Ten years ago, we published the first episodes of five podcasts, and Relay was born. Just a few weeks before, Myke Hurley and I — along with some friends — had wound down our shows on 5by5 and promised we’d be back with something new.
As I wrote at the time, that entire timeframe was a blur of activity. This part of that post really jumps out at me, a full decade later:
I’ve heard it said not to go into business with close friends, but there’s not another person on the Internet I’d rather make things with than Myke.
We’ve spent lots of money, lots of time and lots of energy in creating Relay FM. It’s ours. We’ve molded it with our own hands; what it is and what it becomes is up to us and our amazing hosts. Relay is a labor of love, and I think it shows.
In one week, thousands and thousands of people will download our shows and tap play on their devices, hearing Myke’s laugh, Federico’s accent, Brad’s passion and Casey’s near-cursing.
Not only am I humbled by what Relay has become, but I’m so pleased that all of our original hosts are still with us. Over time, many more have launched shows on the network, and Relay has grown far beyond what Myke or I ever imagined it could become. Today, we work with a bunch of the very best podcasters on the planet, and it’s a true pleasure to support them in their creative work.
A year into this, I left my job to become a full-time podcaster/writer/whatever. (The term “content creator” didn’t really exist back then the way it does now, and I still don’t think I fit super neatly into that category, but that’s a me problem.)
In 2020, we pivoted hard into membership as the COVID-19 pandemic wrecked the advertising market. We launched longer, ad-free versions of many of our shows alongside a Discord server which is now my favorite place on the Internet. In a letter announcing the changes, Myke and I wrote:
Relay FM will be around for the long haul. This is our dream job; there is nothing else we want to do more. The world has become a more difficult place, but we believe in the strong connection between all of our hosts and the people who listen to their podcasts week in and week out. We can’t express how much we appreciate your support.
That change worked spectacularly well, and today Relay is on solid ground.
Thanks largely to our members, I believe in the connection we wrote about in that letter more than ever. Just a few weeks ago, I got to experience it first-hand at our first live show since 2019.
Our friend Ian Anderson was there and captured how all of us at Relay feel about the network:
Looking back, I could never have guessed what Relay would become, and likewise, I struggle to imagine where it will be in another ten years. But as long as I have any say in it whatsoever, we’ll still be here, making shows about the things we love.
I often find myself wondering how we got to be the ones lucky enough to do this for a living, then I remember that the community around Relay is the best on the Internet. I truly mean that.
Thank for you for an amazing ten years, and thank you in advance for whatever comes next.