February 9, 2025 • 20 mins
This week, I talked to my talented friend Tiffany Ashita, a top podcast executive. We discussed her journey from intern at Showtime Networks to creating Essence Magazine's podcast network and becoming the U.S. Director of Content for ACAST. Tiffany shared insights on building a business from scratch, making tough decisions, and staying connected to your audience. She also gave aspiring podcasters and creators valuable advice about taking the long haul seriously.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
This is amazing media production.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Hello, good people, I'm a Yana Angel and you are
listening to the Switch Pivotal Quit podcast, where we discuss
career choices through a personal and professional lens. I've made
my own switch Pivotal Quit, going from a sports publicist
at the NBA to an author via Simon and Schuster.
So I chat with people to help you make informed
decisions and let you know that you are not alone
(00:36):
in your thoughts and feelings along this life journey.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
I see you, and these.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Conversations are to serve you.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
So today we're going to get into a good conversation,
a juicy conversation.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
With my girlfriend, Tiffany, I should say.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
And Tiffany, if you do not know her, she is
a highly accomplished podcast executive.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
But her career did not start there, right.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
She's a marketing maven if we're still using those words, right.
She's been in the business for a long time. Her
and I actually met when we were doing internships at
Showtime Networks.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Okay, that tells you how long ago this was.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
We were interns, but we were getting paid, and her career.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Has gone on to flourish.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
She has done amazing things, including creating the very first
podcast network.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
For Essence magazine.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Everything that you heard from Essence Magazine in terms of podcasting,
Tiffany was behind it, had her hand on it, her stamp.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
Of approval on it.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
And now she her achievements include Webby Award nominees. Okay,
her achievements include she is the US Director of Content
for Acast, the world's largest independent podcast network, and so
she is a decision maker. And so today we want
to talk to her about her career journey as well
as the podcasting industry.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
So many people are podcasters these days.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
We want to get TIFF's take on what it looks
like to be a podcaster and some of the ins
and outs that we may not know happened daily in
the industry. So welcome to Switch Pivotal Quit Tiffany, Thank you.
I want to jump into the meta things. You can
go and read Tiffany's bio in the show description. I
want to get into what Tiffany has to say and
(02:31):
what she knows, and how what she knows and what
she's learned can serve you.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
So let's start here.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Tiff in twenty eighteen twenty nineteen, you helped to create
and build Essence Magazine's podcast network. What was that experience
like to build something from scratch.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
Definitely have to give props to Charlie Penn, Corey Murray,
and Yolanda Sanguiney. So they are the co hosts of
Yes Girl podcast, So that was Essence Magazine's original podcast,
and so Yolanda, Cory and Charlie they came up with
the concept. They had this podcast going for about a
year prior. If we think about podcasting before the pandemic,
(03:13):
it was a different thing. Many people didn't know what
it was, and there weren't a lot of podcasts representation
within the black community or within communities of color. Like
if you ask people what a podcast was, they maybe knew,
maybe they didn't know, or maybe they knew of one
or two shows that they liked, but it wasn't the
behemoth that it is now. But it was a different
(03:34):
world after the pandemic. So just giving that backstory back
to your question of what was it like to start
something from scratch to go from having a podcast to
launching a network and building a business around it. Right,
we talk about content. Content is such a commonplace word now,
but what we have to understand is that it's still
a business. Everything in this world is a business, and
(03:58):
so having to think think about building a network from
a business perspective, making it profitable, looking at your expenses,
building a budget, thinking about everything that you're spending money on,
how much it costs, having to make hard decisions about
do you hire another editor or do you figure it
(04:18):
out with the team that you have, Really having to
make those tough decisions to make the numbers work. A
lot of that was It was exciting, but it was overwhelming. Remember,
you were starting from scratch. There was no blueprint for this.
You had the precedent of a successful show, but now
you wanted to build a slate, a multi show slate
that appeal to different audiences. That made the existing Essence
(04:41):
magazine audience feel seen like it's not about you. It's
never about you. Like anyone who's a content creator or
who even works on the business side has to understand,
it's never about you. It's about who you're talking to.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
Can you say that again.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
That's what's lost with so many content creators these days
is they become the content and everything is swirling around
them and they feel like it's about them.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
But tell us again, who is.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
About It's about the audience. It's about the people you're
talking to, the fact that they are showing up for you.
