Opportunities Archives

Women in podcast studio with mic and long dark curly hair talking about opportunities. — This is me interviewing a guest for my podcast.

My podcast launched in April 2022 and since starting this podcasting journey I’ve had opportunities I never imagined would happen. When I started my podcast it was with the sole intention of having my own show to share immigrant stories. But it really opened up a new world of opportunities. It’s crazy to think how you can start something with one goal in mind but as you go through the journey it can take you down a different path.

Let me share a few opportunities I’ve had since starting my podcast.

Speak at Events

Public speaking has not been my main skill. I remember in high school being so afraid in my public speaking class whenever it was my turn to give a speech. However, I’m glad I took that class even though I still need to practice this skill. But anyway, since starting my podcast I’ve had the opportunity to speak at a few events.

One of them was to share about my business, the services I provide, and how I got into podcasting. And the other I was debating on sharing about my business but God told me to share a little of my story and I did. As my podcasting journey continues my opportunities to speak at events will continue to grow as well.

Be a Guest on Other Podcasts

As part of my podcasting journey, I’ve had opportunities to be a guest on other podcasts. If you want to start podcasting you don’t have to do this, it’s completely optional. However, I’ve been invited to be a guest and I’ve also pitched myself.

I’ve been on over 25 podcast shows and counting. In each episode, I’ve discussed different things, different parts of my stories, my business, my poetry book, my podcast, and some combination of all of those things. Depending on what your expertise will depend on which podcast you’ll want to be a guest for, but the opportunities are endless.

My best advice to start being a guest on podcasts is to join Facebook podcasting groups that are tailored for finding guests. Being a guest on a podcast was actually my first experience with podcasting before I started my own show, however, when I started podcasting it wasn’t my intention to be a guest on other shows, it just happened. But this is also a great way to market yourself, your services, books, business, etc. I’ve made some great connections being a guest on different podcasts and I’m so grateful for the opportunities.

Intern for One of My Favorite Podcasts

Okay, this opportunity is one I’ll always talk about because it was a full-circle moment for me that I’ll never get over. Back in 2019, I went to the Lifeway Women’s Live Women’s Conference for the first time. The host that year was Jamie Ivey from The Happy Hour Podcast. Since then I followed her on Instagram, listened to her podcast faithfully, and have truly enjoyed the good content that she produces.

And one day I was like, “I want to start a podcast.” God put it in my heart in 2019 to start a podcast and I wanted it to be similar to Jamie’s. I was going to have friends come on the show and talk about the good things they were doing in life because we don’t take time to celebrate ourselves enough.

Well, earlier this year I saw in Jamie’s newsletter that they were looking for interns. I applied thinking it doesn’t hurt to try. Then went through the whole process and Angie Elkins, who at the time was the editor for the show, did my interview and at the end of the interview, she said they wanted to extend the offer. I legit cried and if you know me, I’m not one to cry easily. It was just such a surreal and full-circle moment.

Those five months of the internship were so great and it was amazing to see the behind-the-scenes work it takes to run a podcast business. Also, all the different people that were in place to help things run smoothly! Can’t wait to be there one day.

Co-Host Virtual Podcast Networking Events

Earlier this year I was asked to co-host a virtual podcast networking event. This was for the Facebook group Women in Podcasting with Francy. She hosts Life with Francy Podcast. We would host this event every third Sunday of the month.

Podcast hosts and expert guests would come together to share about their show, what they speak about, and if the hosts were looking for guests at the moment. It was so fun being able to serve in a leadership role for a podcasting group, especially a group for women. I’ve made some great connections from those events and still keep in contact with some.

Opportunities Are Endless

As you can see podcasting has provided opportunities that I didn’t think about when I first started this journey. I am so glad I took the leap of faith when I did and I cannot wait to see what other opportunities this journey provides in the future.

You never know where your journey will take you unless you start! So, if you are thinking of starting a podcast – I say start! And if you need help getting it launched get in contact with me and let’s set up a call to discuss how I can help you!

With Love, Heidy

Is a personal development newsletter an interest of yours? With a little bit of poetry? A little of opinion pieces? And some faith-based encouragement? Sign up for my Substack newsletter, “Into My Thoughts.”

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We have many plans for our lives. We have goals, timeline on how we want things to go, but almost always, our plans do not go as we pictured them. Sometimes things go worse, but when you have God in the center of your plans or life, things go much better than what you imagined. I had planned to start looking for a new job, a management position to be exact, at a new company by May 2020. I thought May because by then the wedding would be long over, the honeymoon would be long over, and I graduate from my Master’s degree in May, so that would be under my belt. But like almost always, God had other plans for me. I told myself that this year I will fully follow God’s lead in my life. Well, at the beginning of January, I received an email from Advent Health, one of the leading hospitals in Central Florida, to apply for a position in their billing/collections department. I was confused because I didn’t remember the last time I updated my profile with them since I had applied to the hospital years ago, but I thought about it and discussed it with Jonathan, my then fiancé now husband, and he said it wouldn’t hurt to apply.

So, I applied thinking nothing of it and actually forgot that I had applied. That following Tuesday, I received a phone call from an HR recruiter to do a phone screening for the position. She then invited me for a face-to-face interview for the following Friday. I went and interviewed with the director of the department, and at the end of the interview, she told me she really liked me and wanted me to join the team. That following Monday, they called me back to offer me the position and send over the offer letter to accept. When I informed my then-current employer that I was leaving, my director had a meeting with me to see why I was leaving and if there was something she could do for me to stay. I told her that I wanted to work at the hospital and thought it was a great opportunity.

A few days later she called me into the office again, this time with my manager, to tell me again that she didn’t want me to leave and two new positions were opening up and she wanted me for one of them. She told me to think about it and that she will be able to offer me more money than what the hospital offered me. I’m not money motivated, I just kept thinking about the opportunities available at the hospital. I kept going back and forth on whether to stay at my current job or leave. I interviewed for both positions at my job. But when I went to the HR and health screening appointment for Advent Health, I got excited all over again about working at the hospital, so after that appointment, I made my final decision, I was going to the hospital. The following day I got a call offering me the Team Lead position at my current job with more money than what the hospital was offering, but I went to talk to my director and I declined the offer.

She told me she appreciated me telling her and that it would be a loss for her because she thinks I’m a great employee, but at the end of the day, she wants me to be happy. She mentioned that if the hospital is the route I want to go, then she cannot compete with that, there is no money in the world she could offer me. And she was correct. Something kept pulling me towards the hospital, even when I was trying to make excuses as to why I should stay, I kept getting this pull towards the hospital, and now I know it was God.

He provided this opportunity when I least expected it, but it’s such a blessing. Today I completed my second day of orientation, and tomorrow I start training at my department, and I feel like I am right where I belong. Yesterday before any of the programs began, we prayed, and today every segment started with a bible verse. I absolutely loved that. I genuinely feel like I am in the right place at the most perfect time. I cannot thank God enough for how he moves in my life and how he has moved. I am forever grateful to him, will continue to be grateful to him, and live out my life for Him.

Always remember to trust him in all of your plans and to place him in the center of them. Things may not always come out as you’d like, when you place your trust in Him, they will come out better.

PROVERBS 3_5-6 Trust in and rely confidently on the LORD with all your heart And do not rely on your own insight or understanding_ In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him, And He will