In an inundated podcast market, it’s a rare show that resonates into full-on fandom amongst its listeners. But in the case of the Pour Minds podcast, the listener enthusiasm is reaching a fever pitch.

Now in its fifth 12 months, the show just reached 100,000 subscribers on YouTube and is within the midst of a multi-state live show tour, selling out at multiple stops. Its hosts just made an appearance on The Breakfast Club, were recently featured within the video for R&B group DVSN’s latest single, and incessantly selll out t-shirts featuring their scantily clad images. With a cult following akin to that of film or television shows, Pour Minds is primed for the following level.

Featuring each a weekly visual and audio-only element, the podcast is the brainchild of hosts Lex P and Drea Nicole (who each are likely to keep their full names out of the media), best friends who met while bartending in Houston’s gentleman’s club scene. The duo each had greater dreams than their Texas hometowns could handle so, armed with street smarts and communications degrees, they relocated to Atlanta one after the other to seek out the chance that might stick.

“At first, we began only a YouTube channel, and we were just doing the whole lot on there,” Lex told ESSENCE ahead of their first-ever live “For Wealthy or for Pour” show in NYC. “We were cooking, doing games, challenges after which we did something called Wine Down Wednesday. We were talking about hot topics and just drinking, and that just ended up being the thing that everyone form of just attached to.”

Wine Down Wednesday soon became a separate segment of its own, eventually changed into a podcast and re-dubbed Pour Minds, a nod to the constant flow of wine and honest conversation it inspires, where the women discussed evergreen topics coping with navigating life as a single working woman in the fashionable world, with a healthy dose of humor. Incorporating an advice segment, a weekly singalong, and the occasional guest, the ladies quickly found a success on their hands.

No topic is off the table with Pour Minds, from funds to fetishes, but one thing stays on the core of their conversation: finding and maintaining your power as a girl. Their live show, part real-time podcast part interactive variety show, is a protected space where fans can let out, have a drink, twerk a bit, and commiserate about their desires, issues, dating highs, and relationship woes away from society’s judgmental eye.

Though the weekly show is kind of obviously rooted in comedy for any regular listener, casual observers tend to form fast opinions about each the show’s hosts and material.

Drea and Lex, each well-groomed with makeup, lashes, slick baby hair and clad in body-hugging attire, already include a certain “IG-appeal” that prompts some people to evaluate a book by its cover. Couple that with a few of their more viral chatter about catching what they’ve dubbed BDBs (well-endowed, wealthy men), jet-setting etiquette, juggling men when dating, and running up the restaurant bill, an image easily gets painted that won’t necessarily tell the total story. But with their personal vision clear, the hosts take these misconceptions in stride.

“I believe a whole lot of people take Pour Minds as if we’re just gold diggers trying to return after men with money but, it’s not that,” Lex said of their show’s material. “It’s at all times been about empowering yourself as a girl and doing what you ought to do, unapologetically. So, if I would like so far the person with money, I’m going to do this. If I would like to be the person with money, I’m going to do this as well.”

“We’re not saying that your only goal must be so far a person with money,” Drea added. “After all, still get your personal bag, still make certain that you just are straight on your personal. But there’s nothing mistaken with wanting so far someone who’s capable of provide for you, who’s going to do nice things for you,” she continued, noting that it’s typical for other races of girls to be taught to hunt security when dating. “As Black women, we deserve that too.”

But make no mistake, the Pour girls provide for themselves just wonderful as well. The show is doing so well, the truth is, that every host has been capable of leave their “day jobs” and transition into podcasting full-time.

Running a lucrative business together with your best friend just isn’t for the faint of heart – because the fate of several other wildly popular podcasts have shown us lately – but Lex and Drea imagine they’ve found the formula that keeps each their friendship and their business intact.

“We will’t have a successful business if our personal relationship just isn’t good. We communicate with one another,” Drea said. “Mechanically, when you’ve a business together with your friend and also you’re in the general public eye in the best way that we’re, individuals are going to pit you against your friend. So y’all should be okay with having those uncomfortable conversations with one another and ensuring that you’re feeling no variety of way towards one another.”

“If we’re in a business meeting and we’re disagreeing on something, that doesn’t carry over to our friendship, Lex said. “When the meeting is finished, things are worked out after which, ‘Okay girl, it’s time to go to glad hour, let’s turn up.’ So I believe we’ve also done a very good job at separating the business and the friendship.”

Beyond doing the interpersonal work, the hosts say that maintaining consistency has been paramount for the expansion of their brand. In 4 years’ time, the show has only missed one weekly upload – nearly unheard of within the climate of podcast hiatuses and vacation breaks. And that consistency has garnered them the money and notoriety that gimmicks and tricks likely couldn’t have.

“That is what we’re enthusiastic about. We found what we actually liked, so it wasn’t really work. The cash’s going to return. A number of people get in podcasting because they think ‘Oh they’re making a living.’ We were never driven by money,” Lex said. “The primary two years no person was listening, but we still dropped every week. Some episodes would drop, and only 100 people would watch. It will get only 50 listens on the podcast app.”

Now, with fans within the a whole bunch of 1000’s and interest continually spiking, the ladies of Pour Minds are ready for the massive screen. Though they couldn’t disclose much, they’ve each scripted and unscripted television opportunities on the best way, including a show loosely based on their podcast journey. Alternatively, Drea just launched a beauty line of her own, Muse Beauty Collection, featuring lip glosses and liners in flattering nude shades.

“We never thought that it was going to be this in 1,000,000 years,” Lex said of their show’s success.

“I did,” Drea countered, laughing. “I knew eventually it was going to be this, I just didn’t think it was going to occur so quickly.”