Every episode, every Instagram live, every podcast. They're showing up,
and they're giving you the space of their time, the
space of their attention, the space of their listening capacity.
(05:32):
That's a gift. Never take that for granted, because they
can take that attention somewhere else.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
You have so much knowledge in the business side of
things and the content creation side of things, and everybody
wants to.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
Be seen and heard these days.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
What has stopped you or has it ever been a
thought of yours to say, I want to go from
behind the scenes and I want to be seen, and
I want to give all my knowledge to the world,
and I want to put it on the forefront, and
I want the spotlight to be on me, because I
never get that vibe from you. You are super knowledgeable,
but I never get the vibe that says I know best,
(06:13):
and I want to tell everybody what I know, and
I want everybody to be looking at me when I
tell them.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
How have you navigated.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
Things in your mind in terms of how you want
to show up in your career, whether you want the
spotlight on you or not for me.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
Personally, I like to share and I like to help,
and I recognize that part of my purpose, because you
know it could change, is to just give. But I
think sometimes a lot of people think that in order
to give, they have to be the center of attention,
and that's not what it is. If you have a
wealth of information, which we all do, right, like everyone
(06:49):
knows something that someone else doesn't, I feel like the
best thing you can do is share it. Obviously, yes,
that creates good karma, but you never know what the
domino effect is of that and how that could come
back and help you, or it could help someone else
that you never expected to help. I think so often
when you think about how do I make this about me,
(07:12):
you've already lost sight of helping people.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Geez, I hate to break up a good conversation with
an ad break, but that's what we gotta do. A
girl's got to pay the bills, right, It's hold type
for me and we'll be right back before you know it.
You were working for yourself prior to working with Essence.
You were running your own marketing agency with a co
(07:37):
founder friend of yours, and you all were doing it
successfully for about five years when you had a plot
twist with essence. Was there ever a moment where you said,
I'm going to be an entrepreneur again, or did you
feel like, no, this is the lane that I want
(07:58):
to go in now and I want to continue to
grow as an executive in this race.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
I think life is about chapters, and when I became
an entrepreneur, I knew that was something that it was
like I could feel it, you know when you just
have like the drive, the passion, the fire, and it
was just something that I wanted and like you said,
having done it for five years, it was a great experience.
(08:25):
We learned a lot, We did a lot of amazing things.
But I was at a chapter and we both were
were at a chapter where because we ran a digital
agency and we realized the industry was shifting and we
wanted to absorb more versus serve more. So we know
we had to go in house. We had to go
get more knowledge. And why not go in the house,
(08:48):
make some money and grow and learn because you and
I can attest the end. The podcast industry alone has
changed so quickly in the past two years, but the
media industry and the digital industry has changed so much,
like in the past thirty six months, and it takes
a lot to stay on top of the trends and
(09:09):
stay in the know and really be able to actually
be of service if you're going to be an entrepreneur.
And we realized that the best way we could serve
was to go back in house. That doesn't mean that
chapter won't ever come back again. So I never say
never to anything, because you just don't know where life
is going to take you. I've had so many lives
(09:29):
up until this point. I was studying architecture. I thought
I was going to be an architect. I studied architecture
for four years in turn at like a New York
City firm that had contracts with the city. I thought
I was going to be a copywriter. I worked at
one of the most largest agencies in New York. Like
I thought I was going to do a lot of things,
and I did them, and then a new chapter came
(09:51):
and now here we are. So even going back to
your other question of why are you not like on
stages and doing those things, I speak speak and I'd
love to share what I know. But again, I think
my purpose is just giving and whatever this chapter asks
of me. That's where I'm going to follow.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Did you ever have a point in time where you
had to reconcile with your feelings about making those changes
and leaving some of those things behind, like architecture, copywriting,
Because I know sometimes when people are doing a thing,
or people know them for doing a thing, their heart.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
May not be in it anymore, and they may really.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Want to make a switch privot equip, but they feel
burdened by the decision that they've made to be where
they are, and maybe other people looking at them, they're
gonna think I'm flaky if I don't stay the course
in this or am I letting myself down?
Speaker 1 (10:52):
Or am I seeing this through?
