This Is Me

Turning Airwaves into Healing Waves: In this Episode the tables have turned and I get interviewed by Strictly Free Game Podcast

• Marilyn

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I'm thrilled to share with you the rollercoaster ride of my journey into the radio world, a tale marked by resilience, passion, and a bit of serendipity. From a humble start as a radio hobbyist, I chart my path through the highs and lows of the industry, featuring a chance meeting with Bobby Schmurder before his big break and a setback that reshaped my career.

Navigating the world of podcasting, we'll dive into its therapeutic side. Podcasting, more than just a platform to share stories, can be a powerful tool for introspection and personal growth. Shawn from Strictly Free Game Podcast and I discuss how sharing our traumas, emotions, and vulnerabilities can help us and others heal. 

Balancing motherhood and side hustles is no walk in the park, but I've learned it's entirely possible. I'll share my adventures in juggling my role as a mother with my side gigs, and the lessons I've learned along the way, including how I became an Amazon influencer. 

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https://iammarilynm.com/linkwithme

This Is Me Journal
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Speaker 2:

Oh, there we go, there we go.

Speaker 1:

It's so good.

Speaker 2:

So this is the first time I've been on YouTube live, youtube live, and I was saying early, I'm like this is like my official really first time going live on on YouTube, because remember we were like testing it out last time.

Speaker 1:

Remember and then, over the superstar, miss. This is me, I am Marilyn. Podcast. Can we talk? Can we tell the people who was going on with this is me, I am Marilyn. Like, can we, can we, can we give him some nugget?

Speaker 2:

You know what? Let me tell you about that. This is me podcast. I have Always loved radio. I have always loved, you know, it's like when they say, like what's your passion or what is it that you do, that comes easy to you. For me it has always been. I'm just talking into a mic, microphone and I was doing radio. I started over 10 years ago but back then, you know, social media wasn't really a huge thing like that like Talk about. You have to really Break walls and break doors back then.

Speaker 1:

That's a fact. You had to have some real, real like talent to really break into those those markets for sure.

Speaker 2:

You know podcasting wasn't a thing, although Streaming there was, like streaming apps, like radio streaming, and I think I'm aging myself right now but there was like it was just starting to develop. I guess you know it was podcasting in a sense, but we didn't have real knowledge about it. You know Shit of wood us, but at the time I was a single mom with two kids. You know Wendy Williams was on air. Still you had Martinez. You know like the gatekeepers the gatekeepers.

Speaker 1:

They weren't let nobody and nobody knew into that space at all back there, at all.

Speaker 2:

So you know how easy. You know you can get discouraged or if you're like where am I gonna go?

Speaker 1:

You know, and as much.

Speaker 2:

Everyone loved my voice and you know I just it was just natural for me but I never left the game like, always did it on the side as a hobby and stuff like that. And I Moved to Atlanta for a few years and I was on like they are hot 97. But the pro, I got into it with the program director and I've not. And let me tell you something. You know, I don't know if you've ever felt this way. Oh, there's always like that one person in life that you just want to go back and be like motherfucker or like look at me, or look at me now. Oh, hey, dana, I sent the link to Dana because I was in here by myself before. Dana, what?

Speaker 1:

up. So so, all right, so hold on. So let's go back. I'm getting to my interview mode, I'm getting to my interview, because I never had a chance to really interview miss Marilyn Martinez, the famous Marilyn Martinez, right? Oh, so now you went. You went to Atlanta, went to Georgia to get into radio, right, the gatekeepers were kind of you know back then, like we said, it was a lot of people that could really get into that space.

Speaker 2:

I didn't go to Atlanta for radio. I went to Atlanta. I'm to find myself, okay, okay. And two weeks after I was in Atlanta, I ran. I was at a party, a day party, and and the host shout out to ET, if we had to compare him, he was like like the DJ envy of Elena, right, okay. And he was like we were like in the. The art sections were next to each other and he had mad tattoos and I'm like, oh, your tattoos are dope. I'm like, what do you do? He's like, oh, I'm in radio.

