Journey to (Likely) Start a Podcast

This past summer (2022) I left Michigan on June 19, and returned home two months later, on August 19th. For 5 weeks of this it was just Hazel (my dog) and I, until Jacob, my partner, flew out and met us when we had maybe 3 weeks left (a little more, because we also both got COVID around the time he joined us, woo hoo).
Anyway, I originally set out to take this trip related to a podcast I was planning to do (soon). I thought this would be a really fun, way to get some episodes and interviews going, and make progress towards that. Plus, I really just felt this desire to reach out and connect with random strangers, people who I met across small towns especially, in my travels. I wanted to go in the trenches of neighborhoods. (I made some promises to not go somewhere that seemed risky or stupid, for a woman traveling alone to do, though, as part of this. I also took many precautions since I would be alone).
I scheduled a handful of interviews to do in-person I thought would be possible to make happen too, with some intriguing small biz owners I know around the U.S. who I also wanted to connect with, pick their brains, hear their current stories, and share (podcast) who they are, with people beyond myself. Anyway.
All good in theory, right? I did not end up doing those interviews for a wide, wide variety of reasons I couldn't have predicted - they are still 'on the schedule' for sometime in future, when it's time to try again though. I did end up talking to many, many people about lots of topics. I also felt deeply alive, like I was healing, and finding myself in new ways again, ways I didn't know I'd lost myself around either... just by venturing on this trip.

The plan was - I launch a podcast out of the random conversations, when I have things of interest to share, I do - and, do those interviews. But I also didn't know the actual future so, I held a lot of my plans very loosely. What I experienced and learned through that - I am (still) unwinding. When I have more to share, I will. And I still plan to do a podcast. I don't know when, though.

-Sarah (Jan, 2023)

Meandering with Hazel

I'll share little video updates via short blog posts here - with of course, some random social sharing about [waving my hands around] *all the things* we get in to also.

We = me and Hazel! She's my 6 (or 7ish?) sidekick best dog friend (she's a Catahoula Leopard Dog, which is the Louisiana state dog, fun fact) traveling with me on the journey, living her best life.

So... she's making human and sometimes dog friends, often tho, brief interactions with likely dogfrienenemies, and ultimately...she is growing her human fan club, everywhere we are.

I am also trying out TikTok - probably embedding some of those shares here (as soon as I learn how, lol) - @sarahbrabbsfrommichigan - and I'm on Twitter @sarahlbrabbs (don't forget the L in there), and occasionally I share on Instagram (sarahbrabbsmichigan) or FB. There's more background about this podcast/me, below.

More about This & Me

I'm a small business owner and like well... basically every small business owner I've talked to it seems like, I've also gone through a lot on my business ownership journey (10+ years).

As a small business owner, for many of us there's lots of uncertainty (I mean for me it started in 2013 with - is this hobby? or a business? lol) and also, loneliness - at least for many solopreneurs (pre those days before hiring an employee or having a great team all around rah-rahing everything about your biz / working for you with gusto and delight...). :)

Because what I do ultimately is help others experiencing issues, or not clear about decisions or people in their life, maybe stuck at a major life crossroads, this means not only do I do my own work / learning similar of course- I also have made it my life's work or mission, to learn about humans, communication, and behavior. And learning about people really starts by listening to and observing them. Which is the main reason I find myself currently in Garden City, Kansas, finalizing this (my first) blog post, on this journey.

And starting 4 years ago, I had this vision for a journey like this - it wasn't the time though. Now, it is. I'm fortunate to be able to follow my curiosity, learn / connect with others around the US, and see how it will translate to my work - podcast, business, etc.

It's a bit of a calculated risk, but then again, that's the life sometimes of someone who helps others - especially go through personal transformations and changes- and does it well- through her work. There are a lot of people that don't do this well, even unintentionally harming others, or there are those do this kind of work... unethically.

But I'm not one of them. I'm good - and all in, all here.

Here we go!