Today we’d like to introduce you to Dan Levely.
Hi Dan, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I started podcasting during the pandemic, when the entertainment industry basically went silent because the of Covid.
Me and a friend of mine started a podcast called “Attention Span Podcast” which was kind of ironic because neither one of us has one. We basically talked about pop culture, sports and cracked funny jokes either on each other or something funny we saw on Social Media. After about 2-3 months the podcast fizzled out and we decided to go our separate ways. My friend wanted to move to sports breaks, which he was pretty successful at, but I wanted to stay with podcasting.
So after we separated I started a show called “Oops Caught Me Smoking” which was a cannabis based podcast. With Oops Caught Me Smoking I started to engage with fellow podcasters and even became really good friends with a few. Jah Blaze from The Cloud Chronicles, Tina Marie Salenne from The Psychedelic Podcast and plenty more. I named these 2 because, they never let me quit. As many times as I wanted to hang it up Jah and Tina never let that happen. They’ve always kept my spirits up and I’m grateful for that til this day. So you could say I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for those 2.
Then one day I decided to start another show, while still doing Oops Caught Me Smoking. I created a movie review podcast with I believe it was 8 other co-hosts called “The Reel Boyz,” I thought for sure that this was the reason I started podcasting. Things were going good for a few months or so. Then egos got in the way, and ultimately I decided to forfeit my creation and move on. They did a few episodes after the 5 other co-hosts decided to move on, but it was terrible without all the interactive personalities and eventually was taken down.
After the Reel Boyz stopped Jah and I started “Bet That with Dan and Jah” a sports debate show that was stolen from us. How do you steal a podcast? I don’t know but it happened, Jah and I no longer had access to our own show and when that happened so did the demise of Bet That. We were going to create a new show but our schedules started to clash and ultimately never happened. Not saying it won’t, just it hasn’t happened yet.
While burying myself in shows I noticed that the algorithm was burying my show Oops Caught Me Smoking. I didn’t know why, so I dug deep and found out while other cannabis shows were still talking about cannabis. I was the only one getting high and smoking on the air, but that was the purpose of the show. Go to the dispensary find a few good strains and do a review on them. You know the taste, texture, how it smoked and what medical benefits each strain has. But the algorithm didn’t see it as informative and entertaining as I did. So I rebranded.
That’s when The Dan Levely Show was created. It was “The DL Show” for a quick minute, but that brought in a whole new audience. I’m in my 40s so when I was a teenager being on the DL ment something completely different. Not that it’s a bad thing, I just didn’t know.
I went from a cannabis based show to making a platform for independent artists, comedians and fellow podcasters to come on a talk about their story, music, show etc. It started with music and mostly still is til this day, but I’ve started to branch out to basically anyone that story I found interesting. For instance this past episode I had on Larry Lawton a fellow YouTuber that was the biggest jewel thief in America. He got caught, went to prison and changed his life. An amazing story and person that I’m glad I had the opportunity to talk to. So thats where we are at today. Still grinding and still making great content for the viewers out there. Without The Dan Levely Show I never would’ve met the amazing people that I have like Larry Lawton, Tommy Chong, Astray, Hatch Wiseguy, Jon Connor and many more.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Struggles? Where do I start LOL. Other than schedules clashing and egos. The most frustrating part of podcasting is getting views, listens and downloads. Even with being on air for almost 5 years and having a somewhat successful show getting people to engage is a challenge. You can post and post and post and nothing will happen. The struggle is finding out when to post and where. I found that Facebook groups are the best way on Facebook, but with other platforms like YouTube and Rumble. You have to interact with people. There’s a lot more to having a successful podcast than just making a good show. You can make 1000 good shows but what’s the point if nobody is watching. So engaging with other creators is a must in this industry.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Other than my family.
I’m most proud of having a show that I don’t have to script. I’ve tried scripting and it seems robotic and just “blah” if I can say that. Most “interview shows” are scripted and it’s just question after question. Although I do ask questions on The Dan Levely Show it’s mostly used as a conversation starter. That’s what my guests love most about coming on my show. There’s no homework, well for them anyway. I feel you get to know a person better by having an organic conversation instead of bombarding them with questions. It’s more enjoyable for the guest and the viewers.
How do you think about luck?
Show wise and luck, I am honestly still waiting for that part. But as for my personal life, probably the luckiest man alive. I was lucky enough to meet the love of my life, Julie, which we’ve been together for 14 years and within those 14 years, I’ve been lucky enough to have the son I’ve always wanted, Espen. Watching him grow up brings a smile to my face everyday. He’s the reason I’m doing this, I want to show my son that there is nothing that can hold you back from getting what you want in life. If you want it. Go get it. It’s that simple. Yes, there will be obstacles in the way but over come them and press forward. If I can do it so can you.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedanlevelyshow
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedanlevelyshow
- Twitter: https://www.x.com/danlevelyshow
- Youtube: https://www.YouTube.com/thedanlevelyshow
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/show/3YzScskwpYCk6opLMuRyy2?si=ik-zZ89mSwKtiFpYis-jSQ
