Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Leach.
Hi Elizabeth, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
This started as the podcast called Alt-Wrong. Which was a cheeky name I (Elizabeth Leach) came up with. I was approached to start a podcast with Utah Podcast Network, back in 2017. I was performing comedy at the local comedy club and other open mics around town and that is how the Utah Podcast Network found me and gave me such an exciting opportunity.
As I was looking into this podcast and what it would take, I decided to bring along my good friend Lauren Peterson.
She and I have always had fun, quick-witted banter. I realized for people to want to listen to anything, there had to be a “Yes and…” quality to the podcast, and she fit this idea quite well. Alt-Wrong at first was about tackling conspiracies, misconceptions, and easily confusing topics that went from the NRA to sex robots, to vaccines. This format took a lot of research, and it appeared that the amount of research work was at odds with our day jobs, and other hobbies. Alt-Wrong is available on Patreon and is available via donation. Those proceeds go to Utah Podcast Network -which features a myriad of local podcasts and talented individuals! Dylan Mazziotti is the head honcho at Utah Podcast Network (UPN), managing the website and posting the audio for most if not all the podcasts that UPN hosts.
Once Lauren and I decided that the research required for Alt-Wrong was beginning to become more of a chore than a delight -we opted to rebrand and revamp the concept for the podcast. That is where we came up with Other People’s Stories. A format in which we would interview local innovators, business owners, visionaries, and inspirations.
Essentially, I realized the moments I learned the most were from someone else sharing something meaningful, or when another person was giving their expertise and knowledge. Absolutely, it’s prudent to trust but verify. Still, though, I believe hearing another person’s “how” and “why” is often the main ingredient for action in others. I wanted to find people in Salt Lake City who were doing cool things, and sharing their stories –but also sharing their reasons for doing brave things. It’s one thing to hear that Cher believes in life after love –it’s an entirely different feeling to learn why the baker down the street started that bakery. It also fosters a sense of community and closeness. There is something idyllic about knowing your baker, or knowing your tattoo artist, or knowing who runs which restaurant, even knowing who is a therapist and what they specialize in -that sense of belonging to a place is what creates home (and more dedicated patronage).
With all this said we wanted to cultivate a sense of what Salt Lake City and Utah are really like. To share out the stories of the people here who are putting in the hard work to make Utah what it is. Through these podcasts, we want to inspire others to get up and create something that continues to mold the culture here, but also to just allow people to hear about their very own community and feel a deeper connection to it. The cidery didn’t just pop up out of nowhere, it was thought through and worked on by a group of local Utahns – and now the listener knows their story.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Obviously no it hasn’t been a smooth road. It takes a lot of extra time. Podcasting also relies on a steady and consistent cadence -this can be a challenge.
There are times when I have to decide that stand-up comedy has to take a back seat so that I can focus on the scheduling, and recording of the podcasts. Lauren and I both edit the audio, and we both have to give up other things in order to get those done in time. This podcast is not our full-time job, and we don’t get paid for it -it truly is a labor of love.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Lauren is a Program Manager at Younique. She basically is the all-knower over there and runs most if not all of their campaigns.
I (Elizabeth) worked as a software engineer for a few tech companies around town. I am now currently a Product Manager for 1800 Contacts.
I would say what sets us apart from others is our good humor, and general ability to be flexible with the guest. People are different, so you can’t have one person on and expect the same result from them as you got from another interview. The key to a good episode is truly letting the interviewee guide the conversation, set the tone, and share what they’d like. Sometime you may have someone who is surprisingly shy, and serious and you have to be accepting of that and knowingly refrain from changing them. Acceptance is what makes a good episode, or interview. That said, there are also times wherein you have to be intuitive enough to know when to press them a bit more, to help them dig deeper, and to help them realize that vulnerability is safe. The conversation is an art in and of itself, and it’s something I believe comes through in our show.
We love having people reach out for requests on who they believe makes Utah, or Salt Lake City a better place to be. So please don’t be shy.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs, or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I would say for me (Elizabeth) I use the Waking Up app from Sam Harris.
It’s a guided meditation, and that just helps me tamp down my ADD and general scattered, tangential thinking. There are episodes wherein I listen to how many tangents my conversation with a given guest takes and I can tell I likely didn’t meditate that day.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://utahpodcastnetwork.com/upn/otherppls-stories/
- Instagram: @otherppls.stories
Image Credits
Jaq Baca and Sam Jeet
