Today Andrew Johnstone & Alicia Britt, the creators of Seemingly Unrelated Podcast share their story of history podcast.

► Tell us about you and your podcast

Andrew is a lecturer in media studies and history with past positions at King’s College London and University of Glasgow. Alicia is a puppeteer with credits from Marvel, Sega, and LNER. We both worked together on a project to help teach medical students in London how to be better doctors through arts education practices.

There is something deep within both of us to explore that sort of “outside of the box” approach to pretty much everything in life. Which is the nutshell of Seemingly Unrelated.

Every episode looks at something completely ordinary (eg. mini-golf, The Three Little Pigs, spelling bees) and follows the historical data to uncover something impactful or revealing (eg. origins of the debate on trans athletes, the defeat of the Roman Empire by the Parthians, the growth of South and South East Asian immigration to the United States since 2000).

Andrew has all the research and narrative on hand while Alicia sits in for the audience asking probing questions and providing fun insights.

The tone is light even when topics like slavery come up. It really is the answer to the question ‘why is history so boring?’ Because history has nothing to do with dates and names and everything to do with understanding why we do what we do everyday.

Our listeners tend to be university educated, and in search for ongoing learning to satisfy their curiosity. The kind of people who actually went to class or at least liked to hang around and soak up thoughtful chat with other students. The gender divide is 50/50 and the age range is about 1/3 in the 25-40 year old category with the 17-25 and 65+ taking up equal numbers in 2nd place. The UK and India are our largest markets with Ireland in 3rd followed closely by the USA.

► Why & how did you start this podcast?

Andrew was a podcast critic for the AV Club’s Podmass column in the early 2010s as well as the host of Podcast Squared (a podcast about other podcasts). Alicia just loves listening to any kind of podcast she can get her hands on.

The format felt natural for the subject because it definitely needs more time to breathe than can be covered in a 60 second Tiktok video, and the conversational aspect of sharing personal experiences or asking questions about the nature of the subject are really important. There are plenty of factsheets and lectures to tell you want to think about these topics but Seemingly Unrelated opens the door to asking you what you think about it.

The goal in a broader sense was always to find those ‘a ha!’ moments and to get the listeners to have their own ‘no way, what?’ experiences. There’s something magical about doing this work and building these stories out and it is deeply satisfying to see someone furiously googling while listening to learn even more about the subject.

From a practical standpoint, there’s never been an interest in earning much off the show, just enough to sustain paying for editing and marketing services so neither of us needs to pay out of pocket.

The show started in October 2024. The first recording session was in August of 2023. Just over a year of back and forth over what works, what doesn’t. We initially recorded 10 episodes so that we had a lead on the release schedule. We continue to adhere to that logic and currently make seasons completely before setting about to release them.

► How’d you find the time and funding to do this podcast?

The first batch of episodes was funded by Andrew out of pocket, the next patch through a generous donation from a listener. Season 3 was put together with some additional funding Andrew was able to drum up combined with Patreon subscriptions. The next batch of episodes has grant funding from the University of Glasgow although that may not be sufficient to cover the entire cost.

One episode takes:

• ~30 hours to research

• ~5 hours to script

• ~2 hours to record

• ~8 hours to edit

• ~2 hours to release (show notes, bibliography, exporting and upload etc)

Roughly 47 hours per episode split between three members of staff. For a single season, which includes 7 regular episodes, 2 bonus episodes, and 7 interviews that comes out to: ~450 hours.

We all integrate podcasting into our jobs. For Alicia, it’s another creative outlet which she can use for her credits and to promote her puppetry work and research. For Andrew, this is how media gets made and how research gets done so any lecturer should know how it works.

Cost wise, we look at 10,000 GBP to put a season together. Season 1 was much less expensive as we figured out the rhythms but it had no marketing, and far less lead up and editing time.

► What do you gain from podcasting?

Aside from personal satisfaction, the professional benefit for an academic and an artist is immediate. This is our brand. Andrew can be seen as something other than an ivory tower elitist generating obscure knowledge and Alicia can be seen as a serious researcher applying her arts trade to academic pursuits.

We have no sponsors. Not that we are against the idea necessarily, there just has yet to be a need to pursue any and neither of us is very experienced in that field.

According to our Podscan analytics, we have around 1200 listeners on a regular basis. This matches the analytics data I can see across various applications and from our host site. This is up substantially from season 2 where our listenership was roughly 300 regularly. The reason for this is likely down to more consistency in branding of our Season 3 content and a theme which is more relevant to the current news cycle regarding gender.

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► How does your podcasting process look like?

Tools: Riverside.fm to record as we all live in different places. Microphone for me is an SM58 run through a Behringer U-Phoria UMC22 USB audio interface. Alicia uses a Rode wireless lapel set up which is helpful for her live performances with puppetry as well. Episodes all contain video (Logi 1080p webcams) so that we can have subtitles for the HoH and d/Deaf community. Editing therefore is done on Adobe Premiere Pro.

Episode Prep- Andrew is in charge of pre-production. Conceptualization is fully in his hands and he generates ideas for seasons and episodes through his persistent exploration of books and other cultural artifacts. The ideas are pitched to Alicia and producer Naomi who help to narrow the research parameters and Andrew begins a literature review on each accepted subject. The literature review informs the potential guests for interviews (authors of material researched, people who resemble the subjects found within the literature, etc) which then passes responsibility to Alicia and Naomi to reach out to guests.

Questions for interview subjects are informed by a thematic analysis of the literature as well as any additional resources Andrew needed to better understand the core subject. Once interviews are conducted, the narrative should be clear based on Naomi’s review of the interviews and Andrew’s themes. Alicia is then responsible for the conditioning of the narrative into an approachable draft script.

Recording sessions include a dry run rehearsal of scripted material, then the script is recorded, a discussion follows about what topics are the most interesting to explore in depth based on personal experience and additional material in the research report. The discussion then flows naturally without a script.

In the edit, Naomi is in charge of a first draft, Andrew and Alicia provide notes, Naomi produces a 2nd draft, Andrew finalises.

► How do you market your show?

I think...poorly? I have no idea how anyone finds the show. We have socials (insta, tiktok, facebook, linkedin, Youtube shorts, Substack, Linktree, all of it) and they have small followings in terms of subscribers but the engagement numbers don’t match our listenership.

We’ve been putting the show out on things like Podnews and Listen Notes so I imagine that explains it a bit. We’re not the people to give advice on marketing, more of a production focused group.

► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?

Just care about the subject and the audience more than anything.

So much talk is about “owning” the audience and really, if that’s what you want to do, don’t start a podcast. Get a job that involves marketing. You might go crazy with the amount of work it takes to do all of that AND make a show regularly.

Every season, we all have such a blast doing the research, doing the production, making the episodes, having a revealing and fascinating chat, and getting any feedback or engagement from the audience. That’s what pushes the show forward and it’s really essential to making a podcast work.

