LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Mario Maitland traded the streets of New York for the beauty of the Bluegrass to attend the University of Kentucky.
His four years as a Wildcat have come and gone, but one of his last classes has left a lasting impression on his career goals.
“For my last semester I had to take a podcast class. I was always interested in making podcasts," Maitland said.
"I just wasn’t sure about the deeper details of how to make it. Like audio, production, how to interview people like what you’re doing right now.”
That one class gave Maitland all the tools and confidence he needed to launch his own podcast.
What started as a class project has grown into What's Next with Rio.
The goal for Maitland is to spread a motivation message to his audience, trying to be a force for good in a space where he believes negativity can creep in.
“I wanted to make something that was positive so that I could bring out positivity to the world. In podcasting you can find so much information that you don’t know about. It’s not a basic interview. It’s deeper in the details," Maitland said.
The genesis of this podcast idea stems from Maitland's love of sports, and that passion has held true since starting What's Next a year ago.
Big Blue Nation had a specific flavor in some of his interviews, including WNBA #1 overall pick Rhyne Howard and former UK point guard Dominique Hawkins.
Maitland didn't want to limit himself to a sports audience though.
He expanded to having musicians and small business owners on the show to try to appear to a wider group of people with varied interests.
“The guests that I have on my podcast is an example for you. Whether you want to be a professional athlete, a musician, an entrepreneur. This person is an example for you to follow," Maitland said.
As he prepares for his second season, Maitland's main focus is growth.
Improvement from himself, the team of five working with him and the production of the show as a whole.
"Whether it’s more people watching. Whether it’s better content or production looks better. You just want to keep some type of growth. That’s what I’m leaning toward for season two.”
If you want to keep up with Maitland and the What's Next Podcast, click here.
