Tell Us Your Story - Northern California
Welcome to Tell Us Your Story, the podcast that tells the diverse stories of businesses, leaders, and influencers throughout Northern California. Our mission is to ignite inspiration, foster education, and bring our community together. Join us as we unravel the path to achievement, discovering how these remarkable businesses and leaders navigated obstacles, conquered hardships, and transformed failures into success. Their stories will leave you reinvigorated and inspired with invaluable leadership insights and equipped with practical advice to overcome the challenges on your journey towards success.
Tell Us Your Story - Northern California
Season 2 Introduction: The Evolution of Our Podcast!
Welcome back to Season 2! Your favorite hosts are back at it, with some exciting changes. In this episode we reflect on season 1 and share some exciting changes for season 2 along with a sneak peek of what is to come.
Our conversations have evolved into profound explorations of vulnerability and triumph, weaving through the stories of influential business owners, local influencers, and champions of the Northern California community. This season, we offer an intimate glimpse into their journeys, unlocking the essence of what propels someone from everyday to extraordinary.
Prepare to be inspired as we share a line-up of guests whose tales of risk and resolve redefine the path to success. Hear the excitement in their voices and the passion in their stories, which are bound to leave you reflecting on your own dreams and ambitions. We're grateful to each and every listener who tunes in, shares feedback, and contributes to our story.
This season is dedicated to you, the heartbeat of our podcast, as we bring to life the stories that resonate and connect us all.
So here we are sitting at the Rising Zone in Rockland, California. This is our new studio and I'm sitting across from Natasha and we're opening up Season 2.
Speaker 2:Season 2.
Speaker 1:So welcome back to recording and getting back into the grind of meeting with guests and all of the fun that we had last year.
Speaker 2:Oh, we didn't stop. We didn't yeah maybe back for them.
Speaker 1:We stopped releasing the episodes, but we have some that we've banked up. But we are going through a little change. So we started off as Grandpa and the Millennial. We're going through a change. We're going to a new brand, which I want to get to. But I want to just take a minute to reflect on last year and talk about what you enjoyed, what you didn't enjoy. And I told you I was going to give you one year, and here we are, we're going to go into year two.
Speaker 2:So Lucky me, I'm just kidding. Oh, this is my favorite part. So I really was reflecting and you know me in the feels all the time. I realized, like as I looked back at the last year, that I, you know, we just get in our bubble. So I think my favorite thing is we have what 40-50 people that we've interviewed and I consider my network expanded and if I just listed out like on paper, like I know an interior designer and I know a professional basketball player and the youngest woman military captain or Marine captain, you know Talia Look back and like it's very impressive and enlightening and I think that just has been my absolute favorite part is that we've met so many great people and heard so many great stories and yeah, it's just that's like season two. There wasn't even a question, of course, of course.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I absolutely loved meeting with everybody.
Speaker 1:We started off, you know, grandpa and the millennial and the concept was, you know, having two different perspectives from two different generations and it definitely, you know, I felt that I see it comes across and we're having the conversations, but we kept getting asked if you were my grand daughter and I was like I have a grandpa but I'm not that old, and so there was there was a little bit of disconnect from the way we branded it from grandpa and the millennial into a leadership podcast where we were really talking about sales and leadership, and it evolved into just hearing these great stories and success stories of people on what their journey and their path was, and through that we learned that, you know, it wasn't necessarily about breaking down the leadership you know, profiles or skill sets.
Speaker 1:It was more listening to somebody and hearing their story and what they went through and how they overcame or what their thought process was, and that's really how we started to get to where we're at today, where we're primarily doing all interviews, and I thoroughly enjoyed that's my favorite part of it is listening to the people. What's been the biggest grind for you this past year as you've gone through, and what's been the biggest grind or challenges you've gone through the podcast.
Speaker 2:Oh, the biggest grind, I think the how do I say it? Like the, just all the behind the scenes stuff, the work right, like it's hours. It's hours on top of our day job. It's learning how to create content and run social and, you know, present things and stories and our, your reels and our posts in a way that are meaningful to people and impactful, and so I think there's a lot that goes into that and wanting to make sure that we showcase our guests right and highlight their stories right. And so, I think, just consistently learning, like every single. I don't think there's a day, maybe a couple, that we didn't talk about like, oh my gosh, this could be better, we could do this differently, and just learning. It's been a massive learning experience the last year and it's just I think that's what it is is just knowing that we have very minimal answers and we're just learning them as we go. So the grind is the grind, you know, I think what about you?
