Commercial Radio and Audio (CRA)’s Communications Manager Wendy Searle is leaving this week to set up a feature series podcast company and follow a writing dream.

Searle was involved in the recent HEARD audio showcase, assisted in the writing and production of the Sirens Awards, worked with campaign spokesperson and proud Gamilaraay man Mitch Tambo on the National Mental Health Campaign and with stars, networks and radio tragics from across Australia to pay homage to our past and anticipate a great future of audio storytelling for 100 years of Radio.

Radioinfo caught up with Wendy and asked what’s next?

I’ve worked in a few industries during my career. And, for me, radio and audio rules!

“If not now, then when?”

Every quasi self-help article in the Sunday mags tells us to be happy we must find our spark, follow our dream, somehow, while keeping a roof over our head and all of the other stuff of relentless, real life. And until now, as a single parent to four boys, ‘following my passion’ seemed like a goal slightly less obtainable than reaching 60kg by Christmas. But life has opened a doorway of opportunity and now I’m racing towards it and zen!

I’m a story teller. Bryce Courtenay told me, many moons ago on a writing course at Macquarie Uni, that “of all the people in the course, you’re the one that’s got it kid. You’re the writer.” Then grabbing my forearms, Bryce’s blue eyes laser beamed into mine, asking: “You’re not going to let me down, now are you?”

I didn’t let him down. I’ve just delayed the gratification by years, dabbling in feature writing and dreaming. But now, I’m about to launch my own sponsored feature series podcast company, Zeitgeist Podcasts.

I am so excited to be sharing stories of things that rock – shining lights on specialist topics that have global fan bases and sharing truths from experts rather than conspiracies. I’ve providing podcasts, and digital media packages, as a communications solution to organisations that advance society through technical, medical or legislative achievements.

And, when the time comes, I’ll be hosting my own podcast series, based on my experience as a parent, accompanying fragile, wondrous young men on the perilous journey through adolescence. My sons and I have faced many challenges together, and at times I’ve been bereft, unable to provide the help required; not having the tools to keep my children safe from demons inside and outside the family dynamic.

Hopefully, by year end, the podcast will allow me to share my learnings with a young co-host on how to navigate the road from boy to man. And while we discuss our own experiences, we will call upon experts in the field to provide research-based ways to placate, and sometimes vanquish, those bastard demons. 

I’m thrilled to be (almost) livin’ the dream, though I’m a bit intimidated on communicating my plans for my podcast productions out into the world.

However, I’m working with amazing people, experts in sound production and digital marketing, to provide full service sponsored podcast series. We’ve got our first client on board and so it’s ‘chocks-away’ time to fly towards my passion of storytelling and story sharing through the wonderful medium of audio and the power of podcasting.

Thank you to CRA, and all of those in the industry I’ve worked with.

Searle’s last day is Wednesday March 13. GfK Radio 360 Survey 1, the first for 2024, is out on Thursday.