Lead With Your Voice | Podcasting, Thought Leadership, Authentic Communication

Does starting, building and growing your Podcast feel like 'A LOT' then you will love my hustle-free membership community⁠ where you get to grow alongside purpose-driven podcasters from all over the globe. ***********************************************************I loved reconnecting with Winnie Da Silva for this conversation. We first met during one of my podcasting workshops, and it was so lovely to catch up and hear how her relationship with podcasting has evolved since then.When Winnie started her podcast during the pandemic, it became much more than a creative outlet. It became a space to experiment, grow and find her voice. And, as we discuss, finding your voice isn't something that happens overnight. It takes courage, a willingness to get uncomfortable and, perhaps most importantly, a little less pressure to get everything right.Winnie shares how her relationship with leadership, visibility and podcasting has shifted over the years. From hustle, preparation and metrics towards more presence, joy and ease. We talk about her annual eight-day silent retreats, her new lighter podcast format, Winnie Unscripted, and what happens when we allow podcasting to become part of our everyday lives rather than another thing on our never-ending to-do list.We also revisit one of my favourite moments from her podcast: a bonus episode about her daughter's ice-skating injury. A beautiful example of how the tools we talk about in leadership and personal growth aren't just theories. We get to put them into practice in real life, too.And because we live in a world increasingly shaped by AI and automation, we get into why being radically human, showing up as ourselves and creating genuine connections matters more than ever.If there's one thing I hope you'll take away from this conversation, it's this: Be easy on yourself. Start before you feel ready. And allow yourself to figure things out along the way.A big thank you to Winnie for sharing so openly!In this episode, we talk about:Finding your voice and building confidence through podcasting.Why growth often means getting comfortable with being uncomfortable.Letting go of hustle, metrics and the pressure to constantly produce.Finding more ease and joy in your podcasting routine.What eight-day silent retreats can teach us about leadership.Experimenting with lighter podcast formats and seasons.Being radically human in an increasingly automated world.Why you don't need to have it all figured out before you start.Connect with my guest: Winnie Da SilvaWinnie Da Silva is a leadership and team strategist, executive coach and host of Transformative Leadership Conversations. She helps leaders and teams navigate change, grow with intention and bring more humanity into the way they lead.Website | LinkedIn | PodcastConnect with Regina Larko Want to start, build and grow a Podcast alongside other purpose-driven Podcasters? Then you will love my membership community.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Work with me⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

While teaching my podcasting leadership course at Johns Hopkins University, I had a little realisation of my own: I hadn’t fully connected my podcast here with another important part of my ecosystem, ⁠my membership community⁠.In this episode, I talk about why I created this community membership, what I want it to make possible, and how it offers ongoing support, accountability, monthly teachings, journaling prompts and reflections, plus live, off-the-record conversations in a safe space.Because here's what I keep coming back to: the podcast is the vessel. You are the one who makes it matter. With 82%* (The Podcast Study 2026) of listeners saying they return mainly if not only because of the host, how we show up really does matter.I also share why stepping behind the microphone is such a powerful leadership act, and why even experienced podcasters need to take a step back and look at how they show up and connect their podcast to the bigger picture. Curious to be part of the membership? You can join anytime at ⁠www.reginalarko.com/podcasting-community⁠Connect with Regina Larko:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Work with me⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Do you feel the pressure to add video to your podcast? You’re not alone.In this episode, I’m talking about the growing expectation that podcasters should be doing video, too. A recent post by Elizabeth Day, host of the audio-first podcast How to Fail, got me thinking about what we might lose when we feel pushed to be on camera.I started working in podcasting in 2016, when audio was simply what podcasts were. Today, adding video can mean more equipment, more editing, more time and more decisions. And if you’re a coach, founder or expert who wants to use your podcast to build relationships and share your work, you might not want another thing competing for your time and energy.So here’s your reminder: you don’t have to do video to make your podcast matter.If video energises you and feels like a natural fit, go for it. But if audio is where you feel most comfortable, you’re allowed to stay there. There’s something special about the intimacy of audio, too.Your podcast doesn’t need to follow every trend to create meaningful connections and opportunities. You get to choose the format that works for you.Want to explore what else could shift in your podcasting? I’ve created a free, one-minute shift for you at reginalarko.com/shift.In this episode:00:00 Why Video Podcasts Now00:42 Elizabeth Day Sparks Debate02:18 The Hidden Cost of Video03:48 Pressure on Business Podcasters05:13 You Choose Your Format05:52 Audio Intimacy Over Cameras06:50 Permission to Stay Audio-Only07:37 Your Free One-Minute Podcast Shift08:02 Closing GoodbyeLinks mentioned in this episode:⁠⁠Elizabeth Day's Post that inspired this podcast episode. Here it is on LinkedInConnect with Regina Larko:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Work with me⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected] ⁠⁠⁠⁠