Speaker 2 (10:53):
Do you ever feel burdened by sort of the expectations
to stay the course in a certain space.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Here's the crazy thing about that. Sometimes you stay too long,
and you stay too long you feel it right, like
whether it manifests itself physically, emotionally, spiritually, like you start
to feel the burden of owastaying you're welcome in a
chapter that should have closed a while ago. And to
that point, yeah, not only I can tell you multiple
(11:23):
times in my life where I wrestled with the decision,
and there were just days where I'm like, if it's
going to happen, I've got to move now. Otherwise I
might sit in this for another two years. And that
was after contemplating for six to twelve months. I would say, like,
that's natural, that's being human. Some people are quick to pivot,
(11:46):
and bless them, that's wonderful. I'm not one of those people.
I'm thoughtful. I want to be very like calculated about
the decisions that I'm making, but I don't ever want
to linger in something and miss an opportunity that was
meant for me. That's the other thing. Growing up, there
was always a blueprint for what success was so supposed
(12:08):
to look like, and you get so married to that
blueprint that sometimes you don't realize that you need to
write or rewrite your own script. Some of the things
that have happened in my life is simply because I
decided to say yes and let the rest of it
play out.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
When was your most recent AHA moment and maybe what
it was in relation to.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
Okay, about a year ago, I was really just kind
of like taking stock of like, I'm in my forties,
so what do I want the next chapter to look like,
well what do I enjoy doing? Like what are my hobbies?
And I realized I didn't have any. Sure, yes, brunchwoo friends,
that's all lovely, right, Like who doesn't love to eat?
(12:53):
That's all well and good, But that's not a hobby.
Like I realized, what do I do for fun? That's
zero steaks that brings me joy? That I can just
like feel free and I need to figure that out.
And that was very much Aha, Loma, because when you
look at life and you realize, like, especially in the US,
(13:15):
we put so much stock in work. We define ourselves
by labels, titles, salaries, places that we live, clothes that
we wear, restaurants that we go to. Everything has a
label on it, and we define ourselves by that. But
life is so much more than that. If we're really
(13:36):
going to take stock of what life means to us,
we have to ask ourselves, well, what makes us happy? Well,
the answer should never be just one thing. You should
not predicate your happiness on every one thing. It should
be like a quilt or a mix of a bunch
of things, and some of those things should be just
zero stakes, Like I'm happy if I go take a
(13:58):
walk and hear bird sing, or I'm happy if I
play my violin, or I'm happy if I take a
dance class. Like simple things. Those things should bring you joy.
It shouldn't just be Oh, if I make this much money,
if I work at this company, then I'm happy because
that can go tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Ooh, I know it's getting good, but we'll be right
back after we hear from our sponsors. So let's switch
gears a second and talk about your career. Where you
are now. You're in a decision making position.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
You got the power, SIV got the juice.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Okay, because you're in a decision making position, I'm sure
there are people coming to you on a daily basis
in this podcasting space and thinking I have all the answers.
My show is the best a cast. Please come and
look at me and pick me. Why wouldn't you pick me?
Speaker 1 (14:55):
Have you lost it? I'm the best thing since slight
spread in Wide Rice?
Speaker 2 (15:00):
So how do you cope on a day to day
with all the demands that hang over you? All the
people who want your attention, all the people who need
you to make a decision about something? And I guess
before we get into how you cope. Just give us
a slice a headline of what your job really looks
(15:22):
like beyond the title.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
Okay, first of all, I'm still stuck on this note
that you hit like spread and White Rodane don't by Okay. So,
as a director of content, I am responsible for a
team that handles the acquisition, creation and management of content.
(15:48):
So think of it similar to like a record label
and an an R team. You have a team that
scouts and looks for talent, you have a team that's
managing the artists on the label, and then you have
me who is kind of like building the strategy around
it all. So, like you said, it's a lot because
podcasting is so popular, there's so many people pitching pitches.
(16:10):
Come from everywhere. They come from agents, they come from managers,
they come independent, they come off of DM Like you,
have so many people that are looking to associate themselves
with a network. They want some of the benefits or
perceived benefits that come with being with a network. And
because the industry is so saturated obviously and competition is
(16:32):
so heavy, everyone is just trying to, like you said,
stand out, be the one. I think, like I said
at the top, a lot more creators would be doing
themselves a service if they understand that this is a business,
and when they're pitching themselves, they pitch understanding that they
(16:52):
are a brand, they are a business, and that they
should be having that in mind. It's not just oh,
I have this wonderful idea yea about food and mermaids
and I think it's the greatest thing ever, and no
one talks about food and mermaids, and so you want
to hear about food and mermaids. Do I want to
(17:13):
hear about food? When you're pitching? Are you doing your homework?