Speaker 1:

And.

Speaker 2:

I'm like oh, I used to do radio and stuff like that, but I'm new to Elena, so I don't know who, I don't know stations, I don't you know what I'm saying. So I'm like oh, I said oh, so I'm gonna come, you're gonna put me on it Like it was and I wasn't letting up.

Speaker 1:

Okay.

Speaker 2:

And so then he's like all right. So he came, so he's like all right, meet me at the studio. So I go to the studio, I do a test run and they just throw me on the radio. But they did it without running it by the program director, who was on vacation, oh wow. So the program director was already fed up with the guys because they were doing whatever they wanted to do.

Speaker 1:

They just went rogue, they did their own thing.

Speaker 2:

But, elena, the city loves me. Everyone was calling in. This was during the time, trayvon Martin, I believe.

Speaker 1:

Okay, what you was talking about yeah, so that's not true. Go then.

Speaker 2:

It was 2014.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I was about to say maybe like 19 years ago. Yeah, that makes sense.

Speaker 2:

Okay. So it was like because it was always two guys, so now they had a female with like a soothing voice, and you know what I'm saying. So when he came back he was just oh, this was right before Bobby Schmurder went to jail.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I think he did like eight years, so that makes sense.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, because Bobby Schmurder came into the studio looking to feed it. I thought he was just blowing up and I pulled him to the side and I had like a big sister talk with him. I'm like, listen, if it ain't your mama, fuck everybody else. Not everybody could come with you, that type of shit. And then they get a few months later Bobby Schmurder. I'm like damn. So then the programs I took out back. He was letting it ride for a little bit, but I don't know, he just took it out on me one day. He's like I don't want to on the radio, no more, and don't even come back into the building.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and it was the most nastiest tone. It was so, it was so unprofessional. And you know me like I'm all about professionalism. And then I had, by that time I got cool with everybody, like all the big DJs, like you know, and there was a festival and he saw like how many people would just show and he loved my. You, I'm new to the city. I want to Elena, like with my Tim's on Knocking doors, knocking walls. You feel me?

Speaker 1:

You know the real. You want to throw New York. Yeah, they were this sassy.

Speaker 2:

Latina coming in, like you know, because I'm just like oh, who are you? What's this? I'm all about networking, networking, networking. And he's seen me. He didn't know where to put his face and Hurricane Dave, when I get so big, he's going to want me on his station and I am going to decline. Fuck you very much. He's still there. I don't know, I haven't looked him up, but that's that's my, my fuck you very much. Story about my, my career and radio. Okay, that, wow.

Speaker 1:

Wow, all right, so I Was a lot. I wasn't expecting all that, but that was a lot of information. I love that.

Speaker 2:

I've never. I've never told that story before ever.

Speaker 1:

It's actually exclusive. I'm not gonna get this. I'm pretty good with that. You're so I am, I am, so I am. So, while this is strictly free game, I took over Maryland's. Oh, took over a lot, all right. So now we're getting into the fast forward. Now we're getting to the I am Maryland, this is me podcast, right? So on your podcast. I love your podcast because you talk about ups and downs. You cry, you laugh. Sometimes I cry with you. Sometimes I laugh with you.

Speaker 2:

I'd be crying a lot.

Speaker 1:

It's an emotional, emotional, emotional ride. But listen, it's real Roy's rugged. What? What got you to be that vulnerable? Because a lot of people aren't. They're not that open and not they're not that used to being vulnerable, especially in front of Strangers. Because these are strangers that are tuning into you, right? What got you to that space?

Speaker 2:

Oh, that's a good question. I Told you I'm good at this, you are good at this. Um, what made me become so vulnerable to share? I Think honestly, you know, at the point in my life when I started, this is me Podcast again, because I've done podcasts it's never really fit. I've done my podcast, I've had my own streaming, like I've done it, but it was like I was interviewing artists, upcoming artists, and that wasn't really like my avenue. You know, I love, I grew up on Oprah, I grew up on Ricky Lake.