► Where can we learn more about you & your podcasts?

@SeeminglyUnrelatedpod on all the socials
Youtube.com/SeeminglyUnrelated

The big one is Patreon.com/SeeminglyUnrelated or www.seeminglyunrelatedpod.com

We do a lot of bonus material on the Patreon. New episodes every month, early release on all seasons, the full length interviews instead of the snippets in the regular episodes, etc. It’s a lot of content for $5/month and it comes out every month even between seasons so really the best would be if you sign up for a free trial, give it a test, and then stick around for more episodes and seasons as they come.

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Today Dr. Aaron Tabacco, the creator of Circles | Edges shares his story of philosophy podcast.

► Tell us about you and your podcast

Circles | Edges is a reflective late-night radio-style podcast exploring the patterns, relationships, uncertainties, and thresholds that shape our lives and identities. Each episode invites listeners into thoughtful conversations about the human experience — friendship, belonging, family, transition, memory, selfhood, grief, meaning, and the quiet moments that change us over time.

The show is hosted by Dr. Aaron Tabacco, an executive coach, organizational development leader, educator, and writer whose professional work has centered on human development, leadership, learning, and relational dynamics across complex systems and communities. While those experiences inform the depth of the conversations, Circles | Edges is intentionally not a professional advice podcast or a self-help program. It is designed more as a contemplative companion — a place for reflection, curiosity, and thoughtful inquiry.

The title reflects the central structure of the show. “Circles” represent the recurring patterns, relationships, identities, and systems that shape our lives. “Edges” represent the invitations, tensions, thresholds, and opportunities for growth that emerge within them. Episodes often blend philosophy, psychology, storytelling, cultural reflection, and deeply human questions in a format inspired by the intimacy and atmosphere of late-night talk radio.

Listeners tend to be thoughtful, introspective people drawn to emotionally intelligent and intellectually grounded conversations. Many are professionals, creatives, caregivers, educators, healthcare workers, leaders, or lifelong learners seeking a quieter and more reflective alternative to highly performative or optimization-focused media. The audience includes people navigating periods of transition, identity exploration, uncertainty, grief, change, or personal growth, as well as those simply looking for meaningful companionship and reflection during the quieter hours of life.

► Why & how did you start this podcast?

I started Circles|Edges out of a growing sense that many people are hungry for slower, more reflective conversations than most modern media environments reward. So much public discourse now feels optimized for speed, certainty, outrage, branding, or performance. I wanted to create something quieter and more human, something that felt more like companionship than content. The world also feels oppressive and dark right now. Anxiety is creeping up for many. In my youth in the 80s, late-night talk radio often offered stillness, presence, and calm. I think these are incredibly valuable and needed.

So the format was inspired by the atmosphere of that late-night talk radio vibe: thoughtful voices in the dark, conversations that felt intimate and reflective, and spaces where uncertainty and complexity could exist without immediately needing to be solved. I became interested in whether a modern podcast could recreate some of that feeling while exploring questions about identity, relationships, belonging, uncertainty, transition, grief, and personal transformation.

Podcasting felt like the natural medium because audio creates a uniquely intimate relationship with listeners. People often listen while driving, walking, traveling, or reflecting during quieter moments of life. I want to be a kind of companion; someone safe where listeners can be exactly who they are without judgment, but also be inspired by deeper, more personal reflection.

I regularly listen to long-form interviews, storytelling, and reflective podcasts connected to philosophy, psychology, culture, and human behavior. I’ve always been drawn less to “hot takes” and more to conversations that leave people thinking differently about their own lives afterward.

The original goal was not primarily audience growth or monetization. It was to create a meaningful and aesthetically coherent listening experience that invited reflection rather than reaction.

► How’d you find the time and funding to do this podcast?

I release episodes about every three weeks. Episodes are unscripted. However, I outlined the entire first season and each episode topic over a few months. I sat deeply with the nature and focus of what I wanted to accomplish, mapped out the listener experience and growth opportunities I wanted to offer people for discovery, and then started to work on each episode. I spend several weeks capturing my own thoughts and ideas, reading on the topic of interest, and taking copious notes. I typically have 12-15 pages of handwritten preparation notes. But for all that, I want this to be about presence and not a performance. And that is why I don’t script.

Making time is a challenge, especially with needing to stay true to my nighttime recording emphasis and a home office that functions as my recording studio. I, like most folks, have a full-time job at a director level in my organization as well as a small private executive coaching practice. In spite of all the various challenges, I absolutely love the time I get to spend in front of the mic from my recliner. It feels wonderful to connect to this calming, reflective energy while thinking about my listeners who are located all over the globe, in 33 countries.

I fund my show myself, in cooperation with my producer, Magic Thread Media, who reached out to me about developing my own show early in 2025.

► What do you gain from podcasting?

Circles | Edges is a deeply personal and meaningful creative practice for me — in many ways, almost a contemplative or spiritual one. I did not create the show as a form of personal branding, audience funneling, or business development. In fact, I rarely take on new coaching clients. The podcast was created much more as an act of human-to-human care, reflection, and service. It is bringing me connections with amazing people from around the world and I find that deeply meaningful. People are reaching out to share how the show is helping them, soothing them, and inspiring them, which was exactly my intention.

At its core, the show is a response to what feels like a growing culture of fragmentation, performance, disconnection, and loneliness. I wanted to create something slower, more thoughtful, and more relational — a space where people could reflect, feel accompanied, and engage with deeper questions about identity, relationships, uncertainty, meaning, and change.

I’m not opposed to sponsorships, but they would need to align thoughtfully with the values and spirit of the show. I would be most interested in partnerships with organizations, publishers, educational platforms, or wellness-oriented communities whose missions genuinely resonate with the themes of Circles | Edges.

Longer term, I’m also interested in a listener-supported or patronage-style model that would allow people who feel connected to the work to support its continuation and potentially access additional reflections, conversations, or community-oriented content.
At this stage, my goal is sustainability. Ideally, the podcast would eventually become self-funding so I can continue creating it in a thoughtful and sustainable way while remaining focused on the integrity and purpose of the project itself.

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► How does your podcasting process look like?

The creative process behind Circles | Edges are intentionally reflective and slow. Although the episodes are unscripted, the show itself is highly considered, as I previously mentioned. Before beginning this first season, I spent several months outlining the season’s thematic architecture and clarifying the purpose and emotional journey of each episode.

For every topic, I spend weeks sitting with the ideas I want to explore: reading, reflecting, journaling, observing patterns in life and relationships, and taking extensive handwritten notes. Much of that preparation involves mapping not only the human, psychological, and spiritual themes of the conversation, but also the listener’s experience: what questions, tensions, realizations, or invitations for growth the episode might offer.

