My Podcast Summit Experience: The Journey from Atlanta to New York That Changed Everything | Sense Only Podcast
- senseonlypodcast
- Jul 11
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 13
There are some journeys you plan, and then there are journeys that quietly change the direction of your life.
This trip to the United States has been exactly that.
When I booked my flights to Atlanta and New York, I knew it would be an opportunity to learn, connect, and record incredible conversations for the Sense Only Podcast. What I didn't expect was just how much this experience would strengthen my belief in the vision I've been building.
Sometimes we spend so much time working behind the scenes that we forget to stop and appreciate how far we've already come.
This trip reminded me.
Seeing My Mentors Beyond the Screen
One of the greatest gifts of the journey happened before the Podcast Summit had even begun.
For months, I'd been learning from mentors and coaches online, showing up for Zoom calls, taking notes, applying what I'd learned, and trusting the process. But this time was different.
For the first time, I got to meet them in person.
There is something incredibly powerful about shaking the hand of someone who has invested in your growth. The conversations felt different. The lessons landed differently. Even meeting the rest of the cohort reminded me that everyone starts somewhere, and every person in that room had made a decision to invest in themselves.
Then something happened that I never saw coming.
Out of everyone in the room, I was selected as one of only four people to conduct a five-minute quick-fire interview with two of my mentors: David Shands and CJ.
That moment meant more than words can describe.
David Shans has built an incredible platform through Social Proof and created Podcast Summit into one of the most influential spaces for podcasters and entrepreneurs.
CJ has helped shape the careers and personal brands of some truly remarkable people, including Eric Thomas and Toby Nwigwe. His ability to develop authentic stories and powerful messaging has impacted countless lives.
To sit opposite them not as a spectator, but as an interviewer was surreal.
Five minutes can go by incredibly quickly, but those few minutes reminded me exactly why I started podcasting in the first place.
Great conversations change people.
The Power of Saying Yes
Long before I boarded the plane, another blessing had already arrived.
Months earlier, Stephan Speaks had agreed to be a guest on the Sense Only Podcast.
To this day, I'm still humbled that he said yes.
We spent nineteen unforgettable minutes discussing purpose, relationships, growth, and the importance of becoming the best version of ourselves. It wasn't simply another interview.
It was a conversation I'll carry with me for a very long time.
Moments like these remind me that opportunities don't always arrive overnight.
Sometimes they are the result of countless emails, consistent effort, patience, and simply continuing to show up.
New York Delivered Another Gift
As incredible as Atlanta was, New York had its own unforgettable surprise waiting for me.
Before his sold-out show, I had the privilege of sitting down with AJ McQueen.
Finding twenty uninterrupted minutes with an artist preparing for a major performance is almost unheard of, which made the conversation even more special.
AJ brought honesty, wisdom, humility, and intention into every answer.
Those are exactly the conversations I want the Sense Only Podcast to become known for.
Not just interviews.
Meaningful conversations that leave people thinking differently long after they've finished listening.
More Than Networking
People often talk about networking as if it's about collecting business cards or LinkedIn connections.
This trip reminded me that it's really about people.
It's about genuine conversations.
Shared laughter.
Encouragement.
Learning from people who have walked the path before you.
Being inspired while hopefully inspiring someone else at the same time.
I met creators, entrepreneurs, producers, storytellers, coaches, and visionaries who were all building something bigger than themselves.
Every conversation added another piece to my own journey.
Family, Friends, and Perspective
Away from the podcasting, I also had the chance to spend precious time with family and friends in New York.
Those moments matter just as much.
Success means very little if you don't make time for the people who remind you where you've come from.
Those conversations filled my cup in ways I didn't even realise I needed.
A Bigger Dream
As I sat in the audience at Podcast Summit, I found myself looking at the main stage differently.
This wasn't envy.
It wasn't wishful thinking.
It was vision.
For the first time, I could genuinely picture myself standing there.
Not simply attending.
Teaching.
Sharing.
Giving back.
If there's one thing this trip has given me, it's a renewed sense of belief that impossible goals often become possible when they're backed by consistent action.
The dream has become clearer.
Next year, I don't just want to be in the audience.
I want to earn my place on that stage.
The Journey Continues
People sometimes see moments like these and think they happened by chance.
The truth is that every opportunity was built on hundreds of unseen moments.
The emails nobody replied to.
The late nights editing.
The uncertainty.
The self-doubt.
The learning.
The consistency.
This trip wasn't the destination.
It was confirmation.
Confirmation that I'm walking in the right direction.
Confirmation that the Sense Only Podcast is growing into exactly what I hoped it could become.
Confirmation that when you continue showing up with purpose, the right people eventually begin showing up too.
Atlanta gave me momentum.
New York gave me perspective.
Both gave me something even more valuable.
Belief.
And I'm returning home with a heart full of gratitude, a notebook full of ideas, and a vision that's bigger than it has ever been.
The work continues.
We're only just getting started.
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