Join our team!

Do you like giving advice? Enjoy pondering other people’s problems and helping them come up with creative solutions? Do you often find solace in nature?

We have the perfect gig for you!

Out There, is looking for an advice columnist to join our team. This is a new position, so there will be lots of room for you to shape it. But in general, here’s our vision:

• Listeners will send us voice memos or emails laying out a problem/question in their life. You’ll pick the submissions that most interest you and come up with solutions to the problem(s) -- solutions that involve the outdoors in some way. Why the outdoors? Because Out There is a show that explores big questions through intimate stories in the outdoors. Nature has a remarkable capacity for healing us, and we want to harness that power to help listeners navigate life’s challenges. (Note: We’re not necessarily looking for aggressively outdoorsy suggestions. Many of our listeners live in cities and are by no means dirtbags. Your suggested fixes could be as simple as proposing something in a city park.)
• You and Willow would then record a conversation talking through your suggestions (perhaps we’d loop in the asker of the question, as well).
• Initially, we’d air advice episodes once a month - though we could start doing them more frequently down the road.
• You can be located anywhere! Our team is scattered across the country, and we're used to collaborating remotely.
• You do not need to have a background in audio (though of course that’s a plus). It’s more important that you’re thoughtful, articulate, and a good storyteller.

Out There is an independent show on a miniscule budget (we aren’t paying ourselves anything yet), so we can’t pay as much as we would like ($100/episode at the moment). But this should only take up a few hours of your time each month. And we can promise to be fun, enthusiastic colleagues and to give you room to put your mark on an exciting enterprise. As we grow, we hope to be able to do more frequent advice episodes - and pay you more.

Interested? Send an email to Willow (willow@outthereshow.com). Tell us about yourself and explain why you want this gig.

Can’t wait to hear from you!

Wanna be on Out There?

Hey guys!

We're planning a bonus episode, and we want YOUR voice on it. All you have to do is:

1) Record a voice memo, telling us about a story that particularly resonated with you (eg. a story that changed the way you approach some aspect of your life). We'd also love to hear what you'd like us to do differently down the road. 

2) Email your voice memo to willow@outthereshow.com.*

If you do it soon, your comments might get on the show.

*You can also call us at 800-599-2598 and leave a message, if that's easier.

Can't wait to hear all your beautiful voices!

"A Master Class in Dramatic Tension"

We recently gave a shout out on Facebook to The Flyover Podcast Newsletter, written by Kelly Moffitt, who is also an online producer for St. Louis Public Radio. Podcasts produced in the major coastal cities, like New York and L.A., get the lion's share of public attention, but Kelly's newsletter is designed to help podcast lovers discover more shows produced between the coasts.   

And now we're excited to let you know that there is one extra reason for you to head over and check out the newsletter -- the most recent edition featured an interview with Willow about Out There.

If you've ever wondered why we make Out There, or what goes in to making each episode, the interview is well worth a read. And, yes, each episode really does involve that many rounds of edits and a LOT of agonizing over finding the right music. 

You can read Willow's full interview here. And you can sign up for the newsletter here.

We won a major national award!

Wonderful news: Out There won a PRNDI award this weekend. 

PRNDI, or Public Radio News Directors Incorporated, is an association of public radio reporters, producers, and editors from across the country. Their annual awards celebrate the best audio stories of the year -- kind of like the Oscars for public radio -- and we're thrilled to announce that Out There took first place in the independent podcast category. We make Out There because we love telling inspiring stories about the outdoors, and it's an honor to be recognized this way by respected colleagues in the industry. 

The story that received the award is called High on Failure. It's about one woman's attempt at an 888-km trail running race in the mountains of Vermont, and it explores why failure can actually be a good thing. If you haven't already heard it...well, we're not the only ones who think it's worth a listen.

This is the second year that Out There has received a PRNDI award; last year we won second place in the independent podcast category for the story Failure in Success. And this spring, we received two regional awards from the Society of Professional Journalists.

We have the best audience!

You guys are fantastic. Seriously.

We recently started fundraising on Patreon, a crowd-funding platform for creative endeavors. Our initial goal was to raise $200/month to cover the show's basic overhead costs, and we met that goal faster than we ever expected -- all thanks to you!

We can't tell you how grateful we are.

Next goal: more episodes! 

