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Podcaster Interviews

Ossa Featured Podcasters: Alison Burns & Lulu Picart, 10K Dollar Day

“How would you spend $10,000?”

This simple question inspired Ossa podcasters Alison Burns and Lulu Picart to start their podcast 10K Dollar Day. As self-proclaimed imaginary luxury travel experts, Alison and Lulu take listeners through ideal travel scenarios and dream destinations.

Their catchphrase, “With friends like these, who needs amenities?” encapsulated the spirit of the show — the idea that connecting with friends about your wildest dreams can be just as fulfilling as achieving them.

With many of our travel plans on pause due to the COVID-19 outbreak, 10K Dollar Day offers a fun, friendly way to escape and plan your dream vacay once this is all over.

Read more about 10K Dollar Day and hosts Alison Burns and Lulu Picart below!


10k Dollar Day logo

Podcast Name:

10K Dollar Day

Current hometown:

AB: Seminole, FL
LP: New York, NY

Originally from:

AB: Military Brat
LP: Orlando, FL

Tell us what your podcast is about in 3 sentences or less!

The comedy podcast about imaginary luxury travel.

What’s a quote or piece of advice that you try to live by?

AB: One Day. (This means not to stress the small stuff, everything can change for you in one day. Hold on to hope.)
LP: The tag of our podcast: “With friends like us, who needs amenities?” Sometimes when finances overwhelm me, it’s hard to remember that I really am wealthy with people who I love and love me back. We say it every episode, and I try to keep that idea with me throughout the rest of the week.

Your Superpower:

AB: Master compartmentalizer. Regardless of what’s going on in my life, I can “pack it up” and keep going.
LP: I’ve never met a leftover I couldn’t re-purpose. I can also exactly estimate which size of plastic container to put the leftovers in.

One thing on your bucket list:

AB: Be the voice of a cartoon character
LP: To yell “Drinks on me!” in a crowded bar full of strangers.

Personal Anthem:

AB: “A Way Back to Then” Lulu and I close every show with it.
LP: Anything Bossa nova feels like me.

Last text message you sent:

AB: A gif that read, “I love you today, tomorrow, always, forever.”
LP: I just passive-aggressively thumbs-upped something.

What was your first job?

AB: Waitress at the Dixie Cafe
LP: Playing piano in a community college theatre production.

Any unusual hobbies?

AB: Is watching Netflix a hobby?
LP: I write commentary for holiday romance movies and post them on my Instastory.

Tell us more about your work/life outside of your podcast.

AB: I teach private voice and acting, I have two kids, and I perform in regional theatre productions.
LP: I’m an actor and director in New York City, and I coach actors and singers.

What inspired you to start your podcast?

We both wanted to create a project where we could work together and create original content that we were in charge of!

What is your show’s USP?

Affectionate comedy.

What is one of the greatest challenges you have personally faced with your podcast?

AB: It has taken us almost two years to improve our sound quality.
LP: Starting a podcast is pretty easy. There’s very little overhead. Growing a podcast can be really time consuming and expensive, and financing that involves a lot of sacrifice.

What was one of your favorite episodes you’ve ever done? Why does it stand out?

AB: Episode 99, I love thinking outside the box and surprising Lulu. This episode was so much fun and Lulu was feeling particularly fiesty which always makes for a fun recording session!
LP: Mine too! Episode 99, “On Location in a Dungeon,” has a lot of spontaneously funny moments. In our travel episodes, Alison and I prepare our research separately, so I never know what she’s going to present. And her day was so over-the-top and surprising, I could barely keep it together. There’s also a video companion to it, and I can’t stop watching Alison’s face in it! (Watch below)

Let’s look in the rear-view mirror. What is one thing you have accomplished with your podcast thus far that you are most proud of?

AB: I’m so proud of the community of people that we’ve created. We have a very devoted Bae Group on Facebook that interacts with us and I’m so proud to be inspiring and making people laugh on the daily!
LP: We’re 100 episodes in and haven’t missed a week!

Now, let’s look into the future. What is one major milestone that you would like to accomplish through your podcast in the next year?

AB: I want this to transition into a TV series!
LP: My co-host Alison is so much better at naming goals than I am, because I’m always nervous to jinx it! But I think the smallest, most name-able goal I have is to start making enough profit where we don’t have to pay for our travel expenses out of pocket anymore. We’ve been attending a lot of conferences, and even speaking and performing at some, but we’re still absorbing the majority of those costs. So the travel would be so helpful. Also, while we’re manifesting things, can they also include separate rooms?

Speaking of the future, what is a trend or development in the podcast industry that you foresee happening in the next few years?

AB: It’s becoming more mainstream and I see it being a main form of communication world wide.
LP: think they’re becoming more mainstream, which doesn’t just mean more listenership, but they’re being talked about. Episodes are being discussed. As the listening population grows in general, it’s only going to get better for us podcasters!

What is one of the best pieces of podcast-related advice you’ve ever received & why?

AB: Be consistent and if you don’t treat it like a job, it never will be.
LP: Be consistent. Create a schedule and stick to it. This advice really made us think of it as a job — a fun one, and we stick to our deadlines.

What is one of the worst pieces of podcast-related advice you have ever received & why?

AB: I’ve just realized that not all advice applies to every podcast.
LP: You need super fancy headphones. You don’t!

What are some of your favorite women-hosted podcasts (besides your own)?

Both of us: Indiana Adams’s Coffee and Crumbs and Today By the Way. She’s so real, personable, and charming.

Can you tell us about a time when you took a huge risk/did something you were scared to do, and it totally paid off?

AB: When I booked our first live show in NYC. We had no idea if anyone would ever show up, but they did AND a comedy booker happened to be there and she is a huge part of our future now. You never know who is going to be in the room!
LP: Starting to define ourselves as “comedians” was a scary thing, but we’ve been learning to embrace it. It definitely moved the show in a different direction, and it helps us brainstorm.

10k dollar day

Are there any great podcast-related resources you love that you would like to share?

Both of us: We’re really glad we began going to podcast conferences. We’ve attended two, spoken at one, and performed our live show at another. We are already booked for Outlier Podcast Festival. Connecting with other podcasters has been incredible, plus we’ve learned a lot about audio, marketing, and growth from those conferences. We take it seriously!

Is there a charity or cause you care about that you would like to share?

Both of us: We were recently guests at a fundraiser for S.A.Y., The Stuttering Association for the Young. It’s a fantastic organization that helps kids who stutter find their community and their voice. Alison and I were so lucky to be in that room to hear their stories. Plus, we got to hang out with some pretty cool kids. If you have any extra cash, please check them out — they’re really making a difference.

How do you feel you’re making a positive impact and generating change through your podcast?

Both of us: Our #whatsyourhappy campaign is near and dear to us. We end every episode with our “happies,” something small that brings you joy that day. Our listeners have started to share their daily happies with us — it’s such a cool way to connect. We love the idea of people being a little more aware that little stuff goes right every day. Even when the big stuff is going wrong.


Listen to 10K Dollar Day here:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Youtube

For more from 10K Dollar Day and hosts Alison Burns and Lulu Picart:
Website // Facebook // Instagram // Twitter

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