Recently, I've made it my mission to meet more podcasters/guests for my shows in person.And look, it’s already working. 😊For International Podcast Day, I invited a bunch of lovely podcasters based in Austria to meet me for a coffee, have a chat and celebrate this wonderful medium we’ve all somehow found ourselves in.These lovely people showed up. ❤️I always find it so meaningful to hear other podcasters talk about their journey.What got you into podcasting in the first place?What were your most embarrassing fails?How did you find your people and your listeners?What has your podcast made possible that you never expected?What worked? What absolutely didn’t?And, perhaps most importantly: why are you still showing up?Because the podcasting journey is never linear. There are moments when everything clicks, moments when you wonder whether anyone is listening at all, unexpected opportunities, awkward interviews, technical hiccups, brilliant conversations, long pauses, new directions and plenty of figuring things out as you go.And that’s what I loved about this conversation.So if you’re thinking about starting a podcast, wondering whether podcasting is still for you, or simply looking for that little spark to keep going, listen in.And while you’re listening, think about how YOU would answer all the questions we raised.What brought you here?What have you learned?What made you cringe? Who are your people?And what has your podcast made possible?A huge thank you to everyone who joined me for this coffee and conversation. I’m so glad you showed up.🎙️ Check out these wonderful podcasts:Ulrich AydtGestatten Sie?! https://pod.link/1465560580Valentin FarkaschOrbit for Creators: https://pod.link/1706799311The episode Valentin mentioned with his mentor. Regina Larko#impact: https://pod.link/1205377165Lead With Your Voice: https://pod.link/1487708769Sound Pockets: https://pod.link/1716048028Mentioned in the podcast:TrueFans: a great platform for connecting with your listeners and giving your community a place to gather.You can also find and follow all the podcasts mentioned here on Truefans: https://truefans.fm/ Just type in the podcast name in the search field and you will find them! Happy International Podcast Day! 🎙️❤️And if you’re a podcaster in Austria, or anywhere in the world really, come say hi. I have a thing for meeting podcasters over (virtual) coffee. ☕️Connect with Regina Larko:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Work with me⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Ever feel like you’re posting, publishing and podcasting into the void?Today I will share two encounters that reminded me why you can’t always measure the impact of your work by likes, comments, downloads or replies. One came through a LinkedIn comment from someone I had never directly connected with. The other happened at an event, when someone I’d never spoken to told me that my work had stayed with them.Both were little reminders that our voices can land much further than we realise.In this episode, I also talk about those quieter seasons when engagement drops, community participation fluctuates and you start wondering whether anyone is actually listening. I also share a simple practice for collecting the messages, comments and moments that remind you: your work is reaching people, even when you can’t see it.Because you are not speaking into the void.And your voice might be making an impact in ways you’ll only hear about much later.00:00 Lead With Your Voice00:45 Are You Posting Into The Void?02:55 The Quiet Seasons06:45 You Are Not Invisible07:04 An Unexpected Reminder At An Event08:27 Save The Encouraging Proof12:01 A Little InvitationConnect with Regina Larko:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Work with me⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected] ⁠⁠⁠⁠

