Digital content creator Murugi Munyi and her best friend Lydia launched TMI Podcast (The Messy In Between) to tackle issues affecting women in life and marriage that people are often too shy to discuss.
In an exclusive interview with Nairobi News, Murugi explained that the podcast delves into the complexities of life and its messy realities.
Explaining the inspiration behind the podcast, Murugi said:
“My co-host Lydia and I started it because we felt that not enough people were having conversations about issues that affect women on a daily basis, from sex and careers to family and friendships. These are things that happen to people in their 40s and it feels like there is so much going on. We started it as an extension of our friendship and the conversations we normally have with each other. We are so happy that so many people are responding to it because, honestly, it has become like our baby,” said Murugi.
According to Spotify Wrapped 2023, TMI was the second most listened to podcast. Jules’ ‘So this is love’ was the most listened to podcast.
As for future plans for the podcast, Murugi shared their hopes to connect more with their fans:
“We want to grow big, but we also want to take it one step at a time and be realistic. One of our goals is to have more live events, because while we talk to our audience a lot on the podcast, we don’t get to interact with them in person. We want to do more live sessions with them. We’re also hoping to have events outside of Kenya, maybe in Tanzania, Uganda or another country where there’s interest in our podcast,” she said.
Murugi highlighted that one of the biggest challenges they face is the cost of producing a weekly episode, which is quite high.
“It costs us about Sh20,000 to produce each episode and we do it on a weekly basis. It’s not easy to run a podcast; it’s very expensive. We want to work with more brands to sustain the podcast,” explains Murugi.
“We want to get to a point where we’re not worried about paying our bills, so we’re also trying to save enough for that. That means looking at more partnerships, endorsements and even creating our own products to generate income alongside sponsorship,” she added.
Murugi mentioned that many of the conversations she receives from fans are very personal, with people often going to her page to ask about a wide range of topics.
“A lot of my fans share very intimate secrets and stories, including places they have been and problems they are facing in life. I feel that they trust me with so many things. On our podcast, people send us questions about sex and other personal things because those are some of the main topics we discuss,” Murugi explained.
Here are some tips for creating a successful podcast
Produce engaging and informative episodes that captivate your audience.
Consider incorporating storytelling, interviews or discussions to keep listeners engaged.
Set a consistent release schedule for your episodes, whether it’s weekly, fortnightly or monthly.
Consistency helps build a loyal audience and keeps them coming back for more.
Stay on top of industry trends, listen to feedback, and continually improve your podcast to keep it fresh and relevant to your audience.
Interact with your listeners by responding to comments, emails and social media messages.
Encourage feedback and suggestions for future episodes to foster a sense of community.
