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

Steve , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

The most meaningful project l have worked on is Fascination Street Podcast. I believe that everyone has a story, and l love getting to hear them.
Most people don’t think their story is fascinating because to them, it’s their hum drum life.

I disagree.

I think we can learn a lot about our past and be inspired for our future, by getting to know the journey of those around us; those who have been where we have been, or are where we want to be.

I find and share these stories to let listeners know that they are not alone in their struggles, and to not lose hope & faith in our ambitions.

Steve , 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?

About me? I’m just a dude. I’m a happily married father of 2. I was in banking for awhile before I got out of that and started my own business. Before that I worked in restaurant kitchens.
I was a big fan of podcasts when I worked in banks. I worked in a cubicle and would put my headphones on and go to work.
It was a way to escape the drama of a workplace; as well as an escape from people taking about politics.
I can’t stand politics or political talk.
On Fascination Street Podcast we talk about everything except politics.
But the real gold is getting to hear people share theor stories. People will really open up when you show a genuine interest in their journey.
Two of the things that l try to focus on are: ‘where did the guest get there confidence’ to do what they do. What made them think they COULD do what they do. The second thing I try to delve into is ‘why they didn’t give up. In my opinion, people have a lot of “quit” in them. They will try something and if it isn’t an immediate success; they quit. They give up. So I really try to find out & more importantly SHARE these bits of information, so that the listener can see the fruits of these labors. So that the listener can be inspired into gaining the confidence to do their thing, whatever that may be.
I am inspired by the sheer drive & confidence of people who have tried & succeeded at anything; because l wasn’t raised with that kind of support, and there was a lot of “quit” in the people around me.
It’s in the intro to the show: “take a walk with me down Fascination Street as l get to know….” the guest.
And as a result of a clever guest some years back, my listeners are dubbed “Streetwalkers”.

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

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being a podcaster & interviewer is the people I get to meet. I have met some incredible people throughout this journey, and a lot of them have become friends. I have friends everywhere now. In so many countries, and in so many fields & industries.
Some I have been able to hang out with, others I have phone conversations or texting conversations with, and still others are just there to support me. That last on is a relatively new & confusing thing for me.
One of my absolute favorite rewards is that I have helped mentor others to get into podcasting. Over the 8 years of doing this, I have somehow managed to inspire & even coach nearly a dozen people into starting their own show. A few have given up, but there are a few that have become quite successful and love doing it.
That makes me happy, and really feels like a feather in my cap.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Something that I had to unlearn fairly early on, was to be me. At the beginning of my show, I tried to mimic other interviewers I saw. Asking the same boring questions that people are asked in every interview. Focusing on the big stuff, the new film or book or record the guest has coming out.
It felt hollow, boring, and like I was an imposter.
One day, I booked a guest that I had heard on one of my favorite podcasts, and I didn’t want to ask those same questions, because I already knew all the answers. So I decided to do some research by looking into other times this guest was interviewed.
It was then that I heard a host ask a question that should have had a follow up question, but didn’t. And that’s when it struck me. This shouldn’t be a back and forth question & answer kinda thing.
Inevitably, if you ask a question, the answer provided is what should generate the next question, if you’re paying attention & are honestly interested in getting to know this person. Just like you would if you were sitting next to them on a plane.
I had to remember WHY I started this in the first place. It wasn’t just to HAVE a podcast; it was to ACTUALLY get to know people’s stories.
Now I do research and try to find the questions that don’t get asked all that much. If we pull on a thread, and it leads down a specific path, we keep taking that path for awhile.
Countless guests have ended the interview by saying that they had never told this story, or explained that thing before. So many of them tell me that nobody has ever asked them some of these things, of that they ‘haven’t thought about that in awhile’. When that happens, it’s exhilarating. I lifts me up in ways that give me confidence and a bit of pride, that little ol nobody me was able to make an impact to them that day.
So the lesson was to get back to what I want to know about these guests, not try to figure out what the listener wants to know about the guest. It is my own curiosity that should steer the questions, because that’s where my desire to do all of this lives in the first place.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Fascinationstreetpod.com
• Instagram: @Fascinationstreetpod
• Facebook: Fascination Street
• Twitter: @FascinationStPd
• Youtube: @Fascinationstreetpodcast
• Other: Tiktok : @fascinationstreetpod
  Threads: @fascinationstreetpod
  Bluesky: @fascinationstpd
  Vero: @fascinationstreetpod

Image Credits

All images & photos are 100% owned by me, Steve Owens