I want the conversations to feel present, alive, and human rather than performed or overly polished. The goal is not perfection, but authenticity and emotional immediacy. I think listeners can feel the difference between someone reciting prepared content and someone genuinely thinking and reflecting in real time. I often hear from a listener that they feel as though I am talking directly to them; that I know what they are going through. It feels very personal.

The show is currently a solo format rather than an interview-based podcast, although I may eventually incorporate carefully selected guests whose perspectives align with the reflective and contemplative spirit of the project.

From a production standpoint, I record using Riverside FM. I use a Blue Yeti microphone with a pop filter and spend a significant amount of time shaping the sound and atmosphere of the show because I believe audio texture strongly influences how reflective and intimate a listening experience feels. I carefully chose each underlying music track to enhance and encourage reflection, emotional presence, curiosity, and a state of calm. I am lucky to have an incredible engineer and producer as well, who really understands and supports the aesthetic.

► How do you market your show?

Initially, my primary marketing was through my LinkedIn account. But I am a novice in all social media as it relates to being a content creator. I’ve recently interviewed a social media manager to see if I can find the intended audience more widely. I do have a Substack and the show has its own YouTube channel.

I was blown away when, shortly after E1 released, the show was featured on Apple Podcasts’ “new and noteworthy podcasts” blog, which immediately introduced me to a global audience. In terms of audience and analytics, Magic Thread Media uses Captivate as the primary hosting site, which helps aggregate all audience data. Other than this starting place, I rely on my listeners who repost, share, and spread the word to like-minded people.

► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?

I think the thing that feels most important for me to share right now, in a time where AI is swamping the internet with non-human content, is simply this: be a human with other humans. Focus on the listener experience. Don’t overly engineer by taking out every last “um” or doing 15 takes, or trying to remove the artifact of your humanity ever. Learn how to listen (if you have guests) and ask deeper, better questions. Lower your self-orientation and center the guest and the audience.

► Where can we learn more about you & your podcasts?

You can learn more about Circles | Edges and connect with me through the following platforms:

Official Podcast Site (Captivate):

https://circles-edges.captivate.fm/

Apple Podcasts:

Spotify:

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@circlesedges
Substack (Dr. Aaron Tabacco): https://substack.com/@aarontabacco
LinkedIn (Aaron Tabacco, PhD): https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-tabacco-phd-83359b9/
The Lucus Group: https://lucusgroup.com/hom

Because Circles | Edges is intentionally reflective and community-oriented rather than highly commercial, I’m especially interested in building thoughtful, ongoing relationships with listeners who connect deeply with the conversations and themes explored in the show. Listeners can also email me directly at: aaron@circlesedges.org

I also want to direct folks to our collection of shows on the Magic Thread Media network. If you are looking for conscious, thoughtful voices on deeply human topics. https://magicthreadmedia.com/shows

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Today Ford Saeks, the creator of FORDIFY LIVE: The Business Growth Show with Ford Saeks shares his story of marketing podcast.

► Tell us about you and your podcast

I’m Ford Saeks, CEO of Prime Concepts Group, Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker (CPAE), Business Growth Accelerator, bestselling author, entrepreneur, and AI strategist. Over the past three decades, I’ve built multiple companies, earned three U.S. patents, generated more than $1 billion in sales for clients, and delivered more than 2,500 presentations worldwide.

I host FORDIFY LIVE: The Business Growth Show, where I interview entrepreneurs, CEOs, authors, innovators, and thought leaders who are shaping the future of business. We explore practical strategies for growth, marketing, sales, leadership, customer experience, and AI, with every conversation focused on actionable insights instead of hype.

As a podcast guest, I bring the same energy and value. I share compelling business stories, hard-earned lessons from building and scaling companies, practical AI strategies that leaders can implement immediately, and proven frameworks that help audiences become more relevant, more visible, and more profitable. My goal is to leave listeners with fresh ideas, memorable examples, and actionable takeaways they can put to work immediately.

► Why & how did you start this podcast?

I’ve always believed that one great conversation can change the direction of a business or even a career. That’s why I started FORDIFY LIVE. After spending years speaking on stages around the world, I realized some of the most valuable insights happen before and after the keynote, when successful people share the stories, lessons, and decisions that rarely make it into a presentation.

The podcast gave me a way to capture those conversations and make them available to a much wider audience. Rather than interviewing people about what they do, I’m interested in how they think, how they solve problems, what they’ve learned from failure, and what they’re seeing around the corner. Those are the conversations I enjoy most.

I listen to podcasts regularly, especially those featuring entrepreneurs, business leaders, innovators, and experts who challenge conventional thinking. I don’t want FORDIFY LIVE to be another interview show. I want every episode to leave listeners with at least one idea they can use to grow their business, improve their performance, or see an opportunity they hadn’t considered before.

The show has naturally evolved alongside my work. Today, many conversations explore AI, business growth, marketing, leadership, and innovation because those are the topics leaders are wrestling with every day. Whether I’m interviewing a CEO, bestselling author, or industry expert, my goal is always the same: ask better questions, uncover practical insights, and create a conversation that’s worth sharing.

► How’d you find the time and funding to do this podcast?

The podcast is a strategic part of my business, not a side project. Every episode gives me the opportunity to have meaningful conversations with remarkable people while creating valuable content that serves my audience long after the recording ends. It’s one of the highest-leverage activities I do because a single interview can become a podcast episode, video, blog post, social content, and a long-term business asset.

We typically release one episode each week, although we’ll occasionally publish more when we have a series of exceptional interviews. A typical episode takes about an hour to record, with a few additional hours for editing, graphics, publishing, and promotion. Fortunately, I have a great team that handles much of the production so I can focus on the conversation.

The podcast is self-funded as part of our marketing and content strategy. We invest in professional audio and video equipment, editing, hosting, and distribution because we believe quality matters. Rather than looking at podcasting as an expense, I see it as an investment in building relationships, sharing valuable ideas, and creating evergreen content that continues to deliver value for years.

For me, the biggest return isn’t measured by downloads alone. It’s the relationships I’ve built, the opportunities that come from meaningful conversations, and the impact the show has on listeners who take an idea from an episode and put it into action.

► What do you gain from podcasting?

The biggest benefit of podcasting isn’t advertising revenue. It’s the relationships, insights, and opportunities that come from having meaningful conversations with accomplished people. I’ve had the privilege of interviewing CEOs, bestselling authors, Hall of Fame speakers, entrepreneurs, and innovators, and every conversation leaves me with a new perspective that I can apply in my own business and share with others.

I don’t build the show around sponsorships. My business is built on speaking, consulting, AI implementation, and strategic growth services, so the podcast serves as a credibility builder and a way to reach people who value practical business insights. If the right sponsor aligns with my audience and delivers genuine value, I’m open to those conversations, but I’m careful to protect the integrity of the show.

