Today we’d like to introduce you to Tiphany Kane.
Tiphany, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Have you ever had a defining moment bring you crystal clear insight that you are on the wrong life path? This happened to me when I was in a pivotal place in my career and knew I needed a change! I worked hard as a single mother to earn a Master’s degree in Educational Administration because I had a burning desire to make an impact and a difference in the system. However, my drive and passion became a hindrance in the growth of my career.
In a conversation with my supervisor regarding why I had not received an administrative assignment that I had interviewed for, she told me, “Tiphany, you are just too passionate. Your energy and drive can be intimidating to people.” These words were an incredible gift. I realized that if I were to continue to grow with the school district, I would have to dim my light and change who I am. I was not willing to play small any longer.
I resigned from my position after 20 years with the school district and co-founded a media production company, KaSa Media Productions. As the CEO of my company, I am able to utilize my passion to help people raise the volume of their voices and get their message out into the world through podcasting and other audio/visual methods. I love this work and the community my partner & I have been able to create.
I produce and host several podcasts: Radical Audacity, Mastering the Podcaster Mindset, and my newest podcast is Diet, Riot, Sweat, Repeat. I get to speak on stage all around the country. In fact, I am speaking at Podfest Expo in just a week from this interview and at She Podcasts Live this summer! I am also giving a TED talk in February- a lifelong dream!
I am passionate about amplifying traditionally marginalized voices and perspectives. In all the work I do, I am giving space for these voices. An example of this is a ground-breaking podcast awards ceremony that I am the Executive Director of, The Sonic Bloom Awards. Jess Kupferman, the co-founder of She Podcasts Live and I created this awards ceremony as a way to highlight the incredible work that women, people that identify as women, BIPOC women, LGBTQIA+ people, and all-around gender-fabulous podcasters in the independent podcasting community are acknowledged for their hard work to bring light to diverse stories and perspectives. It is a ground-breaking, glass ceiling smashing awards ceremony and I am thrilled to have a part in bringing it to life. The inaugural ceremony is taking place in June at the She Podcasts Live conference in Washington D.C.
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?
I truly believe the path to living as your most authentic self is the absolute hardest path of all! It is pretty easy to do all the normal things society expects of you…but forging your own path- that’s challenging! So yes, there have been many obstacles. I left what I call a “book-end” job. There is the book-end safety and security of a guaranteed paycheck, knowing when your workday starts and ends. Book-end stability in knowing when summer break, spring break, and winter vacation are. Security in knowing exactly what my retirement benefits are and having excellent health insurance. Yet, all of that safety, security and stability felt completely suffocating. My life was held up by these safety, security & stability bookends but my bookcase was limited to just those books.
I had no place for my ambition, drive, creativity and yes, passion to flourish. I felt like a piece of me died inside every day that I went into work. So I chose the challenging route of becoming an entrepreneur. The shift from a 20 year employee with safety and security to a self-employed entrepreneur has been a rocky road. Navigating the intricacies of starting a business, managing money, bringing in money, finding clients, and growing the business brand have been a challenge like no other.
However, each of these struggles has helped me to grow in ways I never could have imagined and create collaborations with people that I used to admire from afar! Advice I would give to anyone starting their own entrepreneurial journey, seek help, collaborations, and expertise from people who have been successful with entrepreneurship. You do not have to do this alone. In fact, you should not become an entrepreneur alone. Now my bookcase is messy and overflowing with all kinds of experiences, collaborations, and accomplishments.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
In my podcasting community, I am known as “The Heck Yes! Coach” because I am great at finding the Heck Yes in every painful NO. For example, when I was told NO for my career advancement in public education, I found the Heck Yes by starting my own podcast. Which led to starting a media production company with my partner, David Sais. Which led to creating multiple podcasts, a podcaster membership community, an awards ceremony for female podcasters, and a life I love!
People that listen to my podcasts enjoy my vulnerability, sense of humor, non-nonsense approach to life challenges. I love speaking about topics and stories that are often overlooked. I get so much joy and satisfaction out of helping traditionally marginalized and underrepresented voices to raise the volume of their voice so their message can be heard. Podcasting is an incredible way to get these messages across. It is my passion and my drive.
I am most proud of being able to help more than 100 women get their podcasts launched. Throughout history, female stories (especially women of color), achievements, and perspectives were left out of the history books. So many of our stories were never told. So many of our accomplishments in art, science, math, etc were published under a male colleague’s name. So much of what we as women care about was silenced by gatekeepers. We now live in a time where the gatekeepers no longer have power over us. There is no one that can stop you from starting a podcast, or a Youtube channel, writing a blog or even self-publishing your own book. It is an exciting time to be in! I am so proud to have a part in getting these voices out there!
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
So many of my happiest childhood memories are simple, quiet memories. I think my very favorite is my father reading to me at night before I went to bed. My father worked very long hours running his own business as a plumbing contractor. No matter how hard he worked or how late he got home, he always made sure to spend quality time with my sisters and me. I would sit on his lap in our mustard yellow-gold velvet recliner all snuggled in for storytime. He would pull out The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and begin reading.
I loved listening to his voice make the story come to life. Eventually, I would hear my dad start to mumble the words of the story, his eyes fluttering, as he fell asleep reading to me. My exhausted, hard-working father fell asleep reading to me every night…and I loved it. I felt so loved by my father and so tender towards my father. My mom took a picture of one of these moments and I cherish that picture to this day. That picture sits inside the cover of that battered copy of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in my box of childhood treasures.
Pricing:
- Podcast: Free to Listen!
- Membership in our podcast community: $42/month
- Take our 10-week podcasting course: $1497
- Join our Facebook Community: Free
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kasamediapro.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tiphanykane/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tiphany.k/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiphany-kane-514264175/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/tiphanykane
Image Credits
David Sais Greg Sais
