Opportunities My Podcast Has Created for Me
If you’ve been thinking about starting a podcast but keep putting it off, this is your sign.
Because I was you.
For years, I felt the nudge to start a podcast. And when I finally launched The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants in April 2022, I had no idea how many opportunities would come from simply saying yes.
In this post, I want to share the real opportunities I’ve received since starting my podcast — from internships and networking events to speaking engagements and panels — in hopes that it inspires you to finally launch yours.
Because you may think you’re “just starting a podcast.”
But you’re actually building a platform.
Why I Started My Podcast (And Why This One Exists)
Before I ever became a podcast coach, before I created my Voice Method, before I started teaching podcast SEO, I was simply a storyteller.
I launched my first podcast to amplify immigrant stories. That’s it.
What I didn’t realize is that starting that show would:
Position me as a speaker
Connect me to other podcasters
Open internship doors
Lead to magazine features
Create leadership opportunities
Launch my coaching business
And without that first podcast, Podcasting for Latina CEOs would not exist.
Opportunity #1: Leadership in the Podcasting Community
Shortly after launching, I joined Facebook groups to:
Find guests
Be a guest on other podcasts
Share my show
One of those communities was Women in Podcasting.
I connected with the admin and was invited to co-host a biweekly networking event for podcasters. We met on Zoom, and each person had two minutes to:
Introduce themselves
Share their show
Ask for guests or pitching opportunities
This happened less than a year after starting my podcast.
Lesson? When you put yourself in the room, opportunities find you.
Opportunity #2: Podcast Internships (Yes, Even as a Host)
In 2024, I applied for two podcast-related internships.
One was for a long-running podcast host I deeply admired. She had been podcasting full-time for nearly 10 years. She had:
A graphic designer
An editor
An admin
A team
Meanwhile, I was doing everything alone.
Seeing the behind-the-scenes of a larger show completely changed my perspective. I realized podcast growth is a slow grind. It takes time. It takes systems. It takes people.
Even though I already had my podcast, I still took her podcasting course as part of the internship, and I learned so much.
The second internship was with an online business coach who offered training in multiple areas, including podcasting. I started on her content team, then moved to the podcast team.
There were eight of us working on one podcast.
Again, perspective shift.
Sometimes you do things for free to gain:
Knowledge
Experience
Mentorship
Access
Those internships helped shape the framework of how I now help my clients launch their podcasts.
Opportunity #3: My First Speaking Engagement
My very first speaking opportunity wasn’t online.
It was at a local Latina networking event.
I had attended a couple of meetings, shared about my podcast and poetry book, and then they invited me to be a guest speaker.
From there, two boutique owners I met at the event invited me to keynote their anniversary celebration.
Was I prepared?
No.
Did I bomb that speech?
Yes. 😂
But here’s what I learned: You don’t get better without saying yes first.
That imperfect speech didn’t stop the next opportunity.
Opportunity #4: Virtual Summits & Teaching Podcast SEO
I pitched myself to speak at the Latinas in Podcasting Virtual Summit to teach podcast SEO.
That became my first virtual speaking engagement.
After that, I started pitching myself consistently to:
Online summits
Panels
Conferences
Last year, I was the keynote speaker for an online Hispanic Heritage Month event! They hired me to speak about my podcast.
Recently, I facilitated a podcasting panel at Besties Boardroom and even reconnected with someone who had seen me speak three years prior.
You never know who’s watching.
You never know who remembers your face.
You never know what seeds you planted.
Opportunity #5: Immigration Panels & Storytelling Spaces
Because of my podcast’s focus on immigrant stories, I was invited to participate in an immigration panel alongside faith leaders to discuss:
Current immigration events
Faith perspectives
What God’s heart is for immigrants
I was able to bring storytelling into that space, sharing what I’ve heard directly from immigrants on my show.
Your podcast positions you as a voice in your niche.
Whether that’s business, faith, culture, marketing, or motherhood, your voice becomes associated with that topic.
Opportunity #6: Magazine Features & Podcast Guesting
Since launching, I’ve:
Been featured in online magazines
Been interviewed about my work
Used podcast guesting as a marketing strategy
Built relationships across industries
Podcasting isn’t just content creation.
It’s networking.
It’s positioning.
It’s visibility.
What 4 Years of Podcasting Has Taught Me
It has only been four years.
In those four years, I have:
Spoken at conferences
Led breakout sessions
Hosted masterclasses
Facilitated panels
Built a coaching business
Created digital products
Helped women launch their podcasts
All because I said yes to starting.
You may think you’re just launching a podcast.
But you are building:
A platform
A portfolio
A speaking reel
A network
A body of work
Why You Should Finally Start Your Podcast
If starting a podcast has been on your heart for years, I want to gently tell you:
That nudge isn’t random.
So many podcasters I’ve spoken to say the same thing: they felt called to it long before they started.
And once they did?
They say it was one of the best decisions they’ve made.
Not just because it’s fun.
Not just because of the feedback.
But because of the doors that opened.
How to Start Your Podcast (Without Doing It Alone)
If you’re ready, here are the ways I can support you:
The Voice Method Podcast Course (self-paced)
You don’t have to figure it out alone.
And if you have questions, you can always email me at heidy@heidydelacruz.com or send me a text through my show notes (thank you, Buzzsprout 🙌🏽).
Final Encouragement From Me to You
If God placed the desire to start a podcast in your heart, it’s there for a reason.
Your voice matters.
Your story matters.
Your message matters.
And there are people waiting to hear it.
Con mucho amor,
Coach Heidy
