Applications Are Open for the 2026 Cohort

You don't need podcast experience. You don't need gear, a following, or a background in media.

You need an idea you can't stop thinking about and a real desire to learn.

That's it. That's the bar.

The 2026 Pretty Cool Creator Collective takes you from "I've been meaning to start a podcast" to a show that's actually live, with expert instruction, hands-on support, and a cohort of creators building right alongside you. The next cohort launches September 2026!

Meet Your 2026 Instructors

This year's cohort learns from working producers who are doing the thing, not just teaching it.

Kiara "Kiki Said So" Walker

Video Podcast Producer & Host

Kiara Walker is a video podcast producer, host, and digital creator with nearly a decade of experience crafting compelling stories and producing engaging video podcasts that build loyal, highly engaged audiences.

What Kiki is teaching:

Starting with What You Have How to launch a video podcast using the tools you already own. Your phone, your computer, your Wi-Fi. Skip the high upfront costs and the early burnout that comes with them.

Scaling Without Overwhelm How to recognize when it's actually time to upgrade, and how to grow your production without the chaos. Buying versus renting equipment, bringing on crew, and knowing what you need before you spend.

Maximizing Your Investment and Repurposing Content Building a social media strategy and squeezing every bit of value out of the footage you've already shot.

Christina Lee

Journalist & Podcast Producer

Christina Lee is a journalist and podcast producer who's worked on shows like Atlanta Is... for Will Packer Media and King Slime: The Prosecution of Young Thug and YSL for Airloom Media and iHeartPodcasts.

What Christina is teaching:

Interview Prep and Crafting Sound Bites How to prepare for a one-on-one interview and write questions that actually get you the answers worth clipping.

Storytelling and Narrative Structure Applying traditional audio journalism principles to build episodes with a real beginning, middle, and end.

Behind the Scenes and Production Management Pulling back the curtain on workflow. Season planning, the spreadsheets that keep it all straight, and how to hold a publishing cadence you can live with.

Kacie Luaders

Founder, Could Be Pretty Cool | Pretty Cool Data

Kacie Luaders is the founder of Could Be Pretty Cool and Pretty Cool Data, and a 2019 alum of Spotify's Sound Up accelerator. She started the Pretty Cool Creator Collective to take beginners as seriously as she was taken when she was one.

What Kacie is teaching:

Indie Podcasting for Impact How to build a show that moves people and moves the needle, without a network, a budget, or permission from anyone.

Creative Business 101 The business side nobody warns you about. Pricing, contracts, ownership, and treating your show like the asset it is.

Small Wins Are Data Too How to read your numbers without letting them wreck you, and why the metrics that matter most usually aren't downloads.

Ready to Start?

Bring the idea. We'll handle the rest.

Your Voice Deserves to Be Heard

Educators, professionals, entrepreneurs, advocates, innovators. You have stories worth telling and insight worth sharing. But launching a podcast on your own can feel like a lot. There's the tech learning curve, the time it takes, the budget, and that nagging voice asking "who am I to start a podcast?" Plenty of brilliant voices never make it to the feed.

That's exactly why we started the Pretty Cool Creator Collective.

A Community-Powered Approach to Podcasting

We believe the best way to get past the barriers is together. Our cohort program pairs you with expert instruction, hands-on audio support, and a group of fellow creators building right alongside you. All at a price that won't wreck your budget.

Through structured workshops, personalized mentorship, and collaboration with trained audio interns, we'll guide you from initial concept to launch-ready podcast in three months. No prior experience required. Just passion for your topic and commitment to the process.

Now Living in the Pretty Cool Data Community

The Collective has a new home. Everything you need is in one place: your cohort, your instructors, your peers, your coursework, and your progress.

Learn Live. Learn on Your Own Time.

Live cohort sessions give you expert peer instruction, real feedback, and the accountability that comes from building alongside other creators.

On-demand courses fill in everything around it. Catch up, review, or work ahead whenever your schedule allows. Miss a session? The lesson is waiting for you at 6am on a Saturday if that's when you've got the time.

Program Highlights

Expert-Led Workshops covering everything from storytelling to distribution
Personal Audio Support from trained college interns who handle the technical heavy lifting
Done-With-You Templates for scripting, planning, and marketing
Cohort Community for feedback, accountability, and ongoing collaboration
Affordable pricing to ensure accessibility for creators at every stage
Collective Launch that amplifies every participant's reach

And When You Launch? It's A Poddy!

Nobody should have to launch a podcast into the void.

When your show goes live, we throw It's A Poddy, a virtual launch party for the whole cohort. You get to launch with a community cheering you on, and you walk away with a shareable asset to promote your new show from day one.

This program is supported in part by Spark Prize funding from United Way of Greater Atlanta and Housing Plus Inc.’s Building Resilient Entrepreneurs program, made possible by Aprio and UPS

Meet the 2025 Pilot Cohort!

We're incredibly excited about our first group of creators who are putting the finishing touches on their debut podcasts. From business insights to personal narratives, this diverse cohort is proof that every industry and perspective has something valuable to contribute to the podcasting landscape.

Their debut trailers are live now, with new shows launching throughout 2026. Listen to the inaugural cohort!