We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Yogesh Patel. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Yogesh below.
Yogesh, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career?
The defining moment that changed the trajectory of my career (and leading to the podcast) was having life-altering, second glaucoma and cataract surgery on the left eye at the Mayo Clinic (Phoenix) in December 2021.
Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, I had been suffering from eye issues related to allergies since I was 15 (I am now 51). Throughout the years, I managed the best I could to limit taking Prednisone (steroid) eye drops to calm the inflammation and severe eye pain. Yet over time, that led to pressure build up in the eyes in addition a slew of other eye ailments, including scar tissue and optic nerve damage in the right eye.
Surgery was risky as there was no guarantee that my vision could be restored from 35 years of countless doctor’s visits, second opinions and a host of minor procedures, including a first go-around of cataract and glaucoma surgery in both eyes in 2002. And all throughout this time, I managed a decent career in tech sales providing for my family.
The amazing doctors at the Mayo Clinic (forever grateful to Dr. Patel and Dr. Shah) corrected my vision from 20/70 to now seeing perfect 20/20 in the left.
The OMG “defining” moment was going back to the Mayo Clinic for a post-operations follow up visit the next day. As my brother-in-law was driving me on the 101 Loop, I could see details within the Scottsdale mountains as the sun was making its shadows (something I had never been able to see in 20 years, even with corrected glasses).
Since that moment, I moved to Arizona in March 2022 where the dry air and desert heat have healed the eyes as I no longer suffer from allergies stemming from the cold, trees and mold. While my family and I dearly miss our friends and family, we look forward to creating new roots in Arizona.
Reflecting back on this moment, I would have never discovered my purpose (to help others overcome adversity) and start the podcast.
Lessons Learned:
The Power of Faith and Optimism to help overcome your struggles.
Never fear Changing Environments to create a happier life.
Resiliency to face and conquer any obstacles that stand in your way.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
The “YoggNation: Spirit of Gratitude” focuses on bullying, self-awareness and our inner spirit inviting high profile guests to share their experiences on these topics. The podcast can be found on all streaming platforms and social media including YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok (handle: YoggNation).
The central theme of the podcast is to help others overcome adversity through powerful storytelling from the wisdom of my guests. Whether that adversity comes in the form of bullying (from 1 out of every 5 students), fighting one’s inner demons or struggles with mental health (affecting 57.6 million Americans according to the CDC), the goal is for the listener to be inspired, educated and/or be entertained.
We have all dealt and are dealing with challenges in life, no matter what stage. Listening to the perspective from successful people like Jon Karl (Chief Washington Correspondent, ABC News), Nick Lowery (NFL Legend and all-time leading scorer of the Kansas City Chiefs) and Amy Truesdale (2024 Paralympian Gold Medalist from the United Kingdom), hopefully what they share provides a spark, a reflection and/or a meditative thought to help the listener rekindle their inner strength.
Reflecting on how I got into the podcast world, “The Spirit of Gratitude” is an extension of my youngest daughter’s bullying experiences in middle school having Tourette’s. Through the adversity she faced being severely teased, made fun of and even had her hair pulled (which I can never understand why), it helped shaped her character and built resiliency and resolve within her (now 20). As a result, she wrote 2 books on bullying when she was 12 and 15 and had worked at a Ritz Carlton for over a year.
That was my ‘aha’ moment. Adversity builds character that can lead to success. And I wanted to invite people in the public eye that can tell these stories, leveraging technology to amplify their messaging through podcasting. Having carved out a nearly 30-year career in technology sales, I never would have imagined (taking a leap of faith), I’d be a content creator starting my own podcast.
The podcast launched on August 8, 2024 as I am 20 episodes in (as I write this), with an episode release once a week. Working with a phenomenal video production company (Backlot Studios) in Phoenix, they produce the edited video (each episode length is between 20 to 25 minutes), along with 5 high quality Reels (less than a minute each) that I post on Social Media to promote each episode which is released every Tuesday.
While I am not curing cancer through the podcast, I do want to use my communication skills and life experiences (from my own eye issues and daughter’s bullying experiences) helping people realize their potential and better yet, not stress about life.
It is these shared experiences that binds us together. I am proud that I am the only person having created a Gratitude podcast with the following format:
* Episode release a week
* Release on both streaming platforms and social media
* Diversity of guests that range in age, profession, background and ethnicity
It’s been gratifying to know that people have found inspiration from the guest’s messaging, which is the intent of the podcast – from comments ranging from “this is exactly the message I needed at the time” or getting compliments on parenting advice.
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How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
There are several factors that have helped build my reputation in this new world of podcasting.
First, it is identifying a need that the podcast can serve in society – the need for authentic and engaging storytelling from successful people that have overcome adversity. I’ve been fortunate that I have carved a niche that no one has done in the Gratitude podcast space in the form of releasing on the major streaming platforms and social media, including YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
My listeners and guests know the effort I am putting into making a high quality product based on the research I do for each guest (and how I find them), the questions I ask and soliciting feedback for improvement. Hard work is definitely honest.
The second reputation builder is to convey the message to these high-profile guests that what I am doing matters in our society and is affecting society in a positive way. Luckily, each of them shares the same vested interest in helping others through their trustworthiness, integrity and character which is reflected back in the authenticity of the podcast.
And finally, the reputation comes in the form of the diversity of guests that I bring on based on their age, background, ethnicity and profession. In order for the podcast to succeed and scale, it is critical to have relatability from the guests to the listeners. An individual who is in technology may not relate to an NFL Legend like Nick Lowery, but they can relate to Technologist Brian Dawson based on shared experiences.
Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?
What has been most helpful for succeeding in the podcast field thus far is the adage, “Being comfortable with being uncomfortable.”
As a person that has been generally quiet around gatherings (not to make myself the attention as I prefer one-to-one interactions), I have chosen a profession that shines the spotlight on me to gain followers and subscribers. I have to get out of my comfort zone speaking to a wider audience about the podcast. Though I am still mindful of being judged. But the more I speak in public gatherings and the passion I have for the subject, it lowers the judgement concerns as I become more comfortable representing “the brand” to the podcast. It still isn’t easy for me.
What has also helped me succeed is to anticipate what the guest may answer from the question I lead off with. As I typically like to plan and write out my talking points, oftentimes guests share something that I didn’t expect. The concept of “situational awareness” to keenly follow up on their conversational point helps keep the interview flowing. Instead of worrying about getting my points across from the research I had done prior to the interview, it keeps the guest more engaged, resulting in a more entertaining episode.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.yoggnation.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yoggnation/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558269373427
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yogeshpatel3/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@YoggNation
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@yogiwhf5a9?lang=en
Image Credits
Image Credit of Desert scene: Greg Cooke