Do you know who your audience is on different platforms?
I think a lot of times people think because they
have an influence in one place, that the influence is
immediately going to translate over to another place. And that's
not true for any of these mediums at all. You
have to know who's paying attention where and when you're
(17:37):
pitching yourself. You are essentially a business. If you walked
into a major corporation, they know the data behind their business.
Just because you're independent doesn't make you any different. You
should know those details.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
As we wrap up, you were featured by The Hollywood
Reporter among their forty most powerful people in podcasting in
twenty twenty two. So leave our listeners with something burning
that you have been wanting to say to the people
of the podcast industry or the people who are aspiring
(18:12):
to be in the podcast industry. What have you been
itching to convey to the people?
Speaker 3 (18:21):
You better sell that moment what you are the madam
of MC's there. Oh my goodness, I would say to
aspiring podcasters and even to aspiring creators in general, understand
and be prepared for the long haul. If you see
(18:44):
this as just like a hustle, as the thing that's
going to like just get you the get rich quick.
This is not that I think that the art of
storytelling has been lost in so many mediums. And that's
what made podcasting so pure and so genuine. And there
are a lot of hardworking people writers, producers, editors, sound designers, bookers,
(19:09):
executive producers, hosts that are so passionate about this medium.
If you're going to get into it, please take it seriously.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
Thank you so much for spending time with us today, Tiffany.
It has been a pleasure. I'm sending you big virtual hugs.
Tiff No, I always got so much love for her,
and I really appreciate you taking the time to do
this out of your busy schedule.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
You were running around today meetings.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
She always has back to back meetings, but she took
the time to chat with.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
Us and talk to us.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
So thank you so much too. Ayana, you are my gal.
So you make the call. I'm showing up. It doesn't
matter when or where I got you. So thank you
for having me. I really appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
Yes, all right, y'all, thank you so much for spending
time with us getting to know Tiffany. If you want
to learn more about Tiffany, I will leave all of
her details the show notes, and as always, be well.
Speaker 3 (20:09):
M
This is amazing media production.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Hello, good people, I'm a Yana Angel and you are
listening to the Switch Pivotal Quit podcast, where we discuss
career choices through a personal and professional lens. I've made
my own switch Pivotal Quit, going from a sports publicist
at the NBA to an author via Simon and Schuster.
So I chat with people to help you make informed
decisions and let you know that you are not alone
(00:36):
in your thoughts and feelings along this life journey.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
I see you, and these.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Conversations are to serve you.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
So today we're going to get into a good conversation,
a juicy conversation.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
With my girlfriend, Tiffany, I should say.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
And Tiffany, if you do not know her, she is
a highly accomplished podcast executive.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
But her career did not start there, right.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
She's a marketing maven if we're still using those words, right.
She's been in the business for a long time. Her
and I actually met when we were doing internships at
Showtime Networks.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Okay, that tells you how long ago this was.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
We were interns, but we were getting paid, and her career.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Has gone on to flourish.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
She has done amazing things, including creating the very first
podcast network.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
For Essence magazine.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Everything that you heard from Essence Magazine in terms of podcasting,
Tiffany was behind it, had her hand on it, her stamp.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
Of approval on it.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
And now she her achievements include Webby Award nominees. Okay,
her achievements include she is the US Director of Content
for Acast, the world's largest independent podcast network, and so
she is a decision maker. And so today we want
to talk to her about her career journey as well
as the podcasting industry.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
So many people are podcasters these days.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
We want to get TIFF's take on what it looks
like to be a podcaster and some of the ins
and outs that we may not know happened daily in
the industry. So welcome to Switch Pivotal Quit Tiffany, Thank you.
