Legacy, love, and living on purpose; Dying Out Loud is a podcast about what matters most, while there’s still time.

My name is Kristopher Saim, and I’m the host of Dying Out Loud. A podcast born from the most personal place imaginable. In 2022, I was diagnosed with Stage IV incurable colon cancer. I began writing letters during chemo, radiation, and surgery—letters to the people who shaped my life, supported me, challenged me, and helped me grow. These were going to be my goodbyes.

But somewhere along the way, I realized these messages didn’t have to wait.

Dying Out Loud is where I share those stories out loud, while I still can. Each episode features a conversation with someone who has had a profound impact on my life, including friends, family members, mentors, and colleagues. These aren’t interviews, they’re love letters. Each one includes a message of gratitude, a reflection on legacy, and a moment of truth about what really matters when you know your time is limited.

Professionally, I’m a leadership coach and organizational development executive who has spent decades helping others grow. Personally, I’m someone learning how to live louder and love more intentionally in the time I have left. The podcast is deeply human, often emotional, sometimes funny, and always honest. It’s a reminder that we don’t need a diagnosis to tell people they matter.

This isn’t a podcast about dying. It’s a podcast about living on purpose, with purpose, while we can.
 

Dying Out Loud began as a profoundly personal experience. After my Stage IV cancer diagnosis, I began writing what I thought might be my final messages to the people who had shaped my life. I didn’t plan on recording a podcast. I just wanted to make sure nothing was left unsaid.

But the more I wrote, the more I realized these messages weren’t just goodbyes; they were reflections on impact, love, resilience, leadership, and legacy. They weren’t just about me. They were about all of us. And I started to wonder: what if I shared them while I was still here?

So I hit record.

I started with people closest to me: my kids, my dearest friends, my longtime colleagues. I told them how they changed me, what I learned from them, and what I wanted them to carry forward. What I didn’t expect was the universal response. Listeners began telling me that it made them call their parents, siblings, and mentors. It made them reflect, reach out, say thank you, apologize, and express love.

That’s when I knew this podcast wasn’t about dying. It was about living boldly, honestly, and out loud.

I started Dying Out Loud to honor the people I love. I keep going because it’s helping others do the same.
 

Time and funding weren’t things I had in abundance, but purpose was. That became the fuel.

I’m still working full-time in a leadership role, going through regular treatment, and coaching hundreds of employees each year. But this podcast became a priority because it felt urgent and deeply meaningful. I didn’t wait until I had extra time. I made time. We record in the evenings, on weekends, whenever it works for my guests. The conversations are raw, honest, and worth every minute.

As for funding, we’ve kept it lean and personal. My husband produces the show, and we utilize accessible tools like PodBean, Canva, and social media platforms to build the brand and spread the word. There’s no big studio or corporate backing; just a lot of heart, a clear message, and a belief that it matters.

We’re proving that you don’t need perfect conditions to start something meaningful. You just need to start.
 

Podcasting has given me more than I ever expected. It’s given me space to say the things that matter most, while I still can. It’s allowed me to honor the people I love, capture the lessons I’ve learned, and share something meaningful with the world; not someday, but now.

I gain clarity. I gain peace. I gain connection. Each episode is a reminder that my life has been full of purpose and people who made it matter. That’s a gift.

But maybe the most surprising thing I’ve gained is a sense of expansion. Even with a terminal diagnosis, this podcast makes my life feel bigger. I’m building something lasting. I’m leaving something behind. I’m living louder than I ever have.

And hearing from listeners who are calling their parents, reaching out to old friends, or saying things they’ve held in for too long? That’s when I know this work is doing exactly what I hoped it would.
 

The podcasting process for me is deeply personal and unusually clear-cut. Before I ever thought about recording a single episode, I had already written 74 letters, each one to a different person who shaped, challenged, supported, or inspired me throughout my life. Those letters were meant to be part of my legacy, my goodbyes.

But once I decided to share them while I’m still here, they became the blueprint for the podcast. I’m not starting from scratch. I have already mapped out 74 meaningful conversations. Each one has a purpose, a message, and a person I want to honor.

That gives me a rare advantage as a podcast host: no scrambling for guests, no guessing about content. I just need to create the time and space to bring them to life. My husband and I handle the production ourselves—recording through Descript, editing in-house, and sharing our content across platforms like YouTube, Apple Music, and Spotify via PodBean.

Every episode starts with intention. We reconnect, we talk, and I share the heart of the letter; what this person has meant to me and why they matter. It’s less about structure and more about truth. There’s nothing performative about it.

The process is as meaningful as the product. I’m not just making a podcast; I’m documenting a life, one conversation at a time.
 

We’re marketing the show with heart first, strategy second. This isn’t a mass-market podcast, but it could be. It’s more personal, purposeful, and intimate. We’ve built a marketing approach that reflects this.

Each guest receives a comprehensive suite of branded materials, including a run of show, a custom one-sheeter, and a social media toolkit featuring short clips, quotes, and suggested captions. We want it to feel like an experience, not just a recording. Most guests are deeply connected to me, so they’re motivated to share the episode with care and intention, and they do.

We post weekly clips on Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube, each tailored for its respective platform and highlighting a moment that feels honest, emotional, or thought-provoking. Our messaging stays consistent: this podcast is about legacy, love, and living on purpose.

We’re also reaching out to journalists, podcasters, and content creators in the cancer, coaching, leadership, and lifestyle spaces. The story behind Dying Out Loud resonates with people looking for more than entertainment. They’re looking for something real.
The truth is, we’re not chasing virality. We’re building a connection. And if we continue to show up with that in mind, the right audience will find us.
 

My biggest advice to new podcasters? Don’t wait for perfection. Don’t overthink the gear, the graphics, or the algorithm. Start with your voice, your story, your why. And build from there.

You don’t need to have it all figured out to start creating something meaningful. What matters most is intention. Know who you’re speaking to, know why it matters, and speak from that place every time you hit record.

And above all: do it today, while there is time. That’s my mantra. None of us is guaranteed the luxury of “someday.” Seize the moment in front of you. If there’s something you feel called to say, someone you want to honor, a story you want to tell, say it now. Share it now. The world needs your voice, not your perfection.

Podcasting is a powerful way to leave a lasting legacy. But more importantly, it’s a powerful way to show up right now.
 

You can learn more about Dying Out Loud by visiting www.DyingOutLoudPodcast.com, where we share full episodes, guest spotlights, and the story behind the show.
We’re active on social as well:

Instagram & YouTube – @dyingoutloudpodcast

TikTok – @dyingoutloudpodcast2025

To learn more about me personally and professionally, connect with me on LinkedIn:
linkedin.com/in/krissaim

Whether you listen to an episode, follow along, or simply share it with someone who needs it, thank you for being part of this journey.