable, and write it down
and just revisit it every single month, because I believe
that intentions help you to guide your choices without overwhelming you.

(11:12):
If you just kind of roll into the new year
without an idea of what's ahead, you're not planning. You're
just kind of going with the flow. There may be
something that you miss along the way. So it's great
to set intentions and to think things through before you
get on the hamster will and start peddling again. Right,
So really being intentional about what you plan to do

(11:35):
for the content that you show up to share with
your audience. Number three, engage your community meaningfully. So pick
one way to connect deeper with your audience next year.
You can respond to listener messages or ask for feedback,
or create some type of interactive episodes, something that you
can do to allow for more engagement with your listeners.

(11:58):
Think about quality quantity because even one authentic interaction can
spark some connection and loyalty and even growth. Now, before
we close, I wanted to thank my friend and founder
Aaron Smith of Workplace Woke LLC for her kind words,
and this is what she said about Soul Podcasting Collective.

(12:19):
She said, if you're a business owner, content creator, or
someone who leads with godly principles and needs guidance from
someone walking in those exact shoes, Demetria is your person
erin I want to thank you for your generosity and
your encouragement. It means so much. I am placing Aaron's
full review on the website on Soulpodcasting dot com, but

(12:42):
this is just a small portion or extract of what
she shared, and really her words remind us that the
most important thing we can do as creators is to
seek support and to reflect on what we're doing and
move forward with clarity. And so I love that Aaron
bodies that in the work that she does, and so
I want to encourage you to stop by Aaron's blog,

(13:05):
which I am a fan of. I love her writing.
Aarin is definitely a talented writer. And when I say
she's talented, I definitely mean that she has a knack
for writing in a way that will draw you in
and you won't want to stop reading. So I'm honestly
addicted to reading her blog. But go go check out

(13:26):
her blog at Aaronsoy dot com and to see her
services and the work that she's doing as she's developing
business people and redefining what it means to be successful
at work. Check her out at workplacewoke dot com. And
I am leaving links to not only all the episodes

(13:48):
this year, but to Aaron's blog and her business so
you can check her out and see what she's doing
and how she could be of help to you. Well,
I can't wait to bring you more incredible voices, stories,
and soulful inspiration in twenty twenty six. I think it's
going to be a great year to lean in even
deeper and to create with more heart and soul and

(14:09):
step fully into the voice that you were meant to share.
So thank you so much again to every guest, every listener,
and soul who has tuned in this year. I'm so
deeply grateful for each of you. And remember, if you're
watching on YouTube, hit that subscribe button so you can
catch behind the scenes content and tips and episodes that
you won't hear anywhere else. Here's twenty twenty six, a

(14:32):
year of connection, courage, and soulful podcasting. I'll see you
over there, Happy New year