Business faculty author Leanne Smith debuts her new podcast, Gladness & Hunger
Podcast helps listeners identify their purpose by finding a career that is satisfying both to their soul and bank account.
Courtney Grable |
Gladness & Hunger, by Leanne Smith (’86, MBA ’92), associate professor of management in the College of Business, explores the vocational magic of stories and soft skills. Inspired by Frederick Buechner, renowned author and theologian, Smith’s podcast helps listeners identify their purpose by finding a career that is satisfying both to their soul and bank account. As Buechner said, “Where your soul’s deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”
Based on her own journey of becoming a writer and professor, Smith’s podcast, launched on May 1, introduced listeners to practical “how-to’s” in turning vocational dreams into realities while helping them bring their own strengths and passions to their roles.
Holding four advanced degrees and having received several awards during her teaching career in higher education, Smith expanded her resume when she released her first novel, Leaving Independence. The journey to completing this novel took Smith on a research trip to Kansas City, Missouri, where she said she felt God speaking to her through her doubts.
In releasing her first novel, Smith hoped that her readers would find inspiration through her story and that she can do for them what great authors have done for her. “When something calls to you, journey toward it,” Smith remarks.
This is the same mindset Smith has in mind for her podcast. Each episode is intended to “fan the flames of listeners’ hope and to offer inspiration for those seeking to contribute their own God-given talents to the betterment of the world,” said Smith. “I want to do what great stories have always done for me: Teach me more about myself and the human experience, expand the borders of my heart; make me laugh, weep, curse and tremble; inspire me to keep putting one foot in front of the other; and help me hold steadfast to the twin beliefs that there are good people in the world and God is working through them.”
Read on to learn more about Smith’s new podcast, Gladness & Hunger, and explore the vocational magic of storytelling and the human experience.
Q: What should listeners expect from your new podcast: Gladness & Hunger?
A: Gladness & Hunger explores the vocational magic of stories and soft skills. The title comes from a Frederick Beuchner quote suggesting that if you want a career satisfying both soul and bank account, the key is to find “where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”
For me, my focus is vocational calling, the foundational skills necessary to make career dreams a reality, and sharing personal career stories. As an author and professor, I’m in both the inspiration and practical tips business.
Initially I was resistant to the idea of launching a podcast, as I feel I have a lot of plates spinning already. However, I suddenly realized that the conversations I could have with great people could prove a blessing to others. That’s what I want, to offer the gift of story and inspiration to others, whether that is current students, former students or readers. My own deep gladness is in sharing messages of hope and inspiration. This podcast is another branch of that offering.
Q: What do you hope your audience will walk away with after listening?
A: My goal is to introduce listeners to someone whose life has proven to be a blessing to me—their wisdom, their example, their faith—someone whose soul, essence or story all speak to my own. Other times, I may simply want to share a book I’ve read, a song or movie, or the story of someone I’ve been blessed to know who may no longer be with us in this present world.
Q: How does this podcast draw on your academic or professional expertise?
A: One of the reasons I feel so passionate about what I teach is that, on a personal level, I floundered through my twenties. I had graduated from college with no idea how to make my vocational dreams of being a writer a reality. In my thirties, after a decade of striving, God opened the door for me to teach business communication in the College of Business. It’s not exactly where I saw myself, but God knew best. He allows me to teach students how to get jobs, but more importantly, how to recognize their own God giftedness in charting vocational dreams. I think a lot of us, at a deep, subliminal level, are seeking to right a titled ship in our own lives somehow.
Last spring, as I was preparing for an online Women in Business course when I interviewed several professional women and colleagues to create a series of videos. As I conducted these interviews, I was struck by how each of the women’s stories was such a clear testimony to who God had created her to be from an early age.
In this first episode, I talk about the power of a life plan, what posture can do for you, the job offer God brought Moses and how he was the most uniquely qualified candidate for that role. Lastly, we’ll explore a critical question God asks Moses in his job interview—a question we would all do well to ask ourselves: “What’s in your hand?”
While vocational career tracks can be interesting, what I find even more interesting is how no matter which career track someone decides to take, they are always uniquely who God created them to be. They bring their own strengths and talents and personal passions to the role.
On the writing front, I am currently working on a fourth novel and look forward to sharing more about that soon.
Gladness & Hunger airs new episodes every two weeks, with the first season expected to run from May 1 to Aug. 7.