An Interview With Dina Aletras
I understand the thought, but I don’t think we should focus on what other people think is overused or original. I think it’s important to stay true to yourself, follow your instincts, and do work that is meaningful to you and brings you some type of joy. And if you choose to use the term “thought leader” because that is what resonates with you and the work you do, go for it! What people think shouldn’t be a problem.
As part of our series about how to become known as a thought leader in your industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Rosa Sarmento.
Rosa is the founder and CEO of Ideablossoms, a boutique podcast agency that serves subject-matter experts and women leaders and has released over 1,000 podcast episodes. She started her business using a borrowed laptop and grew it into a remote — and diverse team of 6 — podcasting agency that supports clients in diverse industries such as food safety, non-profit management, executive coaching, book publishing, and marketing. Rosa was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, but after years of traveling the world as a digital nomad, she and her husband chose the West Coast of Mexico to call home.
Thank you for taking the time to speak with us! Our readers are eager to learn more about you. Could you provide some background information about yourself?
I was born in a city called Niteroi, about 30 minutes from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I remember always being a very good student, good grades weren’t a problem. Looking back now, I think that was because I always had this thirst for learning. I still do to this day, I’m always studying. If I’m interested in a subject, I can spend hours diving deep into it.
My parents come from humble backgrounds, I know they had to sacrifice a lot. So growing up, providing me with a good education was very important to them. I would go to regular school in the morning and English school in the afternoon.
I’ve always been a bit of a nerd, so when I wasn’t at school, I was reading books — big Harry Potter fan over here, that was the book that got me into reading when I was 10 years old — or watching American series and movies to practice my English, hence my North-American accent. People ask me all the time when and where I lived in the US. I always answer: I’ve never lived in the US, but I watched a lot of Friends growing up and I guess that paid off.
My first dream was to become a fashion designer, and I worked in the fashion industry for about 6 years back in Brazil before making the bold decision to move abroad. I still love fashion, the way I see it, fashion is art, self-expression. But I did not love the industry, the crazy deadlines, the lack of work-life balance, and the absurd waste driven by fast fashion.
So, in 2015, I couldn’t shake the feeling that wasn’t my dream anymore. But I had no clue what I wanted either. That’s when I started traveling, seeking answers and signs in various parts of the world. In that year alone, I grabbed everything I had in savings and went to the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, Greece, Chile, Bolivia, and Peru. In Chile, I met my now husband, and in 2017 we started our life together abroad. That really pushed me out of my comfort zone, I had to “start over” and be open-minded to opportunities. When we moved to Vietnam in 2019, I started my online business.
What establishes you as an authority on thought leadership? Could you briefly share your expertise with our readers?
I wouldn’t go as far as describing myself as a thought leader, but I’ve had the privilege of working with thought leaders in the past 3 years. Remarkable women doing trailblazing work in their industries through their content and podcasts– Tania Bhattacharyya (The Campfire Circle), Janet Ioli (Power Presence Academy), Dr. Heidi Brooks (Learning Through Experience), Archita Fritz and Olivia Cream (Embracing Only: Workplace Culture & Career Development for BIPOC Leaders) to name a few.
After starting Ideablossoms, I had the opportunity to work with women leaders in launching and growing their podcasts. Podcasting is a powerful tool for thought leaders who are ready to amplify their message and impact. And by supporting them, I learned a lot. Every episode, every guest was a big dose of knowledge, inspiration, and motivation.
Can you recall a funny mistake you made when you were first starting out? What lesson did you learn from it?
This was before Ideablossoms, back when I was doing freelancing work to test the waters. I was offering a variety of services, including graphic design and social media content creation. I was eager to learn and gain experience, so I would say yes to everything and everyone. I quickly learned that was not the wisest decision.
Some clients were difficult to work with because we weren’t a good match for each other, some projects were challenging because they weren’t aligned with my interests and strengths. But that was a valuable lesson that led me to the work I do now in podcast management. Iif I could go back, I wouldn’t change anything.
What are the most significant disruptions you foresee in your industry over the next five years, and how can businesses adapt to these changes?
Two letters: AI.
