From personal chaos to purposeful storytelling, an unspoken journey behind my podcasts ItsKayToBeKaren and EmpowHER.

Before I get into the story, here’s a little context. I host two podcasts: ItsKayToBeKaren, where I explore growth and the stories behind people’s journeys, and EmpowHER, which focuses on amplifying women’s voices and experiences. Both came from the same place; a love for stories and the people who carry them.

A lot of you have asked me this over and over again: What made you start your podcast? You’ve probably heard a few versions of the story by now. However, what is the truth? Here it comes for you, completely raw and unfiltered. 

Most people would spend their summer tanning, travelling or pretending that they are the main character in their own teen drama. With consistent plans to various pubs overnight, hanging out with friends and doing all the “normal” things a twenty-something would do, that was the summer for most people. Here I was spending my time overthinking, journaling and having full-blown existential conversations with myself at 2 a.m. Glamorous, I know. 

Looking back, the summer of 2025 was the kind of emotional chaos that doesn’t look aesthetic on a Pinterest board. It wasn’t quite a “healing era” with matcha lattes, cozy blankets and yoga mats. It was more like a “who even am I and why am I crying again?” era. Somewhere between juggling my thoughts and late-night journaling, I noticed something. Every single person that I interacted with, including my friends, coworkers and family, carried something in common. 

A story. 

A story that you wouldn’t quite post on Instagram, but the kind that sits deep down within their heart and behind someone’s eyes. Once I noticed this, I couldn’t unnotice it. 

At first, I thought I was becoming more observant and aware of nature and the people around me. Or perhaps a little nosy. The more I listened, the more I realized that these stories were not only interesting, but they were powerful. They held heartbreak, resilience, empowerment, confusion, joy and everything in between. I took a little pause and found myself wanting to understand them. This was not in a “tell me your secrets” way, but in a “your story deserves space” way. 

Around this time, this was when the idea of a podcast started to form. This was neither a polished concept nor a brand. This wasn’t even something I thought I would actually do. It was a tiny spark, a curiosity about people and the lives they had lived. Believe it or not, curiosity has a funny way of turning into purpose when you least expect it. 

By late July 2025, I finally said it out loud: “What if I started a podcast?” Not because I had the equipment. Not because I had the confidence. Not because I had any idea what I was doing. 

There was something in me that needed to create a space where stories could breathe. So I did what any normal person would do and opened up my laptop, went into my Notes app and typed “Podcast???” with three question marks, engulfed in fear and uncertainty. Somehow, that messy little note turned into ItsKayToBeKaren Season 1. 

The first season was chaotic, but in its own beautiful way. I was learning everything from scratch: how to reach out to guests, how to set up your podcast equipment, how to record, how to not cringe at the sound of my own voice. I didn’t have a formula. I didn’t have the strategy. I didn’t have the people. I just had myself, and a little spark in me that believed in sharing stories and raw conversations. 

I learned that vulnerability isn’t weakness.

I learned that everyone carries something heavy. 

I learned that listening is the most underrated form of love. 

The more stories I heard, the more I realized how many of them came from women who fought to be heard in the first place. Women who had been dismissed, underestimated or silenced. Women who had carved out space for themselves in rooms that were not built for them. Women who had stories that deserved not just a platform, but a spotlight. 

That realization did not come overnight. It grew slowly, quietly, underneath everything else. By the time Season 1 wrapped up, my inner self knew that I wasn’t done. I knew that this was not some kind of summer project or a creative outlet. It was a mission that I am still yet to complete. 

Season 2 of ItsKayToBeKaren stemmed from that clarity. It wasn’t just about stories anymore, but it was about growth. It was about development. It was about the messy, nonlinear journey of becoming myself. The conversations became deeper, more intentional, more reflective. By this point, I was no longer sharing stories, but I was learning from them too. 

Then came the moment that I didn’t see coming: EmpowHER.

If Season 1 was curiosity, and Season 2 was clarity, then EmpowHER was the purpose. It was the natural evolution of everything that I had been feeling. It was the desire to uplift women, to amplify their voices, to advocate for their roles and to create a space where their experiences weren’t just heard but celebrated. 

By April 2026, I found myself standing in a place I never imagined: two podcasts, two missions and a version of myself I didn’t know I was capable of becoming. The girl who spent her entire summer spiralling till 2 a.m. was now building platforms for others. The girl who questioned everything around her was now asking questions that mattered. The girl who felt lost was now helping others feel seen. 

Here is the thing about growth that nobody talks about. Growth rarely looks like growth when you are in it. It looks like confusion. It looks like discomfort. It looks like late-night journaling and emotional spirals. When you zoom out, you realize that every messy moment was leading you somewhere. 

For me, it led to community. It led to empowerment. It led to purpose. 

If you are reading this and wondering how I started my podcast, the answer is simple: I didn’t start it because I had everything figured out. I started it because I didn’t. I started it because I felt lost. I started it because I was searching for stories, and in the process of this, I found my own. 

Perhaps the real truth is that sometimes we create things when we are falling apart, and those things end up holding us together. 

If you are interested in giving my podcasts a listen below are links to access them!

Click on the links for the YouTube channels for ItsKayToBeKaren Season 1, ItsKayToBeKaren Season 2 and EmpowHER – they are all part of the same page.

ItsKayToBeKaren Season 1 Podcast links – Apple & Spotify

EmpowHER Podcast links – Apple & Spotify