We were lucky to catch up with Let’s Get Haunted recently and have shared our conversation below.

Let’s Get Haunted, appreciate you joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

.Aly: Starting a podcast is definitely a risk. Originally when we launched back in February of 2019, we were looking at it as more of a hobby than a business; just a fun way for us to hang out together and talk about interesting stories. We never dreamed so many people would be listening to it! But as the show (and the audience) continues to grow, so does the amount of work it takes to keep Let’s Get Haunted running smoothly. Our listeners get to hear the finished product, but they don’t have to see all the behind-the-scenes work we put in before an episode ever sees the light of day. It’s not just the act of researching and writing an entertaining story that takes up time, it’s all the little details the general public probably doesn’t even consider. Boring details, like designing a logo, trademarking a name, forming an LLC, choosing an RSS feed host, designing and shipping merchandise, scheduling recording and editing time, optimizing our SEO, responding to listener queries and concerns, managing our social media accounts, securing interviews by experts to discuss the topics we cover on our show, looking for sponsors and advertisers, producing extra content for patrons, and much, much more. Since originally we weren’t part of a network and had no background in podcasting ourselves, we had to learn about all these individual aspects of producing a piece of audio content (and running a business!) by ourselves through trial and error.

My background, for example, is in agriculture which is about as far away from the entertainment industry as you can get! Learning how to edit and sound engineer our episodes was a big learning curve for me. Putting myself out there publicly and attaching my name to something creative was very intimidating as someone coming from a blue collar industry who never had any desire to be publicly known. Navigating having a public persona is something I’m still learning how to do every day. Our audience (who we call “the haunties”) are amazing people, and I’m so proud of the welcoming online community we’ve cultivated, but from a human perspective it can still be difficult to process everything that comes with putting yourself out there. Being online feels very vulnerable sometimes! I think it’s easy to forget that the person you’re listening to through your car speakers on Spotify is just a regular person who took a risk and started a show with their friend.

But even though hosting such a big show can feel intimidating and difficult at times, we keep pushing through, never once doubting that at some point all the hard work we’ve invested will pay off. And now we’re so happy to be able to announce publicly – for the first time ever – that we are represented! Signing with United Talent Agency (UTA) – and, subsequently, the podcasting network QCode, felt like winning a golden ticket for two regular girls pulling double shifts at day jobs and recording a podcast at night. We’re on our 5th season now, and to think about how far we’ve come, from recording on bathroom floors and in friends’ garages to having our own little studio space, is still so incredible to us.

Nat:
I have never been shy. I grew up creating and directing video content in the age before social media, starred in musicals as a preteen, majored in Theatre Arts during college, and still love performing live improv shows; However, being “myself” as a host on a podcast was the biggest risk I have ever taken.
In the past, when I created video content or participated in live shows, I was always performing for others as a character in a setting where I was in control of the narrative. There were not only physical layers of costumes, lights, and set design between my true identity and the character I played, but there was also a suspension of disbelief on behalf of the audience that allowed me to perform without judgment. I was free to entertain an audience without fear that they wouldn’t like me. Podcasting is not like that. People want their podcast host to be 100% real and relatable all of the time, but also be likable. In a world full of diverse opinions, life experiences, and social agendas, being liked by everyone is not always possible.
Aly and I make it a point to be our most authentic selves on air, even when we know our opinions will be opposed, our emotions will be discredited, and our personal choices will be debated. And yet, we are still supported by our listeners who have the same sense of humor and outlook. People send us memes making fun of our lives, which we love. We are constantly reminded that LGH makes people feel like they have found their tribe. We feel like we have found our tribe, too. That feels like it is worth any risk.

Let’s Get Haunted, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Aly: Let’s Get Haunted is a weekly audio podcast streaming on all major podcasting platforms. Each week, Nat & I switch off telling each other scary stories from around the world. Topics range from historical mysteries – like the Battle of Los Angeles and the Donner Party disaster – to little-known pieces of regional folklore and even internet urban legends.
To keep things interesting, the host telling the story is the only one between the two of us who knows what that week’s topic will be. The other host is just along for the ride, voicing her feelings and reactions in real time!
We want our listeners to feel like they’re watching the story unfold together with us, with the non-presenting host asking questions and making observations the audience may also be thinking and feeling.
Once the episode is over, we keep the conversation going on our various social media accounts, with listeners (and us!) having lively discussions about each week’s story.
Nat:
On the outside, Let’s Get Haunted appears to be a multi-award winning podcast with over 6 million streams and 5 seasons of professional content. On the inside, it’s a bunch of memelords and history nerds with an affinity for anything spooky.
Although all the awards and accolades help to validate the hard work we put into the podcast, I am most proud of the community we have created with Let’s Get Haunted. Anyone can put out content, but not everyone can create a safe space that encourages people to be their most goofy selves. The podcast delves into topics that require a sense of playfulness to digest, and I feel like our listeners appreciate that “lightness” in the middle of the work week.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Nat: Ok, this is going to sound insane, but you asked! The way I see it, there is an intangible river of energy that supplies the universe like a vein. It spreads across space and time carrying messages from one end to the other. When I get an idea for a creative project, I call that feeling “connecting to the vein.” Connecting to the vein feels amazing, like you are fulfilling your own creative prophecy. Some people may call this feeling “being inspired”, but I think it’s deeper than that. It goes beyond one individual’s capability to create, it’s something that already exists and needs to be expressed.
All of my friends have been subjected to my long rants about this all-knowing, all-feeling, and ever-present “vein.” When I have writer’s block, I lament that I have been disconnected from the vein. When I get a new idea that solves a longstanding problem, I will ecstatically explain that I “finally connected to the vein!” My friend Alexa, the graphic designer who created our logo, will jokingly text me when she has a project deadline coming up like, “I need to connect to the vein!”
I think my vein theory helps artists subdue their self doubt. If all of your creative ideas come from the vein, you aren’t really putting “yourself” out there – you are just a tool communicating a message that was already written somewhere else.