Speaker 2:

You know, and not for nothing. You know, now talking out loud, like I used to like admire these women and stuff like that, so it's like I, I love to hear the stories of people, okay, and when I started that this is me podcast, you know I was going through a very dark time. I'm maybe a little bit of close part. Um, I was having issues in my marriage and stuff like that, and I went back to the place where I was able to escape, hmm, and that was getting on the microphone pause, okay. So when I just I started late, no late 2021, and I think anyone's gonna listen because it was just my dear diary.

Speaker 1:

Mm-hmm.

Speaker 2:

So I really didn't put it out there for anyone to listen. I just Started putting it out there for my, my therapy session, okay, so it was more of a therapeutic thing for you right, because it's it's what I love to do. It's it's um. It was my. You know my avenue, my escape, my release. Okay, you know some people go to the gym, I podcast your podcast.

Speaker 1:

Sometimes it's the cheapest therapy that you can have. You know what I mean. You're never lie, and you also, so you're also helping others With your therapy. You're helping them reflect on their their own traumas, that they may be going through that they've just never expressed it anyone else.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, right and Since I've been doing that in two years I've really been on it, you know, in the last six, seven months and To know that my life and my story and my ups and downs are literally helping other people. It's like now. My passion is converting into a purpose.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, and, like I said, it's very authentic because you could tell you You've, you've. You've given us a light that shines brighter than yourself, right. So, and, like I said, I listen to it as well. Even though we we haven't gone through the same journey, sometimes it always circles back, right, it makes you start to think of your past and the things that you may have not been vocal about, that could have held you down as you became an adult, that you just never released, right, right. So now, as I'm listening to yours, like you know what, maybe I should start doing the same and start using this as my dear diary, in a sense, because, again, it's the cheapest form of therapy that you could have.

Speaker 2:

And not only that. Not only is the way for therapy, it's like, it's also a way to connect with people.

Speaker 1:

Correct.

Speaker 2:

We are not built or meant to be in this world alone. You know what I mean? Talk that, talk. So for me I don't have a lot of close friends, but I know a lot of people.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

But maybe somebody else. Don't have friends and don't know a lot of people.

Speaker 1:

Or they can have a lot of friends and just don't know how to communicate.

Speaker 2:

Right and and feel you know, especially old school. You know I grew up in a Caribbean household. What happens in the house stays in the house, in fact, yeah. And it's like no, the shit can come out to like open the door and let this shit out, let the evil out, let it all. It doesn't have to stay in the house.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, and even as as a male growing up, right, we were always taught not to show emotions Because in a sense I was kind of, even though my mother got remarried. Years after, you know, my mother married her husband. That's a long story, but when I was seven years old, but prior to that, I was considered the man of the house. Even after she got married she still, I was still somewhat the man of the house. So, as a young black male growing up, we were always told never show emotions, don't cry, definitely can't cry. You know what I'm saying and that that follows you into adulthood and we don't know how to express ourselves. Sometimes it comes out as anger because we just don't know how to have that soft, that soft moment. You know what I'm saying. So again, listening to your story helps me go back into that and you know so. Thank you for that.

Speaker 2:

You're welcome and thank you for giving me my flowers. I give you the whole garden For me. You know it's unrealistic to we are perfectly imperfect humans. We are perfect at being imperfect, but by being imperfect, I feel, is what puts people in a frenzy Instead of embracing your imperfectness.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, Because we're supposed to have filters. Right, we're programmed to have filters and our programs to be to show the blemishes, to show the scars.

