Podcast Summary: InnerFrench – E100 “L’équipe répond à vos questions !”
Podcast: InnerFrench
Host(s): Hugo, Ingrid, Anna
Episode: 100 – L’équipe répond à vos questions !
Date: September 10, 2021
Overview
To celebrate the 100th episode of InnerFrench, Hugo is joined by Ingrid and Anna to answer questions from their audience. Listeners submitted over a hundred questions covering podcast production, language learning methodologies, community building, team organization, personal language journeys, and more. The team addresses as many as possible, offering an engaging behind-the-scenes look at InnerFrench and sharing personal reflections and future ambitions.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Opening & Listener Tribute (00:07–05:35)
- The episode opens with congratulations and gratitude for reaching 100 episodes.
- Listener Highlight: Migui, a musician from Spain living in Geneva, shares a heartfelt song he composed while learning French and delivering food, expressing how InnerFrench aided his progress and kept him motivated.
- Quote (Migui’s song):
“Avec toi j’améliore ma compréhension. Je t’écoute en faisant la livraison à vélo.”
(04:00)
- Quote (Migui’s song):
2. Behind the Scenes: How the Podcast Is Made (05:41–11:37)
- Team Workflow: Since Ingrid joined, podcast creation is highly collaborative, adapting topics based on current events, personal interests, and listener feedback.
- Editorial Meetings: Regular editorial meetings (“réunions édito”) determine subjects for upcoming episodes.
- Research: Each member conducts research through favorite news sources like Le Monde and Slate, and through documentaries and videos.
- Writing & Recording: For conversational episodes, they use an outline and improvise (“on se laisse un peu guider”), instead of scripting every word.
- Post-production: Sound engineer Chris cleans and edits audio.
- Transcription & Vocab: Anna handles transcriptions, English glossaries, and last checks before publication.
- Time Commitment: Scripted episodes can take a week to a month to prepare, as balancing creativity and logistics takes time.
- Quote (Ingrid):
“C’est difficile, même je pense pour les journalistes… d’écrire sur un sujet pendant plus de quatre heures d’affilée.” (10:46)
- Quote (Ingrid):
3. Lessons from Success & Sustainability (11:42–15:22)
- Podcast Longevity: Answering Jessie’s question about what makes a successful, durable podcast, Hugo warns against “le biais du survivant”—the mistaken belief that personal success formulas always translate.
- Quote (Hugo):
“Moi, j’ai l’impression que c’est parce qu’il répond vraiment à un besoin.” (12:28)
- Quote (Hugo):
- Advice: Choose a format that entertains you and fills a market need. Having an engaged team boosts creativity and motivation.
- Podcast vs. Video: YouTube’s algorithm can bring in new listeners, but podcasts are superior for building loyalty and intimacy with the audience.
4. Team Communication & Organization (15:23–19:08)
- Language Used: The team communicates mainly in French.
- Weekly Planning: Monday meetings cover week’s tasks and ensure fair division of work.
- Remote Collaboration: The process is a “work in progress,” as they learn to coordinate remotely.
- Transparency: Teamwork is highly collaborative, and everyone has both shared and individual responsibilities.
5. Tracking Popularity & Listener Data (19:09–19:51)
- Podcasts tend to have consistent listenership across episodes; no “viral” spikes due to lack of a platform algorithm like on YouTube.
- Most-listened Episode: The very first episode, as most listeners naturally start there. Recent hits include episodes about French humor and vaccines.
6. Looking Forward: Future of InnerFrench (19:52–27:54)
- Courses for Advanced Learners: Many ask about C1/C2 level materials. The team explains the challenge: at this stage, learners benefit more from native-level input and personalized work than from generic courses.
- Quote (Hugo):
“Créer davantage de leçons vidéo… ne serait pas forcément très utile.” (21:53)
- Quote (Hugo):
- Advanced Content Direction: The team plans to introduce more technical/conversational episodes and expert interviews, gradually increasing the naturalness and speed of speech.
- Recommendation: The Radio France app is suggested for advanced-level authentic content.
- Language Mastery Philosophy: At the advanced stage, stop “being a student” and focus on using French as a tool—engage directly in reading, listening, and conversation.
7. Social Media and Building Community (27:55–35:35)
- No Instagram/Facebook: The team prefers not to contribute to distractions or mental health issues linked to these platforms, focusing instead on podcast and YouTube.
