A lot of people have an idea for a podcast that they’re sure will be a hit, but few actually sit down to record an episode. Hannah Trevizo, who grew up in the Woodbury area, and her friend Nicole Zeltinger had the concept for a podcast that highlights what their fellow Minnesotans were up to. It quickly became clear that was about to be the easiest part of the podcast crafting process for a while.
“The learning curve was very steep,” Trevizo says. “We had the idea, like, ‘Look at all the amazing work happening in Minnesota, we should showcase it!’” Fueled by a natural curiosity, the duo focused their attention on what went into producing a podcast.
From researching the steps of production and editing to acquiring the equipment, the pair spent three months between coming up with the concept and releasing their first episode of MomsDish MN in August of 2019. The podcast, which is in the works of being rebranded to the Minnesota Circle, features small businesses and events while taking listeners around the great state of Minnesota.
As for actually creating the podcast, Trevizo says, "You can learn basically anything on the internet, so we did a ton of research and we just learned as we went. One of the first episodes we had to edit took hours. It was a difficult process but it’s much simpler now. The editing takes maybe 30 minutes to an hour.”
For Trevizo, a daycare provider, and Zeltinger, a teacher, the process of creating an episode has gotten easier with experience, but between their day jobs and raising their families, it can still be tricky to carve out time for the podcast.
“[The podcast] definitely could be a full-time job,” Zeltinger says. “There are so many moving pieces. I know Hannah would love to work on this full time, because there’s just so much you could do with it if you really did have time.”
But even under time restraints, the two have expanded their podcast brand to include a website that hosts “Sunday Stories,” where listeners can send in their stories, a family-friendly events calendar that compiles activities going on across the state and a musician feature spotlighting Minnesota musicians.
“Mostly we are looking for inspiring stories or interesting stories,” Trevizo says. Zeltinger agrees, adding, “I think one of the most rewarding things about this experience is talking to people who are different from you. All of a sudden you have them on a Google Meet or Skype and you’re getting this inside picture and learning so much about them. That’s been really amazing.”
From Duluth, Minn. musician Lanue to Flora Ekpe-Idang, founder of multi-cultural doll and book company Corage Dolls, Moms Dish MN features a variety of inspiring stories. The podcast also highlights local events, such as Black Fashion Week, and virtual events hosted by the duo themselves.
And for new perspectives, Moms Dish MN regularly hosts "Instagram Take Overs," where prominent community members showcase their business, lifestyle and more.
To listen to episodes of Moms Dish MN, go to their website at momsdishmn.com or tune in on iTunes or Spotify.