Speaker 2:

And for me? I mean, look at my hair is I? This is perfectly imperfect for me. So this is why I share like I've always been someone, even even as a little girl. I don't give a fuck what anybody has to say. I don't give a fuck how much money you have. I don't give a fuck about your social status. I don't because, at the end of the day, strip you off your title, strip you off your expensive garments. We all bleed the same color.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and you do as a little kid. So this is why I'm so comfortable to walk into a room or walk into a meeting or walk into you don't know what I'm saying, because I'm very intelligent in one area and I'm intelligent in another area. So for me to be, you know, so vulnerable on my podcast is this is the way of life, this is the way you grow Like. God gave us these emotions tears, depression, sadness to develop ourselves, to strengthen ourselves, we have to. You know again, I always say like my divorce was the worst and best thing that ever happened to me, because it forced me to tap into new emotions that I didn't even know.

Speaker 1:

That you didn't even know you had.

Speaker 2:

Yeah that I didn't know that I had and I needed to tap into it in order to grow as a person. Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1:

Because that was your true. Now your true self is really coming out.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

I was forced right. So let's talk about the superwoman that you are right. Superwoman for kids, you make it look easy For kids, that's a lot of kids.

Speaker 1:

I don't even know how you do it. I'm like, damn, I got to, I'm ready to give two back and you make it look really easy. Can we talk to those single mothers out there right now that may not have, for maybe they have one, two, three, four, maybe they have five, right, and they're, they're in this cocoon in a sense, right, like they just can't figure out how to get to the next step. You're an influencer, you're a mama for your realtor, you're this is me. I am Marilyn. How the hell are you doing at all? What advice would you give to someone that's looking to do the same?

Speaker 2:

Um, I before used to work, work, work and go, go, go and burn myself out. I now come to the realization that being busy doesn't mean being productive. So this is how I got to wear on that now, in that I used to go, go, go, do so much and then I'm like okay, what's happening? How do I do it all? Now I give myself a little bit of grace. I give, I celebrate my small wins. I do one task at a time. If I do a podcast today, I'm winning.

Speaker 1:

There you go.

Speaker 2:

So by giving myself that little bit of grace and, you know, patting myself on the back, I'm like, okay, then I can handle something else. You know what I'm saying. The kids listen to me. I love them. I love them, but I always I change the way that I speak.

Speaker 2:

It's not that I have to spread myself for different ways, because I do. My oldest is in college. I have to spread my, I have to give him a different type of attention. You know, in the three and the two year old you already know they need the attention 24 seven. So instead of saying I have to, I look at it, I get to.

Speaker 2:

I am blessed that I have four beautiful children. Why they drain the fuck out of me. They're mine. You know what I'm saying and at the end of the day, they are a reflection of me and this is why I'm here is to pour into my children. So my children are my children. So my children are what are, who.

Speaker 2:

They keep me going and I have to continue to live and figure myself out and grow myself to be an example to them. Like, I don't have to figure it out, I'm about to be 40. Mommy does not have to figure it out. But I am learning, I am trying, I'm making mistakes and I'm learning from my mistakes. And you know, if you, I've worked full time, I've done all my side hustles but I'm not going to be a good person. I've done some good side hustles but is literally that like utilized every hour that you have. So if the kid, you know I get home from with the kids, if the moment they go to sleep I'll get on the computer for an hour.

Speaker 2:

I used to, I used to podcast at five in the morning Before they woke up in the morning. You know I'm saying so. You don't have to give your business. You're working full time as a mom. You don't have to give it two, three, four hours. Like, don't think about, oh my God, I got to just do it. And then, slowly but shortly, you'll start to figure out the schedule, how to fit it in and stuff like that.

Speaker 2:

You know, when I started the live, I'm like look how I'm staying. I was eating cereal. I'm like I have to make sure I eat. But I'm like why am I standing up right now? I could easily go to the dining room table, but this is just habit. I'm feeding the kids, I'm eating like this or I'll run and put an orange in, or I'm taking a call, I'm answering an email. So I guess I just grew, I've learned how to multitask, okay, and yes, you're going to have your days where you cry. That's why I'm always crying on my podcast, cause it could be either exhaustion, it could either be, you know, like damn, something got to give. But you know, I'm a woman of faith and I know that every little, every single day that I'm taking towards becoming a better version of myself because staying a good person, it's all going to work out in the end.