Podcasting has also expanded my professional network in ways I never anticipated. Many guests become friends, clients, referral partners, or future collaborators. Others introduce me to people I might never have met otherwise. It’s become one of the most enjoyable ways to learn from exceptional leaders while creating content that continues to educate and inspire long after the interview ends.

For anyone considering starting a podcast, my advice is simple: don’t focus on downloads first. Focus on creating conversations worth listening to. If you consistently deliver value, the audience, opportunities, and business results tend to follow.

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► How does your podcasting process look like?

My process is designed to keep the technology in the background so the conversation can take center stage. I use professional cameras, microphones, lighting, and production software to produce high-quality audio and video, but I don’t obsess over the gear. Great content always beats perfect production.

Most of my interviews are recorded remotely using professional video conferencing tools, although I also record in person whenever the opportunity presents itself. Recording remotely allows me to interview remarkable guests from around the world without sacrificing quality.

Guest selection is intentional. I invite CEOs, entrepreneurs, bestselling authors, keynote speakers, AI innovators, and business leaders who have real-world experience and practical insights to share. I’m looking for people who have done something interesting, solved meaningful problems, or have a perspective my audience can immediately benefit from.

Before every interview, I research the guest, review their latest work, and identify the topics that will create the most value for listeners. Rather than following a rigid script, I prepare a framework that allows the conversation to evolve naturally. Some of the best moments come from asking a follow-up question that wasn’t on the list.

After recording, my team handles editing, graphics, publishing, show notes, and distribution across multiple platforms. That allows me to stay focused on what I enjoy most: having authentic conversations that uncover ideas, stories, and strategies people can actually use.

► How do you market your show?

I practice what I teach. Every episode is treated as a content asset, not just a podcast. We repurpose each interview into short video clips, articles, social media posts, email content, and searchable web pages so the conversation continues to generate value long after it’s published.

Listeners discover the show through multiple channels, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Listen Notes, Google Search, AI search engines, social media, email, and referrals. We also optimize our content so it’s more discoverable in both traditional search and AI-powered search, since that’s increasingly how people find information today.

The most effective marketing channel has been creating valuable content that people naturally want to share. We complement that with our email list, LinkedIn, YouTube, strategic partnerships, guest promotion, and speaking engagements. When guests share their episodes with their audiences, it expands our reach and introduces the show to new listeners.

I’ve never believed in publishing an episode and hoping people find it. Every interview deserves a promotion strategy. By distributing content across multiple platforms and formats, we reach people where they already consume information while extending the lifespan and impact of every conversation. That’s the same strategy I recommend to my clients, and it’s worked well for our show.

► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?

If you’re thinking about starting a podcast, my advice is simple: stop waiting for perfection and start creating. Too many people spend months choosing equipment, designing artwork, or overthinking their launch. Your first episodes won’t be your best, and that’s okay. The only way to become a great interviewer or storyteller is by doing the work.

Focus on delivering value, not chasing downloads. Every episode should answer an important question, solve a problem, or introduce your audience to an idea they can use. If you consistently help people, your audience will grow.

One lesson that surprised me is that the relationships you build are often more valuable than the audience you build. Podcasting has opened doors to friendships, strategic partnerships, speaking opportunities, and business relationships that never would have happened otherwise.

Another lesson is to think beyond the podcast itself. Every interview is intellectual property. Turn it into video clips, articles, newsletters, social posts, quotes, and AI-search-optimized content. One conversation can fuel your marketing for weeks if you have the right process.

Finally, be genuinely curious. The best hosts aren’t trying to impress their guests. They’re trying to uncover insights that will benefit their audience. Ask thoughtful questions, listen more than you talk, and don’t be afraid to go off script when the conversation gets interesting. Those are usually the moments people remember most.

► Where can we learn more about you & your podcasts?

You can learn more about me and my work at:
• Website: https://ProfitRichResults.com
• Podcast & Show: https://Fordify.tv
• Business & AI Services: https://PrimeConcepts.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fordsaeks
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FordSaeks
• X: https://x.com/fordsaeks
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fordsaeks
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fordsaeks

If you’re looking for a podcast guest who can deliver practical insights on AI, business growth, marketing, sales, customer experience, entrepreneurship, franchising, leadership, or innovation, I’d love to connect. My goal is always to provide actionable ideas, engaging stories, and memorable conversations that create real value for your audience.

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Today Audrey Faust, the creator of Manifest, Manage and Multiply Money Podcast shares her story of entrepreneurship podcast.

► Tell us about you and your podcast

I’m Audrey Faust, MBA, known as The Manifesting CFO. I’m a CFO trained financial strategist and business coach who works with multi six and seven figure women entrepreneurs. Manifest, Manage and Multiply Money is an interview show where I sit down with accomplished women business owners for candid, unscripted conversations about money, identity, and business growth. Only 5% of women owned businesses reach multi six figures, and only 1.7% reach seven figures. I wanted to pull back the curtain so other women could hear exactly how it happened for someone else and start believing it’s possible for them too. My listeners are women entrepreneurs building or scaling their own businesses, especially those working through money blocks and identity shifts on the way to bigger revenue.

► Why & how did you start this podcast?

While I was writing my book, You Are an Abundant B, I came across real statistics showing less than 5% of women owned businesses hit multi six figures, and less than 1.7% hit seven figures. That stopped me. Everything you see on social media and other podcasts is strategy: the tactics, the frameworks, the highlight reel. Nobody was showing the challenges, the identity shifts, the real internal work these women had to go through first to actually get there. I started this podcast to fill that gap and let women hear the whole story, not just the strategy layer. I launched it in April 2026 It took about 12 weeks from deciding to do this to releasing the first episode. I wanted to have 10 interviews in the bank before releasing and was launching my book at the same time (March).

► How’d you find the time and funding to do this podcast?

I release a new episode every week and each one takes 2-3 hours to go from recording to a published episode with full show notes. This podcast runs alongside my CFO consulting and coaching business rather than competing with it, so the time comes out of the same calendar I already run my business from. I fund it myself. I use Riverside for recording and editing, Hello Audio for podcast distribution and Kajabi for email distribution, and I have a VA, who handles all the social media posting so I can stay focused on the conversations themselves.

► What do you gain from podcasting?

I don’t take sponsorships. This show is pitch free and relationship first by design. I show up as a curious interviewer and storyteller, not as a coach promoting my services, so any business opportunities that come from it are a byproduct, never the goal. What I gain is real relationships with accomplished women I respect, and a growing library of honest stories that show other business owners what’s actually possible. It also keeps me sharp as a strategist, since every conversation is a new case study in how women make decisions about money.

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► How does your podcasting process look like?

I record every interview remotely through Riverside, which handles both the recording and the editing. I look for guests who are multi six or seven figure women business owners willing to have a candid, unscripted conversation about the real challenges, struggles, money beliefs, and identity shifts behind their success. I don’t script the conversations. I go in curious and let them stay organic, which is where the best, most surprising moments usually come from. After recording, I build out a full content package for each episode, including show notes, timestamped chapters, and social copy, before handing it to my VA for posting.