I want to jump into the meta things. You can
go and read Tiffany's bio in the show description. I
want to get into what Tiffany has to say and
(02:31):
what she knows, and how what she knows and what
she's learned can serve you.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
So let's start here.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Tiff in twenty eighteen twenty nineteen, you helped to create
and build Essence Magazine's podcast network. What was that experience
like to build something from scratch.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
Definitely have to give props to Charlie Penn, Corey Murray,
and Yolanda Sanguiney. So they are the co hosts of
Yes Girl podcast, So that was Essence Magazine's original podcast,
and so Yolanda, Cory and Charlie they came up with
the concept. They had this podcast going for about a
year prior. If we think about podcasting before the pandemic,
(03:13):
it was a different thing. Many people didn't know what
it was, and there weren't a lot of podcasts representation
within the black community or within communities of color. Like
if you ask people what a podcast was, they maybe knew,
maybe they didn't know, or maybe they knew of one
or two shows that they liked, but it wasn't the
behemoth that it is now. But it was a different
(03:34):
world after the pandemic. So just giving that backstory back
to your question of what was it like to start
something from scratch to go from having a podcast to
launching a network and building a business around it. Right,
we talk about content. Content is such a commonplace word now,
but what we have to understand is that it's still
a business. Everything in this world is a business, and
(03:58):
so having to think think about building a network from
a business perspective, making it profitable, looking at your expenses,
building a budget, thinking about everything that you're spending money on,
how much it costs, having to make hard decisions about
do you hire another editor or do you figure it
(04:18):
out with the team that you have, Really having to
make those tough decisions to make the numbers work. A
lot of that was It was exciting, but it was overwhelming. Remember,
you were starting from scratch. There was no blueprint for this.
You had the precedent of a successful show, but now
you wanted to build a slate, a multi show slate
that appeal to different audiences. That made the existing Essence
(04:41):
magazine audience feel seen like it's not about you. It's
never about you. Like anyone who's a content creator or
who even works on the business side has to understand,
it's never about you. It's about who you're talking to.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
Can you say that again.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
That's what's lost with so many content creators these days
is they become the content and everything is swirling around
them and they feel like it's about them.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
But tell us again, who is.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
About It's about the audience. It's about the people you're
talking to, the fact that they are showing up for you.
Every episode, every Instagram live, every podcast. They're showing up,
and they're giving you the space of their time, the
space of their attention, the space of their listening capacity.
(05:32):
That's a gift. Never take that for granted, because they
can take that attention somewhere else.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
You have so much knowledge in the business side of
things and the content creation side of things, and everybody
wants to.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
Be seen and heard these days.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
What has stopped you or has it ever been a
thought of yours to say, I want to go from
behind the scenes and I want to be seen, and
I want to give all my knowledge to the world,
and I want to put it on the forefront, and
I want the spotlight to be on me, because I
never get that vibe from you. You are super knowledgeable,
but I never get the vibe that says I know best,
(06:13):
and I want to tell everybody what I know, and
I want everybody to be looking at me when I
tell them.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
How have you navigated.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
Things in your mind in terms of how you want
to show up in your career, whether you want the
spotlight on you or not for me.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
Personally, I like to share and I like to help,
and I recognize that part of my purpose, because you
know it could change, is to just give. But I
think sometimes a lot of people think that in order
to give, they have to be the center of attention,
and that's not what it is. If you have a
wealth of information, which we all do, right, like everyone
(06:49):
knows something that someone else doesn't, I feel like the
best thing you can do is share it. Obviously, yes,
that creates good karma, but you never know what the
domino effect is of that and how that could come
back and help you, or it could help someone else
that you never expected to help. I think so often
when you think about how do I make this about me,
(07:12):
you've already lost sight of helping people.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Geez, I hate to break up a good conversation with
an ad break, but that's what we gotta do. A
girl's got to pay the bills, right, It's hold type
for me and we'll be right back before you know it.
You were working for yourself prior to working with Essence.
You were running your own marketing agency with a co
(07:37):
founder friend of yours, and you all were doing it
successfully for about five years when you had a plot
twist with essence. Was there ever a moment where you said,
I'm going to be an entrepreneur again, or did you
feel like, no, this is the lane that I want
(07:58):
to go in now and I want to continue to
grow as an executive in this race.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
I think life is about chapters, and when I became
an entrepreneur, I knew that was something that it was
like I could feel it, you know when you just
have like the drive, the passion, the fire, and it
was just something that I wanted and like you said,
having done it for five years, it was a great experience.
(08:25):
We learned a lot, We did a lot of amazing things.
