Today we’d like to introduce you to Alison Goldstein Lebovitz and Amanda Goldstein Marks.
Alison and Amanda, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
We are sisters and since we don’t live in the same city (Amanda lives in Decatur, Georgia and Alison lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee) we talk on the phone. A lot. During one of these phone chats, we jokingly remarked that our conversations were so entertaining we could turn them into a podcast. A week later, Sis & Tell was born. In just a few days we picked a name for the podcast, created a logo, secured a web site, downloaded a program to record our Skype conversations, invested in some cool headsets with microphones so we would sound semi-professional, figured out how to edit on GarageBand, and successfully launched our first episode. Since May 2017, we have produced more than 65 episodes of Sis & Tell and after 18 months we are still having a blast turning our conversations into a podcast.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Since podcasting is new territory for both of us and since we literally leaped into this before we really looked, we have definitely embraced every challenge as a learning opportunity. If you listen to our first podcast compared to our most recent, it’s (hopefully) obvious that we’ve become more comfortable with the medium and more refined in approach. There have been minor bumps in the road, including our seemingly never-ending quest for Courteney Cox, but we never dwell on the things that don’t work and instead try to build on the ones that do. For instance, in the beginning we tried to incorporate pre-determined segments into our shows, like “Ask Arlene” (fashion advice from our mom) or “What Would Bubba Do” (moral advice from our brother), but we steadily realized that these felt too rehearsed so we now opt for impromptu calls or pop-up segments that evolve organically. We once interviewed a friend of ours about her experience with a matchmaking service and had to pull the episode almost immediately after receiving a pretty strong “cease and desist” email from the matchmakers. We now try to avoid potential lawsuits whenever possible. The moral of our podcasting story is that we know we need to try new things, take risks, be willing to fail and that sometimes our rants and jokes may only be funny to our dad, and that’s okay. This experience is a constant reminder to take our podcast seriously, but never ourselves too seriously.
Please tell us about Sis & Tell Podcast.
We like to say Sis & Tell is where Jewish humor meets Southern charm and is best defined by our tagline, “A whole lotta talk, about a whole lotta nothin’.” We’ve been told that listening to our podcast feels like eavesdropping on someone else’s conversation, and that’s because you are. We record on a weekly basis and since we never pre-plan what we are going to discuss, the format is never predictable or prescribed and no two shows are ever the same. We are really proud that the natural connection and chemistry we have with each other resonates so strongly with others and the best compliment we hear is how often people we know or have never met can relate to our stories, our families and our lives. We make people laugh and we give them a break from their day, the often depressing news cycle, or whatever reality they are dealing with. Who knew a simple conversation with your sister could make such a big difference?
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
We would’ve taken those piano lessons more seriously. Our intro music would be so much better.
More about the sisters:
Alison Goldstein Lebovitz (aka the older and wiser sister) is never at a loss for words and luckily has been able to make a living off her gift for gab. She is the host of The A List with Alison Lebovitz, a half-hour television show for PBS, and the author of Am I There Yet? a collection of her candid essays and life-inspired stories. She also combines her penchant for humor with her passion for storytelling to deliver motivational talks across North America and has been honored to serve as a TedX speaker, coach, and emcee. In her spare time, she runs a nonprofit called One Clip at a Time, works out and binge watches shows on her iPad. She and her husband have three boys and live in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Amanda Goldstein Marks (aka the younger and funnier sister) is a quirky and endearing stand-up comedian, actress, content creator, and super (tired) mom living in Decatur, Georgia. Amanda performs stand-up comedy and MCs events throughout the country and is a featured comedian on The Brisket Belt Comedy Show touring the Southeast. She also has a branding and marketing background working with brands such as Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, and Oracle. When Amanda isn’t doing comedy, you can find her hosting her web series, Mom Cam in the Minivan, where she is often rapping the Beastie Boys, or creating a seven-course meal from the snack items she finds on the floorboards. She and her husband live with their three kids in Decatur, Georgia.
Sis & Tell was voted “Best Podcast” for Creative Loafing’s Best of Atlanta 2017 and named a finalist for the Best of 2018. To listen to the Sis & Tell podcast and access embarrassing childhood photos of the sisters, visit sisandtell.com.
Contact Info:
- Website: sisandtell.com
- Email: sisters@sisandtell.com
Image Credit:
Amanda is the one with curly hair and Alison is the one with straight hair.
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