The transition from being a 20 something to 30 is a drastic one. The days of youth and freedom feel like they’re beginning to fade away as responsibilities of adulthood loom ahead. For Krista Williams and Lindsey Simick, turning 30 turned out to be one of the best times of their lives. While dealing with the anxiety, fear, and deep conversations that come with growing up, the pair decided to share their thoughts with an audience. The fear of 30 is a universal experience, so why go through it alone? From these conversations came Almost 30, a podcast that talks about all the topics that aren’t normally discussed on big platforms. V Magazine sits down with Williams and Simick to learn more about Almost 30 and how the pair have changed from their days on the closet floor to a studio setting.

Tell us about how your podcast got started. What felt different about it than anything out there?

Krista: My co-host Lindsey and I started Almost 30 about six years ago. We met as we were transitioning from our 20s to our 30s — during our Saturn Returns — and we were having these really deep conversations around fear, rejection, relationships, and spirituality, so we started recording ourselves on our closet floors. It started as a passion project and a side hustle, and we built it slowly on our own terms while we kept our full-time jobs. At the time, podcasting wasn’t nearly as popular as it is now so we didn’t have a roadmap to follow. There weren’t a lot of people having real, raw, honest conversations — especially about this challenging, transitional time period in women’s lives. We instinctively knew it was needed, so we just led with our intuition and built it organically into a top 50 podcast and global brand.

What topics have you discussed that really resonated with your audience?

Lindsey: Our audience loves us to explore topics they don’t hear about a lot of other places — sometimes it’s ‘out there’ woo woo stuff, sometimes it’s tough conversations and shadow work, and sometimes it’s us getting really honest about what we’re moving through personally. Some topics that have really resonated lately are healing the female friendship wound and the mother wound, conscious relationships, religious vs. spirituality, how to work with anxiety, soul manifestation, and anything about aliens! 

How has the podcasting landscape shifted over the past four years since starting the show?

K: The industry has grown so much! Podcast listeners have actually increased by nearly 30% in the last four years. It gives us the opportunity to reach even more people, which is incredible. Of course, there are a lot more podcasts out now than when we started. It just underscores the importance of building a loyal community around your show, which we focused on from the start. And as the podcasting industry has expanded, we’ve also expanded our brand to include courses, workshops, events, and a membership. 

More and more people want to start their own podcasts. What advice would you give?

L: We have so much advice! We actually have an entire brand, PodcastPro, where we share tactical, step-by-step advice on how to launch, grow, and monetize your podcast. If you’re a podcaster or aspiring podcaster, check it out! I would encourage everyone not to let fear or perfectionism hold them back from just starting. As we mentioned, the podcasting space is crowded, but there is always room for new, unique voices, so just be yourself! Know that your podcast will constantly evolve and improve, so it doesn’t have to be perfect from the beginning. Of course, don’t launch until you know you have strong, quality content that you’re proud of. But at the same time, trust that over time your show will improve even more. (Ours definitely did!) Don’t let perfectionism or fear hold you back. Make that leap!

How do you think being in your 30s in reality differs from what people imagine their 30s to be?

L: I think people imagine that by their 30s they’ll have it all ‘figured out.’ When I was in my early and mid-20s, I had this vision of where I would be in my 30s. My life looks completely different than I thought it would — the reality is actually so much richer, deeper, and more fulfilling than the vision. But I’m still a work in progress — as we all are. I’ve learned that the process is the point, and even when it’s messy, you can find joy by being present in the journey. 

Say someone just turned 30. What advice would you give them (habits to drop, activities to take up, etc.)

K: I would encourage everyone (at any age, but especially around a big milestone) to spend some time visualizing their future self — who they want to be. Ask yourself questions like: “Where is she living? What is she doing? Who is she spending time with? How does she feel in her body? What is she doing for self-care? What does her home look like? What is her relationship like with her finances?” I encourage you to drop into meditation to visualize this. Then ask yourself (getting really honest), “Am I living in alignment with that highest version of myself?” If you have habits, relationships, toxic thought patterns, or anything in your life that is holding you back from moving toward that future self, now is the time to clear those things. You can also start nourishing new hobbies, creative endeavors, relationships, and practices that help you start aligning to that person now. 

You’ve done over 500 podcast episodes (!) – how different was episode 500 from episode 1?

L: So incredibly different! We recently did an episode where we listened to our first episode together and reacted to it in real time, and wow! Some of it was actually really cringe-y and we even sound different! But we have so much compassion for those versions of ourselves. The podcast evolved as we did. When we started, we were talking about what was important to us — at the time, it was conversations around transitioning into our 30s, relationships, and sex. As we grew and changed, our interests evolved and we found ourselves on a deeper spiritual path. Krista and I both had a calling to share more about our spiritual awakenings. When we did, we found that it really resonated with our community and they asked for more of that content. They were going on this spiritual journey along with us, so it was a beautiful synergy.

You focus a lot on health and wellness. What do you do in order to make sure you’re giving reliable information and tips when the Internet offers up so many different opinions (whether they’re fact based or not)?

K: Everyone is different and everyone moves through different seasons of their health and wellness journeys. We want our listeners to focus on what feels aligned for them. On the podcast, we offer advice, research, and perspectives from different experts, but ultimately we encourage our audience to get in tune with their own bodies so they can move, eat, and practice mindfulness intuitively in ways that feel good for them.