The Margo Lovett Story -
Margo Lovett who, in her 2017 book – “Her Business, Her Voice, Her Reinvention“ – declared herself as a “a certified Reinvented One“
Margo has been in podcasting since 2017. She is a podcast host, the CEO of Her Business Her Voice, an author, a speaker, an event emcee, she teaches podcasting to mature adults, she’s been covered by magazines such as the Huff Post, Voyage LA and Womlead. I first ran into Margo earlier this year presenting at one of the biggest annual podcasting events last year – Podfest. She is everywhere and doing everything!!
Transcript
September Smith
I am so grateful that you were able to find the time in your busy schedule to be with me today. So my focus this season is women who got hit with that midlife bomb, a loss and illness, a career termination or some other sudden event, something that blows us out of the water. And we’ve got to just figure it out. reinvent ourselves, find out what that next chapter is going to be. You use the term in your book, I’m a certified reinvented what what does that mean to you to be a reinvented one?
Margo Lovett
To be a reinvented one, you have gone through the mental challenges, you’ve got moved away from that comfortable to the uncomfortable,
you’re you’ve literally made some decisions to stick to the change that has to happen, maybe you were thrust into it. But regardless of how you ended up on the other side of the street, you commit to seeing this thing through and that’s where the certification comes,
you don't know at all. So you hire somebody to help you. You don't see it all. You listen to those who have been there, done that. And you don't know how to feel about it. So you don't walk this thing out by yourself. And you take it day by day.
– Margo Lovett
And you don’t let everybody get in your head and in your ears. You get with mentors, strategist who have done that same thing. And you can relate to those folks, they don’t make you feel like, Oh, you’re just you’re just a pathetic somebody or I’m just you know, I don’t know, that you can reinvent to become a podcaster or whatever. You know how some people make you feel that condescending type of thing. That’s the last way you need to feel you need to feel empowered and able to move forward with patience and gentleness. And that’s how you become a reinvented one. It’s multi layered, multi faceted. And you have to give yourself permission to walk through the layers you really have to.
SS
And to even take that first step. Yeah. Because so often when when whatever it is that happens. We’re traumatized. You know, be at the death of a loved one or the termination of a career that you know was your identity in your life or, or illness or divorce or whatever it is. So many people don’t think to do what you did. And I’m I’m just amazed that you had the Moxie that the foresight to grab mentors and people who could cheer you on and support you. But so many of us kind of close in on ourselves because we think it was me and or no one will understand or it’s wrapped up in guilt or shame or whatever. How was it that you ended up knowing I need to find coaches, mentors, people that helped me with this?
ML
Well, I wish I was smart enough to have known this from the beginning. But what happened to me in corporate was so traumatic September that before I quit, I was seeking the help of a therapist, and she was the one who reminded me about my joy and getting my joy back what brought me happiness. What was I good at outside of that corporate culture? And she was the one who recommended okay, you find somebody who’s done what you want to do. They are a podcaster. They are an entrepreneur, somebody who’s not going to push you somebody who’s not going to make you do it the way you did it as a hobbyist, but somebody who can kind of turn it around and make you look at it differently. So that’s that That’s how that happened. Because I said, I quit the job. I stopped podcasting. I wasn’t doing anything. But game show hopping. My business plan setup on the bookshelf.
I flatlined...and it took me a year and a half to really get it back together.
– Margo Lovett
SS
Are you able to share what it was that that took you out of a 26 year career and and had this impact on you?
ML
Oh, boy, people will not believe unresolved trauma. I’m at my desk, and you know, I as a dispatcher, I would speak to people all over the globe every day all over the globe. This one day in particular September, I got a call. And it was that voice. It was the craziest, penetrating, piercing, scariest voice that I’d heard. Back when I was 19 years old. Can you believe it? 19 years old, and a boyfriend. I thought it was my boyfriend. And we got into it. He jumped on me. Fight me punching me socking me. And I’m kicking, screaming. He’s locked the door. And his brother literally literally has to break down the door. Get in wrestle him and tells me get out. Run down the stairs. That’s how I get out. Never told my sister. Of course you don’t tell your parents about it? He’s much older than me. But that voice September that day. He was he heard that. No, it wasn’t him. But it was that voice. Therapist. Yep. That’s what happened. And I could feel myself shrinking into my seat. And I couldn’t imagine. September my body was shaking. And I couldn’t pull out of it. I tried. I go to work and I cry. And I was tired of looking around, hoping that that guy wouldn’t come in the room. It was it was cuckoo. It was bizarre, but it was a trigger.
