Elyse Lopez is a lawyer and a self-described “crazy cat lady” who hosts a true crime podcast based in the Pacific Northwest – where she grew up and currently lives. True Crime Cat Lawyer is 2 years old and all proceeds made from the show are donated animal nonprofits (rescues, shelters, etc.) – we love to see it. š„°
Name:
Elyse Lopez
Podcast Name:
Tell us about your podcast in 3 sentences or less!
PNW based true crime covering lesser known cases. Focused on creating ethical true crime content.
Your Superpower:
Procrastination š
One thing on your bucket list:
Going to meet all the stray cats in Santorini, Greece.
What was your first job?
Housecleaner
Biggest Pet Peeve
Personal space invasion
What inspired you to start your podcast?
I ran out of true crime podcasts to listen to during the pandemic.
Tell us more about your work/life outside of your podcast.
Iām a full time lawyer and I have a tuxedo cat named Winston who is the mascot of our podcast and often wears a bow tie or bandana. She keeps me busy with her chaos as sheās only 3 years old. I also have a 5 year old niece whom I adore and often accompany her to dance practice and dance recitals.
What is your show’s USP?
Weāre focused on producing ethical true crime content; for us that means donating all of our proceeds to various animal nonprofit organizations.
What is one of the greatest challenges you have personally faced with your podcast?
Motivation at times; Iām a solo show so sometimes it can be overwhelming to be a one woman production crew!
What was one of your favorite episodes you’ve ever done? Why does it stand out?
Autumn Stone. This episode means so much to me because I was able to speak with Autumnās sister and learn more about her and her life.
What is one thing you have accomplished with your podcast thus far that you are most proud of?
Reaching 25k downloads was a huge milestone for us but we also got a huge feature in the Willamette Weeklyās āBest of Portlandā issue which was the best accomplishment for our little show!
What is one major milestone that you would like to accomplish through your podcast in the next year?
Iād like to hit 50k downloads overall and/or reach 5k downloads per month.
What is a trend or development in the podcast industry that you foresee happening in the next few years?
Downturn in interest possibly? The market is somewhat saturated especially for true crime.
What is one of the best pieces of podcast-related advice you’ve ever received & why?
Taking breaks is okay. My mental health is so important and because Iām a one woman show, taking breaks is event more important. I havenāt lost any fans or listeners when Iāve taken breaks; people are very understanding.
What are some of your favorite women-hosted podcasts (besides your own)?
United States of Crime, Almost Pod, Ye Olde Crime
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?
We recently participated in the PNW True Crime Fest which was like a local crimecon. I was so nervous but I had a really good time and loved presenting a case. It garnered a lot of exposure and new listeners/followers.
How do you feel you’re making a positive impact and generating change through your podcast?
Focusing on lesser known cases and creating ethical true crime content. We also donate our proceeds to try and help as many animals as we possibly can.
For more from Elyse, check out the links below!
