Community Through Conversation: Mike Hearne on Storytelling in Oklahoma City

Some stories begin with a plan. Others begin with curiosity. Mike Hearne's story started with a plane ticket. Originally from South Wales, Mike arrived in Oklahoma in 2011 to play college golf at Southern Nazarene University. What he didn’t expect was that Oklahoma City would eventually become home — and the place where he would begin documenting the stories of an entire community. Today, Mike hosts the This is Oklahoma podcast, a platform that has recorded hundreds of conversations with entrepreneurs, civic leaders, artists, and everyday people shaping the city's future. In this conversation, Mike reflects on: The transition from Wales to Oklahoma • The unexpected start of his podcasting journey • Why curiosity is the most important trait for a storyteller • How community carried him through personal loss and divorce • Why documenting stories today matters for the generations that follow Along the way, Mike shares a powerful reminder: success rarely comes without hardship, and the people who thrive are often the ones who choose community when life gets difficult. For the students producing this show — and for the city listening — his message is simple: Stories connect us. And connection changes cities.