Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Host Notes
When our team at BluePrint Media started talking about Trailblazing in Agriculture in early 2020, turning it into a podcast was not the direction we were headed. In fact, we had plans to roll this out as a blog. It wasn’t until we were nearly ready to launch this project that the idea of making this into a podcast was on the table. We didn’t know everything about starting a podcast when we launched Trailblazing in Agriculture last year and, honestly, we’re still learning. But if we had waited until we knew everything there was to know about podcasts, Trailblazing in Agriculture would still be a dream for our team. Instead, we jumped in and passionately pursued this project, knowing we would learn many lessons along the way! We’re coming up on the one-year anniversary of the podcast, so in this episode I reflect on the last year and talk about what’s next for Trailblazing in Agriculture.
Episode 11 Transcript
This transcript has been edited for clarity.
Jessie: Hey, Trailblazers. It’s Jessie. Welcome to another episode of Trailblazing in Agriculture, a podcast for anyone interested in hearing the stories of the agriculture industry’s pioneers and innovators. Today’s episode will be a little different. We’re coming up on the one-year anniversary of the podcast, so I want to take some time to reflect on the last year and talk about what’s next for Trailblazing in Agriculture.
So here’s the thing. When our team at BluePrint Media started talking about Trailblazing in Agriculture in early 2020, turning it into a podcast was not the direction we were headed. In fact, we had plans to roll this out as a blog. It wasn’t until we were nearly ready to launch this project that the idea of making this into a podcast was on the table. Several team members were on a planning call last summer to discuss the next steps for launching Trailblazing in Agriculture when, seemingly out of the blue, a lightbulb came on and we thought “Why don’t we let the trailblazers tell their own stories? Certainly, people would rather hear the story from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.” And, as the saying goes, the rest is history. I am so glad we made that pivot, because I have loved hearing these stories and I hope you are enjoying it as much as I am.
I’ve mentioned this before but, from the very beginning, the podcast has been a team effort. While I serve as the show’s host, none of this could happen without our incredible team at BluePrint Media. From suggesting trailblazers to feature on the show to getting the episodes posted online to creating the social media graphics and so much more, Trailblazing in Agriculture is only possible because of our incredible team.
As our very first guest Betty Jo Gigot said on our first episode, “The secret to all of this, it doesn’t matter if you’re running a health system or whether you’re running a feedyard or whether you’re running a magazine, it’s people.”
Boy is she right! I am truly blessed to be a part of a team of women who work so well together, and I am so proud of our team for bringing this idea to life.
Before launching the podcast last year, it had been seven years since I’d been behind the microphone as a farm broadcaster, so it was a little intimidating to dust off that hat and think about launching a podcast. But it turns out that sometimes stepping outside our comfort zone is exactly what we need, even though it can be uncomfortable and challenging. That was true for Hannah Esch, who was a guest on Episode 5 of the podcast.
Hannah’s advice: “The best thing to do is just start. You’re not ever going to learn everything before you’re actually doing it. So if you can learn as you go, that’s the best thing that’s going to happen because you’re not going to realize all of the things that are going to happen until you’re actually doing it.”
That is such good advice, and Hannah’s right. We didn’t know everything about starting a podcast when we launched Trailblazing in Agriculture last year and, honestly, we’re still learning. But if we had waited until we knew everything there was to know about podcasts, Trailblazing in Agriculture would still be a dream for our team. Instead, we jumped in and passionately pursued this project, knowing we would learn many lessons along the way!
Since launching the podcast last year, my love for the agriculture industry has grown even stronger. I’ve never questioned my passion or commitment to agriculture, but hearing these women tell their stories has inspired me and reignited my passion for telling agriculture’s story. Whether it’s through an article I’m writing for a magazine, content I’m crafting for a client website or an episode I’m producing for the podcast, I am pursuing it with a new-found passion and excitement.
As Barbara Jackson encouraged all of us on Episode 8: “Find your passion and go get it!”
I hope you’re living each day by pursuing your passion.
Certainly, the goal of the Trailblazing in Agriculture podcast is to tell the stories of people in agriculture, both men and women. That said, since the team at BluePrint Media is comprised of incredibly talented women, we were all very interested in starting the podcast with a series specifically highlighting trailblazing women in agriculture, and that’s exactly what we’ve done for the last year. We’ve found some of the most incredible women in agriculture – with a mix of rookies and veterans from around the country – and we’ve been honored to share their stories with you. If you are joining us for the first time or haven’t had the opportunity to listen to our first episodes, I encourage you to take time to check them out. I promise, you won’t be disappointed!
As much as we’ve loved our series highlighting trailblazing women in agriculture, we’re ready to branch out. Our miniseries highlighting women will conclude next month and, starting in October, the podcast will feature men and women. We know there are so many amazing stories just waiting to be told, and we can’t wait to uncover more of the agriculture industry’s pioneers, innovators and trailblazers.
As we think about what lies ahead for the Trailblazing in Agriculture podcast, we know there are so many more stories to tell. The truth is the agriculture industry is overflowing with trailblazers and we’re excited to bring their stories to life. But we also know there are people who have amazing stories that deserve to be told that we don’t know about. So, if you know someone who is blazing trails in the agriculture industry, please reach out to us and let us know. Send us a message on social media or email us at info@blueprintma.com. We would love to hear from you.
I want to wrap up by thanking you for being a part of the trailblazing family. We hope you’ll continue to join us on our journey to chronicle the stories of the people blazing a trail in the agriculture industry on the Trailblazing in Agriculture podcast!
Leave a Reply