Speaker 1:

It always does. It always does Now you. So what? What advice would you give to that single mom right now? Right, she's looking for a side hustle. She's like you know what I see, marilyn, on on line. She's getting these products from these companies. You know, now we're getting into the influence inside of it, right?

Speaker 2:

They want to break into that.

Speaker 1:

What is the first step that they should do to break into that field? Because you can do that from home, you don't need. Yeah, what's the first step of that?

Speaker 2:

Listen what's the first step of that. I tell this story all the time when I started on Amazon being an Amazon influencer. I think it was less than a year. I was probably like maybe one month are we in, I suspect. What a month? September. I think it was probably October of last year.

Speaker 1:

So going on a year, okay.

Speaker 2:

So, going on a year and I didn't know about this, this influencing thing. I'm still learning. I'm still you know this. Get ready with me the. You know it's a lot of work. That in itself is a lot of work, but don't consider it work Because it's fun, because the moment you start thinking, oh my God, I have to, but I get to do it, this is exciting. What do you mean? I get paid to, like, give reviews and stuff like that For those single moms or moms stay at home, moms. There's like you know what I need to another form of income. Don't get stuck on the numbers. Don't feel like you have to have 10,000 followers or this huge. It can be a micro influencer. So last year, when I started at Amazon, I think I only had like 5,000 followers on Instagram or something like that, and I signed up for the program. Didn't know what the hell I was doing, but I learned as I went on and I made 34 cents.

Speaker 1:

That's 34 cents is a big deal though.

Speaker 2:

Listen to me. Listen to me when I tell you I called everybody. I'm like bitch. I just made 34 cents on Amazon.

Speaker 1:

I was like they're like 3400,.

Speaker 2:

no, not 34 cents, yes, but I was calling everyone like it was 3400 or 34,000. I'm like bitch, I made 34 cents on Amazon that I think it was at that moment that I'm like I'm about to be an influencer. I'm an influencer, I'm about to how you, you know. So just do. You'll never figure it out unless you try it. Stop overthinking things. Remain who you are. Don't try to like. Try to be like the next person, because people are gonna always buy into you what your story is and you know. Just remain authentic.

Speaker 1:

That's great advice 34 cents, I'm selling it. So there you go, 34 cents, and that's blood, sweat and tears. So that 34 cents it can't buy you much, but it gave you everything at the same time. It gave me everything.

Speaker 2:

Yes, it pushed me, it pushed you to keep going. It's like right. It's like if I can make 34 cents, let me see how much more I can make.

Speaker 1:

Mm-hmm, yep, so what's next? We'll probably wrap this up, because we've been like 25 minutes in. We've been only till like 25 minutes.

Speaker 2:

We've been only a while. This is a good interview.

Speaker 1:

It's a good interview. So what's next for Marilyn? I mean, I know what's next for Marilyn. I know her personally. You know what I'm saying. This is my partner in crime, so I know her personally. But what's next for Marilyn? What's next? What can they expect from the podcast? Are you gonna have some guests coming up on the podcast? I know you got some things that's launching pretty soon. We won't get into that until you're ready to announce it, but what's next?

Speaker 2:

You know, I asked God earlier in the month to guide me in the path in which you see fit. I have been at this for over 10 years and I honestly, I can honestly say that I'm in a point in my life where I know myself, I love myself and I am ready for everything and anything that gets thrown my way. With that said, I have been at because of that. I have been asking for more, I've been asking for bigger things. So what can you expect from Marilyn? Taking over this? I'm going to be the Wendy Williams, the Ricky Lake, the Jenny Jones, the Oprah of podcasting.

