Alanna's Story
Host: Alanna Grayce Campbell
Hey y'all, it's me, ya girl, ya host, Alanna Grayce.
When I started IBT back in 2020, I had been thinking about doing something like this for a very long time. It was only then, at 25 years old, that I found myself to have enough self confidence to take this kind of leap. It's exhilarating, terrifying, and sometimes a little embarrassing to put yourself out there like this- but current Alanna is so thankful that 2020 Alanna decided to. ​
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I was a political science major and anthropology minor at a private liberal arts university. I spent three and a half years knowing exactly what I wanted to do- law school, and then POLITICS!- until I realized that wasn't me. I had an existential crisis, did not enroll in law school, and worked full-time retail for almost two years. I found an awesome Masters program nearby, which opened awesome doors and brought incredible people into my life.
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During my time in grad school, the idea to start IBT came to me- around February of 2020, to be exact, I started working on this project. I wanted to have my research done and do at least a decent job if I was going to launch IBT- and it had to be something that I was proud of. NOT half-assed.
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Right before I graduated, though, the Covid-19 virus hit global pandemic status. This severely affected my job prospects, even in critical services. So, I decided to pivot a little bit. to follow my dreams and start paving my own road.
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In the time since, I have not only continued podcasting- I've grown the team, we've been picked up by a network, and we've covered some absolutely incredible topics with some amazing guests. IBT has evolved past what I imagined when I started dreaming it up, and frankly-
I AM SO PROUD.
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As we continue to grow, know this- we are so thankful for you being a part of our story.
Tyler's Story
Producer and Editor: Tyler Miller
For those of you who don't know me: I'm Producer Tyler.
I'm in my 30s, and live with my wife and child here in beautiful Appalachia. I'm the Editor, Producer, and Fixer for I've Been Thinking.
Alanna and I grew up in the same neighborhood and tend to share a lot of the same outlooks and values. So when I saw her start the show THREE years ago I quickly saw the potential and tried to give feedback and support to her when I could. Over the course of the pandemic I found myself with a lot more free time and, prior to my last job, I had spent some time and a great deal of training in radio and broadcasting. With a slight nudge from Alanna, I came on the show to have a chat- and immediately remembered how much I loved the format.
In the weeks following the release of that episode, I kept thinking about how much I enjoy audio engineering. Finally, with a push from my wife, I offered to do some consulting/editing for the show behind the curtain to help with the workflow. I'm absolutely one of those weirdos that loves audio editing and production. I think the way some people feel about jigsaw puzzles or model kits I absolutely get from dressing up shows like this.
Alanna does her absolute best to deliver a professional and clear sound but of course problems just arise even in the most sterile of environments; which is exactly where I come in. Every coffee slurp, Wynnie bark, kitchen scuffle and voice call disconnect are thankfully cut and cleaned down to at worst a somewhat awkward transition between topics. While I certainly don't think I'm Quincey Jones or anything, I hope that you notice the care and effort I give each episode and that my overall goal is to deliver our discussions and topics to you in a clear crisp package.
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This show has become a passion for me, as well- just as Alanna started out in 2020 with a dream and a microphone, I joined the team and the dream in late 2022 because I saw the show's potential.
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And now, here we are- building something that our Eastern Kentucky childhood's never could've imagined.
Our Mission
So all of these things have happened, and we've learned: planning is a lot of fun, but there's always gonna be at least one re-route. Nothing ever goes to plan, y'all. That is kind of why Alanna created this space, and why Tyler joined. It's a place for us to muse, to talk about ideas in new and interesting ways, and to highlight people and experiences that you might not otherwise ever come in contact with.​
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Here at I've Been Thinking, we chase thoughts. We seek inspiration everywhere, and we try to keep episodes relevant. Current events, trending topics, thoughtful takes and uncommon life experiences come together to create the podcast and blog that we know as I've Been Thinking with Alanna Grayce.