Building a Podcast Around Real Human Connection—Vanessa Younts | Ep 152

What does it really take to build a podcast that helps people feel seen, heard, and connected? In this episode, we look at podcasting not just as content, but as a way to bring real human stories into the room.In this episode, I sit down with Vanessa the Vivacious, host of Humanity 2.0 Podcast, to talk about her journey through podcasting, creative work, interviewing strangers, and building a show around compassion, empathy, and human connection. Vanessa shares the story behind Humanity 2.0, what she learned from earlier podcast projects, and why she believes stories can help people remember that they are not alone.Tune in for a warm, funny, and practical conversation about podcasting, humanity, creativity, and the courage to simply press record.Connect With Vanessa the VivaciousPodcast: Humanity 2.0 PodcastWebsite: https://vanessathevivacious.com/If My Podcast Story speaks to you, consider subscribing so you never miss an episode. And if you have a moment, leaving a review helps more people discover the stories shared here. Your support truly means a lot.There’s more to every story than what you hear on the episode. Join the My Podcast Story newsletter to receive thoughtful takeaways, episode extras, and personal notes that don’t make it into the show. It’s a quiet way to stay inspired between listens.Sign up here: https://mypodcaststory.com/joinChapters00:00 Opening Moment00:19 Introducing Vanessa the Vivacious01:46 What Humanity 2.0 Podcast Is About02:16 What Happened to Humanity 1.0?03:18 Vanessa’s Earlier Podcasting Journey04:08 Remembering the First Podcast and First Microphone05:20 The Video Series Behind Humanity 2.007:00 What Humanity 3.0 Could Look Like07:43 Vanessa’s New Book Project on Mental Health Stories10:45 Turning the Book Idea Into a Possible Companion Podcast13:51 Wisdom’s New Podcast Ideas and the Work Behind Podcasting14:31 Podcast Consulting, Creative Ideas, and Helping Others Start18:05 Being a Generalist in Creative Work20:04 Why Humanity Is Such an Open Podcast Theme21:18 Newsletter Break21:41 Handling Guests Who Go Off-Topic23:22 Why Guest Expectations Matter Before Recording24:19 Vanessa’s Pre-Interview Guest Workflow25:11 Working With Guests Who Are New to Podcasting26:09 The Power of Follow-Up Questions27:10 Silence as an Interviewing Tool27:53 Avoiding Too Many Questions at Once28:41 Finding the Right Podcast Episode Length29:04 Using Unexpected Questions to Help Guests Relax30:00 Talking About Podcast Monetization30:57 How Much Content to Build Before Monetizing31:16 Repurposing Old Interviews Into Social Content31:52 Why Podcasters Need Help and Support35:25 Using Multiple Promo Clips to Increase Traffic36:23 Why Vanessa Has Not Brought on Podcast Help Yet38:00 Wisdom’s New Podcast Concept: Plan Don’t Change39:18 Why a Clear Podcast Premise Helps Guests Prepare41:54 Creating Intros, Concepts, and Podcast Ideas42:06 Following Passion Before Starting Another Show47:52 What’s Next for Humanity 2.0 Podcast48:38 Using Seasons and Themes to Refresh a Podcast50:04 Where to Find Humanity 2.0 Podcast50:57 Why PodMatch Makes Guest Booking Easier53:09 Vanessa’s Suggested Question for Future Guests55:44 Vanessa’s Advice for New Podcasters56:13 Press Record and Evolve From There