► How do you market your show?

I post on a set weekly rhythm. Tuesday mornings I send a host email through Kajabi and post an Instagram/Facebook graphic. Thursday mornings I post on LinkedIn. Fridays I release a short clip post on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Email and LinkedIn tend to do the most work for me, since the story led format gives people something worth reading in full, not just scrolling past. I also request my guests to share with their social networks and email list, I create the copy.

► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?

I’ve wanted to do a podcast for many years, but I waited until I finally stumbled across one that truly lit me up. I get excited about the conversations I’m going to have with these women. I’m curious by nature and love to hear other people’s stories around this. Advice I would say, it’s a lot of work, so make sure you create something that feels fun to you, like this does to me. I’ve built a network of podcasters and asked a lot of questions on my journey, that was the best resource. I also a while back used a course by Pat Flynn that taught me some things.

► Where can we learn more about you & your podcasts?

Website: audreyfaustconsulting.com
Instagram: @manifesting_cfo
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/audreyfaust
YouTube: @TheManifestingCFO
Apple Podcasts:

Spotify:

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Today Jacob and Lucas, the creators of Entropy Rising share their story of science podcast.

► Tell us about you and your podcast

I’m Jacob, and I host Entropy Rising alongside my longtime friend Lucas. We met while working in science. At the time I was pursuing graduate work in biochemistry, and Lucas had just started as a lab technician. We quickly realized we spent as much time talking about space, the future, and science fiction as we did our actual jobs. Eventually we decided those conversations were exactly the kind of show we wanted to listen to ourselves, so we turned them into a podcast.

Entropy Rising is a science and futurism podcast that explores humanity’s long term future through the lens of real physics. Every episode starts with a simple question: if we never discover faster than light travel or other fictional technologies, what could humanity still accomplish?

That approach leads us to topics like interstellar travel, Dyson swarms, orbital elevators, shell worlds, future food production, advanced civilizations, the Fermi Paradox, and emerging technologies. We also explore the science behind great science fiction, using stories like The Expanse and The Culture to discuss the real engineering, physics, and societal questions they raise.

Our goal is to make big ideas accessible without sacrificing scientific accuracy. Whether we’re talking about harvesting energy from stars, extending the lives of stars, building civilizations that survive for billions of years, or asking why we haven’t found evidence of alien civilizations, every discussion is grounded in what our current understanding of physics says may actually be possible.

Our listeners are naturally curious people who love science, astronomy, engineering, and science fiction. They enjoy asking “what if,” but they also want answers that are rooted in real science rather than fantasy. We want every episode to leave listeners entertained, having learned something new, and with a bigger sense of what humanity may one day be capable of.

► Why & how did you start this podcast?

Entropy Rising started about two years ago for a very simple reason. Lucas and I were no longer working together, and we realized we missed the conversations we used to have almost every day. We wanted an excuse to keep getting together each week to talk about the things we both love: space, science, technology, and the future.

A podcast felt like the perfect format because our conversations were already long, unscripted, and full of questions. Instead of letting those discussions stay between the two of us, we thought it would be fun to share them with anyone else who found these topics as fascinating as we did.

What began as a hobby quickly became something much bigger. I’m the kind of person who loves improving and refining things, so before we ever released an episode we recorded five complete episodes. That gave us time to get comfortable behind the microphones, develop the style of the show, and figure out what worked before anyone ever heard it.

Our original goal was simply to create the kind of science podcast we wanted to listen to ourselves. Over time that grew into a mission of making complex ideas about physics, astronomy, and humanity’s future approachable without sacrificing scientific accuracy. Today we spend countless hours researching every topic, refining our production, and trying to make each episode better than the last.

What started as an excuse for two friends to keep having the conversations they loved has grown into something neither of us expected. We now release new episodes every week, have built a small but incredibly loyal audience, and are passionate about creating a show that inspires curiosity while helping people better understand the universe and humanity’s place within it.

► How’d you find the time and funding to do this podcast?

If you love something, you make time for it. I have a full time career, completed my master’s in chemical engineering while the podcast was running, and of course I want to make time for my wife as well. For me, though, the podcast is not another obligation. It’s my escape. After a long day at work, sitting down with Lucas to talk about space and science is something I genuinely look forward to every week.

We recently moved from releasing episodes every other week to publishing weekly. To make that sustainable, we usually record two episodes in a single session, which takes about two and a half hours including setup. Editing, audio cleanup, video production, thumbnails, descriptions, and publishing take another two to three hours each week, plus however much time I spend researching upcoming topics. Altogether, I probably devote around eight hours each week to the podcast.

Financially, Entropy Rising is almost entirely self funded. We have an incredible group of Patreon supporters who help offset some of the costs, but the show still operates at a loss, and that’s perfectly fine with me. Between hosting, software subscriptions, and other recurring services, we spend roughly $130 each month, and we’ve invested around $3,000 in microphones, cameras, lighting, and other equipment.

Will we eventually break even? I hope so. But that has never been the reason we do this. The real reward is creating something we’re proud of, building a community of curious listeners, and getting to spend every week exploring ideas that we genuinely find fascinating.

► What do you gain from podcasting?

Definitely not money! At least not yet.

We are actually eligible to run ads, and based on our current audience they would probably generate around $100 a month. But we’ve chosen not to. At this stage, I’d rather focus on growing the show than filling it with advertisements. Personally, I’m not a fan of ads as a listener, and if we ever do work with sponsors, I’d much rather partner with companies that I genuinely use and believe our audience would appreciate.

What I gain from podcasting is much more valuable than the financial side. It gives me a creative outlet and an opportunity to spend time every week talking about subjects that genuinely fascinate me. I also love the research process. Every episode pushes me to learn something new, whether it’s astrophysics, engineering, biology, or the history of science.

Podcasting has also introduced us to an incredible community of listeners who share that same curiosity. Seeing people tell us they learned something new, picked up a book because of an episode, or started looking at the universe differently is incredibly rewarding.

The show still operates at a loss, and I’m perfectly okay with that. If it eventually becomes financially sustainable, that would be fantastic, but it has never been the reason we do this. The fulfillment comes from creating something we’re proud of, continuing to learn, and sharing that passion with thousands of people who are just as excited about the future as we are.

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► How does your podcasting process look like?

Our process is fairly straightforward, but we’ve refined it over the past two years into something that works well for us.

Every episode starts with choosing a topic that genuinely excites us. From there, Lucas and I research independently so we each bring different perspectives and ideas to the discussion. Before we record, we spend a little time talking through the outline and deciding which areas each of us wants to cover. That keeps the conversation natural while making sure we don’t miss the points we want to discuss.