Ever had someone tell you, “I’ve been meaning to sign up…”?And then you realise they’ve been seeing your offer for weeks?This episode is a little reminder not to underestimate how many touchpoints it can take before someone actually says yes.In this episode, I share a very real-life example of my own: I wanted to join a mentor’s group programme. I had every intention of signing up. And then… life happened. I got distracted. There was a tech issue. I got distracted. I closed the page. And then, days later, I heard the programme mentioned on a podcast and thought: Oh yes. THAT thing. I still want to do that.It made me think about how often we stop talking about our offers because we’re worried about being annoying or “too salesy”.But sharing your offer isn’t the same as constantly selling.Some people will scroll past. Some won’t be ready. Some simply need to hear about it again at the right moment.So in this episode, I’m talking about why I think we need to get a little more comfortable with repeating ourselves, and how you can naturally weave your offers into newsletters, LinkedIn posts, podcasts, conversations with clients and pretty much wherever you already show up.And yes, I also share a little invitation of my own: Podcasting Revisited: Impact, Visibility & Leadership, my new 6-week course for existing podcasters, starts October 22.Because apparently I’m taking my own advice. 😉Find all the details at reginalarko.com.In this episode: 00:00 Lead With Your Voice00:07 How many touchpoints does it take?01:38 Why repeating your offer isn’t “being salesy”01:58 A very real-life story about distractions03:06 The painting interruption03:40 Coming back to the programme05:14 Another touchpoint: LinkedIn + podcasts07:07 Why you should use the channels you already have08:54 Don’t forget your existing clients09:35 Yes, you can mention it again10:11 Podcasting Revisited: Impact, Visibility & Leadership10:56 A little encouragement before you go11:28 Leadership Voice OutroLinks mentioned in this episode:⁠⁠JHU Course: Your Podcast, Revisited: Leadership, Impact, and Visibility ⁠⁠(starting Oct 22nd, Registration open for everyone) ⁠⁠Register here.⁠⁠Connect with Regina Larko:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Work with me⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected] ⁠⁠⁠

What happens when you stop trying to get it right?After a busy summer with my three kids, I’m finally back behind the mic. And a few recent mentoring conversations got me thinking about something I keep coming back to in my own work: presence, curiosity and the freedom to experiment.In a mentoring programme, I meet people who are figuring out things like business development, visibility, confidence and how they want to show up publicly, including through their podcasts.One conversation introduced me to a simple but very impactful exercise from an artist: drawing another person for two minutes without looking at the paper.There was something wonderfully freeing about not being able to check, correct or control what I was creating. I had to trust the process. And what came out of it was really meaningful and beautiful.It got me thinking about voice leadership and podcasting in a slightly different way.What if we treated our creative work like a blank piece of paper?What if we allowed ourselves to try things, make things, play around with our voice and practise being visible without the pressure to make everything perfect, polished or publishable?Not everything we create needs to become a podcast episode. Not every idea needs to be shared. Sometimes the experimenting is the point.And maybe that is where some of the most interesting things begin.🎤 I also share more about my upcoming Johns Hopkins University Odyssey course, Your Podcast Revisited: Leadership, Impact, and Visibility, starting October 22.If you already have a podcast and feel like it’s time to look at it with fresh eyes, we’ll explore what’s working, what isn’t, and how your podcast can become a more meaningful expression of your voice and leadership.Find all the details and registration at reginalarko.com.00:00 Back Behind the Mic00:49 Life After Summer Break01:34 Mentoring Blind Dates04:26 An Artist Taught Me How to Play05:14 Drawing Without Looking09:41 Your Voice as a Blank Piece of Paper11:20 Creating Without Publishing13:14 Your Podcast Revisited15:02 A Cozy Autumn GoodbyeLinks mentioned in this episode:⁠JHU Course: Your Podcast, Revisited: Leadership, Impact, and Visibility ⁠(starting Oct 22nd, Registration open for everyone) ⁠Register here.⁠Connect with Regina Larko:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Work with me⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected] ⁠⁠