SS
Delayed trauma.
ML
Yeah, thank you
SS
You obviously carried with you deep down somewhere over a decade.
ML
Oh, ashamed. frightened. was glad to hear that the guy had died. I didn’t mourn him at all. But I had no idea that it was like that. That’s what happened. I started podcasting. That happened in September, early September, before Labor Day. And by December, I buy out by October, the therapist said you need to quit that job. You’re losing weight, losing hair. I was just on a terrible spiral. Angry. September, I was so angry. I reported him to HR twice. They did nothing. Nothing. So by December, I looked around, and I just walked I, you know, corporate teaches you well take good notes. So I took my notebook. And I took a calendar. And I just walked and I never looked back. Never, never returned.
Delayed trauma...therapist said you need to quit that job. You're losing weight, losing hair. I was on a terrible spiral.
– Margo Lovett
And angry September, I was so angry. I reported him to HR twice. They did nothing. Nothing. So by December, I looked around, and I just walked I, you know, corporate teaches you well take good notes. So I took my notebook. And I took a calendar. And I just walked and I never looked back. Never, never returned.
SS
Now what was the significance of the notebook?
ML
Significance was so that it was proof that this really happened to me, that this was not some, you know, okay, you’re working with a therapist but this these are the days that he came in. This is how it made you feel. This is how the guy sitting next to you, this is how he saw you. It was like I could sharp this out this timeline that had everything had melted together. It was my tangible proof that I went through this. Is that happened to me.
SS
Yeah, yeah. Quite often our stories of trauma are minimized or poo pooed or Oh, really, after all these years are still you’re still talking about that. Yeah.
[People say] why are you still talking about that all these months later, why can't you let that go?...and then that's what happened.
– Margo Lovett
And then the therapist, she wanted to see it. Also, she said, you know, you got to touch this. You got to feel this. You have to look at this now. You were 19 years old. You’re in your 60s now. And so you have to touch it. You have to feel it. We’re going to go through this. And that’s what happened.
SS
that is a hell of a gateway into this situation. Oh my god. I could actually see questioning the decision to even enter into that as like do I have it in me to walk through that to get to the other side, it’s amazing that you did.
ML
I had to, I had to, I was, I was a wreck, I had to my blood pressure was off the charts. Everything was a wreck about me. So I was left with no choice but to see a therapist, and she was so kind. And just so understanding and anything that I said, was okay, it was a when they say a safe space, it was a safe space. And she was the one that reminded me about my love for podcasting. And, you know, that was kind of an anchor that something that she brought back to me and I kind of anchored myself to it, even though I couldn’t do it. I didn’t want to. But she brought all of that back. You know, it wasn’t like
SS
That’s amazing. Again, again, that there was someone there that you trusted that you could take that step with? Yeah. So how did you get into podcasting? Anyway? Oh, boy, because you and you were in it before this bombshell?
ML
Yeah, it was a hobby. And my sister and I, you know, we moved from Illinois to Southern California. And she’s, we’re sitting around one Saturday having coffee, and she says, Oh, I think I’m going up to Hollywood to go to this school. And I’m gonna learn how to DJ and podcast. And I thought, girl, you read the same article, and we pulled out the I ran upstairs, I got the article, and she pulled hers out. We read the same article had the same idea. And I said, Let’s do it. If we don’t like what they’re talking about, we don’t have to give any money. We can jump in the car. Come on back home. It’s okay. So we go to Hollywood, California, go to this school. And I just fell in love with this September, I fell in love with terrestrial radio DJ, what is this thing of podcasting? They just put all that out there. And oh, my goodness, I love the app. Two months later, she said, That’s not for me. I don’t want to do it. I kept on going. And I’ve been hooked ever since. Really, truly true story. I love Wow.
