One simple sentence: we were tired of people speaking for us.
We started Dearborn Girl with a few dollars & a dream in 2019.
A year later, & we've earned four national news appearances, won pitch competitions for Thawra Network (our umbrella company), & have content streaming in over 70 countries across the globe.
We are so much more than a podcast - we are a media movement, but honestly it wasn't nearly as simple as it may have looked.
& now, through our Podcasting 101 course, we're going to encourage you to start your own podcast too!
(Left: Yasmeen Kadouh; Right: Rima Imad Fadlallah; co-hosts of Dearborn Girl, & co-founders of Thawra Network)
To keep it real with you - we didn't know A THING about podcasting when we started.
We were hanging out at the Detroit Foundation Hotel one day when we saw a young woman getting ready to record her podcast; we wondered if we should start one too. At the time, we knew we wanted to create some sort of platform for Arab &/or Muslim women in Dearborn, but had no idea what form it would take.
That day, we made an appointment in the studio for later that month. We had no podcast name, no show guests lined up, no background experience with audio editing, no mentors to help us. Seriously - nothing but a dream. We decided on podcasting because it seemed accessible, affordable & fresh. But, boy were we in for a ride.
Our first few times in the studio were ROUGH. We forgot to hit record - not once - but TWICE (& profusely apologized to our first show guests who were so patient with us lol). We have bloopers FOR days, & spent long, exhausting nights in that studio more times than we care to count.
Needless to say, we have made enough mistakes for you, you & you (yes, even you.) Luckily though, these lessons are still very fresh for us, & we are ready to spill all of the tips & tricks that got us here, hundreds of episodes in. We can't have you making those mistakes too!
But really though, our dream with this media movement is to inspire others to own their voices & share their stories, which is why we are SO excited to be announcing our interactive, multi-video Podcasting 101 course.
Think about it DGFAM - what better time than NOW to talk aimlessly into a mic to whoever will listen (& trust us, with our strategies, people WILL listen)? What better time than to turn a passion project into a side hustle? There is no better time. The time is now. If you're serious about starting your podcast this year, hurry up & sign up today for our early bird special.
& PLEASE don't tell us you're waiting for this pandemic to be over because...think of how many episodes you could have recorded by now! We have friends who started platforms during quarantine & have grown their audience to thousands of daily active users. WE have grown our following by nearly 5x since May 2020 alone, so trust us when we say, this is truly the best time to start.
You will walk out of our Podcasting 101 course with the following (& more):
- Your full season 1 outline, episode by episode
- An intricate understanding of your audience
- All the tools (software, equipment, etc.) you need to get started (under $100)
- A robust social media strategy
- The motivation & pep talk to actually do it
- A 30 min consultation with Rima & Yasmeen
- A bonus vault with free printables, a PR strategy, marketing materials & more!
This course unlocks on October 30th, so be sure to benefit from our EARLY BIRD SPECIAL while the offer lasts.
& while you wait for the big drop, don't just stand there! Get to brainstorming!
If you are still deciding on a topic area or niche, here are some reflective questions to guide your process:
- What is the thing that people are constantly seeking my advice on?
- What do those in my life tell me I am really good at?
- What am I uniquely positioned to discuss?
- What is my soap box? The thing I can talk about for hours?
Hint: The more specific and narrow you can be about your topic and target audience, the better.
We can't wait to support your new podcast, DGFAM!
proudly,
a Dearborn Girl
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