Are you making it harder than it needs to be for people to listen to your podcast?If you’re sharing an episode with your audience, you might be sending them to Spotify or Apple Podcasts. But what if they use a different podcast app? Or listen on a different device?In this episode of Lead With Your Voice, I share one simple way to make your podcast episodes easier to find, play and save.Instead of sharing separate links for Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other platforms, you can share one link that gives listeners different options — including listening directly in their browser or choosing their preferred podcast app.It’s a small change, but reducing friction can make a real difference. The easier you make it for someone to press play, save an episode and add it to their regular listening, the more likely they are to actually come back to your podcast.Why sharing only Spotify or Apple Podcasts links can create unnecessary frictionHow a simple link gives your listeners multiple ways to access your podcastWhy making it easy to save an episode mattersHow small improvements to the listener experience can support podcast growthA simple podcast sharing habit you can start using right awayI also share an invitation to my upcoming six-week live podcasting course with Johns Hopkins University, starting October 22.The course is open to podcasters worldwide and includes live sessions, replays and plenty of opportunity for individual support. The group is intentionally limited in size so you can get more than just another collection of podcasting tutorials.If you’ve already launched your podcast and are wondering what comes next — how to make your podcast work harder for you, build confidence in your voice, and create something that actually supports your bigger work — this is for you.00:00 Lead With Your Voice00:37 Why Podcast Links Lose Listeners04:56 Make It Easy to Save Your Podcast06:55 Johns Hopkins University Course Announcement08:19 How the Six-Week Podcasting Program Works11:15 Why Join Now12:56 Final Invitation and WrapLinks mentioned in this episode:https://pod.link/JHU Course: Your Podcast, Revisited: Leadership, Impact, and Visibility (starting Oct 22nd, Registration open for everyone) Register here.Connect with Regina Larko:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Work with me⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected] ⁠

What if one of the hardest parts of podcasting isn't consistency, strategy, or growth... but grief?Returning from a family holiday in Italy and I reflect on the bittersweet feeling of leaving behind moments that can never quite be recreated. That experience opens the door to a conversation most podcasters never have.Because every podcast journey asks us to let go.Whether you're just getting started, questioning your direction, celebrating milestones, or wondering why something still feels unexpectedly heavy despite your success, this episode explores an emotional side of podcasting that often stays hidden.Today I want to share six (surprising!) ways grief can show up as you build your voice, your platform, and your leadership. You may recognize yourself in more than one of them.This isn't an episode about loss.It's an episode about growth, identity, change, and what it really means to keep showing up with your voice over time.If you've ever wondered why podcasting can feel so deeply personal, this conversation might put words to something you've been carrying for a long time.In this episode, you'll discover:Why podcasting can stir emotions that have nothing to do with microphones or downloads.The hidden side of building a public voice over many years.How letting go may be one of the most important skills every podcaster develops.Whether you're an experienced host or still thinking about starting your podcast, this episode is an invitation to see your journey (and yourself!) with a little more compassion.Mentioned in this episode:#impact - A Podcast about stuff that matters Connect with Regina Larko:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Work with me⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected] 

Subscribe to my newsletter here: ⁠https://reginalarko.com/newsletter/⁠What if the thing your audience has been looking for wasn't your expertise... but your voice?I recently looked back at my podcast analytics. Not just the download numbers, but the comments, the messages, and the moments where people stayed with me the longest.And I noticed something.The episodes that resonated most weren't the ones filled with podcasting strategies or technical advice.They were the ones where we talked about something much deeper: what it means to find your voice, trust it, and keep choosing it—even when life changes you.In this episode, I'm reflecting on what that taught me. About podcasting, yes. But even more about leadership, identity, and why our relationship with our own voice is never really "finished."If you've been feeling disconnected from yourself lately, questioning your direction, or comparing your path to everyone else's, I hope this conversation feels like a gentle reminder to come home to your own voice.In this episode, we explore:why the conversations that matter most often aren't the ones we expectwhat podcast analytics revealed about the work I'm really here to dowhy growth can feel uncomfortable (and why that's not a sign you're on the wrong path)the two habits that quietly pull us away from our own voicehow comparison becomes louder than intuitiona simple practice to reconnect with the version of you that's already therewhy your voice isn't something you find once—but a relationship you keep nurturingYour voice will keep changing.The question isn't whether you've found it.The question is: Will you keep listening?Connect with Regina Larko:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Work with me⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠Resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]