FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Millennial Life Coaches Global Podcast Festival Draws Nearly 300 Registrants, Bringing Coaches, Creators and Podcast Leaders Together Across Continents

The Festival for Coaches That Podcast — or Want To united a global coaching community around trust, visibility, collaboration and the future of coach-led media, while advancing the Millennial Life Coaches Network and celebrating the 2026 MLC Coach of the Year winners.

October 2, 2026 — Millennial Life Coaches (MLC) welcomed 283 registrants from around the world for its 2026 Festival for Coaches That Podcast — or Want To, a free two-day virtual gathering built for coaches who host podcasts, appear as guests, are considering launching a show, or simply want to understand how podcasting can help them create deeper connections with the people they are called to serve.

Registrants stretched from the United States and United Kingdom to Austria, Sweden, the Ivory Coast and beyond, turning what could have been another virtual conference into a genuinely international meeting place for coaches, creators, influencers and thought leaders.

MLC intentionally scheduled the festival across three different live parts—including sessions timed for audiences in the United States, London and Sydney—to make the experience more accessible to its growing global coaching community. Attendees can explore the Festival for Coaches That Podcast — or Want To home page for the event experience and available resources.

And across those sessions, one message kept returning:

Podcasting is no longer just about producing content. It is about earning trust.

Why Podcasting Matters Now

This conversation is happening at a significant moment for podcasting.

Edison Research’s 2026 Infinite Dial found that 58% of Americans consumed a podcast during the previous month and 45% did so during the previous week—both record highs. Meanwhile, YouTube says its podcast content reaches more than 1 billion monthly active viewers, and Spotify reports that more than 500 million users have streamed a video podcast.

Apple also expanded the reach of video podcasting in September, including a redesigned Apple Podcasts experience on tvOS with support for video podcasts. Explore Apple’s latest podcast updates

Even Netflix is making podcasts a growing part of its entertainment experience, with a growing lineup of original and established shows available alongside the movies and series audiences already consume there.

The message for creators is increasingly clear: podcasting is becoming a mainstream media format, and the lines between podcast, video, streaming and traditional entertainment are disappearing.

Yet the opportunity is bigger than audience size.

As AI-generated content becomes increasingly common, audiences are also placing greater value on knowing who—and what—they can trust. For coaches, whose work begins with human connection, credibility and the willingness of another person to trust them, that makes authentic long-form conversation especially valuable.

More authentic. More meaningful conversations. More opportunities for people to hear who you really are.

Lorna Taylor Asked a Simple Question: “Why Bother?”

At the center of the festival was Lorna Taylor, Lead Festival Host and MLC Content & Community Lead, whose presence across the two days gave the event much of its warmth, momentum and personality.

Lorna did not simply introduce speakers. She connected conversations, surfaced themes, drew audience members into the room, asked the follow-up questions that moved sessions deeper and continually connected individual lessons back to the larger purpose of the gathering.

Opening Day One with a session appropriately titled “Why Bother?”, Lorna challenged coaches to consider what they may be giving up by not using podcasting as a platform for their expertise.

Her closing challenge became one of the clearest statements of the festival:

“Leverage the skills that you already have into attention. Leverage the expertise that you already have into influence. And leverage the message that you already have into impact. You’ve already got everything that this takes. All that’s left is to start.”

Lorna’s work during the festival further strengthens a role she has been steadily building across the coaching industry: not simply as a host, but as one of the need-to-know community builders emerging in the millennial-focused coaching space.

Her ability to make virtual spaces feel personal has already been visible through MLC’s How to Get Ahead podcast, the 2026 Coaches Tech & Empowerment Summit and her co-hosting role with ICF’s International Coaching Week. This Podcast Festival gave that strength another major stage. Learn more about Lorna Taylor’s growing role in millennial-focused coaching.

Supporting Lorna throughout the festival were Melissa Castro and Rachel Bloomfield, who helped manage the technical and connecting details that keep a virtual event moving—from chat engagement and resources to transitions, audience support and the inevitable little moments that happen when people gather live online.

