Serena Travis started out as a podcast listener, and went on to become involved in two different podcasts. She is the woman behind the Internet Podcast Database, a brilliant idea that can provide information about podcasters in a way that has not been done before.

* Can you give us a brief history of your experiences in podcasting? When did you get started? What are you doing in podcasting today?

My podcasting journey started in October 2010 by listening to podcasts. I became a follower of Podcast Answer Man with Cliff Ravenscraft. I was so inspired that I started a small town news podcast starting on January 3, 2011. The podcast is called Good Morning Scott Valley (GMSV) and kept Scott Valley informed of calendar, weather, sports and celebrations. I produced the podcast in Etna with my family and friends so it was definitely homegrown. People were encouraged with the sense of positive community that the podcast created. I’m not currently producing new episodes for GMSV, but I’ve kept the episodes available and the web site as well. Even though I stopped producing new episodes, the existing episodes are still being downloaded today!

I’ve just started a new podcast with my husband. It’s called The High Road with Drake and Serena Travis. We live in LA now and are having opportunities to interview celebrities and people who work in the entertainment industry.

* What was it that made you decide to become a podcaster?

There were a couple of things that made me decide to become a podcaster. First of all, I love audio. I didn’t realize just how much I loved audio until podcasting became a part of my everyday life. I remember recording myself on a cassette tape as a kid. It’s too bad that I didn’t save anything that I recorded! Second, I love to inform people – in a positive way, of course. I was usually a part of a school newspaper while growing up.

* What is the IPDb? What was your inspiration for creating it?

My biggest podcasting news is the web site that I’m building – ipdb.net – the Internet Podcast Database. It is meant to function as like IMDb does for movies. I’m very excited about having a platform where podcasters and their fans can connect in a dynamic, effective way. I was inspired to create IPDb when I was thinking about the IMDb profile that I was filling out for myself. While I was spinning that plate in my mind, I started thinking about podcasting. The mental plates clanked together and I thought, “Why not have a web site like IMDb but for podcasts?” I’m so passionate about podcasting and the people who produce them! The site is in beta right now – beta.ipdb.net We hope to launch our site fully before the end of the year.

* What words of wisdom would you share with women who are thinking about starting a podcast?

For any ladies out there thinking about starting a podcast, I would suggest start listening to a few podcasts that are similar to your podcast concept. The toughest time for me was the first time on turned on the microphone. I was tongue-tied and stumbled over my words, but I was not going to be deterred. I realized that I could record and delete as many times as I needed. Do not over-analyze – just start. This is an amazing time to begin a podcast!

Posted by Jen Thorpe.