We usually record two episodes in a single session. Rather than scripting the show, we rely on our research and let the conversation develop organically. We want listeners to feel like they’re sitting in on two friends exploring a fascinating topic together.

After recording, I edit the audio in Adobe Audition before bringing everything into Descript for the final audio and video edit. Once the episode is finished, I write the descriptions, chapter markers, and metadata, optimize everything for each platform, and schedule the release. We also work with a talented designer on Fiverr who creates our episode thumbnails.

At the moment we don’t regularly interview guests. The focus of Entropy Rising is the conversation between Lucas and me, although we’d love to bring on scientists, engineers, and authors whose expertise can add to topics we’re exploring in the future.

► How do you market your show?

Marketing has probably been our weakest area, simply because of the time commitment. In the beginning, I was much more active on Reddit and in online science communities, which helped us find our first listeners. As the podcast grew and life became busier, I shifted my focus toward improving the show itself rather than actively promoting it.

Today, most of our growth comes from organic discovery and word of mouth. Listeners recommend the show to friends, share episodes online, and the podcast platforms themselves help surface our content to people interested in science and futurism. I think that’s one of the best indicators that we’re creating something people genuinely enjoy.

Today, roughly 70 percent of our audience listens on Spotify, about 20 percent comes from Apple Podcasts, and the remaining 10 percent is spread across YouTube and other podcast platforms.

Going forward, I want to spend more time on marketing. We recently increased our release schedule from every other week to weekly, and now that we have a more consistent publishing cadence, I’m looking at expanding into newsletters, collaborations with other creators, and more consistent social media content to help introduce the show to new listeners.

► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?

My biggest piece of advice is to stay ahead of your upload schedule. There is nothing worse than staying up late editing the night before an episode is supposed to go live. Having a backlog of episodes gives you room to improve the show, deal with unexpected life events, and enjoy the process a lot more. Before we launched Entropy Rising, we recorded five episodes, and I think that was one of the best decisions we made.

The other piece of advice is to start a podcast because you love talking about a subject, not because you want to be a podcaster. If your motivation is simply “I want a podcast,” you’ll eventually run out of things to say. But if you’re constantly reading, learning, and thinking about a topic because it genuinely fascinates you, you’ll never run out of conversations. The podcast becomes a natural extension of your curiosity instead of something you have to force.

Finally, don’t wait for everything to be perfect. Your first episode won’t sound as good as your fiftieth, and your fiftieth won’t sound as good as your hundredth. The only way to improve is to keep publishing, keep listening to feedback, and keep refining your craft. Consistency beats perfection every time.

► Where can we learn more about you & your podcasts?

https://www.entropy-rising.com
https://www.patreon.com/c/EntropyRising
you can email me at jacob@entropy-rising.com

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Today Sandra and Kasey, the creators of Idling In The Impala | a ride through SPN fandom and fanfiction share their story of after shows podcast.

► Tell us about you and your podcast

I’m Sandra, the creator and co-host of Idling In The Impala, along with my amazing co-host, Kasey. I actually got into Supernatural relatively late in the game, but once I found it, it didn’t take long for me to fall head-first into the SPN FanFic world. Outside the fandom, I write original romance novels (under the names Sandra Kyle and S.K. Andal), but honestly, those get pushed to the back of the queue a lot these days. I completely blame Dean for that! I’m firmly the ‘DeanGirl’ of our duo, writing mostly Dean-centric, mature-leaning fanfiction and shamelessly shipping myself with him—’Deandra’ forever! My husband is a little worried, to be honest.

My fantastic co-host Kasey (they/them) is an agender/pansexual/transmasc queer mortal from the UK and has been with me since the very beginning. They’re a proud ‘SamMortal’—though Dean has slowly won them over, too—and they wear the title of ‘Agent of Chaos and Kink’ with pride. Kasey is a parent of two, a slave to three dramatic cats who regularly crash our recordings, and a writer of some amazing fics of their own. Between my Dean obsession and Kasey’s wild array of tropes, we balance each other out perfectly!

We’ve been on this incredible joy ride since December 2021. Idling In The Impala is basically a love letter to Supernatural (although we often question, ‘Do we even like this show?’) and the incredible fanfiction it inspires, especially the amazing works over AO3. We chat about the show, dissect our favorite episodes and actors, dive deep into specific fanfic tropes, and I even do some podfic narrations. We also love interviewing other fans, writers, and creatives who make up the SPN Family to hear the stories of how they discovered the show and the fandom.

► Why & how did you start this podcast?

The podcast started because of the interest I had built up listening to a lot of SPN rewatch podcasts. I had also found a podcast that narrated Destiel fanfics-which is known as podficcing-and I desperately wanted to find Dean/Reader narrations. Alas, at least in the podcast arena, there were none.

Kasey, a friend, and I were having daily text conversations about tropes, episode dynamics, and the incredible creativity of the SPN family. One day, the lightbulb just went off: ‘Why aren’t I making a podcast about the things we love to talk about?’ I wanted a space where we could celebrate the writers, readers, artists, and the pure joy of fandom without judgment. So, when I presented the idea to our little trio, Kasey decided to join me on the adventure, with the very clear opinion that I couldn’t just talk about Dean Winchester on this podcast and not give Sam Winchester the occasional spotlight as well.

Our very first motivation was pure, unadulterated self-indulgence! We wanted a dedicated space to talk about the things we love, share our own writing (and eventual podfics I started narrating), and spotlight other brilliant creators in the community who deserve all the flowers.

Beyond that, our goal was to create a safe, welcoming, and hilarious space for the ‘ones in the back.’ Fandom can sometimes get heavy or dramatic, and we wanted Idling In The Impala to be a comfortable listen: a place where you could laugh about Dean’s layers, debate Sam’s hair, dive into wild tropes, and just feel like you belong.

Everything about our first season of podcasting was very fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants. We figured out the technical side of things together even though there’s an ocean (and time zones) between us. When we finally hit ‘publish’ that December in 2021, it was a massive mix of nerves and pure excitement.

► How’d you find the time and funding to do this podcast?

Our episode release schedule has changed and is something we tend to revisit season by season. Finding time in between real-life to attend to a hobby that has kind of turned into a part-time job is extremely challenging. Right now -Season 5, 2026- we release weekly episodes along with the occasional bonus podfics. I manage the production end of the podcast. Depending on turnaround time and whether we need to budget time for a guest review, I can convert a raw recording into a polished final audio file ready for publishing in two to four weeks. Kasey is our marketer (and the talent!) and helps ensure we get the word out about our podcast across a variety of social platforms.

Our podcast is funded by us, with the amazing support of a core group of listeners who back us on Ko-fi!

► What do you gain from podcasting?

We are a tiny little niche in the Supernatural fandom and fanfiction community, so we haven’t ventured into sponsorships yet, but we would be interested in that as we grow and expand our reach.

