Nadine Lauffer: Fearlessly Different Podcast

Nadine Lauffer is a 20-year-old entrepreneur, who started a podcast called “How to Homeschool in Highschool” when she was 17-years-old and a very passionate homeschooled junior in high school. When asked about what inspired her to start the podcast, she said, “The podcast started with just a prompt from my dad. He said that if I loved homeschooling so much (which I did) then I should use that love to help others. The podcast really turned into a way to encourage homeschooling families to see the opportunities an alternate education gives a student, and overcome a lot of the stereotypes that are on homeschooling, such as a lack of social skills, and not being prepared for college. I saw a lot of families that were living in fear when it came to homeschooling and I wanted to help them to have a vision of what it could look like and also have many stories of success at their fingertips whenever they were feeling discouraged. It’s also very important for students to have a vision of what the future could look like and so I wanted to talk with as many impressive and encouraging homeschoolers as possible.”

The podcast was immediately a hit amongst her local homeschool group, but it soon expanded much further. She began interviewing prominent education figures and homeschooler entrepreneurs across the country. For example, she was invited to speak at the 2024 Great Homeschool Convention, which is a national homeschool convention in Cincinnati, Ohio. She got the opportunity to speak to and encourage many homeschooling families there. Additionally, she got to interview the brilliant curriculum developers Andrew Pudewa (Institute for Excellence in Writing, IEW), and Dr. Jay Wile (Berean Builders, a science curriculum). Furthermore, she was interviewed by The Epoch Times magazine, in an article titled “Teen Breaks Homeschooling Stereotypes, Reveals How It Strengthened Her Family Bond, Confidence, and Faith.”

Miss Lauffer was able to share her passion for education, faith, and homeschooling with her podcast. In 2024, she rebranded to the “Fearlessly Different Podcast” after graduating high school. Her message stayed the same: “Our message is to inspire a generation of COURAGEOUS students! Now, more than ever we need students brave enough to pursue a God-honoring education and STAND FOR THE TRUTH!” She has encouraged and inspired thousands of students and families to embrace their own education journeys with this podcast.

I had the opportunity to interview Miss Lauffer about her experience as a Gen-Z entrepreneur. She stated, “I think as a Gen-Z entrepreneur, you are given so many resources to take your dream very far; Further than most people in previous generations were able to do from home, and while being so young. I think the thing that has helped me the most, when growing my podcast was just being able to understand the technology behind it, and I learned very quickly. Then, also being able to access resources, like YouTube and other podcasts, helped me build my podcast from the ground up without having to have to take a class or have a teacher. Overall, I think now is one of the best opportunities to be an entrepreneur for any young person. And I also found that when I reached out to people and shared my vision, almost all of them are willing to help me or give time to me. They want to see us as a generation, stepping up and chasing our dreams in that way. The one downside that I had to overcome as I did my podcast was just my lack of interpersonal communication skills. I think because we live in a digital age it is a little bit more of a challenge for us to have meaningful conversations. As a podcaster, I had to learn communication skills very quickly. So I think as a generation to overcome our weaknesses, the best thing we can do for ourselves is to start a business or launch some thing that we’re passionate about, and then not be afraid to chase it.

Miss Lauffer currently attends Grove City College and is majoring in Physics. She continues to inspire and encourage her peers, just as she does with her podcast.

I am personally inspired by Miss Lauffer, as I have been close friends with her since 2018. Seeing her grow in her journey as a Gen-Z entrepreneur has been amazing to witness. She truly is a light in this world, and I consider it an honor to watch how God has and continues to move in her life. 

Check out her linktr.ee HERE. Find her on Instagram at “FearlesslyDifferent.Pod”