Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Audra Agen. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Audra, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

Starting a podcast is definitely outside my comfort zone, especially one that requires you to be vulnerable. That’s why my show works; my vulnerability allows my guests to be comfortable with theirs. Getting to this point wasn’t easy and I needed to be pushed to do it. I started this platform as a form of rebellion. I was tired of being overlooked and unseen because my value and contributions didn’t look like my male counterparts. The level at which I’m expected to perform, while managing the rest of my life and my family’s lives was disproportionate to that of my male colleagues. Even more alarming was that it wasn’t just me. For the most part this was the same for all of the women around me. In a moment of clarity, I knew something needed to be done to change this, so I went looking for some resources that could help connect me to other women and open doors to communication. What I found was…nothing. There wasn’t an open platform to allow women to feel safe to be vulnerable with other women and promote connectivity. I found plenty of platforms that promoted famous women to other women, but not one that you could actually connect and have real communication. I stepped out on a limb and created one myself. It’s both a terrifying and exciting event every single week as I stand out front of interview, gently guiding my guests through some very difficult conversations. It’s there in that space outside of my comfort zone that the most magical things have happened.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m an Arizona native, married for almost 28 years and a new empty nester. My professional story is one that you’ve heard many times; I work in a male dominated field and I have to outperform all my colleagues to get a fraction of the recognition. It’s exhausting. After 25 years of hoping that the environment would change, I finally got tired of waiting. I created a podcast platform to interview women all over the world to highlight the unique value that they bring to the world. Everyone does something that contributes to the betterment of their communities. It’s my goal to unite all of us, remove the artificial barriers that keep us apart and raise the awareness that women are our best assets, not competition. I’ve interviewed over 100 women from all over the world with diverse backgrounds. I’m one week away from publishing my 100th episode and I couldn’t be more proud.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is to build this platform into a full time business. When I focus on this platform, it’s what makes me feel the most alive and in sync with what I believe is part of my purpose.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Every single week is a lesson in resilience. Each one of my guests has taught me something and I do my best to carry that forward. When I have moments where I question if what I’m doing means anything, I typically will have someone out of the blue come forward and tell me that what I’m doing matters. It’s as if the universe is gently nudging me forward. SI I continue to press forward and trust that what I am doing will lead me to where I need to go.

Contact Info:

• Website: womeninthearena.net
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womeninthearenapodcast
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/womeninthearena
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-in-the-arena-podcast/?viewAsMember=true

Image Credits
Dillion Driscoll Photography