SS
So you were how long into your podcasting? They used to you say that you were a hobbyist at that time. How long had you been doing this hobby of podcasting before this pivot point?
ML
Okay, I did terrestrial radio on am station for a year. And then I went to the live 365 The big when was the first out the live, big mothership. I went on over there. And so I think it was probably as a hobbyist a couple of years, just finding my way doing a music show. I always like unsigned artists, you know, and just having fun with it. Really, that’s all we have.
SS
So, you know, it says to me, first of all the seeds were already there for this exploratory adventure as Margo was trying this dry in that. Yeah. But yeah, once once you hit this pivot point, I mean, you said there was a time that you just couldn’t do anything. You just flatlined, as you say, what was it that snapped the light back on and set you on this path, as I listed up at the top of this interview. I mean, you’re emceeing your speaker, you’re you’re not there, you’re everywhere I look, there you are.
At my pivot point...my sister, and she's gone now, but she reminded me of also of what I love, and what I'm good at. And I felt stronger and better.
– Margo Lovett
And the therapist told me, you’re at a place where I want you to get a piece of paper, and you write down everything that you want to say goodbye to everything that you are not going to revisit. And September I got a bright, I like fuchsia, and I got a bright, Pink Fuchsia piece of paper. And I wrote down everything took an afternoon. And I went on over to the Pacific Ocean and went out on some rocks. As far as I could. I balled that piece of paper up and flung it out as far as I could. I want to make sure I can see it not come back where I knew that if it was if the tie would take it out. That’s it. I vow to myself. That’s it. Now you begin again. And the tide took that piece of paper out it did not return. And when I came back home, I took the advice of my therapist and my sister and I looked at my binder which had my business plan for a podcast and I just got started. rest is history.
SS
Yeah, and it’s history. It’s still unfolding. It’s just you just keep adding more and more layers to this new life that you’ve created. And I want to ask you, this reinvention that you’ve had, and knowing you’re very consciously aware, having done the work with your therapist and with yourself what you’re doing now, how is that changing the way you are as a person and the way you see yourself?
I see myself as a force of change. I see myself available to help others because I know what it feels like to be in a pressure cooker. Life has catapulted you into a bad position.
– Margo Lovett
And you know, September, I like setting up the atmosphere so that people can see themselves in my conversation, or the conversation of others that come onto the show. And that’s very powerful. I didn’t always see that. I saw that for the musicians. But this is a deeper dive into looking at how I can help people. And when they build their own podcast out, that’s their, they’re accepting their voice and building upon their voice, being responsible. So it’s much more involved. And I’m confident, and I know that I can do this. That’s that thing. That’s the big difference. I knew what I could do in corporate, but heck, fire now should know what I can do with this. And this is greater.
SS
yeah, we’re greater. I mean, as you say, finding your authentic voice in this, but also seeing what other people need to help them get to the point where they can be using theirs.
ML
Yeah. Oh, yeah.
September Smith
Now, in the you’re teaching podcasting, through your academy, you’re teaching podcasting to what you refer to as mature adults, might anybody that’s in the category of mature adults is becoming a podcaster is probably doing a bit of reinvention of their own, of who they are. So what impact is it having on your students lives by having you open the door to this whole world of podcasting?
ML
I am glad you asked that. Because the graduates and we are graduating podcasters, they are, they are connecting their podcasts to their business. There are several of them who are already business owners already coaches already hair consultants, that type of thin, they are using their podcast as a platform, so that people get more exposure. And I was so overjoyed that they did that. That is such a good idea. And they’ve gone on to use their podcasts as a platform for conferences, one actually had a Couples Retreat and she built it around her podcast, for media coverage. And just to get the word out and put out little breadcrumbs. Of what what’s going on, one has connected to social media group.
[my graduate students] have just found their voice, found the their authenticity, their expertise, and their confidence.
