At a glance
- Two shows, one purpose-built for business (Marketing in Progress), one built for her (Work in Progress)
- Found Share Your Genius by watching a client LinkedIn Live & cold DM’d Rachel shortly after
- Surprised by how strategic and fast the SYG team was from day one
- Came for a personal podcast, stayed because SYG made the business case obvious
Most people who work with a podcast agency already know what they want. They have a concept, a format, maybe even a few episode ideas sketched out. Gayle Kalvert had none of that. Just a gut feeling, a LinkedIn rabbit hole, and enough guts to send a cold DM. What she found on the other side changed how she thinks about her business, her brand, and what it means to create content worth making.
How it started: a LinkedIn DM and a leap of faith
Gayle didn’t find Share Your Genius through a referral or a sales email. She was on LinkedIn looking for other female founders of B2B marketing agencies, trying to figure out, as she puts it, “how others were running their agencies,” because she did not have any mentors. She stumbled onto a LinkedIn Live featuring Rachel Elsts Downey, Share Your Genius Founder and CEO, and two clients, and something clicked.
“I watched this livestream, and I truly thought, ‘If they can do it, why not me?’ I was reading posts and watching videos, and then I DM’d Rachel. I was super nervous, like I was asking someone out on a date.”
That nervousness, she’s quick to point out, was a signal. For Gayle, discomfort and good content have always gone hand in hand.
“Anytime I have hit ‘post,’ and I’ve been really nervous to do it, it’s gone really well. The connections I’ve made, the people who’ve reached out, that only ever happened when I was doing something that made me uncomfortable.”
The unexpected: strategy first, production second
Gayle came to Share Your Genius with a personal project in mind. What she didn’t expect was how quickly the team would reframe her thinking, not just about what to make, but about why.
“They showed up to that first session asking such good questions that made me think and figure out why I am doing this? What am I actually trying to achieve? What’s my ultimate desired outcome?”
That strategic clarity was the turning point. She came in with one idea and left with a much sharper sense of purpose, and a realization that the business case for podcasting was just as compelling as the personal one.
“I didn’t need to be an expert in podcasting because Share Your Genius already is that. I couldn’t believe how quickly they got into my brain and figured out what I wanted to do. It felt really natural and easy.”
The wow moment: a vision she hadn’t imagined yet
When you ask Gayle about the moment she knew Share Your Genius was the right partner, she doesn’t hesitate. “I truly could not believe the first meeting I had with the team and how good they are. It was such a personal idea. And the way they respected what I wanted to do and then made it better. They made a vision that wasn’t even in my own head.”
She also didn’t expect the pace. For someone who describes herself as having no patience, the speed of the Share Your Genius team was its own kind of wow.
“The speed at which Share Your Genius does things is quite miraculous. Which is amazing because founders have no patience.”
Why quality is non-negotiable
As a marketer, Gayle has strong convictions about what makes content worth creating in the first place. Having now been a guest on many podcasts, she’s seen firsthand what separates a great show from a forgettable one, and it’s never the technology.
“We actually want to talk to people in real life. You’ve got somebody right there talking to you. That should be the most important experience. That’s the gold we’re looking for. So why would that be the thing you just slap some AI on and go from there?”
It’s a perspective that shapes how she thinks about both of her shows. Marketing in Progress is built to serve her target audience of marketing leaders, create demand, and open doors to prospective clients. Work in Progress is more personal; a space for the human side of building a business and a life simultaneously. Two different goals, one consistent standard of experience.
“If you’re creating content and it’s not making you feel vulnerable, I would say it’s not good content, even for B2B.”
Leaders who are wondering whether to invest in a podcast — and whether to go it alone or bring in a partner — will recognize themselves somewhere in Gayle’s story. She wasn’t sure what she wanted when she sent that first DM. She just knew the instinct was right. What Share Your Genius gave her was the strategy, the speed, and the vision to turn that instinct into something real.
She’d still describe herself as nervous. The difference is now she knows that’s the point.
“Creating content is one of the most vulnerable things you will do. It takes guts. And that’s what this medium is all about: creating content in a way that ultimately changes people’s lives.”
