S5 Ep. 276 Five Years Of Word Trading
Mar 18, 2026 • S05 E276 • 00:21:23
Five years ago, I was just trying to relive a moment: the first spark of The Word Cafe Podcast, when the “studio” was my bedroom and the dream still felt too big to say out loud. But the real beginning goes further back to my 40th birthday in 2017, when a simple question hit hard: what am I going to do with the gifts I keep talking about? When the COVID years turned the world heavy, that question got louder, and my wife’s encouragement pushed me from thinking to building.
I talk through the mentors and lessons that shaped my voice, from learning public speaking to learning how to podcast with intention. And I share the core idea that keeps me grounded: the light is not waiting for you at the end of a tunnel. The light is in you, and you discover it, carry it, and walk out. That belief fuels everything I do as a wordsmith and “neighborhood word trader,” because I’m convinced spoken words carry power, whether we say them on purpose or by habit.
You’ll also hear what The Word Cafe stands for: thoughtful conversations that connect spirituality, culture, economics, politics, and everyday life, all through the lens of language and meaning. After nearly 277 episodes, the mission is still simple: curate words that help someone think clearly, find courage, and take the next step. I reflect on building community, helping others shape book projects, learning patience the hard way, and why the next chapter has to go beyond podcasting into collaborations and African solutions with global appeal.
If you’ve ever wanted to start a podcast, deepen your communication skills, or build something that lasts, press play and walk with me. Subscribe, share this with a friend, leave a review, and tell me what you want to hear in the next five years.
You can support this show via the link below;
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1718587/supporters/new
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