Speaker 1:It would be editing. Editing takes a while, so we all have our go to words and we all have the ums. There's coughs. So going through and back through the conversation and doing my best to make sure that what we put out for the individual whose story we're telling is as clean as possible, that's where the grind comes in, but the joy definitely comes from. Every time we finish a podcast, we are energized and excited on what just took place and hearing from another individual and, to your point, we've made so many friends over the past year that it's just been an incredible ride.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely, and it always outweighs the, the, the goodness, the accomplishment, the feelings after. You know how our guests feel and the things that have come from the podcast you know makes the, the work you know, easier. So, absolutely, and we've learned a lot. I mean, how many, how many audio recordings did you edit before the podcast ever in your life? None, zero.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's been fun. And then you know it's also been fun. I've taken the equipment, I've sat down with my family or friends and you know a lot of drink or two.
Speaker 1:We've recorded a couple of, you know, private episodes where we're just talking about family history. I would definitely encourage people to do that. So there's it's brought me closer to a lot of friends and community, and we've we have tons of support. We have, you know, probably well over 1500 people that are following us across the different platforms and listening to our episodes, and then the feedback we got was also incredible. What's some of the your favorite feedback you've gotten this year?
Speaker 2:Oh, good question. So I I think my favorite feedback has been the guests reaction to themselves. You know, we had a guest tell us like, oh, listening back, I was like who is that? Like that, they didn't, it was just hearing themselves or how they did it, you know, elicited their, their feelings and all that, and they were proud of what they did and others that they got feedback from their friends or family, and we've just they told us like, oh, it was enlightening to do that, or oh, I was, you know so and so told me that it would be therapeutic or whatever it was. So I think that's the best feeling is because I love, you know, I love every episode, I love every conversation. I get something out of it. But I think I love most when they were kind of caught off guard, like oh, I, you know, I didn't think my story was that important, and then coming out of it, you know, finding out that it was, or being proud of themselves for doing it, like that's my, that was my favorite part, for sure.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's my favorite part as well, and it's always. It took us a while, if you look. Listen back to our first, maybe first 30 episodes.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we've evolved as well, and not saying that we're we where we need to be, but we're definitely not. And you know, the first couple episodes we were fumbling through it. But every person that comes on, whether they hide it or not, it takes from about 10 minutes to warm up to the microphones, the the environment, the world that they're just walked into and to get to see them relax and then forget that they're on a podcast and sometimes you can hear it in the episode. There's a little bit of, you know, hesitation and nervousness and and then it just smooths out and we're having a conversation with somebody, sometimes over a drink, most of the time not, but that's also been One of my favorite and most interesting spot is people just get into their comfort zone and they share.
Speaker 1:There's been some very vulnerable conversations, very powerful conversations and lessons to be learned that I've gotten feedback from, you know whether it's friends, families, listeners I've never met saying, hey, this person said this and it really impacted me, which is why we, why we, started it.
Speaker 2:It's exactly why we started it and the conversations that you don't always have. Well, maybe if you're me, you have a method. You know the bar, whatever at the party, but it their conversations that you don't always get to. So, no way, what I have, even if I had introduced myself to any of our guests or ran into them, or even had, you know, a 10 minute conversation probably wouldn't have gotten as deep or as Just insightful of a conversation which is, hands down, my favorite part.
Speaker 1:So we're going into season two. We changed the brand, changed our social. Everything is now around. Tell us your story and it sells your story in northern California. So, from your perspective and sharing with those people, listening, what can they expect? Why are we doing this? What's it gonna look like and sound like? What's the difference? What's happening?
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I don't want it to seem like it's this massive shift, like we appreciate all of the followers and listeners and we still think that what we're bringing will Resignate with them. I'm a huge, I know leadership was a very big theme in the first season and I I Love that every single day and I still, maybe, if I don't even say it, I still think that that theme is gonna be throughout. It's just, you know, just because the title changes, like that will be very similar. So I don't want people to think like, oh my gosh, this is all new. Like, will I like it? Well, I not. It's very, very similar.
Speaker 2:I think, where we're broadening a little bit, what they can expect is a little bit more on On the, I would say, like business side of things. Is, you know, maybe it's not necessarily about their leadership principles, but we're talking to people who have interesting stories, who have started businesses or who are Leaders, maybe in their community, or influencers in ways that there's, you know, they're making impacts and we're still getting that behind the scenes story. So I don't think it's that different. I think we're just shifting a little bit more to, you know, people that are right around us, that are in our area that we might not know the story otherwise.
