THE WOMAN UPLIFTING BLACK CREATOR’S VOICES

Picture it: you’re a young, respected professional working your dream job—side by side with media industry icons, donning a work badge boasting the logo of global television networks. From a distance, it certainly looks like the American dream.

It seems unfathomable that a person with all of that going would somehow end up feeling incomplete, right?

We’ll get there…

Angel N. Livas is a veteran television, radio and entertainment executive whose resume holds over 20 years of history from Bloomberg Television, NBC, DC local terrestrial radio stations and more.

Always rooted in education, she attended the prestigious HBCU, Howard University—where she studied rigorously and earned her undergraduate degree in Broadcast Journalism. From there, she advanced her academic portfolio, enrolling at American University and obtaining a master’s degree in interactive journalism, specifically in Public Affairs.

Of course her determination made her a hot commodity on the entertainment production landscape. As a budding, African-American woman in a field dominated by men and executives of other races, she remained acutely aware that she had a birds eye view of an opportunity that many of her classmates and childhood friends would only see on the big screen. Her pride was deep, and she nurtured a silent responsibility to make a positive impact.

Fast forward to her time as a production manager at a major radio station.

A staple radio show headlined by a popular Black host had gotten canceled. Surely this was devastating to the host, but there were residual casualties that would also surface.

A young man had written in to express that he had recently been diagnosed with anxiety and depression, right around the time the show initially aired. He outlined how he couldn’t afford therapy and that the show had indirectly and delightfully become his therapy session. It became his weekly accountability partner and he raised the questions, “What am I supposed to do now that this show no longer exists? I can’t afford therapy. What should I do? Who cares about the people who have really tapped into this show and really thrive from the content?”

That consumer exchange was a pivotal moment and Angel realized that her career successes were not just about station revenues and salaries. Knowing how advertising rates and narrow-minded talent scouts dictate mass content reach, her spidey senses activated. If money and lack of exposure prohibited Black content creators and disappointed the audiences looking for relatable content, who could step forward to alleviate this? How could these creators keep going? What could be done to help them monetize? That’s when her entrepreneurship ignited a full-fledged vision.

As she strategized on how to be an agent for positive change, she continued to reach new heights in her corporate career. She worked as a producer on the Larry King radio show after his departure from CNN. She also worked with Jane Pauley in collaboration with the Today’s Show, on a callin radio segment called, “Your Life Calling.”

In 2022, she founded The ALIVE Podcast Network, headquartered in Washington, DC. As part of that leap, she backed several independent creators including reality TV star and Grammy nominated singer, Tamar Braxton’s podcast, Under Construction.

Angel shared the unique history about establishing the network’s name:

“I read a book by Evan Carmichael called One Word. The premise is that one word was essentially supposed to sum up who you are and what your purpose is in life. After completing all of the interactive exercises, I felt it in my soul that my one word was alive.”

During phase one of the network’s launch, she utilized her earned experiences as a producer and fused them with her natural ability to identify a long-overdue industry change.

You could call her a conscious disruptor—and chances are that she’d smile with a humble, agreeable nod. ALIVE is aptly recognized and publicized as the home of Black Voices— where community, culture and creativity are nurtured. Their mission is to amplify the reach of content created by Black creators for Black audiences. The network is laser focused on helping talent to monetize their content, while also ensuring professional distribution.

So, one might ask how is podcasting so different from radio? In a nutshell, radio regulations are more stringent. You have to adhere to inflexible FCC guidelines, sponsor break time regulations, commercial placements and more. On the flip side of the listener’s coin, podcasting highlights a universal freedom to listen to and conduct shows without ads, restrictions or rigid behind the scenes protocols. Many praise podcasting as an uninterrupted, candid conversation on the audience topic of choice, when they choose. To date, the network houses ____ of shows led by a colorful range of hosts, tackling everything from science and cyber security to dating nightmares and financial stability. It’s impossible to get bored with their exclusively curated lineup. On any given day you could stumble upon a host that you saw on your favorite TV show the night before!

Undertaking such a large launch might be daunting to some, but the dividends from Team ALIVE’s hard work started to pay off…almost immediately.

“A few weeks after we launched, we won a Communicator Award for one of our flagship shows. After only five months in operation, the network was nominated for an NAACP Image Award. We have grown exponentially, now managing over 12x the number of shows we had at inception.” —Angel

N. Livas

In her role as founder, Angel has worked alongside her co-founder Yusuf Henriquez and other C-Suite executives to catapult the brand’s visibility and financial backing. The network was inducted into the TechStars portfolio five months after launch. Under Angel’s direction, the network has also secured a coveted Google ambassadorship and forged a commercial partnership with iHeart radio—with Angela Yee as the voice of all headlining advertisements.

During the latter part of 2022, ALIVE launched a junior division (ALIVE Junior), which features young adults and high school students who are creating their own, age appropriate podcasts. Their first year ended on a high note as all platform content was approved for streaming on both iOS and Android apps.

With a bright future ahead, the company’s educational trajectory is to continue to enlighten more people of color about the on-demand conveniences of podcasts, and creators on the business of podcasting and how to convert their talents into residual income. If featured content encompasses information, innovation or inspiration, it just might find a permanent home on the platform.

Bringing awareness to both sides creates support and revenue generating opportunities that benefit the culture on their own terms. Pioneering women like Angel are standing up to the attempted limitations on Black reach.

“20 years ago would not have been the time for this platform. 10 years ago, would not have been the time for this platform. Our time is now and content for us, by us is not only possible, it’s right here with us.”

So, what are the perks of joining ALIVE Network as a creator?

The network offers foundational elements including, brand consultations, public relations services, production services and distribution to Apple IHeart, Spotify, Pandora, Audible, and Alexa. All for a yearly business fee of $350. Yearly creator memberships include a quarterly mastermind session where hosts can virtually join forces for creative cipher sessions. The company goes above and beyond to make sure hosts and shows get visibility and have every resource available to enhance their individual successes.

As a bonus, we asked Angel to share her top 3 tips for creatives looking to take the leap into professional podcasting:

• Be consistent! Don’t say you want to do something, and then avoid the work to get it done properly.

• If you’re going to record on your own, make sure you invest in quality equipment. Start with a good microphone!

• Don’t pick a topic that you’re the only person in the world that cares about it. Cover topics that someone else cares about. Keep in mind that you want your listeners to walk away feeling better about what you’re sharing. That’s powerful!

ALIVE executives and hosts have been featured in Sheen magazine, iHeartRadio, Audacity Radio, Ted Talks, NBC and highlighted in Forbes.

What started as one disgruntled listener planting a seed, turned into a global reaching platform that WILL change the landscape of how people receive, distribute, access and ultimately respect the importance of Black content without societal boundaries.

For more information on Angel N. Livas and to subscribe to the ALIVE Podcast Network please visit: alivepodcastnetwork. com/

One vault, one community at a time