How Hala Taha Built Young and Profiting After Losing Everything
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How did Hala Taha's early experiences shape her resilience?
I'm Palestinian and, you know, when I was 16 years old is when 9-11 happened. Suddenly, it's like in one day, it's like I was an outsider. I got rejected so much. Like, imagine, like, literally everything I wanted to try in high school, I was denied. Like, I wasn't Hala anymore. That gave me, like, really thick skin where, like, I didn't care. I tried for everything because I just figured rejection is just part of the process. And I just got very used to it. Then when I got to college, there was, like, Black students, Spanish students, and actually not many white students. And suddenly I was equal again. So I'm grateful for those experiences. But that definitely was... That is absolutely heartbreaking.
The sheer thought of judging somebody because of the way they look, being profiled, a whole community discounting, turning their back on you because of your ethnicity, because of what happened, that you'd had nothing to do with, but you were paying the price. It's horrific.
Yeah.
What challenges did Hala face in the radio industry?
What's up, guys? I got a good one for you today. I have Hala with us. She is an absolutely incredible entrepreneur. She has built an amazing media company, an amazing podcast called Yap, Young and Profitable, an amazing network she's built, and she is the epitome of determination. So, Hala, welcome to the show.
Sean, I'm so pumped to be here. Thank you for having me.
No, absolutely. It's so funny because the podcasting world is so large, but also so small. Right. And so for years, I'd always see you come up, you know, on the little rankings right there with me. I was like, I was like, you know, and then when it came the opportunity to do a little show swap, I'm like, I already feel like I know this person. So big world, but small, small world at the same time. So it's just nice to actually finally get to connect with you.
How did Hala transition from radio to podcasting?
I know, I see you around the charts and it's cool to see your growth. I know I started a couple of years earlier than you, but I've seen you around and just congratulations on all your success so far.
Well, thank you, likewise to you. It's like one of those facial recognition things. You always see the people and you're like, hey, you never know one day you might be on a cool conversation with them. And what I really love to do now is, because we've shifted to society and culture and we have different types of guests now. that are in the public eye. And it's not always just podcasters like it used to be. So when I get the opportunity to talk to a colleague or someone that does the exact same thing as me on an amazing level, I get really excited about it because I always feel like I could learn something too.
Yeah. Well, I'm an open book. Anything you want to learn about podcasting or social media or creator entrepreneurship, I'd love to talk about it.
Well, I mean, the social media thing, that's always a hack for me. I need help in that. That's always something that's not my thing.
What strategies did Hala use to grow her podcast and media empire?
I don't know how it really works, but I do my best. But I'm really wanting you to... Give the audience some background on your journey prior to podcasting and your journey into it and what it's done for you. And so just give them the lay of the land a little bit and we'll go from there.
Yeah. Okay. Well, I think the best place to start is in college. So in college, I had this dream of becoming a singer. I had always sang my whole life and I was singing and songwriting and I thought that I was going to be like a pop singer. And that was really my goal. And so I had this crazy idea of interning at a radio station for the sole purpose of actually pushing my music to the DJs. So I got an internship at Hot 97, which is the world's number one hip hop and R&B station. This was 10 years ago in New York City. And I loved this internship. I started in the production department, more on the corporate side.
What role did rejection play in Hala's success?
And I did a really good job to the point where Angie Martinez, who was the voice of New York at the time, she's a huge radio personality, like top of her field, was like, Holly, I want you to come work with me on the studio side.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
How did Hala Taha's early experiences shape her resilience?
0:00–1:04
2
What challenges did Hala face in the radio industry?
1:04–1:53
3
How did Hala transition from radio to podcasting?
1:53–2:52
4
What strategies did Hala use to grow her podcast and media empire?
2:52–3:51
5
What role did rejection play in Hala's success?
3:51–4:45
6
How does Hala define determination and its importance?
4:45–5:37
7
What advice does Hala offer to aspiring entrepreneurs?
5:37–6:40
8
How can listeners connect with Hala and her work?
6:40–1:00:40
Speakers
2 identifiedMore from The Determined Society with Shawn French
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