Gratitude Geek Wins Two 2026 Marketing Podcast Network Awards
Long-running podcast hosted by Kandas Rodarte earns Best MPN Show and Diversity & Inclusion honors
MUSKEGON, Mich. — August 15, 2026 — Gratitude Geek, the podcast hosted by digital marketing pioneer Kandas Rodarte, has received two honors in the 2026 Marketing Podcast Network Awards: Best MPN Show and Diversity & Inclusion.
The awards recognize Gratitude Geek among a group of leading marketing podcasts that includes Uncensored CMO with Jon Evans, winner of Best B2C Show and Best Marketing Show, and Marketing School with Neil Patel and Eric Siu, winner of Best Thought Leadership. The complete list of winners is available from the Marketing Podcast Network.
“I started Gratitude Geek in 2014 because I wanted to have interesting conversations with groovy people and learn new things,” said Rodarte. “Twelve years, more than 300 episodes, and one metastatic breast cancer diagnosis later, I’m still yapping and learning. Winning two MPN Awards is both surreal and deeply meaningful.”
Rodarte joined the Marketing Podcast Network in November 2025. The network is a curated collective of business and marketing podcasts serving entrepreneurs, business leaders, and marketing professionals. Rodarte joined because of its alignment with Gratitude Geek’s relationship-first approach to marketing: building genuine connections rather than chasing transactions.
The 2026 MPN Awards were open to eligible marketing podcasts, not only shows within the MPN network. Entries were judged on contribution to the craft, production excellence, quality of guests, publishing consistency, and innovative ideas. More information is available at the 2026 MPN Awards site, https://mpn-awards.com.
For Rodarte, the Diversity & Inclusion recognition holds particular significance.
“As an Asian American woman living with metastatic breast cancer, that award is especially meaningful,” Rodarte said. “Gratitude Geek has always made room for useful conversations with people whose expertise and lived experience may not fit the default setting of mainstream business media. Better business conversations happen when more people get to be heard.”
Since launching in 2014, Gratitude Geek has featured more than 300 conversations on marketing, visibility, business systems, chronic illness, disability, resilience, mental health, authenticity, community, and building a business around an actual life. The show serves Gen X women solopreneurs and other business owners seeking practical, sustainable, relationship-driven growth.
Listeners can find Gratitude Geek on their preferred podcast platform or at GratitudeGeek.com.
About Kandas Rodarte
Kandas Rodarte is a digital marketing pioneer, podcast host, and community builder based in Muskegon, Michigan. She is the host of Gratitude Geek and co-host of Sci-Fi Book Pod. A metastatic breast cancer thriver with more than 30 years of entrepreneurial experience, Rodarte creates spaces for women to co-create and collaborate in the modern marketing landscape.
About Gratitude Geek
Gratitude Geek is a small business education podcast hosted by Kandas Rodarte. Since 2014, the show has explored how gratitude, authentic relationships, visibility, systems, resilience, and community can help entrepreneurs build businesses that support real lives. New episodes are released weekly.