– Margo Lovett
ML
their measure of, of confidence is just boom, you know, I can do this, I not only build a podcast, but I’m also this and I’m that, and I’m this in this field, and I’m bad to the bone. And they are realizing themselves on many different levels. And both of us know, that’s what a podcast will do. Because it calls for you to have many different hats and show up in many different levels. And that’s the part that you don’t know until you get into it. And you say, Wow, I did that.
SS
Mm hmm. Yeah. I’m assuming that I’m going to continue seeing you year at all the podcasting events and doing what you do so well. And as I mentioned, I saw you earlier this year at Pod Fest, and you just stood out from the 1000s of other people that were there, like you’ve just got an energy and a glow coming off here. And I just I need to know that woman, and I’m so glad I had that urge. So I can well imagine that there’s going to be a little more reinvention in the next year. So where do you go from here, Margo, what’s on your radar for 2022?
ML
Oh, boy, Yeah, I always got the wheels going and studying. You know about that great resignation. Everybody’s talking about it. And I think that’s global.
if we are leaving corporate and becoming entrepreneurs, somebody has to lead us to understand what a podcast can do for the small business owner...and there are so many layers to podcasting...I just want to teach it in different areas.
– Margo Lovett
So I really am looking to be able to teach podcasting at co working spaces. Yeah, because I’m Oh my god, Southern California, we have some of the coolest co working spaces and that sense of oneness that comes from going there often, I would so love to be able to teach in those arenas and the continuing adult arena, those folks are going to learn how to be entrepreneurs. But why don’t you understand what can happen when you add on a podcast, you know, there’s so many layers to podcasting, I just want to teach it in different in different areas, that that’s what I’m working on. That’s my hope. And my goal. And that’s where my focus is really.
SS
So I mean, it’s the attack, and it’s the methodology and the processes and all that, but from what I know of you, you’re also teaching them tapping into that, that authentic voice.
ML
yeah, you have to find your voice, and you may learn how to podcast as a group. But when you come into the group, you have your idea, nobody’s going to build that podcast for you, except for you. And so you learn the theory of podcasting in you, you learn the mechanics of podcasting, and, and how you can embrace the technology, as you know, which is always turning and changing with every step of the way. We take away that fear factor, and you see yourself, I can do this, I’m starting out here. And I’m mastering this. And then if next year, I want to change and do it a different way I can, because I mastered that, I understand why I’m doing it, I understand how important it is to my to my podcast. And that that confidence is the backbone of everything. Confidence and accountability. You have to be accountable to yourself accountable to somebody. That’s why I say you should always have a mentor.
You should always have a mentor, even the mentor of the mentor should have somebody. We have to be accountable to somebody we really do every step of the way.
– Margo Lovett
SS
Yeah, as I said, I think it’s just so wise of you, at every step of the way to make sure you have those people there for you. Now, before we before we began recording, just in case, anybody’s thinking, as I did that, oh, Margo is the mother of reimagining. She’s she started this whole thing. And she’s on this journey. And it’s just as one straight line up, up up. And you had mentioned that, in fact, it’s not a straight line. And sometimes we have to recalibrate and sometimes there are setbacks, but what happen to you this year.
ML
I think it’s part of the reinvention process September. In September, I really can’t put the the name on, on the face on what happened to me. It really started the top of September of 2021, I started feeling kind of tired, and kind of distant, and discombobulated, disillusioned with podcasting. And How was this possible? Here we are celebrating all these podcasters, an industry that I love, what is this all about? And by October, I knew that I had to stop, just stop. Don’t do any more interviews. Don’t interview anybody else for the show. I knew that I was trying to start up a live stream, stop. What’s going on? Why do you feel so distant and detached from this thing that you love? Why? What’s going on? And I started speaking with a person and, it was not something I want to share with everybody because you know, when you get too many people talking to you, that adds to the confusion. But I trusted them. And he said you, you need to tear everything apart. Just stop. tear everything apart and take another look at it. And that’s what I ever that’s what I’m doing. I’m taking a class where I’m rebuilding the business plan, the business model, I’m taking a good look at it. And it hurts to say that I wasn’t doing some things I should have been doing. And some things I gotta throw out. They are not serving me and September. Some people are not my audience. Some people are not my clients. They’re familiar. I think that I understand them. But that’s where the friction was coming in. And I just had to stop and now I’m in the rebuilding phase and hey, energy levels back up. And by the first of the year, I’m going to be in total alignment. And I think that this is something that happens to everyone who reinvents themselves.