Speaker 1:And I think it's important. These are business owners or influencers or people that are within our communities and services that we can use, and that's really what I'm excited about. And we're making an attempt at going out either to a winery or we're going out to a restaurant At least once a month, if not more, and we've started to do some of those interviews and they're coming up and the business owners where we're sitting you know we're at the rising zone which is Yvonne her she's the first episode of season two it's coming up next week and what her Business and empire that she's put together. And now we're sitting in that studio. We have a studio now, so how we all work together with Not just the businesses but the people in these communities and understanding their backstory.
Speaker 1:And why do I, why do I want to work with this particular person, or why would I want to engage with this person, or why would I want to go to this winery? How did they get there? So we're really hoping to tell those stories and that brings us to you. You know, why are we sitting in a studio? Why did we move to a studio? We were doing it out of the kitchen.
Speaker 2:Well, we missed it. So we missed the kitchen table so much. Well, real quick, before we talk about that, I think that you hit on a really good point the community aspect of it. So really there are. I feel like people are very quick to like think that you know the next mentor they need, or the success story or whatever is like really far away or has to be somebody that's, you know, super famous and out of reach. When we have all of these people that are right around us and all these great experiences, whether it's just visiting a new restaurant, right, maybe somebody doesn't necessarily want to know the back story, but they want to know the cool spots in town.
Speaker 2:You know, I think the community aspect of it is what we're building and you mentioned. We're sitting in the rising zone and since we've been here, we've met, you know, even a handful of other businesses. We're collaborating, we see them collaborating, which people will hear. That's exactly what the you know the space is for, but I think it's it's just, it's so good. I heard something the other day about the red car theory. Have you heard it?
Speaker 1:I have, oh, I have heard this Slightly, yeah, slightly.
Speaker 2:Um, yeah, they talked about like, if I asked you, you know how many red cars did you see on the way here today? How many?
Speaker 1:Oh, it's in, I don't know, zero, or I don't know, because I wasn't looking for them.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but if I told you like, hey, I'll give you a thousand dollars, like when we come next week, if you tell me how many red cars, right, and all of a sudden you're actively looking for the red cars, and so I think it's just goes to show right All the opportunities that around us, the people that are around us. If you're not looking, then they're just going to go by, right, but if you put effort into that, it just brings things to light, and so that's what we want to do Highlight the people in the communities, highlight places and businesses and all of that. So, anyway, community is going to be a big, big piece, I think communities are going to be a big, big piece.
Speaker 1:And I know I'll always come back to the two things that you can control in life, yeah, which is attitude and effort, and whether you're 15 years old or you're 18 years old and you're just getting out, or you're 70 years old, there's nothing you can't do.
Speaker 1:And when you listen to these stories, sometimes I sit back and I'm like, oh, they just went for it, they just made the decision that they were going to go do this and it's happening. And I think so many times we let all of these preconceived notions of it can't be done or I need to have this in place before I take that first step in the journey. These stories prove that that's not the case. Not that you know, you don't take responsible actions, but these stories, to me, are very inspirational in that everybody has their own journey and their definition of success and the path that they're on, and we get to share them and we get to be you and I get to be very intimately involved with sitting with people in a room and hearing their stories, which is incredible yeah, it's just possible, like it's yeah, we know it is the art of possibility, right Like it's possible.
Speaker 2:And we're hearing how people do it. So, yeah, I'm super, super excited. What did you say? The oh, why are we not doing it at the kitchen table anymore? Yeah, the dogs like just kicked us out, like from both of us have dogs and they just didn't work for them. So, I think one, yes, we wanted a nice, you know, quiet space and all of that to invite guests to and make it, you know, the experience, have it quiet, all of that good stuff. But I also think that it's a step into you might kill me, but we're going to have to get into some video content and things at some point. So I think we're just we're growing and it's a next step, baby step.
Speaker 1:We are growing. The dogs are killing us. We've we've, you know, taken the next step. Listeners are growing, engagement is growing. So, as we look through, you know, the next year, we talked about the community and the piece of it, but for the podcast itself, how much do you want to share what? What can people expect from us as we're we're going through, and what should they think of us when they look at us in six months from now and from a year from now? What? What are you thinking?
Speaker 2:Oh man, they can't see but I could see. You. You're trying to read what I'm going to say. I think one One thing is like, yes, people might come to us, but I think we have some cool plans to like go out and, you know, have some of the experiences and bring a little bit of different, like unique life to the podcast. I think that there is the expansion of who's telling their story, how they're telling it and what we're offering to do that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and you know I'll jump on that when I look at six months and then a year from now. This has just been fun. What's been most important to me is we've been able to help people and the feedback that we've gotten. But other people are coming and saying, hey, I can you, you know how can I tell my story? How?
