Podcasting

Podcasts: Where Your Mission Shares Its Voice

Built over time and shaped by many voices, a podcast gives space for a mission’s story to be heard and better understood.

I learned podcasting before it was called podcasting

Working in the late 1990s and 2000s as a one-person reporter, I was responsible for story development, interviewing, audio recording, editing (sound waves and all!), and production. That end-to-end approach still shapes how I think about podcasting today. Great audio storytelling is built on discipline, care, and respect for the listener.

For associations, podcasting needs to do more than just sound good. It has to reinforce your message and fit within the realities of your organisation. Why does your podcast exist? Who does it serve? How it can be sustained over time? When those elements are aligned, podcasts can be a meaningful and effective way for associations to tell their story.

Three phases of starting a podcast

Discovery & Direction

This phase establishes the foundation. Together, we clarify why the podcast should exist and how it will support the association’s mission. We define the audience and goals – ensuring the podcast aligns with leadership priorities and member needs.

Design & Development

With the direction set, the podcast can take shape. We develop episode structure, content planning, branding, workflows, and production. These elements should all align with standards of consistency and sustainability within an association’s communications environment.

Launch & Readiness

The final phase prepares the podcast for a coordinated launch. We finalise assets, refine hosting and production workflows, and align the podcast with your marketing and communications strategy, so it launches with confidence and momentum.

Contact me to learn more about these steps

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Stay connected with the world of associations through the lens of The Boardroom Association Podcast. As host and producer, I help bring together the biggest voices in the industry to shed light on the latest challenges and opportunities shaping associations today.

Tune in wherever you get your podcasts for thoughtful discussions on the people and ideas behind associations.

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Recent Boardroom Episodes

What Really Matters in 2026? Part Two – Boardroom Association Podcast

In Part II of the Boardroom Association Podcast's 2026 opening episode, host Naomi Smith explores what events are revealing about association leadership this year in places where strategy becomes visible: association events. Joined by Ariane Brusselmans, Senior Nonprofit Executive and Director of Conferences at the International AIDS Society, and Professor Peter Van Daele, Secretary General of the International Union of Radio Science, the conversation examines: § Why events are becoming one of the earliest indicators of leadership strength § What's changing in event design § Why impact and legacy are moving from "add-on" to planning criterion This episode is a grounded, operational look at how leadership decisions are tested in real time, and what association leaders should be watching closely this year. Produced by Boardroom Magazine, in collaboration with the European Society of Association Executives (ESAE).

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