Podcast, “Blazin’ A Trail,” Inspires Locals To Follow Their Own Path

KZUM has partnered with a new podcast called Blazin’ A Trail. The show features guests who are on the path to success in the fields of art, entertainment, entrepreneurship, and any other areas that require risk-taking and perseverance. 

Host Tut Kailech describes his guests as, “the ones who are doing the dirty work, who took all those L’s first in order for you to have an easier path going along this career choice that you’re trying to do.”

The podcast is geared towards aspiring local artists, entrepreneurs, and leaders who are on the fence about embarking on a new path or project. One of Kailech’s goals with Blazin’ A Trail is to show listeners that it’s possible to pursue their goals right here in Nebraska. “When I was coming up I didn’t have many role models to look after, especially in the local area,” says Kailech. “A lot of the time kids think that they have to go somewhere else in order to have the opportunity to excel in whatever art that they choose, but they don’t realize that there’s a lot of people here that kind of have the same mentality.”  

Kailech hopes his podcast will encourage listeners to discover and connect with local communities of individuals who share their passions. “There are a lot of people out here that are kind of scared that nobody else is going on the same path,” says Kailech. “I want to tell people we can create our own hub here.”

The concept of Blazin’ A Trail is interwoven with Kailech’s brand Y.A.T.O (You Are The One), which delivers a message of self-improvement and individuality. 

Kailech was inspired to transform his message into a podcast when his employer, NeighborWorks Lincoln, received a grant to appear on the radio in some capacity. After deciding to allocate those funds towards producing Blazin’ A Trail, he came across information regarding podcast partnerships on KZUM’s website, and the rest is history. 

The ability to produce longform content was another factor that drew Kailech to the podcast format. Other forms of content, such as short videos on Instagram, Snapchat, and other social media platforms, couldn’t quite provide for the depth of conversation that Kailech wanted to achieve through interviewing. In each episode, the featured guest is asked to share in detail what inspired them to pursue their path, how their goals may have changed over time, what obstacles they faced in making their dreams a reality, and any other information they feel could be helpful to the next generation of professionals in their field. 

“A lot of the podcasts I do follow, they just talk about their accomplishments right away,” says Kailech. The structure of his show allows for individuals to not only celebrate their successes, but do so in a way that acknowledges the hardships they endured to achieve their goals. 

So far, Blazin’ A Trail has featured local guests including a small business owner, a Youtuber, and several individuals involved in music production. Kailech plans to continue featuring a variety of community leaders. “People that we’re kind of looking for now are these small business owners. We’re trying to have a couple more nonprofit leaders who are making a difference in our community, and just more thought leaders.”

As the podcast continues to grow, Kailech plans to incorporate live shows into his 10-episode seasons. 

By featuring the trailblazers of local industries that appear selective or underrepresented, listeners of the show will be encouraged to pursue the road less traveled. “We want to show people that you don’t have to be a doctor, a lawyer, an engineer to make a change in this world.”