Meet Megan Feighery | Host and Producer HumaNature Podcast

We had the good fortune of connecting with Megan Feighery and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Megan, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
There was a time in my life where I thought pursing a creative career wasn’t the right thing to do. I told myself that getting a more stable, 9-5 job was the way to go because it felt safe. That didn’t last long, but I still wasn’t sure what to do with my life. I had always been creative. I spent long hours creating intricate and elaborate stories for all my dolls and toys. I wrote stories and plays and told everyone I knew that I was going to be a famous actress someday. Somewhere in my childhood home is a long Oscar’s acceptance speech that I worked on continuously until middle school. When I was angry with someone I would angrily cross out their name and vow not to thank them, a threat I’m sure nobody took seriously.

I never became a famous actress, but I do have a long resume of jobs; a bartender, a server, I made coffee, worked as a teacher, took jobs with various nonprofits, wrote articles for an online dance magazine even though I have two left feet, I lived abroad, moved back home, went to grad school, and as graduation approached I realized I still had no clue what I wanted to do with my life. So I sat down and made a list of things I enjoyed and realized I listened to A LOT of podcasts, many of them public radio podcasts. I started cold calling and emailing stations asking them if there were any opportunities for me to learn about podcasting, and I was fortunate enough to be connected with Wyoming Public Media who told me if I wanted to head to Laramie, WY, they would happily train me. So I did, and I fell in love with audio storytelling. It just clicked. I love what I do and while I may never put my Oscar’s speech to good use, I know I have finally found my calling.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Breaking into podcasting always seemed overwhelming, especially since I knew nothing about the industry – I just liked listening to them. But everyone starts somewhere, and once I set my sights on podcasting I was very proactive in my approach. I called and emailed dozens of public radio stations across the country to see if they had any opportunities available. I had a couple freelance writing gigs at the time, which fortunately allowed me the freedom to cast a wide net as I could pretty much work from anywhere. It was intimidating to say the least. I was in my early 30’s and worried nobody would give me a chance. I got a lot of no’s and learned to not take them so personally, but eventually I got a yes and it changed everything. I went from not knowing how to record a phone call to being the host and producer of the HumaNature podcast. It was not a linear path, there were a variety of detours along the way, but each one shaped me into who I am today and I welcome more detours in the future. The biggest lesson I learned was to ask for what you want. The worst anyone can say is no and sometimes you may be pleasantly surprised. Let go of fear, do not let it dictate your decisions, and let go of expectations. You do not have to X by the time you are 25 or 30 or 35, life may just not work out that way, and that is ok.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I take absolutely everyone who visits me to MeowWolf, even if they claim they aren’t into art. I don’t explain it, we just go and experience it. There is nothing quite like a first timers reaction to MeowWolf. Rocky Mountain National Park is an absolute must and its beauty is hard to put into words. I also love taking people to Colorado Springs to visit Manitou, Garden of the Gods, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum, and the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center. Everyone absolutely must et at Wellness Sushi, the best restaurant in Colorado in my humble opinion, and grab ice cream at Little Man. I always love catching a show at Red Rocks (even if there isn’t a concert, always worth a trip out there) or Mission Ballroom, catching an Avalanche game at Ball Arena, or people watching at Union Station. I’m new to Denver myself so I’m still exploring the area as well!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to thank my mentor Micah Schweizer who encouraged me to come out to Laramie, WY and pursue podcasting. He took me under his wing and believed in me from day one. I will forever be grateful to him for taking a chance on me and for his continued support to this day. I also want to thank my husband who acts as my editor for each episode and supports every seemingly insane idea I throw at him. And lastly, my parents who always encouraged my creativity and love and support me every single day of my life.

Website: https://www.humanaturepodcast.org

Instagram: @HumaNaturePodcast

Twitter: @HumaNaturePod

Facebook: @HumaNaturePodcast

Image Credits
Megan Feighery