We would love to produce Out There more frequently for you. Right now, we’re doing it twice a month, but of course some months are longer than others, so occasionally, there’s a three-week gap between episodes. We would love to do the show every two weeks, and if we raise an additional $300 dollars a month, we can do just that.

Pledging is easy; just click here, enter the amount you'd like to contribute, and enjoy the warm, fuzzy glow you'll get from supporting a show you love. You'll also be eligible for great rewards, including discounts on Out There gear, free t-shirts, and more.

Again, a huge thank-you to everyone who has already contributed. And if you haven't had a chance to pledge yet, we hope you'll consider supporting us soon!

Out There wins regional awards

Willow Belden (left) and Jordan Wirfs-Brock (right) attended the Top of the ROckies awards ceremony at the Denver Press Club Friday, where the awards were announced.

We're delighted to announce that Out There has won two awards from the Colorado chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

"From the Horns of Beetles," an episode about animal weapons and warfare, won second place for science reporting. And the show took third place for general broadcast excellence.

The award for broadcast excellence was determined on the basis of three stories: "High on Failure" by Jordan Wirfs-Brock, "When a Thru-Hike Falls Through" by Erin Jones, and "A New Identity" by Willow Belden.

The awards were announced Friday at the Denver Press Club. They are part of the Top of the Rockies contest, which honors journalists from Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

These awards aren't the show's first; last year, Out There won second place for best independently produced podcast from PRNDI, a national association of public radio journalists.

We're thrilled to be receiving recognition from respected colleagues around the country, and are so proud of all the freelance producers we've been working with, who make the show what it is.

Meet our newest team member!

We're thrilled to have Erika Burns on board as our marketing assistant. Erika lives in Washington DC and works in the energy efficiency industry.

When she's not in the office, she enjoys spending time outdoors hiking, refereeing women's lacrosse, and competing in yard games. She is timidly learning to sail and is making an effort to go on more weekend hiking and backpacking trips. 

Oh, and did we mention she recently went on a sailing trip from St. Lucia to Grenada? So much for "timidly" learning to sail...

Listener helps Out There support press freedom

“A free press can, of course, be good or bad, but, most certainly without freedom, the press will never be anything but bad. ”

— Albert Camus

Last month, we asked you - our listeners - to take an audience survey. We wanted to get to know you better, in order to create more content you love, and reach new listeners. We were overwhelmed by the positive response to the survey (thank you so much for participating!) and touched by your comments.

As many of you know, we also entered survey participants into a drawing for Out There swag and other prizes.

Listener Rob Landicho was selected to receive the top prize, a $50 REI gift card. But when we emailed him to tell him the good news, he wrote back and suggested that we forego sending him the gift card and instead donate the $50 to a charity or organization of our choice.

So we gave the money to the Committee to Protect Journalists, a nonprofit that promotes press freedom. CPJ works to ensure that journalists are able "to report the news without fear of reprisal," both in the U.S. and internationally -- whether that's supporting journalists who are working under authoritarian regimes, or those facing harassment or legal challenges here at home.

At Out There, we believe that thorough, fact-based journalism is essential to a functioning democracy and a healthy society, and we are honored to support reporters who are facing roadblocks that no journalist should ever have to face.

Thank you, Rob, for helping us do our part!

Behind the Scenes at Out There

Ever wondered where the magic happens? Our "studio" probably looks a little different than you imagined...

Trail Blazers: 5 Lady Publications We Love

Let’s face it: journalism about the outdoors is heavily male dominated. Men make up the majority of editors, writers, guests -- and yes, even audiences. But there’s a growing contingent of women who are making their mark in the field. In honor of International Women’s Day -- and as an all-female team ourselves -- we wanted to highlight some of the best outdoor-related lady publications.

Here’s a list of some of our favorite podcasts, magazines, and digital media organizations that are headed by -- and regularly feature -- women.

Misadventures

Misadventures is a magazine by, for, and about women. Launched in 2013, it was born out of frustration that most outdoor magazines were edited and written by men. Those magazines overwhelmingly featured men in stories and photos, and catered to male audiences. Misadventures founders Zoe Balaconis, Marybeth Campeau, and Jessica Malordy wanted to offer quality journalism about nature and adventure to the other half of the population. Their magazine has an all-female staff and - as they put it - “champions women who embrace creativity, take risks, and go out and beyond.”