But I was at a chapter and we both were
were at a chapter where because we ran a digital
agency and we realized the industry was shifting and we
wanted to absorb more versus serve more. So we know
we had to go in house. We had to go
get more knowledge. And why not go in the house,
(08:48):
make some money and grow and learn because you and
I can attest the end. The podcast industry alone has
changed so quickly in the past two years, but the
media industry and the digital industry has changed so much,
like in the past thirty six months, and it takes
a lot to stay on top of the trends and
(09:09):
stay in the know and really be able to actually
be of service if you're going to be an entrepreneur.
And we realized that the best way we could serve
was to go back in house. That doesn't mean that
chapter won't ever come back again. So I never say
never to anything, because you just don't know where life
is going to take you. I've had so many lives
(09:29):
up until this point. I was studying architecture. I thought
I was going to be an architect. I studied architecture
for four years in turn at like a New York
City firm that had contracts with the city. I thought
I was going to be a copywriter. I worked at
one of the most largest agencies in New York. Like
I thought I was going to do a lot of things,
and I did them, and then a new chapter came
(09:51):
and now here we are. So even going back to
your other question of why are you not like on
stages and doing those things, I speak speak and I'd
love to share what I know. But again, I think
my purpose is just giving and whatever this chapter asks
of me. That's where I'm going to follow.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Did you ever have a point in time where you
had to reconcile with your feelings about making those changes
and leaving some of those things behind, like architecture, copywriting,
Because I know sometimes when people are doing a thing,
or people know them for doing a thing, their heart.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
May not be in it anymore, and they may really.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Want to make a switch privot equip, but they feel
burdened by the decision that they've made to be where
they are, and maybe other people looking at them, they're
gonna think I'm flaky if I don't stay the course
in this or am I letting myself down?
Speaker 1 (10:52):
Or am I seeing this through?
Speaker 2 (10:53):
Do you ever feel burdened by sort of the expectations
to stay the course in a certain space.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Here's the crazy thing about that. Sometimes you stay too long,
and you stay too long you feel it right, like
whether it manifests itself physically, emotionally, spiritually, like you start
to feel the burden of owastaying you're welcome in a
chapter that should have closed a while ago. And to
that point, yeah, not only I can tell you multiple
(11:23):
times in my life where I wrestled with the decision,
and there were just days where I'm like, if it's
going to happen, I've got to move now. Otherwise I
might sit in this for another two years. And that
was after contemplating for six to twelve months. I would say, like,
that's natural, that's being human. Some people are quick to pivot,
(11:46):
and bless them, that's wonderful. I'm not one of those people.
I'm thoughtful. I want to be very like calculated about
the decisions that I'm making, but I don't ever want
to linger in something and miss an opportunity that was
meant for me. That's the other thing. Growing up, there
was always a blueprint for what success was so supposed
(12:08):
to look like, and you get so married to that
blueprint that sometimes you don't realize that you need to
write or rewrite your own script. Some of the things
that have happened in my life is simply because I
decided to say yes and let the rest of it
play out.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
When was your most recent AHA moment and maybe what
it was in relation to.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
Okay, about a year ago, I was really just kind
of like taking stock of like, I'm in my forties,
so what do I want the next chapter to look like,
well what do I enjoy doing? Like what are my hobbies?
And I realized I didn't have any. Sure, yes, brunchwoo friends,
that's all lovely, right, Like who doesn't love to eat?
(12:53):
That's all well and good, But that's not a hobby.
Like I realized, what do I do for fun? That's
zero steaks that brings me joy? That I can just
like feel free and I need to figure that out.
And that was very much Aha, Loma, because when you
look at life and you realize, like, especially in the US,
(13:15):
we put so much stock in work. We define ourselves
by labels, titles, salaries, places that we live, clothes that
we wear, restaurants that we go to. Everything has a
label on it, and we define ourselves by that. But
life is so much more than that. If we're really
(13:36):
going to take stock of what life means to us,
we have to ask ourselves, well, what makes us happy? Well,
the answer should never be just one thing. You should
not predicate your happiness on every one thing. It should
be like a quilt or a mix of a bunch
of things, and some of those things should be just
zero stakes, Like I'm happy if I go take a
(13:58):
walk and hear bird sing, or I'm happy if I
play my violin, or I'm happy if I take a
dance class. Like simple things. Those things should bring you joy.
