Hello, and welcome to It’s Your Business with me, KLG, Your Fairy Podmother®.

If you’ve been listening to this Ribble Valley Business Awards special series, you’ll know I’ve been chatting with sponsors, business owners and leaders from right across the area… and I’m hearing the same thing again and again.

We’ve got incredible businesses on our doorstep… and a lot of people still don’t know what’s available locally.

So today’s episode is a little different.

This one is just me… telling you a bit about who I am, what I do, why I’m so passionate about audio, and how podcasting can help local businesses grow, be found, and build trust.

And I’m also going to share something new I’m building that’s very close to my heart.

So let’s start with the basics…

A podcast is downloadable audio. It’s something people can listen to anywhere, on any device, while they’re driving, walking the dog, cooking tea, in the gym, or just trying to get through their inbox without losing the will to live.

It’s audio content that fits into real life.

Now, these days people sometimes call all sorts of things “a podcast” even if it’s video. And I get why… because video content is everywhere. But if we’re being accurate, here’s the simplest way to think about it:

If it’s video, it’s video.
If it’s audio-first, designed to be listened to, that’s a podcast.

And audio is powerful because it doesn’t demand your full attention in the same way video does. It fits into the gaps of your day.

When people hear that I’ve been podcasting for over 25 years, they sometimes look at me like… “Hang on, podcasts haven’t been around that long…”

And I get it.

But the truth is: the method is older than the word.

Long before the word “podcast” existed, we were already doing the thing.

Because my first radio job was in radio news.

I was a news correspondent. I’d go out, find the stories, get the interviews, record them, edit them, produce them, and get them out on air. Sometimes locally, sometimes shared wider.

That cycle of:

That is the DNA of podcasting.

Then I moved into presenting. I built radio stations. I became a station director at top commercial stations. And throughout all of it, it always came back to the same thing:

Stories, sound, and getting a message out clearly.

So yes… the platforms changed. The name changed. The technology changed.

But the craft is the craft.

Audio blogs were around in the eighties, believe it or not. People have been creating spoken content for decades.

But the word “podcast” became popular around 2004, when the term started being used to describe this new wave of downloadable audio that you could take with you.

And from there… it just grew.

Now, fast forward to today and podcasting is not slowing down. It’s speeding up.

Not because it’s trendy, but because it’s useful.

A lot of people think:

“If I start a podcast, I have to do an episode every week forever.”

No you don’t.

Podcasting does not have to be a never-ending commitment.

You can create a mini-series.
You can do ten episodes and stop.
You can do six episodes around one campaign.
You can do monthly.
You can do fortnightly.
You can even repurpose what you’re already doing.

And that’s the bit I want local businesses to hear.

Because you may already be creating content… but you’re only creating it in one format.

If you already send a newsletter, a monthly update, a report, or a client email…

Why not turn it into audio as well?

I’m serious.

A simple audio version of your newsletter or update can be one of the smartest moves you make, because it does three things:

And that matters.

Because when people feel like they know you, they buy from you. They refer you. They trust you with bigger projects.

Even the big apps know this now. Look at news sites. Look at business platforms. They increasingly offer: read or listen.

So why shouldn’t you?

This is the big mindset shift.

A podcast is not just a show. It’s content.

It is searchable. It is shareable. It builds authority. It builds a relationship.

And the best part is:

You don’t create a podcast episode once and forget about it.

You can repurpose it.

You can cut it into clips.
You can turn it into social posts.
You can write blog content from it.
You can use it in email sequences.
You can use it to support sales conversations.

You can have one solid mini-series that continues to bring people to you for months or years.

And I’ve seen it happen.

One of my own clients recently won Best Podcast at the Northern Digital Awards, and I produced that show. I was absolutely thrilled for her… and it also proves a point:

When you do this professionally, it stands out.

If you work with me, I’m not just handing you a checklist and leaving you to it.

I’m a professional audio producer, trainer, and mentor. I bring the same standards that I’ve worked with in radio into podcasting, so you don’t end up with a show that sounds like it was recorded in a bathroom with a laptop fan roaring in the background.

I want you to sound credible. Confident. Clear. Like the expert you actually are.

And I’m the person who will champion your show, your message, and your consistency, without you burning out.

I also want to share something that’s newer, and it matters hugely to me.

I have recently set up a not-for-profit called Poducation CIC.

Poducation stands for Podcasting Education.

And it’s for people who are not in education, employment or training, often called NEET.

The reason I’m building this is simple:

There are talented people out there with massive potential who don’t have access to the skills, confidence, and digital support they need to move forward.

And audio is one of the most powerful tools for confidence, communication, employability, and identity.

Because when you give someone a microphone and teach them how to use their voice, you’re not just teaching tech.

You’re helping them feel heard.

Poducation is about digital skills, audio training, confidence building, teamwork, and practical progression… so people can move into training, work, or a better future.

And I’m now reaching out to businesses who want a meaningful CSR partnership.

Because if you’re a business owner and you want your corporate social responsibility to genuinely change lives, this is a chance to get involved in something that creates real outcomes.

It’s not charity for the sake of it.

It’s early intervention, skills development, confidence building, and progression.

If you’re a local business listening to this…

If you’ve been thinking about podcasting…

If you want to add audio into your marketing strategy…

Or if you want to explore being a CSR partner for Poducation CIC…

Let’s talk.

You can reach me at:

kath@fairypodmother.co.uk
and my website is www.fairypodmother.co.uk

If you want to talk specifically about Poducation, you can also email:

And if you’d like to book a free pod-chat, you can do that here:
https://www.fairypodmother.co.uk/pod-chat