Claire chats with Shá Sparks, host of The Shá Sparks Show, to discuss building a community, exploring trauma and resilience, and navigating the podcasting landscape.

Shá discusses her transition from hairstylist to podcaster and 'connector' for military and business leaders, exploring how their past struggles – the 'muck and yuck' – become their greatest strengths. The conversation highlights the concept of a 'respect economy' versus traditional entertainment models, and how indie creators build deeper connections with their listeners.

Sam explores how TrueFans provides superior metrics like listen time and consumption data, moving beyond the "auto-download" era to show real listener engagement, and we look at how creators will soon be able to use TrueFans to offer exclusive bonus content without forcing fans to use external platforms like Patreon.

Claire is officially announced as the Head of Community at TrueFans and entries are open for the Independent Podcast Awards 2026.

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Music: How It Is from Ketsa Music

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