SS
you know, as you were saying that I was thinking, this is so actually encouraging for people to hear, because sometimes we’re afraid to get started with the, with the new chapter with a new idea, because we don’t have it all figured out. We don’t know. And I believe it was Martin Luther King says, You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step. That’s it. And if you have to recalibrate if you have to just take a pause and or talk to a mentor or whatever, that’s just part of the process. Yeah, yeah, don’t have to be perfect. Just get started,
ML
get started and know that there are going to be these places. It just took me longer. It took me what, three and a half years to get to that place. So whoosh, it just all came falling in on me, I didn’t even see it coming. You know how you get these intuitive feelings. While another person may be six months in to podcasting, or be an entrepreneur, they’ll feel like that. But I can’t stress enough, stay connected to someone who knows you, who knows you in the heat of the passion so that they can say, “don’t say that. Don’t make any big decisions yet. I know how you feel about this, wait a minute, sit down, take a breath. Just stop for a minute, okay, you’re gonna lose money?” What’s more important, losing money, or going along with these feelings that are just gonna wreck you later on down the road? Because you know what September as we’re speaking, it was not paying attention to feelings, and tapping things down when I was 19. That got me. Oh, my goodness, that got me and the place that I was in. So maybe that’s what I was supposed to understand is that you stop and you realize these feelings. There’s nothing wrong with it. You know, because if you don’t sooner, they’re gonna strike you later. And I can’t afford to be on the side of the road later. I just don’t want to you know, yep, yep. Oh, I just thought about that September, I think. I think that’s part of it. I think that’s part of the training from what I came out of.
it was not paying attention to feelings, and tapping things down when I was 19 that got me in the place that I was in...because if you don't sooner, they're gonna strike you later.
– Margo Lovett
So maybe that’s what I was supposed to understand is that you stop and you realize these feelings. There’s nothing wrong with it. You know, because if you don’t sooner, they’re gonna strike you later. And I can’t afford to be on the side of the road later. I just don’t want to you know, yep, yep. Oh, I just thought about that September, I think. I think that’s part of it. I think that’s part of the training from what I came out of.
SS
Wow. What a moment.
ML
It feels like it. It feels like it because that came out of nowhere. I didn’t see that coming. And it knocked me for a loop for what a year and a half. And so this came whoosh. But it did take a year and a half. It took a month to just to stop and speaking with somebody who was not a therapist, but someone who understood my love for this. That’s a great takeaway. That that’s listen to your gut. Yes. And it’s okay to stop. Just. Wow. Thank you, September. Thank you. I don’t know that I would have realized that. Thank you.
Listen to your gut, and it's okay to stop. Just stop.
– Margo Lovett
SS
What an amazing conversation. Now, your academy. I know that it’s been on pause you being you are working hard, hard, hard to get it all together. When is that going to be available to all those people who are waiting to reinvent themselves?
ML
We are opening up that doors again, that third week of January 2022. I can’t wait yeah, I just want to make sure that I have the retooling and the syllabus up. And we’re going to add some things to the syllabus. But there’s always that accountability, you know, but I want to make sure that it’s ready. And next year, I just feel it, it is going to be tremendous. We’re adding the component of monetization on a deeper scale, how you build this thing out for monetization, even if you’re coming. And all you want to do is I just want to do this as a hobby. No, you’re building it strong enough to monetize with any way that you want to or need to. Because as you know, that’s where it’s at that everybody eventually is moving to monetization. And the system is making it so easy, well not easy, but making it possible for everyone to do so. So it’s really an injustice not to build that podcast out and be able to accommodate that. Because I said mute your podcast one time and if you go to a network is going to be sustainable. If you stay solo, you’re going to be okay. The last thing we need to do is think about how we have to patch up our podcasts, we have to build it right once build out on it and build up on it. Yeah. And boy, boy, is that a good feeling?
