2,500 Downloads….And We’re Just Getting Started!

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:02

Hey everybody, and welcome back to the Ask Velvet Podcast. I'm your host, Velvet, and I am so happy that you're here today. Whether you're listening from your living room, driving to work, riding the metro, sitting on your front porch, or just relaxing after a long day. Thank you for making me part of your day. Today's episode is one that's very close to my heart because today isn't just about a number. It's about a journey. It's about taking a chance on myself. It's about refusing to give up. And it's about celebrating a milestone that I never take for granted. The Ask Velvet Podcast has officially reached two thousand five hundred downloads. I honestly cannot thank each and every one of you enough. Every single download represents a real person who decided to spend a few minutes or even an hour with me. That means something. And today I simply want to say thank you. You know, when I first started this podcast, I didn't have all the answers. I didn't have a fancy studio. I didn't have expensive equipment. I wasn't backed by a big company. What I did have was a voice. I had stories to tell. I had opinions I wanted to share. I had life experiences that I believed might encourage someone else. Then life threw me one of its biggest challenges. After working for eight years, I lost my job. That wasn't easy. Losing something you've poured years of your life into can make you question yourself. It can leave you wondering what's next. But somewhere in the middle of all that uncertainty, I made a decision. Instead of allowing disappointment to define me, I decided to create something. That's how the Ask Velvet podcast continued to grow. Not because everything was perfect, but because I refused to stop. One thing I've learned is that sometimes your greatest purpose is discovered during your hardest season. There were days when life felt uncertain. There were moments when I wondered if anyone was listening. There were times when I questioned whether I should keep recording. But every time another download came in, every encouraging message, every new subscriber, every person who shared an episode, it reminded me that somebody out there was listening. Maybe they needed a laugh. Maybe they needed encouragement. Maybe they simply wanted someone to keep them company during their commute. Whatever the reason, you kept showing up. And because you kept showing up, I kept showing up. This podcast has become so much more than a microphone. It's become a place where I can be myself, a place where I can tell stories, share poems, talk about current events, discuss parenting, talk about life in Washington, DC, share fictional stories that take us on incredible adventures, celebrate everyday people, laugh together, sometimes even cry together. It's become a community, and communities are built one conversation at a time. People sometimes ask me if two thousand five hundred downloads is a lot. To me, it absolutely is because those aren't just numbers on a screen. Those are people, those are listeners, those are supporters. Those are individuals who made a choice to press play. When you think about it that way, it's incredible. So today I celebrate every single download. The first one, the hundredth one, the thousandth one, and now number two thousand five hundred. But here's the exciting part. We're not finished, not even close. I have more stories to tell, more blog posts to write, more podcast episodes to record, more fictional series to bring to life, more conversations that I hope will make you laugh, think, and maybe even see the world a little differently. This podcast continues to grow because of you, and I cannot wait to see where this journey takes us next. Maybe our next celebration will be five thousand downloads, maybe ten thousand, maybe even a hundred thousand one day. Whatever the number is, we'll celebrate it together to every listener, whether you've been with me since episode one or you just found the Ask Velvet Podcast yesterday. Thank you. Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for sharing the podcast with your family and friends. Thank you for leaving reviews. Thank you for sending encouraging messages. Thank you for supporting independent creators. Most of all, thank you for giving my voice a place in your day. That is something I'll never take for granted. As I wrap up today's episode, I want to leave you with this. Never let anyone tell you that small beginnings don't matter. Every dream starts with one step. Every business starts with one customer. Every book starts with one page. Every podcast starts with one listener. If you're working towards something right now, don't quit just because your progress seems slow. Keep showing up, keep believing, keep creating. Because one day you'll look back and realize that those small moments became something much bigger than you ever imagined. Once again, thank you for helping the Ask Velvet Podcast reach two thousand five hundred downloads. This milestone belongs to all of us. Until next time, keep believing in your dreams, keep supporting one another, and remember that every journey begins with a single step. This is Velvet, and I'll see you in the next episode of the Ask Velvet Podcast. Take care, everyone.