You might have heard Payton Sartain’s Dear Media podcast, Note To Self, where she muses over wellness, business, dating and fashion. In one episode, she recommends “cool girl fashion brands” (spoiler: it includes NA-KD and Mango), in others, she decodes to “the art of under-analyzing” or waxes on “How to be hotter and less depressed.”
She’s also part of the rise of the WAG, as Sartain is the partner of Milwaukee Brewers pitcher, Joe Ross. She also just launched a new merch line that brings together her biggest passions; baseball, fashion and podcasting (you’ll hear her say “baseball is for the girls”).
Sartain’s new merch line includes a “Note To Self” jersey, a crewneck sweater and a trucker hat. “I feel like I’ve always really appreciated sports-related fashion,” said Sartain. “I created these items because its an ode to the sports culture that I found myself adjacent to within my relationship.”
Sartain first started a fashion and lifestyle blog in 2015 called Hustle + Halcon, but it transitioned to social media with the rise of Instagram, then developed her podcast, Note To Self. “It felt like podcasting was becoming a version of blogging, and I really missed the long form content, where you got to really create an idea and share something more long form,” she said. “That’s what I love about podcasts.”
She crafts each episode like an essay. “I want my audience to take something away from the episode, and use it to help them in some way,” said Sartain.
Podcasting has grown exponentially over the past few years, with women listening, as 48 percent of American podcast listeners are female. “You need to be passionate about the art of podcasting to really stand out,” said Sartain. “There needs to be some piece of advice that might change the way someone thinks. You have to have something to say.”
She doesn’t consider herself an interviewer, but more of a conversationalist. “I like to carve out a comfortable space where I’m not asking you a bunch of questions, but it ebbs and flows,” said Sartain.
She joined Dear Media podcasts in 2022 after meeting with the co-founders, Lauryn and Michael Bosstick (of Skinny Confidential). “When I first started Notes To Self, it was actually just me with a crappy little microphone from Amazon in my own apartment, drinking a glass of wine, talking to myself,” she said. “I just piecemealed it together just to see what was going to happen.”
Her podcast is “female first,” she notes, and has had fashion world figures like curve model Raeann Langas, brand consultant Kristina Zias and Aureum brand founder Cass DiMicco as guests. “I am a staunch feminist, so I use my platform a lot to try to empower women to share themselves with the world,” said Sartain.
“Note To Self is my truth, it’s my story, and I want to share it. I hope that it helps other women live their truth and their story.”
Listeners hear about her life as a baseball WAG, and she also shares tips on how to wear baseball style.“As more women enter the sports space, we really embrace the lifestyle and the culture of sports and I think style is a huge part of that,” said Sartain.
She loves pairing up a trench coat with a white tee, mini skirt and a baseball hat for a game. Dressing as a WAG is not about dressing up to the nines, though. “Baseball style is very simple and attainable for anyone,” she said.
More women are paying attention to sports because of the WAGs we’re seeing on the sidelines today, and how they’re carving out a space on reality TV, too. “I think sometimes it can seem like the WAGs are on the sidelines, but my experience has been the opposite,” she said.
“The women WAGs I’ve met are the backbone of their households. I think many male athletes thank their WAGs for giving them the space to live out their dreams, and giving them the support for that.”
She plans to expand her merch line and continue growing the podcast. For women who look up to Sartain, and want to start their own podcast, she advises them to “just go for it.”
“You just have to start it,” said Sartain. “Choose a name, start the podcast. If you have to adjust it as you move forward, then do it.”
She adds: “You learn what you like that you don’t like. What’s more you, what’s less you. Give yourself grace to get to the point you want to reach, because it might take some time to really find your voice.”