- Quote (Hugo):
“Je ne suis pas convaincu, au niveau pédagogique, de la pertinence de ces réseaux sociaux.” (29:16)
- Quote (Hugo):
- Community Alternative: Enrolled students access a private Circo platform—a mini social network for sharing resources and organizing French-speaking meetups.
- Immersion Program Wish: Listeners propose an in-person immersion course in France. Ingrid expresses enthusiasm, but logistics and the pandemic are obstacles for now.
8. Expanding the InnerFrench Community (34:26–35:36)
- Growth Focus: Instead of branching onto new platforms, the main goal is regular content—especially more frequent YouTube videos and encouraging listener interaction through comments and possible meet-ups.
9. Personal Reflections and Language Journeys (35:36–47:49)
- Each team member shares the languages they speak, reflecting on the personal and professional impact of multilingualism.
- Life-Altering Languages:
- Anna: French (opened most opportunities, increased tolerance and openness).
- Hugo: English (essential for global communication and media consumption, even his relationship).
- Ingrid: English (gateway to travel, relationships, professional life).
- Listener Curiosities:
- Hugo’s past as a DJ: old mixtapes as “Nord Nord” are still online. (42:18)
- Future team plans: hopeful for a real-life retreat/team-building week.
- Book recommendations: an InnerFrench book club podcast is planned.
- Hugo confirms he is still vegan, and jokes about brushing his teeth as a daily habit.
- Bucket list highlights: Ingrid wants to write a novel, Anna dreams of taking a diving class, Hugo wants to learn Japanese and play Chopin on piano.
Notable Quotes & Moments
-
Migui’s Tribute Song (Listener):
“Avec toi j’améliore ma compréhension. Je t’écoute en faisant la livraison à vélo.” (04:00) -
On What Makes a Great Podcast:
“Ce qui a marché pour nous ne marche pas forcément pour les autres.” — Hugo (12:20) -
On Teamwork:
“Moi je le vois vraiment comme quelque chose de collaboratif.” — Hugo (17:32) -
On Advanced Learners:
“À ces niveaux-là, vous êtes déjà capables de comprendre les contenus pour les natifs… Il faut vraiment travailler de manière individuelle.” — Hugo (21:53) -
On Social Media:
“Je ne pense pas qu’on soit capable de faire du contenu vraiment de qualité au niveau pédagogique sur Instagram.” — Hugo (29:40) -
On Language and Life:
“Connaître la deuxième langue étrangère… c’est vraiment une grande qualité… grâce à toutes les langues étrangères que je connais, que je suis devenue plus tolérante, plus ouverte.” — Anna (39:00) -
On InnerFrench’s Future:
“Notre priorité, c’est vraiment d’avoir une vraie régularité au niveau de la fréquence de publication.” — Hugo (34:43)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 00:07 – Episode introduction, team welcome
- 04:00 – Migui’s listener song
- 05:41 – Julia asks about team’s workflow and episode production
- 11:42 – Jessie asks about keys to podcast longevity
- 15:23 – Bora asks about team communication and organization
- 19:09 – Listener data: most popular episodes and statistics
- 20:12 – Benjamin asks about advanced (C1/C2) resources
- 24:34 – Advanced learner strategies & authentic resources
- 27:55 – Laetitia asks why InnerFrench isn’t on Instagram
- 31:08 – David asks about InnerFrench community and practicing with others
- 34:26 – Mahad asks about future community growth
- 35:36 – Personal language skills and journeys
- 38:56 – Life-changing languages for each team member
- 41:21 – Announcement of future expatriate/immersion episode theme
- 42:18 – DJ Nord Nord: Hugo’s musical past
- 43:48 – Plans for InnerFrench team retreat
- 44:04 – Favorite books & hints for book club
- 44:58 – Hugo confirms he’s still vegan
- 45:11 – Daily habits
- 45:55 – Bucket list dreams: novel, diving course, Japanese, Chopin
- 47:49 – Thank you & closing remarks
Conclusion
Episode 100 is a lively, revealing Q&A full of gratitude for loyal listeners. The InnerFrench team offers candid insights into their production process, ethical choices (like avoiding certain social media), community management, and the realities of language learning at all levels. Conversational, encouraging, and occasionally humorous, this episode is a warm celebration of the show’s journey so far and a roadmap for its future.
For more information or to find transcripts, visit innerfrench.com/podcast.