Speaker 1:

So, yes, you have a car, you have a car, you have a car. That's what Marilyn is telling me. Yes, for sure.

Speaker 2:

I have a huge following. I have a huge platform, and what's next for Marilyn is like now. I want to take that and use it for good. My purpose is to help people in any and every which way that I can continue to share my story and be an advocate for moms, single women, married women, everything, and be like we too. You can have it all. You can have it all. You can do it all, but we cannot do it by ourselves. So I will be launching a journal soon. That's the big announcement, so look out for that promo.

Speaker 1:

I am going to so you've been journaling, right? You've been journaling on your podcast. That's what you're telling me. Yes, and now you're getting people a chance to be a part of that journey. Yes, by purchasing a journal that they did journal for themselves.

Speaker 2:

Absolutely, because journaling, I'm telling you, it helps.

Speaker 1:

The beautiful thing. Thank you, thank you. That's a beautiful thing, it's a beautiful thing.

Speaker 2:

See, I went food shopping, my cabinet is still open, my drawer is still open and I stopped to do the live, so-.

Speaker 1:

But that goes to show you what you said. Right, it doesn't have. Nothing has to be perfect. We didn't even this is an improv interview, like we weren't even planning on doing I didn't know I was coming on your live today. My shirt is wrinkled. I was having to get a car wash. I pulled over on the side of the road to finish this interview you got. Your hair is herring right now.

Speaker 1:

I got an appointment in an hour. There you go, but it goes back to that. You don't have to be perfect, just do it.

Speaker 2:

Just do it, just do it, just do that shit. Whatever you wanna do, do it and don't apologize for it If it doesn't work out at least. And that's why I tell my kids all the time and that's why I love what I'm able to do, what I do, because my kids see it. Try it. What do you have to lose? Just fucking try it. So what if it doesn't work out? You're gonna be worried about the person who's not fucking trying anything, exactly.

Speaker 1:

That shit is wild to me. Exactly. And, like you said, you've been doing this for over 10 years, so it takes 10 years to be an overnight success, right? Yeah, that's what they say. Yeah, that's what they say. Listen, in that 10th year. Now you're more Comfortable. You're more comfortable. I think it comes with age, it comes with experience, it comes with a bunch of different things, right, and now you're comfortable being comfortable, being you.

Speaker 2:

Being perfectly imperfect and I'm just giving the blueprint. I did the work. I did the work for y'all Well. I did the work. Well, thank you, strictly for game, thank you.

Speaker 1:

I am Marilyn. This is a dope interview.

Speaker 2:

This was a dope interview she dropped some gems on this one.

Speaker 1:

Huh, you dropped some gems on this one. I did, so how can they follow you? Tell them where to follow you if they are not, if they're only following you on YouTube? They got to go to the IG because the IG has a lot of great things going on. The Tik Tok is Tik Toking.

Speaker 2:

The Tik Tok is Tik Toking, the YouTube is YouTube being. But YouTube launched this new feature which I don't know. I didn't look at your page to see. Now on the profile you're able to see all the links. Oh, I didn't know that. I didn't know that. So if you go into my profile and just click on, all my links are there to connect to me, okay.

Speaker 1:

And if you're a brand, you're looking for someone to help elevate that brand. You already know who you contact.

Speaker 2:

Listen, if you, if you then follow me. You see, I've been doing my walking videos since last summer. Oh, you're going to catch me on somebody's runway, baby, I don't think. I don't think height is a thing anymore. You know, I'm nothing, I'm all but five feet.

Speaker 1:

Listen, she's five feet, but she's six feet in every, in every room she's going. She's six foot.

Speaker 2:

You better drop gems. Yes, friend, yes, I am. I am tall in every room. That's funny, all right, well, let me run up before I'm late Get your car wash. Thank you, strictly free game for jumping onto my live and doing this impromptu interview. I love it. I said stories I've never even said before. I think we lost your audio. Yeah, I know what I'm hearing. All right, well, bye, bye.