Speaker 2:can I?
Speaker 1:facilitate this without necessarily not necessarily being on your podcast? My well, what story do you want to tell? Just your story, and we've heard different things like well, I want to. I want to tell my dad's legacy. I want him to sit down. Would you be able to facilitate that? And I'm like I could. It's an investment in time. Let's talk about it, and You've done it with family and said, hey, let's sit down with you know parents, and let's ask them a series of questions that the next generation is gonna want to know. There's love stories that people want to sit down and say you know, I want to put this together for Christmas.
Speaker 1:Can I use your equipment? I'm like, absolutely. And then we're getting questions. I'm like, how should I do it? What should I put? You know, what are all of all of the things that we take for granted because we tripped over them?
Speaker 1:as we were doing All of a sudden people are coming to us for. And then I think one of the the most Important ones is the celebration of life. We've had a couple people where say, hey, can you help? You know I want to memorialize, you know this individual story. How can I best do that? And I'm not, will absolutely help you there.
Speaker 1:So there's these paths that we're able to help people and we're growing and we have such a support system of people that are engaging with us and giving us feedback, and we love all of your feedback Listening out there. Keep giving it to us. You may not see it on all the social, but we get the emails, the text, the calls. So, yeah, we're definitely growing. I look forward to the podcast being sponsored in different areas where New listeners can listen to it, and being featured In different places and and bringing all of the people that are listening to us right now along with us on the journey, because it's not valuable if you guys aren't, if, when I say you guys, with all of our listeners, aren't Enjoying the content we're putting out there. Otherwise it ends up being just a great conversation for you and I and the guests.
Speaker 1:But I love that we have all of these people that are supporting and listening.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I think that we're truly practicing what we preach. Like we sit in and have conversations with people that are Building businesses, that are, you know, overcoming challenges, that are saying yes to opportunities, and that's exactly what we're doing. We have been doing it for a year and up and coming, like as our listeners they're on this journey. You said with us, right, we're gonna say yes to things, we're trying new things ourselves, we're getting ideas from you know feedback, and we're leaning in where we can't go. And just, we're growing in all aspects. It's not just a listener thing or a volume thing. It's Growing in. What does tell us your story mean? What does it do? Who's on it? What do we offer? All of that good stuff. So I think we're growing and we appreciate those that are growing with us.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, and as we go through, you know, the coming months in this year, something for the listeners to engage with us on our socials, whether it's LinkedIn tell us your story. Facebook, tell us your story, and then same on Instagram, and I think we're even trying on the tick-tock. I don't know how any of that stuff works, but we're we're now telling people who we're gonna be interviewing or what industry we're gonna be interviewing, and we're asking you to put questions in those social platforms or send them to us, and we're gonna take two or three and we're gonna call out our listener and we're gonna call out that specific question so that there's more engagement. We have Ideas of what we want to talk about, but we also want to know what you want to talk about. So if we're going to you know restaurant somewhere in Napa or a winery in Napa or Wherever it may be in Northern California, I would love to know you as the listener, what's your question? What do you want us to ask? And we'll go ask them and we'll give you a shout out there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I said we were growing, but I think a better word is building. We're building something and we want people to be a part of that. So, yeah, what do you want to hear? What do you want to see? Who do you want to hear from? All of that is like we're super open to that and I think that's what we just keep saying. Yes, that's how we got here. Well, I'm having a lot of fun, so good, so I wasn't too hard to convince you.
Speaker 1:Year two I wasn't too hard to convince me of year two. It is a lot of fun, we're progressing. I'm looking forward to the episodes that start next week and then we'll continue through the year. The guests are booking up and we have a series of exciting guests and conversations. And, for those of you that are not just looking for a place to eat or how this particular business was able to be successful, we have entrepreneurs. We have multimillionaires that are coming up, that built from nothing, that are truly inspirational, that when you sit down and you listen to them, it wasn't really that difficult. They took a chance that most people won't Incredibly intelligent, but that risk taking piece is fascinating to me and it's always an engaging conversation. So I'm looking forward to everybody listening in and learning and having some fun.
Speaker 2:So it's going to be a good year.
Speaker 1:It's going to be a good year. Thank you to all of you that are listening, follow us on our socials and please continue to give us feedback. Natasha, how are you going to close us out this year?
Speaker 2:I know I can't out us anymore, so we'll see you next week or here You'll hear us next week, I don't know. So maybe we'll work a lot together.
