Photograph By Shane Van Boxtel/Image Studios
A teacher, outdoor enthusiast, aerial dancer and world traveler, Sheboygan’s Rayna Rokicki has seen a lot and met a lot of rad people in her lifetime. But her latest entrepreneurial venture, Ladies First Digital Media, focuses on creating community within a group Rokicki says has been far too humble for too long: Midwest women. Her podcast “You Betcha She Did” has told the stories of trailblazing women since 2022, and her recent certification as a podcast growth coach has helped people of all stripes embrace the art of the podcast. Rokicki recently spoke with Insight about her podcasting passions.
Insight: What led you to the idea of Ladies First Digital Media?
Rokicki: Since I became a mom, I really felt the weight of all the different things that women do. And you don’t even have to have children to feel this; I think women all over feel this. And I was like, ‘what can I do to help women?’ I decided I’m going to help them be seen and heard in the podcasting space. I’ve always loved audio. I think it’s a great form of storytelling, a great form of connecting. It’s only becoming more and more popular, which is fantastic. And because of that, yeah, I went into the podcast production space, coaching, and also started “You Betcha She Did,” the women entrepreneur podcast, because I thought, ‘Hey, you know, this is gonna be my passion project. I want to highlight cool Midwest women.’
Have you found that women are eager to connect with and help other women through “You Betcha?”
Definitely! I feel that women are eager to support, to collaborate, to help out, to promote. I think we’re, most of us, in the mindset of, like, if I’m making it I’m gonna put that ladder down. I’m gonna help you up. Madeleine Albright, there’s a quote that I love: ‘There’s a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women.’ And I was like, yes there is. We need to help all, each of us up. If you’re experiencing success, share that. Spread it out. Let other people know and help them also get there. You don’t need to be the lonely person at the top. There’s room for everybody.
Why is podcasting a great way to connect, and do you recommend it to everyone in the business community?
I think podcasts are a great way to get your brand out there, because it’s personalized. It’s your voice; it’s your content. A lot of these people are ready, are very comfortable speaking, and so why not have this really important touchpoint with your audience? So yes, start a podcast. I don’t think you’ll regret it. You’re already making content, anyway, right? You’re making blogs, you’re doing social media, maybe you’re doing some interviews. So it’s like, why not podcast? It puts all those together, and then you can just repurpose it. If you’re just in business and, you know, you’re not trying to use a podcast to grow your brand, I think it still can be very helpful to get on a podcast just to grow your network and your audience. I’ve met so many incredible women through podcasting, either through my own podcast or being on other podcasts, that I never would have met.
What is podcast coaching and why has it been a good fit for you to grow your Ladies First Digital Media?
Especially around the beginning of 2024, I had a lot of people reaching out who wanted a coach. And I was like, ‘Um, OK, is this a thing? Yeah, I can coach. I can teach you how to grow it or how to start monetizing.’ And it was really fun because it also combines my background of teaching with podcasting. I was like, ‘Oh, all my talents are coming into one place. How perfect is this?’ I found I really liked it, and I could get my clients results. I found a mentor, Adam Schaeuble from Podcasting Business School, and he was starting podcast growth coach certification, did his first one of its kind last spring. It’s been super fun, and I learned a lot from him. So I’m one of 14 certified podcast growth coaches in the world.
Does starting a podcast translate to overnight success?
Absolutely not. It’s not something where, like TikTok or YouTube, it’s going to go viral. You’re not going to become famous overnight. Podcasting is a long game. You’ve got to stay in it to win it. You’ve got to stay in it to gain audience. And it does help to tell people. Sometimes people are a little nervous, especially in the first year. They don’t want to tell people they have a podcast because they’re like, well, it might not be my market audience. But I say the opposite. I say tell everybody, because they might have a neighbor, a friend, who knows? — a nephew, a niece, a grandma whom your podcast actually is a great fit for. And if they don’t know about it, if you don’t tell people, it’ll never grow.
What is one of your best tips on “Podcast Growth Club?”
When you’re thinking of a podcast name, you don’t actually want to go with a snazzy name. A lot of people are like, ‘Oh, this is a great name. I’m so excited about it.’ However, if they don’t know you, they’re never going to find your podcast. To give you an example: ‘You Betcha She Did.’ I love the name. It’s funny; it’s catchy, right? But until I added a title extension to the podcast where I added ‘business tips for women, leaders, coaches, entrepreneurs,’ those people weren’t finding my podcast unless they knew me. So it’s when you can make sure they find you when they search for topics that’s key.
What have been the highlights of your time in the podcasting business?
There’s so much. I mean, it’s just the more I interact with cool women in the Midwest, I’m just amazed at all of the good work being done and it’s uplifting to me. I hope it’s uplifting to my listeners.