SS
Well that for thought that, you know, as you say, so many people go into it thinking, Oh, well, I’m not gonna monetize. I’m not I’m not in it for the money when you’re putting in 10, 12, 15, 20 plus hours a week on your podcast, I mean, what do we put into our jobs? 40 hours? It becomes almost like a job. And if you love it that much, why not monetize it and turn it into part of your business plan, your business setup? That’s so brilliant that you’re getting that in there getting it in on their radar right from the get go. But also helping them make sure that it’s built into the podcast as they’re building it the first time?
ML
Oh, yeah, I made some wonderful connection so that it’s like a continuing education type of thing afterwards. Of course, the program is seven weeks, so I’m not going to go ahead and take them into that deep dive of how to actually build it. But I have some people that are brilliant with that. And I’m going to tell people, they they really need to take that other step. They’re going to be glad that they did. But I have a question for you.
I think that all podcasts are moving that way, towards some form of monetization. And I don’t think that it’s fair, and I don’t think that it’s fair that people should think that podcasting is going to be done the same old way since 2004. There are some fees that are going to be involved. There are some stellar shows such as yours, when you are a part of a quality show. I think that you should be a ready and willing to advertise that out, pay a fee if it’s involved. That’s just my thought. What do you think?
SS
I think really, when you look at what’s happening in the industry, the fact that over the last couple years, Spotify, Google, Apple, the money is getting into grabbing their piece of this whole podcasting landscape. They’re not doing that on a whim, and this and this is not going to remain kind of the I think free for all wide open, Wild West, grassroots kind of endeavor that has been forever. It’s going to get to the point where this is a much more of a business, and make no mistake, as so often, particularly as women we have this thought of, “what you want to be paid for this, couldn’t you just do it out of the goodness of your heart?” If it’s something that you are dedicating a major portion of your life to? It’s sustainable, if it’s monetized, how can you go on if you’re not making money from it? If you’re creating a piece of art that has value to somebody and you want to continue doing it? Yeah, monetize.
ML
I feel the same way. I think that the industry is moving that way. And early on, I used to say that because I felt like nobody wanted to listen to the show. I think we have to stop being coy. And it’s okay. Give ourselves permission. But yeah, I didn’t mean to come in here. I just thought, well, I thought I’d ask the question.
SS
You and I always have the best conversations because you actually interviewed me back in August for the September month of celebration, a podcast that was one of the most fun interviews I’ve ever done. You’re an amazing host and interviewer. They should definitely check out your podcast. And again, what’s the name of your podcast?
ML
Her business, Her voice, Her conversation.
SS
Get over there and listen to that podcast. Margo is just a wonderful host, and she just does a great show. And also, if you’re interested in doing your own reinvention, you’ve heard us talking about this. If you’re thinking that podcasting is going to be part of your reinvention in 2022, Margo, where can people find out more information about the academy?
ML
Go right over to Margolovette.com Because I have the podcast there. I have the academy there. Send people to one place.
SS
Any last words from a certified reinvented one?
ML
I sure do.
OWN your voice. Don't try to muzzle it. When you harness it, It's going to give you a good, rich, and whole life. I guarantee you're going to be reinventing yourself from that moment on.
– Margo Lovett
Your voice knows its way. And it’s not small. It’s massive. And when we harness it, because we are fearful, or we think that people don’t care, or nobody’s going to pay attention to it, you don’t know that. You can’t. You can’t muzzle it. If when the day comes that you have your voice, you may be a writer, you may be a podcaster. You may have a brick and mortar store somewhere, but it’s your voice. Own it, don’t muzzle it, let it have its way. It’s going to give you a good, rich, and whole life. I guarantee you, you’re going to be reinventing yourself from that moment on.
SS
Margo, thank you so much for being with me today.
ML
Thank you September. It’s been a pleasure.
September Smith
Hi - I'm September Smith
With 15+ years experience with online tech & tools, audio/video media and growing your business, I help entrepreneurs learn how to use media opportunities like podcast guesting to rapidly build their brand.
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