CASUAL TALKS WITH SOUDAN
Hey, it’s Yousef Soudan!
This podcast means everything to me. I love it with all my heart.
I am grateful and excited to be sharing the Casual Talks with Soudan (CTWS) journey with you!
To this day. I believe that this was the best decision I have ever made.
This podcast saved my life.
HOW & WHY THE PODCAST STARTED
It strated because I was lost. It started because I had no idea who I was or who I wanted to become. It started because I needed to escape. It started in a tiny room in my house. It started with two mics I borrowed from a friend. It started with me not knowing what to even say. But regardless of how it started. I have never been more grateful for it. It saved my life, and for that, I will be forever grateful.
I decided to start the podcast on November 23, 2020, because for the first time in my life, I wanted to create content that I enjoyed. I wanted to create content that showed me who I really was. But as excited as I felt, I was terrified. I questioned everything at the beginning. What kind of content will I be creating? Should I focus on a certain topic or theme? Should it be all in Arabic? Can I bring my friends over? What the hell is a podcast? I was overwhelmed and lost hahaha!
But it was at that moment of loss where I decided that the podcast is going to be a free platform. Free of what? Free of judgment. Free of limitations. Free of societal norms and pressures. Free of filters. I realized that I wanted to create a platform where I can be who I am, without having to change what I say, how I say it, and who I say it too. A platform that is completely raw and transparent. A platform that is vulnerable!
Honestly, I was scared, hahaha. It felt like I was about to “expose” myself. It felt like I have been waiting for so long to be me, to be who I am. Yet, it felt like being me now, might be the wrong decision. Then I realized, if I let people’s judgment get in the way of what I want to create, then what’s the point of creating anything? That was the thought that made me create CTWS.
The first episode, recorded on November 2020, was terrible! I recorded it alone with two friends and we had no idea how to film, manage audio, or create smooth conversations. But to this day, the episode is live and I am not planning on deleting it, ever. And so, CTWS was born. Born from rawness and transparency. Born from vulnerability. Born from happiness. Born from gratitude. Born to explore people who deserve to be celebrated. Born from love and is continuing through love.
THE PODCAST TODAY
On January 2024, CTWS officially recorded 100 podcast episodes.
I never doubted the podcast. I never doubted that we would record 100 episodes. But the day we recorded that episode was the first time in my life that I believe that the podcast has the potential to become the biggest, most influential podcast in the Middle East.
On that day, I promised myself that I would go all in. Invest every part of me in this passion project. And leave no opportunity on the table. It was on that day that I recommitted myself to CTWS. Today, I’m beyond grateful to have had the opportunity to host over 100 different guests. Ranging from artists and atheletes, to entreprenuers and travelers. The podcast’s guest list variety has allowed us to expand to thousands of different topics, experiences, life lessons and stories.
The CTWS guest list are friends of the podcast. The CTWS audience are the podcast family.
During the past few years, I also explored a new way of podcasting. This “new-way” was never intentional. But one really difficult day, when I was going through a lot of emotional pain, I decided to press record, and talk from the heart. It was on that day, April 16th, 2022, where I recorded my first Solo Podcast.
The Solo Podcasts changed how I felt about CTWS. Because after starting the Solo Podcasts series, I grew on a personal and emotional level to a point I never thought I could get too. Solo Podcasts were my therapy sessions. They still are. I live for them. I love them.
THE MEET & GREET
The MEET & GREET is our annual celebration of CTWS! Where the entire podcast community comes together to spread love!
Scheduled annualy, we celebrate the podcast together as a family. Because non of this would have happened without you. The podcast is a community and a culture. A community of people who improve, grow, and love. A community of people who are willing to be there for other people. We’ve built this community and culture together.
The podcast community shines during the MEET & GREET. We come together as one. A massive, annual event with over 200+ in attendence comes together. Starngers become friends and you can hear nothing but laughter and love. What a blessing.
If you attended the MEET & GREET before, you’re incredible and I am excited to see you again!
If you’ve never atteneded the MEET & GREET, well, you’re going to experience something magical!
A THANK YOU Letter
I’d like to end this page by saying thank you to the people who changed my life.
To my parents, Ramy and Howayda. “Thank you for always believing in me and in what I want to create, even when you have no idea what it is. I love you.“
To my sisters, Sara and Farida. “I love you dumbos.”
To my cousins, Mariam, and Nada. “You’ve seen it all. We’re just getting started!”
To my closest friends. Garhy, Yossra, Meriam, and Michael. “I have no words to describe how much I love you. You’ve pushed me and believed in the podcast even when I didn’t. For that. I owe you everything.”
To the team that help build this podcast, Hazem El Sabaan and Mahmoud El Shazly. “You guys are incredible and I am blessed to have had the opportunity to build this podcast with you!”
And finally. To you. If you’re reading this, thank you.
You gave us everything.
You gave us support when we did not deserve it. You gave us confidence when we lacked it. You gave us empathy when we did not stay consistent. And most of all. You gave us love when we needed it.
We owe it all to you.
I owe it all to you.
Thank you for believing in us and thank you for believing in me.
This podcast is the most important thing in my life.
I promise you. We’ll make you proud.
