I can honestly say that I never thought life would lead me here, but I’ve never felt more fulfilled.
Growing up, all I ever dreamed of was singing. My path was clear – graduate high school, become a vocal major, then a mega rockstar! Shockingly, that super well-thought-out plan didn’t pan out for me. I went to a small private high school that didn’t offer band, so I never learned how to read music. My voice was unexceptional. My fingers never could seem to find the right keys on the piano. So, I pivoted.
“If I can’t sing, I’ll help other people who can! I’ll be a sound engineer!” I thought. I switched my major and happily took my fun studio recording classes, but never could motivate myself to catch up on my remedial math. In the meantime, I took a job volunteering to answer phones at a local Christian radio station. (The legendary KOKF 91FM, for you Okies.)
I never planned to end up in broadcasting. Matter of fact, I remember interviewing a DJ in high school and thinking, “I would absolutely suck at that job.” But low and behold, a program director with an eye for talent had a different opinion. He started bringing me on the air with him for random segments. Then I started filling in on-air shifts, then I got my own weekly show. Since then, I’ve worked at four different stations over the 20+ years. In January of 2022, I became a morning show co-host on one of the top 5 stations in the Oklahoma City metro. This opportunity also opened the door to co-host a travel segment called Where in the State for a local news station.
Throughout my nearly two decades in radio, my audio engineering knowledge helped keep me employed with other voice and production work. I’ve made everything from commercials to voicemail greetings. I also managed to land a job in content marketing that helped me grasp the basics of writing quality, web-friendly content for a variety of industries, identifying key audiences, and creating social media promotions.
By 2016 everything in my professional background lent itself to the emerging industry of podcasting, so a couple of friends and I launched a podcast about top 10 lists. (It was better than it sounds!) From there, I became the producer of an OKC Thunder podcast (Mr. Presti’s Neighborhood) and the co-host of a movie review show.
A year later a friend suggested I consider supplementing my income by editing podcasts for other people. By the grace of God, the magnificent Emily Thomas of the podcast perviously known as Moms Struggling Well gave me a shot. And when things fell apart at my day job, it became clear that everything had been leading me here.
I started editing podcasts in 2017 and as odd as it sounds, I love it. It is tedious work, but there’s something truly fulfilling to me about being able to help hosts relay their knowledge clearly and concisely. I get joy knowing that I saved a listener 5 minutes by cutting unnecessary pauses, crutch phrases, and repeated thoughts. I love crafting different elements together to make shows polished and professional. I also love working with other passionate individuals and being able to offer the knowledge I’ve gained throughout my career in broadcasting.
It’s strange to think that my inadequacies as a singer and the decision to volunteer at a radio station have ultimately led me here. It’s almost as though there’s a God who’s been intentionally leading me to the skills I need to craft a life I can thrive in. And true to form, I don’t know where I will go from here, but I do know that I can trust Him.
What My Clients Are Saying
“Rachael’s podcast editing services have helped us take the Paid Search Podcast to the next level, and her services have also helped us grow our audience. Her editing frees us up to focus on making great content, and it also makes our show a better listen. Her work allows us to put out a higher quality podcast, her professionalism is top notch, and her work pays for itself with the value she adds. If you’re looking for a podcast editor, I strongly recommend Rachael Jamison.”