It shouldn't just be Oh, if I make this much money,
if I work at this company, then I'm happy because
that can go tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Ooh, I know it's getting good, but we'll be right
back after we hear from our sponsors. So let's switch
gears a second and talk about your career. Where you
are now. You're in a decision making position.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
You got the power, SIV got the juice.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Okay, because you're in a decision making position, I'm sure
there are people coming to you on a daily basis
in this podcasting space and thinking I have all the answers.
My show is the best a cast. Please come and
look at me and pick me. Why wouldn't you pick me?
Speaker 1 (14:55):
Have you lost it? I'm the best thing since slight
spread in Wide Rice?
Speaker 2 (15:00):
So how do you cope on a day to day
with all the demands that hang over you? All the
people who want your attention, all the people who need
you to make a decision about something? And I guess
before we get into how you cope. Just give us
a slice a headline of what your job really looks
(15:22):
like beyond the title.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
Okay, first of all, I'm still stuck on this note
that you hit like spread and White Rodane don't by Okay. So,
as a director of content, I am responsible for a
team that handles the acquisition, creation and management of content.
(15:48):
So think of it similar to like a record label
and an an R team. You have a team that
scouts and looks for talent, you have a team that's
managing the artists on the label, and then you have
me who is kind of like building the strategy around
it all. So, like you said, it's a lot because
podcasting is so popular, there's so many people pitching pitches.
(16:10):
Come from everywhere. They come from agents, they come from managers,
they come independent, they come off of DM Like you,
have so many people that are looking to associate themselves
with a network. They want some of the benefits or
perceived benefits that come with being with a network. And
because the industry is so saturated obviously and competition is
(16:32):
so heavy, everyone is just trying to, like you said,
stand out, be the one. I think, like I said
at the top, a lot more creators would be doing
themselves a service if they understand that this is a business,
and when they're pitching themselves, they pitch understanding that they
(16:52):
are a brand, they are a business, and that they
should be having that in mind. It's not just oh,
I have this wonderful idea yea about food and mermaids
and I think it's the greatest thing ever, and no
one talks about food and mermaids, and so you want
to hear about food and mermaids. Do I want to
(17:13):
hear about food? When you're pitching? Are you doing your homework?
Do you know who your audience is on different platforms?
I think a lot of times people think because they
have an influence in one place, that the influence is
immediately going to translate over to another place. And that's
not true for any of these mediums at all. You
have to know who's paying attention where and when you're
(17:37):
pitching yourself. You are essentially a business. If you walked
into a major corporation, they know the data behind their business.
Just because you're independent doesn't make you any different. You
should know those details.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
As we wrap up, you were featured by The Hollywood
Reporter among their forty most powerful people in podcasting in
twenty twenty two. So leave our listeners with something burning
that you have been wanting to say to the people
of the podcast industry or the people who are aspiring
(18:12):
to be in the podcast industry. What have you been
itching to convey to the people?
Speaker 3 (18:21):
You better sell that moment what you are the madam
of MC's there. Oh my goodness, I would say to
aspiring podcasters and even to aspiring creators in general, understand
and be prepared for the long haul. If you see
(18:44):
this as just like a hustle, as the thing that's
going to like just get you the get rich quick.
This is not that I think that the art of
storytelling has been lost in so many mediums. And that's
what made podcasting so pure and so genuine. And there
are a lot of hardworking people writers, producers, editors, sound designers, bookers,
(19:09):
executive producers, hosts that are so passionate about this medium.
If you're going to get into it, please take it seriously.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
Thank you so much for spending time with us today, Tiffany.
It has been a pleasure. I'm sending you big virtual hugs.
Tiff No, I always got so much love for her,
and I really appreciate you taking the time to do
this out of your busy schedule.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
You were running around today meetings.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
She always has back to back meetings, but she took
the time to chat with.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
Us and talk to us.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
So thank you so much too. Ayana, you are my gal.
So you make the call. I'm showing up. It doesn't
matter when or where I got you. So thank you
for having me. I really appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
Yes, all right, y'all, thank you so much for spending
time with us getting to know Tiffany. If you want
to learn more about Tiffany, I will leave all of
her details the show notes, and as always, be well.
Speaker 3 (20:09):
M
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