Melissa, an ICF-credentialed leadership coach, author and founder of Intrinsic Lead, brought both hosting support and a coach’s understanding of the audience into the room.

Together, their work helped make a multi-session, multi-time-zone festival feel remarkably natural.

From Starting With What You Have to Building Something People Want to Stay In

The speaker lineup intentionally mixed experienced podcasters, coaches, community builders and podcast technology leaders so attendees could see the medium from several different angles.

On Day One, MLC Founder and CEO Austin Bradley introduced the vision behind the growing Millennial Life Coaches Network (MLCN) before Lorna moderated a candid panel featuring Katie Ruffino, Judi Culp Pearson, Sabrina Del Duca and Sweta Vikram.

Panelists talked openly about shaky first episodes, finding a distinctive voice, staying present with guests and protecting their energy while producing meaningful work over time.

This stand-out panel discussion became one of the festival’s most talked-about sessions.

See the full panel discussion now

Day Two made the lessons increasingly practical.

Alexander Lobb, host of The Wholesome Way, walked podcast-curious attendees through an accelerator for getting started without letting technology become a barrier. His own story—from recording with a basic setup to initially being nervous to even tell people he had released a podcast—gave permission to attendees who may have been waiting for everything to look perfect.

Nicole Concepcion, founder of I Am Her Collective and host of Unapologetic Founders, moved the conversation from audience-building to belonging. Attendees can connect with Nicole and explore her coaching, community and media work.

One of her most memorable points captured the difference:

Your story and communication may attract people. Belonging is why they stay.

Nicole challenged creators to think beyond what they publish and consider how people actually feel when they enter their community.

Allie Brooke, host of The Growth Mindset Gal and creator of more than 250 podcast episodes, brought the conversation into sustainability and systems. Her message was refreshingly uncomplicated:

“Consistency builds credibility.”

But consistency, Allie emphasized, cannot depend on motivation alone. Sustainable shows need structure, discipline and systems that make it possible for creators to keep showing up without losing the joy that made them begin.

Collaboration, Technology and the “Third Chair”

The final festival session shifted toward growth.

Hailey Rowe, host of Health Coach Nation, shared her 7 Steps to Profitable Collaborations and Partnerships, helping coaches think more intentionally about identifying aligned collaborators, preparing assets, nurturing new audiences, measuring results and building relationships that extend beyond a single appearance.

Her session reflected another recurring festival theme: podcast growth does not have to happen alone.

Martha Lucía, host of Podcasting for Female Entrepreneurs, followed with practical strategies for identifying, reaching and nurturing the right audience across multiple channels. Her session explored how a podcast can become the center of a wider content ecosystem rather than another isolated piece of work—including creative ways to turn listeners into participants instead of passive consumers.

More Than a Festival Sponsor: A Partnership With Headliner

Elissa Kapke, Head of Marketing at Headliner, took attendees behind the technology with a live walkthrough of tools for turning podcast audio into shareable video, creating audiograms, editing through transcripts and automating distribution. The session gave attendees a look at how modern podcast technology can reduce some of the workload that often keeps coaches from publishing consistently.

Headliner brought their expertise directly into the MLC community at a moment when many coaches are trying to understand not only how to create great conversations, but how to help those conversations travel farther.

That alignment mattered.

Headliner has helped more than 1.5 million podcasters grow their audiences through tools that help creators edit, transcribe, caption, repurpose and share their work. Its focus on making podcast growth more accessible closely mirrors a principle behind the festival itself: creators should not need a massive production team—or an overwhelming technology stack—to share something meaningful.

For MLC, the relationship represents something larger as well.

As Millennial Life Coaches grows from a leading coach directory and community into a broader ecosystem of events, media, partnerships and the expanding Millennial Life Coaches Network, relationships with established organizations in the podcasting and creator economy are becoming an increasingly natural part of that evolution.

