Just Fame got a chance to interview Mario Maitland aka Rio, host of the well-known podcast series What’s Next With Rio. We got insights into his journey of podcasting, his source of inspiration and much more!
Q. Welcome to Just Fame! How are you doing?
Mario Maitland: I’m doing well, excited to talk with you guys!
Q. We loved your podcast trailer which features Mario Maitland i.e. You! It was amazing! What is Mario Maitland’s aka Rio’s personal story if you could share that with our readers?
Mario Maitland: Yeah, thank you, so I’m a young man from Long Island, NY and later spent some time in Daytona Beach, FL as a teen. I’m a University of Kentucky Alumni as well, I’m someone who possess lots of interests about the world. I love all things from sports to music to even history. I think that definitely played a part in how I structured my podcast, as you know it is often known by many to have a niche or one topic/theme when you create a podcast, I kinda said screw that, I have so many interests in different things that I’m just gonna make it feature different topics and individuals from all types of sectors of life. But I always was fond of podcasts, they are truly helpful and quite underrated in my eyes. You can learn so much from Podcasts, I always wanted to make my own, just wasn’t sure when or how to do so. I took advantage of attending college itself and took some podcast and film classes, which helped me get to where I am today. I wanted to do something that would make the world a better place, inspiring others came to mind so I kinda went with that.
Q. Please tell us about your wonderful podcast series What’s Next With Rio. And how did you embark on this journey of podcasting?
Mario Maitland: What’s Next with Rio can be for just about anyone, inspiration has power to me. Everyone who has been successful in their life has been inspired by someone or something. I wanted to create a platform where I can continue that endless chain of inspiration. I do this by interviewing guests from all over the world and let them tell their inspiring stories!
Q. You bring amazing guests on your platform. What kind of research do you do in order to have an amazing pool of talented guests on your podcast series?
Mario Maitland: Well, I believe that everyone has a story, regardless of what you do right, so it’s my job to find that story and then lead my guest to share it on the show. That’s where my research from my end comes in, you know. I can’t tell you how many times people would come up to me or message and ask to be on my show, I would always ask well what’s your story right? And sometimes people believe they don’t have a story, and that’s totally okay! Well, that’s where I come in, I do my research on the respective individual and find their story for them. The research part of it can be challenging or it may be simple if just depends, I try to dig deep about my guests through their social platforms and even mutual friends.
Q. What motivates you in your daily life?
Mario Maitland: I would say having a purpose in life, having an effect on society ya know, if I die tomorrow, I want to be remembered for what I did for others in the world. I want to have an impact on the world you know. I want to leave a legacy behind you know.
Q. Any ritual or daily mantra that you follow in order to stay creative?
Mario Maitland: Hmm.. nah not really, I mean I think creativity is one of my gifts given from God. Maybe because I have a wandering and curious brain. Ideas just kinda hit me out of the blue, I can be watching a YouTube video or walking my dog and a creative idea can pop in my head you know. It’s sorta scary to me at times, but I know it’s something that truly helps with who I am and what I can achieve in the future. I also think my curiosity makes me so creative, I want to know so many things, I will call friends and ask them questions about how they do something so well and apply their strengths to my life, or even ask my guests on my episodes, whether it’s something I want to know or something that is bugging me, I always ask! So my curiosity might be the answer you’re looking for.
Q. Whom would you like to bring on your platform in the upcoming episodes of your podcast?
Mario Maitland: To be honest, that’s a great question, I can tell you my team and I have a long list of individuals that we want and have already invited to the show. I mean it’s a pretty long list! There are lots of people I want to talk to, and we’ve got it all set up and ready to go. I don’t want to give out any spoilers just yet right. It’s just so interesting to me because I believe that every human being has a story regardless of what they do or where they come from, you know. But I want to continue my trend of having different individuals from different careers on my show. It’s awesome because I can be talking to a premier athlete one episode and the next episode be talking to a doctor or musician, I mean it’s just fascinating. I’ll tell you this though, I’ll give a little teaser out there for the fans, for my season 1 finale I will be joined by my older brother, Malik Maitland, who is a professional basketball player in Zamora Spain, he’s looking to take a shot at the NBA G-LEAGUE in the next year or two. It’ll be a fun one for sure. Getting to tell his story on my platform, I know the fans will love that.
Q. Your style is very conversational and inspiring. Any tips you would like to share about podcasting for aspiring young artists?
Mario Maitland: Yeah, of course, I mean for me I wanted to create an easy-going environment for me and my guest. I leaned away from having more of the dramatic interviews you might see in the news every now and then. I wanted to create an environment so comfortable that my guests feel as if they’re talking to their friends or family. I want my guests to trust me! That way the audience can see their true personality regardless of what questions are being asked. My tips for young podcasters out there would be to be great listeners and if you have a special guest come on your podcast, make them comfortable, it can happen by building a mini relationship with them before having them on or as simple as starting the show out with a funny and interesting question. My last advice is to just take it one episode at a time, strive for any type of growth! Whether it’s one extra follower on your listening stream or one extra subscriber on YouTube, always celebrate growth because that means you’re doing something.
Q. What’s next? Which other projects are you working on now?
Mario Maitland: I’m a guy with lots of big dreams man, there’s a lot that I want to do. I want to finish out my first season of What’s next with Rio, which will end at the 19th episode. If you were wondering why 19, it’s because the number 19 is so significant to me, it’s always been my favorite number since I could remember, I just think it truly represents me and who I am right, as my birthdate is 9/19/1999, yeah lots of nines in there, so you can see I’ve always been keen of the number 9 itself. I know I’m getting a little off track but like I said there’s lots of things I want to do. After this season, My team and I will be launching the What’s Next with Rio Podcast Website Online. We will also be preparing for lots of intriguing guests to join the show for season 2, a fresh rebranding of our content, along with a potential app launch and an Instagram apparel shop. So lots of big things are on the way.
Q. Finally, as we ask all our guests on Just Fame, do you have any closing thoughts that you would like to share with the world and our readers?
Mario Maitland: Of course, this is just the beginning, and I’m sure of it. I’m truly excited to see this podcast continue to grow, if you feel like you have a story to share, I’m only a message away on social media platforms. Other than that, readers remember that Inspiration is Power!
University of Kentucky Alumni, Mario Maitland also known as “Rio” is the host of this video podcast. Maitland is joined by a special guest every episode. Throughout the series, each special guest comes from different avenues and career pathways. What’s Next with Rio Podcast series features promising and established athletes, entrepreneurs, musicians, and scholars. Maitland interviews these bright individuals through a video platform and gives them an opportunity to tell their significant story on how they got to where they are now. Maitland demands his guests to also explain what is coming up next in their journey. The main mission for this podcast is solely to inspire the younger generation and everyday working people to not only strive for their dreams but also be the best humans that they can be.