I think we all know this by now, AI is not going anywhere. On the contrary, it’s only going to become better and more present — in every industry, I believe. So, the best way to go about this is to be open-minded, learn, be curious, experiment, and incorporate AI into our workflows in creative ways that allow us to “work smarter, not harder.”
Can you explain the benefits of becoming a thought leader? Why is it valuable to invest time and resources into this?
To me, it comes down to the impact you want to create. It’s not so much about you or what you have to gain from it. It’s about what you can offer to others.
The benefit of becoming a thought leader is that you have the power to create waves that can steer the ship in a more promising direction. You have the chance to create change, spark important conversations, change minds, and empower meaningful action. You have the chance to create a positive impact in the lives of the people you care so much about.
Can you share an example of a significant challenge you faced in your career and how you leveraged innovative thinking to overcome it?
In the early stages of the agency, I allowed for one client to be 70% of our income and capacity. It was a big client with many different platforms, and we were doing much more than podcast management for her. Eventually, that client decided to go in a different direction, quite common with online businesses as the online world changes incredibly fast and we have to adapt and innovate to keep up.
That was a big blow but looking back, I’m grateful that has happened. Because of it, I gained more clarity on the type of business model I wanted, and the type of service we could really excel at. It also pushed me out of my comfort zone to try new offers, new packages, and new messaging. That’s when the Podcast Launch VIP Day was born, an offer where you could have your podcast set up and launched in just one day. It was a big success and 3x our revenue in the following year.
Now that we have covered that, we’d love to hear your advice on becoming a thought leader. Can you share five strategies that someone should follow to gain recognition as a thought leader in their industry? Please include examples or stories from your own experience for each strategy.
1. Welcome all learning.
It’s easy to think learning should come from a book, a college degree, a boardroom, or a classroom, but there are valuable learning opportunities in every life experience, every interaction, every platform. You can even learn as you cook dinner or exercise at the gym these days — that’s my favorite time to tune into a podcast episode I’ve been wanting to learn from. My advice is to be open-minded and welcome those learning experiences.
2. Learn through and from experience.
Once you welcome all learning, you can start learning through experience and from experience. I learned this from Dr. Heidi Brooks, a professor at the Yale School of Management. She taught me learning through and from experience is about challenging your perspective (or perspectives you’ve adopted from others), stretching your thinking and building range, directing your learning, and finally, an important part of thought leadership, reflecting back on that experience.
3. Share vulnerably and honestly. And listen.
What good is learning if we keep it all to ourselves? Sharing vulnerably and honestly feels almost like a duty to me, it impacts and empowers others who are seeking those lessons. That’s what I try to do through our content. That’s why I volunteer my time to be a guest on podcasts and virtual events. Sharing my story and experience allows others to feel seen or heard. It shows them what is possible. And once you do that, listen. Listen carefully to the responses, the questions, the criticism. A great leader is a skillful and empathetic listener.
4) Walk the talk.
A thought leader leads by example. Talking is easy, especially in the social media world we live in. But being that example, leading an authentic life that’s true to your values, being your own best student, that’s the real challenge. That will inspire others even more than your words.
I try to take some time for myself every day to check in, ground myself, and practice gratitude. To me, gratitude is the highest form of abundance. Seeking more can be a constant in our lives, and if we don’t take the time to be mindful and grateful, it can be easy to always focus on what we don’t yet have and forget about everything we have accomplished so far in our paths.
5. Lift others as you rise.
The best part of leading in my opinion; lifting and empowering others as you journey through life.
You are a thought leader, you have the stage, you have the audience, you have the voice, you have the mission. You can now help others behind you. You can create opportunities. You can make a difference with your words AND with your actions.
100% of our operations at Ideablossoms are remote, and I’ve been very intentional about that. This gives us the chance to create opportunities for people who don’t necessarily have a stellar resume or diploma from a recognized institution, but have a rich background, and the will and eagerness to learn. Those different minds coming together can create magic! Currently, we have contractors based in Brazil, Argentina, South Africa, and the US. We’re passionate about creating opportunities for remote work that is truly flexible and fairly compensated based on skills, responsibilities, and experience, not location.
How do you foster a culture of innovation within your organization, and what practices have you found most effective in encouraging creative thinking among your team?
