Abigail - the about her podcast

hello friends! today you’re going to be hearing about Abigail o’neel, founder of the About her podcast. she is the kindest human you will ever meet. I hope you enjoy the interview!

Tell me a little bit about yourself & what you do. 

Hi, my name is Abigail O’Neel. I am, first and foremost, a follower of Jesus Christ, and consider it my primary aim to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. I am also married to my best friend, Caleb O’Neel, and am very passionate about encouraging and equipping women to love and live God’s very good design for their lives. I primarily seek to do this through everyday ministry in my local church, and through a podcast I launched in 2021 titled, The About Her Podcast. I also love to bake, read, ride around my small town on my cutesy little bike (yes, it does have a basket), and enjoy traveling with my husband. 

How did you get started with The About Her Podcast?

For the last four years, I have attended The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. At the seminary, I am finishing up a Masters of Divinity in Christian Ministry, and as a part of my M. Div. Program, I took a course in Systematic Theology with Dr. Stephen Wellum. One of the primary theological topics or categories that we covered is called Theological Anthropology, or the study of human beings and our relationship to God. I enjoyed studying topics like biblical womanhood and common issues women face prior to this course, but something clicked while watching these lectures and I knew immediately that I wanted to help educate and equip women to celebrate God’s design for our lives. I just want us to love and live that design faithfully in the home, in the church, and in society. The identity of women is constantly challenged by society, and we are given a variety of messages regarding how we ought to live, but I want to help women see that God has already given us direction on these issues. As a good friend and mentor of mine always says, “it is always a good idea to obey God” (Dr. Erin Shaw,  Episode One: A Biblical Theology of Womanhood).

What is your favorite part about the work you do?

I absolutely love connecting with like-minded men and women and learning from them. The more I learn, the more I realize I still have so much more to learn. I am always so honored when a guest I highly admire is willing to share their time and wisdom with me and the About Her community.

What’s the biggest challenge you’re facing in your business right now and how are you tackling it?

The number one challenge I run into weekly is the awkwardness of selling my “product.” Even though the podcast is not something that is purchased, I am still in the business of selling my content to a particular audience. I am far from a natural marketer and I often feel uncomfortable promoting the podcast with confidence. Each week, though, I gain more confidence, and I know the conversations we have over on The About Her Podcast are important. Instead of “selling” the podcast, I have come to view promotion as the art of convincing listeners that womanhood, hospitality, marriage, and theology are exciting topics absolutely worth their time. 

What is one piece of advice you’d give to someone who wants to start their own blog or podcast?

I would challenge this person to prepare well and to just be patient. I spent almost a full year praying over the podcast, planning the podcast, and networking with other men and women in the podcast community. It was difficult to keep such a fun project a secret for eleven months, but this intentional and purposeful preparation has set up the podcast for success and I am grateful that I did not rush this early preparation period.