🎧 The Indie Podcast That Made the Industry Listen

Presented by Podcast Movement Evolutions

🔍 If You Built It, Will They Come?

You can build the perfect podcast. The sound design sings. The host is magnetic. The storytelling snaps. And still—crickets.

Because the truth is: building it isn’t enough. Listeners don’t come just because it’s good. They come because it matters. Because it speaks to something they didn’t know they needed.

So yes, build it. But build it with intention. Build it like it already has an audience, even if it's just you. And then, show up. Keep showing up. Share it. Shape it. Stand behind it.

If you build it and believe in it—and keep building—they just might come. And more importantly, you’ll be ready when they do.

🎙️ Signal Flow: Ronald Young Jr.

Industry game changers and valiant minds share their wisdom, adversities, and paths to innovation.

Ronald Young Jr. is an award-winning podcast host, producer, and storyteller, best known for his critically acclaimed podcast Weight For It. The groundbreaking series, which delves into the complex ways we think about our bodies, was an official selection at the 2023 Tribeca Festival, winner of three awards at the 2024 Ambie Awards, and listed as one of the “Best Podcasts of 2023” by The New York Times, Vogue, and Vulture. Season three of Weight For It is set to premiere in Fall 2025.

Hosting live events is my favorite. There's something powerful about directing the energy in the room, moving a program forward, and still having those intimate moments with the audience.

I’ve been creating things my whole life. Podcasts are just the latest form. I’ve hosted game nights, made silly rap songs with friends, tried to turn my high school announcements into a radio show. I’ve always asked, “What if?” and that’s what keeps me going.

I don’t feel constrained by scripted podcasting because I’m usually the one writing the script. I get to channel my curiosity into the story and shape the voice of the episode. And even when I’m reading it aloud, I have room to adjust if something doesn’t sound right.

I started listening to podcasts while working in IT. This American Life, Snap Judgment, Pop Culture Happy Hour—I loved how they told stories. I realized that with my radio background, I could probably do that, too. In 2017, I launched Time Well Spent. It was DIY, but it was my lab. I learned everything on the fly.

One of the best compliments you can give me is: “That was a good question.” Because I probably thought about it a hundred times before asking it. I love that feeling of telling a story, veering off into something else, then circling it all the way back. That connection is magic.

In 2020, I got laid off from my IT job and decided to go full-time into audio. I picked up contracts, hosted Solvable for Pushkin, and I did a three-episode series on bodies. The numbers spiked. I realized: there’s a podcast here. That became Weight For It. 

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I pitched the show for a while, but when nothing landed, I went indie. We submitted the unfinished work to Tribeca and were selected. That moment changed everything. And yes—it was a lot of DIY. That’s why I say, “Independent forever.”

Winning at the Ambies in 2024 was incredibly validating. I’ve spent so much time working alone, on Zoom calls, and cutting tape by myself. At the Ambiess, I got to plant my flag and say: this work matters. And my peers agreed. That feeling stays with you.

After all that, would I tell my 2017 self to do anything differently? Not at all. Just keep going. Keep creating. My first show had 70 downloads. Then 700. Then 7,000. Every step counts.

Awards don’t add pressure—they relieve it. Winning the Ambies told me I’m doing something right. And if nothing else, it means more people will find the show. That’s the goal.

The best stories are the most vulnerable stories. You can tell when someone’s holding back, when they’ve polished the pain too much. But when they’re honest—when they’re really in it—that’s when the audience connects. Vulnerability is the secret ingredient.

I love pop culture. Always have. I used to read media guides like they were novels. That’s why Leaving the Theater and Pop Culture Debate Club are important to me. Those conversations are more than entertainment—they’re about who we are, what we value, and how we process the world. They help us unwind, reflect, and make meaning.

Being independent means every feather in your cap is functional. It’s not just decoration—it helps you fly. I didn’t just show up and talk into a mic. I cut the tape. I wrote the scripts. I made the thing. And when you do all that, the recognition means something deeper. It’s personal.

🎙️ Join the World’s Biggest Podcast Charity Event!

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🥾 Further Exploration

Need a brain break?

Grab your headphones and cue up A Bit of Optimism. Simon Sinek’s curiosity and kindness are infectious, resetting the ol’ noodle and leaving you feeling inspired.

ICYMI:

🤔 Podcasting, Persistence, & Breaking Big Stories w/ Denise Chan

🎙️ Gretchen Rubin on Happiness, Habits, & Podcasting Success

🎧 Rob Rosenthal on Good Storytelling