Shannon Ortiz believes everyone has a unique story to tell.
Her podcast, How U Got Started is aimed at inspiring individuals to uncover and pursue their passions, and to be a go-to resource for those seeking motivation and insights from the personal journeys of successful entrepreneurs who have turned their passions into thriving businesses.
Launched last month, Ortiz says listeners can expect to hear from a variety of guests, including seasoned business leaders and innovative startups.
The podcast delves into the intricacies of turning a passion into a profession, and explores topics such as idea generation, overcoming obstacles, and the role of resilience in the face of adversity.
“When you help share the passion, you help people find their passions,” Ortiz says.
“And it’s real stories. It’s hearing things like yes, we had struggles and yes, it was tough. A couple people I talked to did not make any income for the first two years. And they stuck with it because it was their passion.”
Ortiz says she hopes her podcast can also help to boost the local economy.
“This is for the community to be able to see what’s out there and to be inspired,” Ortiz says.
“It’s important to support and promote local innovators and businesses. Maybe this can help someone just entering university, finishing university, or maybe someone going through a midlife crisis and looking for change.”
After turning 40 during the pandemic, Ortiz says she had her own version of a mid-life crisis.
“I thought, I don’t know who I am, I don’t know what I want to do. I didn't even know what kind of job I would like. You really don’t know what a job would be like, until you start it.”
Ortiz thought about having a resource available where people can obtain a more in depth look at what a job really looks like, versus just a job description.
"I want people to able to see what the challenges are at a particular job, and what the day to day is like,” Ortiz says.
Ortiz says her goal is to inspire individuals to pursue their passions fearlessly and equip them with the knowledge and motivation needed to turn their dreams into reality.
“I started a new job and it ended up being a really bad experience. But this was a time of personal growth," Ortiz says.
“I have had many different traumas in my life starting from when I was a young girl. My parents divorced when I was a year old. My father ended up dying by suicide when I was six.”
Ortiz says people need to hear real stories.
“We all struggle. We all have these horrendous things that we have to go through, but we can all get through them,” she says.
"My whole life, I just never felt good enough. It was as if this was just built into my sub conscious.”
But as an adult, Ortiz says she understands the challenges of mental health.
“I’ve had my own challenges. I realized recently, that I have been living my life for the approval of everyone else. And that’s why I didn’t know who I was. I was also asking myself, am I worthy?” Ortiz says.
“I finally decided that I need to find my worth from within. Am I allowed to feel joy? The answer is yes. I think everyone deserves to feel joy.”
So, Ortiz says, this is when she decided to begin her podcast journey.
“I went on a small business crawl with the Guelph Wellington Business Centre. They took us to a number of different businesses in downtown Guelph and we met with business owners,” Ortiz says.
“We listened to their stories. Every one of them had this energy about them, this spark where they were really excited about what they were doing. I recognized that this was the feeling I was getting from doing this podcast. I thought, you know what? I’m just going to do this. I’m just going to try. Even though I’m terrified, and I am not one to be in front of the camera, I thought, I’m just going to do it.”
Ortiz met with a local videographer.
"I told him that I bought some equipment but I don’t’ know how to use it. And he offered to help. So, we got together. I booked some interviews and he helped with set up and lighting. Now, we are like a team,” Ortiz says.
“It’s a passion project right now. When we did our first video, I learned how to edit, from scratch. It’s been a learning curve and all new for me. But It really is so exciting.”
Throughout the experience so far, Ortiz says she has met some amazing people.
“The first three episodes are out. I recently just met with Canada Boosts, a company with a business model that promotes Canadian innovators. I’m really excited to work with them,” Ortiz says.
“We need to support our own manufacturers and have our own innovators be seen.”
Each episode of How U Got Started features a different entrepreneur, and offers a diverse range of perspectives and insights.
The goal is to not only share success stories but also to provide practical advice and strategies for individuals looking to embark on their own entrepreneurial path.
“I feel that I see myself in all of them. It's almost therapy for me because I get to connect with these people and see how they are doing it. I see them living their passion and that’s so inspiring for me,” Ortiz says.
“And I’m hoping that this will inspire everyone who watches the podcast as well. I believe that when you live with joy, you spread it. You bring it to people around you.”