Headliner choosing to engage directly with MLC’s audience—and sending its Head of Marketing to teach, demonstrate and answer questions live—was meaningful not simply because of the company’s name or reach, but because of the value its team was willing to bring into the room.

It is the kind of partnership MLC hopes to continue building: useful before promotional, collaborative before transactional and rooted in creating better opportunities for the people both organizations serve.

The festival’s final educational session came from Tanya Lleigh, co-host of MLC’s How to Get Ahead podcast and co-founder of Coach Core.

Her session, The Art of the Podcast Interview, introduced one of the festival’s most memorable ideas:

“There is always a third chair at your table.”

The host and guest may be speaking to one another, Tanya explained, but the third chair belongs to the listener.

And the listener should be the hero.

Rather than moving mechanically through a predetermined list of questions, Tanya encouraged hosts to prepare deeply enough that they can become more present—not less—and listen for the follow-up question the person in that invisible third chair is already wondering about.

“Perfect doesn’t sell,” she reminded attendees.

Connection does.

Building the Millennial Life Coaches Network

The festival also provided an important public look at the Millennial Life Coaches Network, or MLCN, MLC’s growing ecosystem of coach-led podcasts and media.

MLCN is being built around a simple premise: independent coaching voices can remain distinct while becoming stronger through shared discovery, cross-promotion, collaboration, community and a larger media ecosystem.

Its growing roster and pipeline includes programs such as How to Get Ahead, The Growth Mindset Gal, Unapologetic Founders, Health Coach Nation and the forthcoming Before You Change Everything…, with additional shows in development.

Audiences can explore the Millennial Life Coaches Network on YouTube.

The festival also introduced the MLC Community Podcast Directory, created to help coaches discover one another’s shows, find potential guests, connect with hosts and create collaborations beyond the event itself.

Rather than letting introductions disappear when the Zoom window closed, the directory gives those connections somewhere to continue.

Podcasters, guests and collaborators can now explore the MLC Community Podcast Directory and discover more voices within the community.

Celebrating Coaches Whose Work Deserves to Be Seen

The festival concluded with one of its most emotional moments: the live announcement of the 2026 MLC Coach of the Year Awards.

The awards exist because much of the most meaningful coaching work happens quietly—in private conversations, difficult transitions, changed habits, healthier families, stronger leaders and communities that may never make headlines.

MLC created the awards to make more of that work visible.

As Lorna said before revealing the winners, the applications were a reminder of “how much good is happening in the community.”

The 2026 Rising Star Coach of the Year, Flo LaBrado, was recognized for the momentum she has created through Olive & Grace Leadership, including her work helping leaders navigate significant career crossroads, her My Clarity Compass framework and her continued service to the broader coaching community.

Following the announcement, LaBrado wrote that the recognition affirmed her belief that a business can be built around love, service and sustainable growth, rather than rushing simply to scale.

The 2026 Wellness Coach of the Year, Dr. Patrice High, was recognized for work that combines her background as a physician with a mission to help women feel seen, heard and supported in their health. Through NuEmpowerment Health, her work has extended through coaching, podcasting, community health initiatives, VegFest events and Walk with a Doc.

When her name was announced live, Dr. High needed only a few words:

“I’m a little overwhelmed. Thank you.”

The 2026 Impact Coach of the Year, Kelly Ling, was honored for measurable work supporting working parents and families through Stork & Spark, including coaching initiatives with a Fortune 500 organization and the Career Care and Connect Summit.

The announcement itself captured the humanity of the entire event: Kelly had just completed school drop-off and pulled over so she could join the awards live.

Her reaction after the festival connected the award directly to the reason she does the work—creating stronger career and infrastructure support for parents.

A Selection Committee Built to See Impact From More Than One Angle

The significance of the awards was also strengthened by the caliber and range of perspectives represented on the 2026 MLC Coach of the Year Selection Committee.