This podcast has helped me personally and taught me valuable skills and a belief in my abilities that have carried over into my employment and my interest in pursuing narration. I’ve made friends all over the world; although they may have started because of Supernatural, the friendships have only grown over the years.

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► How does your podcasting process look like?

Kasey and I usually decide on certain topics we want to chat about, and then I build a recording schedule around that.

Our guests usually come about organically within the community we are a part of. We hear about a new or old-guard creator, we read an amazing fanfic and get lost in someone’s AO3 works... and then I ask if someone would want to come on the podcast to chat about all the things related to their fandom journey and their creative process. The way and why a person writes or creates is as identifiable and distinct as a fingerprint.

Our episode preparation varies wildly. Some days we’re winging it; other days there’s a three-page doc of notes. But all of our recordings and interviews currently happen over Zoom. We actually rarely turn on video (we never do with guests, as we want to ensure privacy and confidentiality and allow people to feel as comfortable as possible) unless we’re doing a special presentation or an extra gift for our listeners and members in our Discord server.

► How do you market your show?

We host our podcast on Spotify and push it out to other platforms. We also have a YouTube channel and mainly market on Tumblr. We’re considering other social media platforms, but that all takes additional time and effort that real life doesn’t always allow.

► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?

If you are interested in podcasting, don’t wait until it’s perfect. Practice with some friends and learn the ins and outs through videos and articles. If you have something you want to say, there might be someone out there who wants to listen. And expect that if you find you like doing it, it may become a part-time job that may not pay much monetarily but allows you to reap dividends in other ways you never would have expected.

► Where can we learn more about you & your podcasts?

Our website, which links to all the ways you can connect with and support our podcast: idlingintheimpala.com.

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Today Rich Bennett, the creators of Conversations with Rich Bennett share their story of society & culture podcast.

► Tell us about you and your podcast

I have a degree in radio and launched my podcast in 2015, 3 years after I got out of radio. I’m a Marine Corps Veteran, Professional DJ, and Entrepreneur. I have several different co-hosts because I want them to learn how to podcast and hope that they go on and launch their own podcast,

Listen to stories and conversations with people from all walks of life and from different areas of the World. Rich Bennett speaks with different guests about business, art, addiction, mental health, and so many other interesting things. Rich is also joined at times by different co-hosts that make the conversations even more interesting. Learn about a young lady that survived a cult, or a couple that rode a bicycle built for two from Oregon to Washington DC. Hear emotional stories from people in recovery and how others are battling mental illness.

My listeners are all over the World with a majority of them in my home state of Maryland. I’ve had listeners from Canada, England, Italy, and other states in the U.S. and thank me for something they have learned from episodes, and that’s a huge reward for me.

► Why & how did you start this podcast?

In 2015, I established a podcast in conjunction with Harford County Living, a positive news website I run, with the aim of highlighting local businesses, nonprofits, artists, and other entities in the region. The objective was to increase awareness of the abundant offerings and unique features of Harford County, driven by my personal admiration for the area. With its diverse offerings, ranging from scenic waterways and outdoor recreation to historical landmarks and small local shops, Harford County appeals to a wide range of individuals.

As the podcast evolved, I rebranded it to encompass a broader scope, seeking to both educate myself and offer listeners the opportunity to learn from a diverse array of individuals from around the world. The first episode was recorded in October 2015 and released the following weekend. In the early stages, the first six episodes were recorded at a local radio station and broadcast on Saturday mornings, with subsequent audio uploaded for the podcast by me.

► How’d you find the time and funding to do this podcast?

The podcast and my website are my full-time job, so I manage my time for both throughout the week. I get up between 4:30 and 5:30 and start working as soon as I put on a cup of coffee. I usually finish the day by 5, but there are times when I work until 8 or 9.

I release between 2 to 3 episodes a week, always on a Monday, and if I release 1 more, it’s Friday, 2 more would be Wednesday and Friday. On average, it takes about 2 hours to produce a 1-hour episode.

As for expenses, I spend between $100 to $200 a month total on hosting and marketing. The editing I do myself as well as the booking of guests, follow-up, etc. The podcast is actually supported by my Sponsors, which I have had different ones throughout the years before I recorded the first episode and a majority of them are still with me.

► What do you gain from podcasting?

As a podcast host, I have consistently found that my pursuits in this medium have not only been engaging, but also highly educational. Each guest brings with them a unique perspective, wealth of knowledge, and life experiences that broaden my understanding of various subjects. The positive feedback I receive from listeners, indicating that they too have gained insights and new understandings from the content shared on my podcast, is incredibly rewarding.

It is a privilege to be able to facilitate discussions and share information that resonates with my audience. I am continuously inspired by the diverse range of individuals I have had the opportunity to interview, and the stories and lessons they have imparted. Whether it’s through sharing their personal journeys, offering expert insights, or simply providing a new perspective, my guests have enriched the podcast and broadened my own horizons.

The impact of my podcast extends beyond simply entertainment or casual conversation, as it serves as a platform for education and personal growth for both myself and my listeners. I am grateful for the opportunity to continue to learn and grow through this medium, and am honored by the trust that my listeners place in me to provide insightful and informative content.

I do have Sponsors. I actually obtained my first Sponsor before I recorded the first episode, so I didn’t have any downloads yet. As for revenue, let’s just say that it’s my full-time job now and I’m doing fine and enjoying life and love what I do now. Most of my Sponsors come from the local Chamber of Commerce I’m a member of.

As for downloads a month, in all honesty, I don’t pay attention to them. Too many podcasters worry about the number of downloads and believe they have to have a certain number of them before they can even get sponsors. I focus on the content and guests, and ideas from my listeners and sponsors.

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► How does your podcasting process look like?

My process, I think this is why a lot of people that start a podcast don’t continue with it, because of all the work that goes into it. I do everything myself, although my co hosts help me with getting some guests, so instead of boring you with all the details, I’ll just outline what I do briefly:

1. Find guests
2. Schedule recording for in-person or virtual
3. Line up a co host if feasible
4. Set up equipment and test the day of recording
5. Record the episode
6. Download recording to computer
7. Edit each track and combine
8. Record an Intro and outro
9. Edit interview and insert sponsor audio close to the middle
10. Look for a podcast similar to the subject we talked about
11. Download that podcast trailer if possible
12. Edit all pieces together for the final recording and upload
13. Find a 1 to 3 minute piece from the recording of my guest for Social Media
14. Type up show notes and include guests’ links to websites, social media, etc.
15. Create artwork for each episode and blog
16. Create video snippet with the 1 to 3 minute audio of my guest for social media posts
17. Upload show and notes to server
18. Email the guest with the links for the show
19. Promote on several social media pages and groups

I do the editing through Hindenburg Journalist Pro, and use Canva for marketing. I find guests through Podmatch, my cohorts, friends, social media, sponsors and people who contact me. I’ll send them a form to fill out, and if I believe my listeners and myself would be interested in having them on the show, we’ll schedule a date to record either in-person or virtually using SquadCast.

