Why Fill’Expats by Kelly Barichello Is the Podcast Every Francophone Expat Should Hear
I created the podcast Fill’Expats on my own during the many hours of lockdown in 2020. Before lockdown, I was going through that famous “quarter-life crisis.” I wanted to quit my job as a project manager in the steel industry at a large Canadian company and move to the Caribbean to open a beer bar. No one around me understood what I wanted to do. I felt very alone.
So, I decided to connect with other women who had made the radical decision to change their lives and explore the world. Since I was an avid podcast listener, I thought it would be great to share those conversations to inspire other women—and men—who might be going through the same phase of life.
Now, almost three years later, with over 100 interviews across more than 80 countries, the podcast is listened to by 75% women, most of whom are between 28 and 34 years old and living in France.
Every week, I receive messages from women who tell me they feel less alone and more supported. That’s what motivates me to keep producing this podcast.
My audience is 60% based in France and 40% living outside the country. It’s made up primarily of French-speaking women. What makes this audience unique is that they either live abroad or dream of doing so. This lifestyle isn’t always considered the norm in our society, so when they listen to the podcast, they either feel inspired to pursue that dream or feel seen and understood if they’re already living it.
My number of unique listeners continues to grow each month. Recently, I asked my audience why they keep tuning in and what they’d love to hear more of. Here’s what they shared:
• “I feel close to you, Kelly, and your joy and positivity during your conversations with guests really lift my spirits.”
• “I love your authenticity.”
• “I don’t have any particular requests—everything you create interests me, so just keep going as you are.”
• “I’d love to continue discovering countries that are rarely talked about.”
Compared to other French-language podcasts about travel and expatriation, Fill’Expats is truly unique for several reasons:
1. It’s the only one that gives a voice exclusively to women.
2. It’s the only one that has explored so many countries around the world.
3. It’s the only one that features women aged 18 to 75.
4. It’s the only one hosted by a woman who has experienced solo expatriation for over 10 years and holds dual French-Canadian nationality.
5. It’s the only one that organizes in-person meetups for expat women to help build a supportive community. (Okay, I’ll stop here 
)
Vinnie Potestivo, Editor-in-Chief of
I Have A Podcast®
