Internal podcasting can be an organizing tool

Charlie Birney was way ahead of the curve when he became an early adopter of podcasting in 2012. His love of listening to and telling stories through this platform made the years of explaining to friends and family how to access them on an iPhone worthwhile. He started Launch Podcasts in 2014, and its purpose was not what you might expect. He was not interested in growing the audience or monetizing the show. Instead Launch Podcasts was a tool for speaking directly to the group of people, previously unconnected, in a co-working space they shared. Charlie had a vision for internal podcasting that transcends sectors and issue areas. Uber uses them, for instance, to communicate rules and policy updates to a massive and remote workforce. We talk about the possibilities that internal podcasting holds for nonprofits that want to mirror their stated values inside of their organizations. An episode could feature frontline staff explaining what they need to be effective in this challenging environment. Another could prepare board members to use their connections in support of policy goals that advance the organization's mission. The possibilities are endless and the results can be powerful.