Aly:
There is no better feeling than seeing an episode come together perfectly after spending hours of your time investigating a story. All of the researching, interviewing, writing, and editing that goes into making a script for an episode is extremely chaotic, and we’re often writing right up until the last possible minute before hitting the “record” button. But once that episode is done and ready to upload…there’s just nothing like it!

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Nat: After the birth of my son, I went through a major bout of postpartum depression. My daily routine had changed drastically to accommodate the needs of a newborn, leaving me feeling extremely ungrounded and confused about my purpose in life. Well-meaning but antiquated people around me often tried to shame me for wanting to work on my “hobby podcast” instead of being a full time mom. After all, the cost of childcare far outweighed the financial return that the podcast had.
Like my son, the podcast was still in its infancy and needed constant attention to keep growing. I knew that if we kept putting out content on schedule, one day the podcast would be a thriving business that would be able to cover the costs of childcare – but that would take years. It was a hard sell to a group of people who generally disapproved of anything “haunted” in the proximity of a newborn. I tried to explain that the podcast was a source of joy and positivity for those who listened, but my arguments fell on stubborn ears.
It was really tough being the only advocate for the podcast in those days. Aside from Aly, I had nobody on my side, which only compounded the feelings of isolation and loneliness. I remember thinking, “Am I selfish for wanting to run a business and be a mom at the same time?” Eventually, I came to the conclusion that I would never have the approval from certain people. They wanted me to be someone I wasn’t, and I could either spend my life trying to gain the approval of people who didn’t accept me, or I could continue to give back to the community that supported me. It was an easy choice, but not without consequence.
Being an artist is a gift, but it can be soul-crushing. We are naturally sensitive creatures who feel intensely, think deeply, and have a lot of energy. If we don’t harness these traits into something productive, it will eat us alive. Do not let anyone try to shame you for seeing a future for yourself. What makes you different will set you free.

Aly:
During all of Season 4 of our show, I was enrolled in a clinical trial for an autoimmune disease. I didn’t address it at all at the time, so the majority of our listeners were unaware of what was happening behind the scenes. Every week, I would drive two hours each way to reach the clinic hosting the trial and undergo 7 hours of medical tests and treatment. It was exhausting and, to be honest, sometimes scary. During certain parts of that experience with so many people poking and prodding at me each session, I didn’t even feel human anymore.
There was a big room setup with old armchairs where people receiving treatment would sit for hours getting intravenous medications dripped into them. I remember walking into that room for the first time and realizing I was the youngest person there by about 50 years. No talking was allowed in the treatment center, so the environment was pretty bleak and depressing. There were lots of older folks with cancer or advanced diseases sitting quietly crying (or throwing up into trash cans) in their chairs.
After my first round of treatment, I got permission to bring my laptop into the center, and I would spend every Wednesday (the same day our podcast episodes go live) hooked up to an IV bag working on Let’s Get Haunted. Despite how difficult going through that experience was, in a way it also motivated me. I thought to myself, “If I can just get through this and come out the other side, I can do anything”. I’m proud to say I never missed a single day of recording the show during that entire time.
Looking back on that experience, I hope anyone reading this who may be going through a similar struggle of a serious diagnosis or a difficult treatment plan can take heart in knowing that an illness doesn’t define you. And even if some days just taking a shower seems impossible, take the time to celebrate and feel proud of each small victory.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.letsgethaunted.com
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/letsgethaunted
• Facebook: http://facebook.com/letsgethaunted
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/letsgethaunted
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/letsgethaunted
• LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/letsgethaunted
• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LetsGetHaunted
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@letsgethaunted
• Spotify: http://bit.ly/GetHaunted
• Apple: http://bit.ly/GetHauntediTunes
• Google: https://bit.ly/35qKrcp

Image Credits
Photo Credits: Jamie McCune, photographer Logo Design: Alexa Dillon Hosts Illustration: Julija