Meet Jeff Foran

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeff Foran.

Hi Jeff, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started Strangeology in 2020, right at the beginning of the pandemic. Like a lot of people, I suddenly found myself spending more time at home and looking for a creative outlet. I’d always been fascinated by the strange and unexplained-cryptids, UFOs, paranormal encounters, ancient mysteries-and I decided to start an Instagram page where I could share those stories.

What began as a way to pass the time quickly became something much bigger. I discovered an entire community of people who shared that curiosity, and the page started gaining an audience faster than I expected. Connecting with people who had their own stories, questions, and experiences helped turn a personal interest into a project I wanted to keep building.

By the end of 2020, I decided to launch the Strangeology Podcast so I could explore Fortean subjects in much more depth. Social media was great for introducing a mystery, but the podcast gave me room to dig into its history, examine different explanations, and speak with researchers, authors, and people who had experienced something they couldn’t explain.

Today, the podcast is in its sixth year and approaching 100 episodes. Strangeology has grown into a platform spanning podcasting, video, social media, and merchandise, and it’s brought opportunities to interview fascinating people and speak at conferences like Contact in the Desert.

Looking back, it’s really wild to think this all started with an Instagram page during the lockdowns. At its heart, Strangeology is still driven by the same curiosity that inspired it in the first place: exploring unusual and unexplained stories, asking questions, and connecting with people who wonder what else might be out there.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely hasn’t been a completely smooth road. Strangeology started as a passion project, so one of the biggest challenges has been figuring out how to turn something I love into a sustainable business while keeping up with the creative work that made people connect with it in the first place.

There’s a lot that happens behind the scenes from researching stories, writing scripts, recording and editing, managing social media, and designing merchandise. For the most part this whole thing has just been me and my DIY work ethic. I’m also a father, so finding time for all of that and being present and focused with my family can be a challenge. I’m always working on balancing consistency with the time and care each story deserves.

Another struggle has been the unpredictability of building a business around online platforms. Having a large audience doesn’t automatically translate into steady income, and changes in algorithms or how content gets distributed can make it difficult to plan ahead. That’s pushed me to develop different parts of Strangeology, including the podcast, YouTube channel, merchandise, memberships, and sponsorships.

Covering the unexplained also comes with its own unique challenges. Thee subject I cover can and do attract strong opinions, and I want to leave room for curiosity while being thoughtful about the information I’m sharing. There’s a responsibility that comes with telling a story to a large audience.

I’m still figuring things out as I go, but connecting with people who love these subjects makes it all worthwhile for me. Seeing someone get excited about a story, sharing an experience, or discovering the podcast reminds me why I started.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Before Strangeology, my day job was in graphic design and marketing. Over the years, a lot of people have commented on how consistent and recognizable the Strangeology branding is, and that background is a big reason why. It’s also given me a way to combine my creative skills with a lifelong interest in the strange and unexplained.

Through Strangeology, I’m a podcaster, video creator, storyteller, and designer. I cover cryptids, UFO encounters, paranormal phenomena, ancient mysteries, and unusual history. My work ranges from short videos that introduce people to a bizarre story to podcast episodes where I can explore the details and interview authors, researchers, and witnesses.

I’d say I’m best known for making these subjects accessible and engaging. You don’t need to know the history of UFO research or what “Fortean” means to enjoy Strangeology. I want someone encountering a story for the first time to feel just as welcome as someone who’s been researching it for decades. I especially enjoy finding lesser-known accounts and details that surprise even people who already follow these topics.

What sets Strangeology apart is the combination of storytelling, visual design, and the range of subjects I explore. I bring that same creative approach to my merchandise, designing things that let people express their love of the weird. For me, the artwork, videos, and podcast are all connected parts of Strangeology.

What I’m most proud of is the community that’s grown around it. Something I started at home during the pandemic has connected me with people around the world and opened doors to conversations and speaking opportunities I never imagined. The numbers are exciting, but hearing that someone looks forward to an episode or feels comfortable sharing an unusual experience with me is especially meaningful. That connection is what makes me want to keep this thing going and bring it to new and exciting levels.

What were you like growing up?
I grew up in rural Vermont, and a lot of my childhood revolved around imagination and exploring. Like most kids who grew up in the mid-late 1980’s and early 1990’s, I loved cartoons, LEGO, and various action figures, but I also spent hours out in the woods building forts and seeing what I could discover.

Some of my favorite memories are sitting down with my parents to watch shows like Sightings, Unsolved Mysteries, reruns of In Search Of…, and TV specials about aliens, cryptids, and the paranormal. Those shows definitely helped spark a fascination with the unknown that’s stayed with me ever since. I loved the possibility that there might be more going on in the world than we realized, and that there were still mysteries waiting to be explored.

That curiosity carried over into reading, too. I gravitated a lot toward books in the school library about UFOs and Bigfoot, and I even did a report on the Loch Ness Monster in sixth grade. Looking back, the seeds of Strangeology were planted pretty early.

Personality-wise, I was a quiet, shy kid, which makes it funny that one of my favorite ways to play pretend was to imagine I was hosting my own radio or talk show. Years later, I have my own podcast and YouTube show, talking about the same mysteries that fascinated me back then and I periodically get recognized out in public. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was getting a little practice for what was to come.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.strangeology.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/strangeologypodcast
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/strangeology
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@strangeology
• Other: https://tiktok.com/@strangeology