Jessica Kupferman: The Trailblazing Force Behind She Podcasts and an Unstoppable Inspiration

I need to talk about Jessica Kupferman. She became my best friend simply because of our work together. We first got to know each other through an online community. In fact, the very first time I connected with Jess was when she hired me.

At the time, I was going through some financial troubles and had posted an offering online for people to buy packages with me. Jess hired me to help her monetize her podcast. Through that process, we got to know each other better online, but we didn’t truly connect until we attended the New Media Expo in January 2014.

I was there with the Libsyn team, and Jess and I ended up spending a lot of time together. After the event, she decided to start a Facebook group because we both felt there was a missing space for women to discuss podcasting from their unique perspectives.

We wanted to continue the sense of camaraderie and collaboration we had experienced at the conference. She created the Facebook group—I think it was initially called Women in Podcasting or Women Who Podcast, something like that.

The group quickly gained momentum. Since I already knew many people in the podcasting industry, I invited a lot of women to join. Soon, people in the group began asking if there was a podcast about podcasting specifically for women, and there wasn’t. So, Jess and I decided to create one. I had already been thinking about a podcast for women and even had a name in mind: She Podcasts.

And that’s how She Podcasts was born!

Jess was the main driver of the organization because I had a full-time job. This was her primary focus, and she worked tirelessly to serve the community.

She found solutions to every question and challenge women brought to her—whether it was standalone digital downloads, membership models, webinars, a podcasting school for women, masterminds, selling merch, or even organizing She Podcasts Live, the first large-scale podcasting conference focused solely on women.

Through all of this, Jess and I grew incredibly close. She became one of my best friends. No matter what was happening in my life, I could count on our weekly meetings recording the podcast to bring joy and laughter.

One of Jessica’s greatest gifts is her ability to make me laugh and remind me not to take myself too seriously. She also taught me how to navigate a friendship. I’m not naturally great at handling interpersonal relationships, but she helped me have difficult conversations and work through hard times.

One of the most challenging times we faced was after the death of her teenage daughter, Emily. I witnessed her navigate the profound loss and grief that came with it. Despite this unimaginable tragedy, she returned to the microphone and continued to serve the community. Her strength and dedication, even in the face of her own pain, were awe-inspiring.

Jess created something extraordinary—a community that empowered women podcasters and a live podcast conference that became the third-largest podcast conference in the United States right out of the gate, with an all-women lineup. That accomplishment, especially in 2019, was groundbreaking.

As of January 2024, I have officially stepped down from my leadership role at She Podcasts. While it was a bittersweet decision, it has allowed me to reflect on the incredible work Jess and I accomplished together and the lasting impact of her leadership on this community.

Thank you, Jess, for everything. I am so proud of you. And congratulations!