Why I Joined The Podcast Academy

Short Answer: To network.

Long Answer: I was looking for a community of podcast-enthusiasts who loved making independent audio and I stumbled across TPA

Here's my story...

I'd quit my job at the local radio station in 2018 because I wanted to do something that was a lot more creative, more impactful. It was my first time pursuing serious solopreneurship. I was just beginning to wrap my head around the whole idea of self-employment when the pandemic happened and blew up all my well laid-out plans.

I mean, imagine being selected to attend the 9-week Transom Storytelling Workshop only to be told 9 days before you are scheduled to fly that you need to stay home because 'the world needs to shut down'. Imagine losing out on the chance to meet Rob Rosenthal and Ira Glass because a virus managed to bring the entire world to its knees...

I spent the pandemic aimlessly wandering in and out of all kinds of virtual workshops, webinars, conferences, and Zoom meetings that had the words 'audio' or 'podcasts' in the title.

It was during one of these Zoom-hops in late-2021 that I stumbled upon TPA. I can't recall the exact date but I do recall looking at their annual membership fees and thinking, "Well, $100 is a bit much..." Just to give you an idea, $100 was (and still is) about a quarter of my monthly rent and nearly 50%-75% of the typical monthly rents in India.

That's when I discovered that TPA offered a year-long sponsored* membership for new members from underrepresented communities. Indians were kinda under-represented in podcasting, right? Eh, who knows... I decided it was not for me to decide and filled out the application form, expecting nothing to come out of it...

(*NB: Sponsored memberships are still available, thanks to the wonderful people at Campside Media. If you are interested, just fill out this Google Form.)

Well, something did come out of it.

Every single time I log into my TPA account, I silently thank whichever kind soul instituted that sponsorship so that people like me could join this wonderful community.

Around the time I quit my job at the local radio station, I could sense that there was a LOT more to radio and podcasting than what I could see happening in India. I just didn't know what that was. My Zoom-hops gave me a window into what it *could* be. But it was joining that TPA that opened the door and put me squarely in the room.

And I cannot begin to tell you the amount of value I have gotten out of being in that room, surrounded by this wonderful group of people.

I have had the privilege of being mentored by some amazing mentors, who helped me navigate what was then a panicky solopreneurship. I have attended some amazing webinars and events hosted by TPA and learned tons of new things. I have made some wonderful friends (shoutout to Chirag, Anthony, Fernanda, Dominic, and LeAura!) during the various mentorships that I've been privileged to participate in, both as mentee and mentor! I've been fortunate to witness and learn about the incredibly well-oiled internal mechanisms of a large org, being a volunteer on the Marketing Committee. I have recently also had the honour of being a preliminary-round judge on the Blue Ribbon Panel for The Ambies too!

That first year of membership may have been sponsored but I have consistently found enough value that I unhesitatingly renew my TPA membership every year. If I were to look at it as an investment, it has definitely yielded a great ROI - both tangible and intangible.

I didn't intend to write this as a pitch for joining TPA as a member but, reading it back, I see that it might feel like one.

You know what, if that helps sway you towards joining this wonderful community… So be it!

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Shrikant Joshi is an independent audio creator and freelancer based in Pune, India. Passionate about the art of storytelling, he specializes in end-to-end production of both fiction and non-fiction projects. His independent work has received multiple awards and accolades. Before transitioning to freelance and self-employment, Shrikant spent nearly a decade as an on-air talent on Indian FM radio.

For collaborations or questions, reach out at contact@itishri.me.