Creating an intimate and safe culture where every team member feels valued. We love to share our personal updates and wins inside our Slack Channel, for instance. I’m constantly asking for feedback and ideas. I noticed sometimes, they’re just waiting for that opportunity to feel safe to share. We have a small team — six people including me — so that is probably much easier to do than it would be in a large corporation, but creating a healthy culture and work environment doesn’t have to be hard. People just want to feel seen, heard, and valued.
Who do you think is an outstanding example of a thought leader? What specific qualities impress you about this person?
Tania Bhattacharyya, host of the Campfire Circle Podcast. We’ve been working together since 2021, so I might be biased, but Tania makes thought leadership look so simple, natural, and human. She has the power to turn a simple day-to-day story into a valuable lesson that makes you pause and truly think. She’s also a very thoughtful, generous, and kind human.
How do you stay informed about the latest trends and developments in your field, and how do you incorporate this knowledge into your strategic planning?
My favorites are email newsletters and podcasts. I subscribe to a few and they don’t fail to keep me up-to-date regarding all the recent news, trends, and opportunities in the podcasting industry.
Because I know each of our clients and their podcasts well, I can sort through the news to spot the opportunities that would be the most impactful to them. Sometimes they become ideas and projects we implement internally with the team, sometimes they become suggestions for a specific client that could benefit from that strategy or opportunity, and sometimes they become content for our audience so I can continue to share that knowledge.
Some people feel that the term “thought leader” is overused and has lost its impact. What are your thoughts on this?
I understand the thought, but I don’t think we should focus on what other people think is overused or original. I think it’s important to stay true to yourself, follow your instincts, and do work that is meaningful to you and brings you some type of joy. And if you choose to use the term “thought leader” because that is what resonates with you and the work you do, go for it! What people think shouldn’t be a problem.
How do you balance short-term business goals with long-term strategic vision, especially in a rapidly changing market?
I regularly take some time off the business to reflect, plan, and strategize. That’s usually a one or two-week process for me when I try to disconnect as much as I can from the daily work routine to really focus on where we want to take Ideablossoms and our clients. That time away from the busy work and all the screens helps me see things more clearly and become more intentional about our plans.
Can you share your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? How has it been relevant in your life?
There’s a quote from Henry Ford, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right.” I only learned about this quote after starting my business, and it’s stayed with me ever since.
My biggest challenges in business so far have been internal ones. Coming from a developing country, speaking English as a second language, I was constantly doubting myself and comparing myself. That quote reminds me that if I want to succeed, I have to do the inner work and believe.
It’s ongoing work, it never stops. But I really feel like I know myself better with every day that goes by. I can make decisions with clarity and confidence now as I know they no longer come from that place of fear and self-doubt, they come from a place of knowing.
Many influential figures in business and entertainment follow this column. Is there someone you’d love to have lunch or breakfast with? They might notice if we tag them.
I’d love to meet Stephanie Wittels Wachs and Jessica Cordova Kramer, founders of Lemonada Media. Seeing a women-led podcast company like Lemonada become an industry leader with so many awards and top-rated podcasts has been very inspirational. I’m also a big fan of Wiser Than Me and I’d love to ask some questions about the production. It looks like it was a fun project!
How can our readers further follow your work online?
You can check out our website to learn more about our services and clients, follow me on Linkedin or Instagram, or subscribe to our weekly newsletter — which also gives you access to our podcast launch plan and calendar.
Thank you so much for your insights. This was very insightful and meaningful.
About the Interviewer: Dina Aletras boasts over 20 years of expertise in the corporate media industry. She possesses an in-depth understanding of growth, strategy, and leadership, having held significant roles at some of the UK’s largest media organizations. At Reach PLC, the UK’s largest tabloid publisher, she served in various director capacities. Additionally, she held leadership roles at The Independent Magazine Group and DMGT. Her extensive knowledge spans editorial, digital, revenue, sales, and advertising.
Upon relocating to Switzerland, Dina took on the responsibility of managing and promoting the international section of Corriere del Ticino — CdT.ch pioneering the English page “onthespot.” She also was the Co-Editor of Southern Switzerland’s first official Italian and English bilingual magazine.
Rosa Sarmento of Ideablossoms: 5 Things You Should Do To Become a Thought Leader In Your Industry was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.