Alpinist

Alpinist is a magazine focused on alpinism and adventure climbing, with stories ranging from extraordinary ascents, to personal accounts of lifestyles in some of the world’s most extreme places. The magazine’s editor in chief is an accomplished female journalist named Katie Ives, who is working to bring more women into the spotlight.

Human Race

Human Race is a podcast from Runner’s World. Each episode tells a story about runners and the world of running -- from the world’s toughest races, to the surprising moments of kindness you find behind the scenes. The show is hosted by writer and journalist Rachel Swaby, author of the book “Headstrong: 52 Women Who Changed Science—and the World.”

Terra Incognita

Terra Incognita is an online ecofeminist magazine “dedicated to stirring the pot in the adventure world.” Run by a woman named Erin Monahan, the publication is anything but neutral in its political and social leanings: its mission involves challenging consumerism, fighting patriarchy, and overturning societal norms that exclude and marginalize. Stories impugn the dismissiveness with which women in outdoor leadership roles are often treated, offer impassioned pleas to make the outdoors more inclusive of minorities, and advocate unapologetically for thoughtful environmental stewardship.

She Explores

She Explores is a website and podcast featuring outdoor stories, photographs and artwork by women. With topics ranging from solo hikes, to life in the remotest corners of Alaska, the stories offer inspiration and resources for women to get out and connect with nature (and with themselves). Headed by Gale Straub, this is another all-female team.

Move over, boys: 10 great stories featuring women

Jordan wifs-Brock at Infinitus, an 888-km trail running race in vermont. (Photo by victoria petryshyn)

Looking for good listening material for International Women's Day? Here are 10 of our favorite Out There stories by and about women:

• Over the Hill: How one woman became an Olympic athlete at 'retirement age'
• Life in the Antarctic: A scientist recounts the harrowing quest for life beneath the ice
• A New Conservation: Why humans might have to alter nature in order to save it
• Solace in Solitude: How a 500-mile hike put my life back on track
• Failure in Success: How doing something you love can make you miserable
• Dreading Nature: Living with, and striving to cure, a deathly fear of plants
• The Wilds of Urbia: Becoming alive to beauty in the city's great outdoors
• High on Failure: How falling short of your goals can change your life for the better
• Exiled from Ranch Country: Leaving behind the place you love in order to be the person you are
• Bad Feminist? I climb because my husband climbs

Out There is turning two!

Out There is turning two on March 9! Join us to celebrate the occasion at Coal Creek Tap in Laramie, WY from 5 - 8 p.m. that evening.

The brewery has generously offered us happy hour pricing for the festivities. So grab a friend, stop by, and raise a glass to our Little Podcast That Could.

Out There listed as one of top 8 outdoor podcasts

Photo by Abbie Barronian

We're thrilled to be among Adventure Journal's top picks for podcasts about the outdoors! 

Abbie Barronian, who compiled the list of favorites, describes Out There's stories as being told "with the eye of a journalist and the empathy, kindness, and open-mindedness of a traditional thru-hiker." 

The show is in good company: other podcasts Barronian mentions include "Outside/In," "She Explores," and the time-honored "Dirtbag Diaries."

Adventure Journal is an online magazine founded by the West Coast editor of National Geographic Adventure. It is dedicated to highlighting outdoor adventure of all varieties.

Help Out There grow! (And win things).

We have big plans for Out There. We want to bring you more content you'll love, grow our listener base, and create a vibrant community around the show. In order to achieve those goals, we need your help.

We just need three minutes of your time (literally, THREE minutes) to take our audience survey. If you complete the survey, you will:

1) Have our undying gratitude
2) Feel like a million dollars for having supported an independent podcast that exists to bring you stories you love, and
3) Be entered into a drawing to win a $50 REI gift card, an Out There hoodie, and more.

So, do us a favor and take three minutes that you would otherwise have spent scrolling through Facebook, to help us out.

Here's the link.

For Valentine's Day: Five episodes about love, relationships and identity

Pedaling And Paddling: What happens when the person you love doesn't love what you do?

Love Is Not A Finish Line: Taking a relationship to the next level, one pedal stroke at a time

Exiled From Ranch Country: Leaving behind the place you love, in order to be the person you are

The Desert Half: Should you live in the place you love most?

Bad Feminist? I climb because my husband climbs