This episode of The Cliff Ravenscraft Show is an unplugged audio journal.

I’m recording this one week after returning home from PodFest 2026. My voice isn’t fully back. My energy isn’t fully restored. And that’s exactly why I wanted to hit record.

Rather than teach or present a framework, I wanted to bring you into the lived experience of the past few weeks. The lead-up to PodFest. The physical toll of not fully recovering before traveling. The emotional weight of reconnecting with people who have been part of my journey for nearly two decades. And the clarity that began to surface only after I came home and slowed down.

Being back in rooms with people I influenced, who stood with me as we were shaping the podcasting industry, stirred something I didn’t realize I had set aside. The conversations we had reminded me why this work has mattered to me for so long.

Coming home also brought reality with it. A full inbox. Dozens of follow-ups. Hundreds of new and renewed connections. And the recognition that one of the offers I brought back, Podcasting A to Z, no longer matched the people I was now in conversation with.

In this episode, I share why I chose to pause group enrollment for Podcasting A to Z, what that decision clarified for me, and how one unexpected conversation led to the return of the Next Level Mastermind.

This is an authentic, behind the scenes episode that provides a snapshot of a moment where recovery, discernment, and alignment are all happening at once.

If anything in this episode resonates with you, I’d love to hear from you. You can email me at [email protected]. I read every message and reply personally, even if it takes me a little time.

Thanks for being here with me.