This is my 1,000th podcast episode and it still feels surreal to say that out loud. I didn’t start podcasting with a goal, a strategy, or a plan to turn it into a career. I started because, in 2016, listening to podcasts just to get through my days while working on a remote island in Alaska. In this episode, I reflect on the full journey from that season to now the fears, pivots, unfinished episodes, broken RSS feeds, career shifts, and the people who believed in me along the way. More than anything, this is a reminder that you haven’t failed until you’ve given up trying, no one is paying as much attention as you think they are, and if podcasting brings you joy, your only job is to keep showing up.

Fear shows up in podcasting in sneaky ways not as “I’m scared,” but as “I don’t have time,” “I don’t know what to say,” or “I’ll start later.” In this episode of Pod Savvy Guide, Steph gets real about the fears that stop people from hitting record, from worrying about how you sound or look, to wondering what family, friends, or strangers might think, to the deeper fear of trying hard and being seen. She shares her own fears around live podcast events, posting clips online, putting paid offers out into the world, and pushing past the discomfort of marketing something she knows can help people. This episode isn’t about eliminating fear it’s about moving forward anyway. As Steph reminds us through a quote from Mark Twain, “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear not absence of fear.” If you’ve been sitting on a podcast idea, avoiding the next step, or feeling that pit in your stomach when you think about creating, this episode is your reminder that courage comes from action.

It’s 10:46 p.m., the phone battery is dead, the video didn’t save, and the pressure to be on camera suddenly feels exhausting which leads to the five predictions Steph shares in this episode of Pod Savvy Guide about podcasting in 2026. She breaks down why audio-only podcasts are still incredibly important, even as video dominates platforms like YouTube and Spotify, why small businesses and solo entrepreneurs are in the best position to stand out through podcasting, and why audiences are craving more real, honest content in an AI-heavy world. Steph also shares her hope for a return to conversations where people can agree to disagree, and why small, intimate live podcast events in backyards, community spaces, and local venues may become one of the most effective ways to connect and grow. This episode is a reminder that there isn’t one right way to podcast your voice, your experience, and hitting record still matter most.