Rather than evaluating nominees through a single organizational lens, MLC brought together leaders whose work touches professional coaching standards, inclusion, business growth, industry media, leadership development and community building.

Dr. Aikyna Finch, PCC, DM, Vice President of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging for the International Coaching Federation, brought a global view of the profession, professional standards and the importance of building coaching spaces rooted in trust, access and belonging.

Christie Mims, founder of Coach Pony, brought the perspective of an established coaching-business leader who has helped thousands of coaches learn how to attract clients, market authentically and build sustainable practices.

Jen Kane, Founder and Editor of Life Coach Magazine, brought an editorial and industry-wide perspective shaped by helping coaches navigate everything from professional development and certification to visibility and business growth.

Melissa Castro brought the lens of an ICF-credentialed leadership coach, consultant and author—as well as the lived perspective of being named MLC’s 2025 Coach of the Year herself.

And Lorna Taylor brought perhaps the committee’s closest connection to the everyday pulse of the MLC community: the coaches showing up, collaborating, serving clients and helping define what millennial-focused coaching is becoming.

Together, their presence mattered because the awards were not designed to reward popularity alone. They were created to recognize coaches demonstrating meaningful work, leadership and real-world impact—and to have that work considered by people who understand coaching excellence from distinctly different vantage points.

The celebration did not feel like an interruption to the Podcast Festival.

It felt like the natural conclusion.

A gathering built around helping coaches become heard ended by recognizing coaches whose work deserved to be seen.

Readers can learn more about the MLC Coach of the Year Awards, selection committee and 2026 finalists.

“It Felt Like a Real Room”

Perhaps the strongest measure of the festival was not a registration number.

It was how people behaved once they were inside.

The live chats filled with questions, introductions, podcast links, reactions, collaboration ideas and encouragement between coaches who had never met. Attendees compared audio and video podcasting, offered to guest on one another’s shows, shared resources and stayed for networking across time zones.

MLC’s leadership post-event reflection described the “chat, the questions, the cheering” as making the gathering “feel like a real room, even over Zoom.”

That is the kind of room Millennial Life Coaches wants to keep building.

“The most exciting thing about this festival wasn’t simply that nearly 300 people registered,” said Austin Bradley, Founder and CEO of Millennial Life Coaches. “It was watching Lorna and this team turn screens from around the world into a community. Lorna created a space where people could learn, laugh, question, connect and actually see possibilities for themselves. Melissa, Rachel and every speaker helped make that possible. This is what we mean when we talk about leading a generation—we first have to connect and elevate the people who are helping lead it.”

What Comes Next

For Millennial Life Coaches, the Podcast Festival represents another step in a broader mission to lead a generation by supporting and elevating the coaches who serve it.

MLC intends to continue developing the Festival for Coaches That Podcast — or Want To as a flagship global gathering for coaches, podcasters, creators and influencers who believe thoughtful media can create meaningful change.

The organization will also continue expanding MLCN, its podcast and coach directories, educational programming, partnerships and global virtual events—while keeping accessibility and human connection at the center.

For coaches who want to become more deeply involved, MLC membership creates additional opportunities for community, visibility, collaboration and connection across the organization’s growing ecosystem. Explore Millennial Life Coaches membership.

Because a coach does not need millions of followers to change a life.

Sometimes they simply need the opportunity to be heard by the right person.

And increasingly, that person may be listening through a pair of headphones.

About Millennial Life Coaches

Millennial Life Coaches (MLC) is a global coaching community and media ecosystem created to help coaches connect with, support and inspire the millennial generation.

Through its coach directory, Millennial Life Coaches Network, podcasts, events, educational programming, partnerships and visibility opportunities, MLC helps elevate coaches doing meaningful work across leadership, wellness, career development, business, mindset, relationships and personal transformation.

MLC’s community includes hundreds of coaches from around the world, connected by a shared mission to add value, inspire meaningful action and help a generation move toward its goals.

Business, Coaching, Leadership

Press Release — Festival for Coaches That Podcast — or Want To 2026