When you’re starting something new, not knowing what’s ahead can be a blessing. This applies to starting a company and also to starting a podcast.
When I launched Women Disrupting Tech, I tried not to overthink it. I had a message I cared about, a mic, and just enough tech to hit record.
If I had known how many things could go wrong behind the scenes, I might have been too intimidated to even start. But I didn’t know. And that saved me.
Now, more than 100 episodes later, I’ve seen a full range of podcasting surprises. Some technical, some human, and some just part of the journey.
Let me take you behind the scenes.
My tech stack
My podcast setup is pretty straightforward. I use a Blue Yeti mic and Sony noise-cancelling headphones. I record all episodes remotely, using a platform called Riverside.fm. The main reason I chose Riverside as a platform is that it records each person locally.
That means even if someone’s internet connection is shaky, their audio is still crisp, and once they’re back online, the platform picks up where it left off. It’s a smart bit of resilience built into the process. Riverside also has AI features that generate transcripts and show notes, which can be helpful, and their support team has actually impressed me more than once. Plus, the guests find it easy to use.
But, having a solid setup does not mean that things can’t go wrong.
The Lost Episode
I once lost an entire episode because the audio of my guest wasn’t uploaded to the cloud, so there was no way to recover the recording. The problem: I didn’t think the pop-up mattered because everything seemed fine.
Luckily, my guest Nancy Shenouda was gracious enough to try again. We recorded the whole conversation from scratch. It turned out great, but I still think about that lost episode. It was a lesson in humility and preparation.
Working Around Workarounds
Especially in the early days, Riverside would be blocked by IT departments. So, I developed a workaround where people would use their personal devices to log on.
But then there was the episode with Sujata Dasgupta. Her company’s IT security blocked everything from outside their firewall. Including Riverside. Including on the personal devices of employees.
Ultimately, we recorded the episode on her Microsoft Teams account and uploaded that to Riverside so the episode would look and sound like the others. It took extra time and patience, but it worked. And we got her story out into the world.
Recording The Blue Screen of Death
When you’re using Microsoft Windows, you’re probably familiar with the blue screen of death. It’s a blue screen with the message that a critical error has occurred. Essentially, your computer has crashed.
This happened right at the end of recording episode 99. Just like that, everything stopped. Fortunately, Laurie Lancee was able to restart her laptop.
And because the recording was still in progress, we were able to pick up where we left off. That’s when you realise how valuable a calm guest and a resilient platform can be.
The episode that never happened
Not every story has a happy ending. One episode never happened. At least not yet. We’ve tried twice. Twice at their office, once with backup gear. Both times, the tech failed. And so did the backups.
After the second try, we paused. There’s a point when you stop pushing and let things rest. That said, we’re giving it another go in June. And you know what they say: third time’s a charm.
The biggest lesson: keep showing up!
Looking back, I’ve learned that podcasting — like most creative work — is equal parts preparation and persistence. You can have the best gear, the smartest tools, and still hit unexpected obstacles.
But if you keep showing up, and keep asking the questions that matter, you’ll get where you need to go.
I didn’t know all this when I started. And that’s probably why I started at all.
What is your experience with trying something new?
Would you like to know everything ahead of time, or just take things as they come? ✨ Share your thoughts in the comments below! We can’t wait to hear from you! ✨
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Reaching gender equality in tech starts with access. Not just to capital, but to the right people, ideas, and spaces. That’s why I’m building The Women Disrupting Tech Community on Substack.
Join us if you want to help more women be heard, funded, and celebrated in tech. You’ll receive:
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This community is for people who believe in action. And know that together, our voices go further.
Women Disrupting Tech | The Podcast 