► How do you market your show?

I market my show through social media, other podcasts, clothing, business cards and of course telling people.

The show can be found at conversationswithrichbennett.com, and practically all podcast apps. 57% from Apple, 15% from my website, 8% from Spotify, the other 20% from various apps.

I find that the marketing channels that have been the most successful are social media. I utilize a Facebook Page and Group, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok.

► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?

For aspiring podcasters, I would say to do your research first. Make sure you know what goes into doing a podcast, the costs, time, and work. Decide if you want to do it as a hobby or business. If you want to do it as a business, invest your money wisely, and look for Sponsors before you even record your first episode. A Sponsor can pay for the equipment, hosting and so much more.

I learned a lot on the journey, such as sound quality is important, but the content is even more important. Take your time, have fun, and if you have guests, make them comfortable. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a guest on and they were extremely nervous and after we finished, they told me how comfortable I made them and they would love to come back and do it again.

► Where can we learn more about you & your podcasts?

You can find my podcast at

https://conversationswithrichbennett.com/

and

https://harfordcountyliving.buzzsprout.com

Social Media:
https://www.facebook.com/HCLShow
https://twitter.com/Convers94013273
https://www.instagram.com/harfordcountyliving/
https://www.tiktok.com/@conversationsrichbennett
Email:
rbennett@harfordcountyliving.com
Support:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/849097/support

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Today Dr. Mira Brancu, the creator of The Hard Skills shares her story of management podcast.

► Tell us about you and your podcast

I’m the founder of Towerscope, a social impact team and leadership development consulting firm, Duke University faculty member, a Psychology Today columnist, author of the Millennials Guide to Workplace Politics and a companion workbook, and a former research center executive within one of the most complex organizations in the U.S.

The Hard Skills show combines research and practical tips about the highly nuanced leadership skills needed to navigate today’s leadership challenges, such as creating inclusive and healthy workplaces and managing conflict and tension during organizational upheaval.

The show appeals especially to leaders who come from technical backgrounds who have moved into leadership roles over time (e.g., healthcare, STEM, tech, academia, law, pharma, life sciences). It is also a draw for organizational misfits (people who might feel a misalignment between the organizational culture and their leadership style). But the leadership “soft” skills we discuss apply to anyone on their leadership journey.

► Why & how did you start this podcast?

I listened and enjoyed many podcasts myself, but I chose this medium because I personally enjoy deep, meaningful, one-on-one conversations with smart people. This lets me keep learning and exploring my ideas and learn from others, while I also teach others and help increase my visibility in the work I do. I already wrote a lot (books, Psychology Today blog, newsletters), but the podcast medium allows people to connect better with my personality.

I started my podcast in July 2023 and we released the first episode in August after we had four episodes completed.

► How’d you find the time and funding to do this podcast?

I currently release episodes once a week. I previously used a company (TalkRadio.nyc) to produce it and we live streamed and then published it into a podcast afterward. Since December 2025, I now record all episodes and publish it to my YouTube channel (@DrMiraBrancu) as well as the same Apple and Spotify podcast venues since 2023.

I have developed a system to find guests, and help walk them through the guest onboarding and prep process using a 10-page guide I created, and Google Forms to help me collaboratively develop the skeleton outline for the introduction, the questions I will ask them, and the social media information we need to promote the episode. I have an assistant who uses a template I created to develop the social media assets and draft announcements we use. I also have an editor. Using this system, it takes about 20-25 hours per month to produce 4 episodes, including communicating with the guests, reading their books (I like to have guests with books and prepare well for them), develop thumbnails for YouTube, review transcripts and other notes for production, and promote them on social media.

► What do you gain from podcasting?

I do not currently take sponsorship from the podcast, though I would be open to considering it. So podcasting currently doesn’t benefit me monetarily but I use it to enhance my personal brand, increase awareness and connection to new folks who don’t yet know me (top of the sales funnel), and keep learning.

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► How does your podcasting process look like?

I use RedCircle for distribution, vidIQ to optimize YouTube content, Canva for thumbnails and social media promotion, Riverside for recording, and then my podcast production team for the rest. I previously used a Yeti microphone and earbuds; now I’ve moved to a Shure microphone. Both are good in my opinion.

The large majority of the guests I have had on my show so far are folks already in my network that I invited, or new folks I have heard speak and I’m excited to hear more from. However, once I reached about 50-60 episodes, I began receiving outreach from podcast PR folks wanting to get their clients on my podcast. I have a system to evaluate the fit of each guest. I use Google Forms to have each guest who is unknown to me apply to see if they meet my criteria. If they are a good fit for what I am looking for, I will invite them to set up their episode date through my Calendly link, read my 10-page guide to prep in general, and fill out a social media promotion and prep form (also via Google Forms) to help me plan out the episode by pulling out their responses about their area of expertise. In that form we ask guests to upload their headshot and bio and my assistant uses that information to develop social media promotion assets.

► How do you market your show?

We publish on YouTube, and primarily promote on LinkedIn and through my newsletter. These seem to be my best marketing channels.

► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?

When I was doing the show live it was liberating in some ways because I had to let go of worrying about creating a perfectly edited show and instead embrace authentic dialogue, but now that I edit them, I like having more control over that process. I waited for a long time to get started, but I truly enjoyed the process when I started. Outsourcing was critical to my success - I would never have the time to do this otherwise. Sometimes I do wonder if all the work is worth it, but as long as I am enjoying the process I will continue. It’s not enough to do the podcast - you must promote it and ideally invite guests who aren’t shy about promoting it - it’s what helps with visibility.

► Where can we learn more about you & your podcasts?

The best places to find me are here:
www.GoTowerscope.com
https://www.linkedin.com/company/towerscope/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancu
https://bsky.app/profile/mirabrancu.bsky.social
https://youtube.com/@DrMiraBrancu

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Today Natalie Brown, the creator of Sounds Heal Podcast: Sound Healing & Wellness share their story of health & fitness podcast.

► Tell us about you and your podcast

I am Natalie Brown, a composer, educator, sound healing practitioner, and multi-instrumentalist. Classically trained in violin from the age of four, I spent 14 years teaching high school orchestra before expanding into sound healing and therapeutic music practices. I am the founder of Sounds Heal Studio and serve as Lead Teacher for North America with the Sound Healing Academy, where I train practitioners in sound healing and sound therapy.

My podcast, Sounds Heal Podcast, is nearly 8 years old and explores sound healing, sound therapy, and sound meditation for health and wellbeing. Through in-depth interviews and conversations, I explore how sound and music influence wellbeing, nervous system regulation, and human experience, featuring educators, researchers, composers, instrument makers, and innovators in the field.

The podcast is designed for listeners interested in sound-based approaches to wellbeing, including practitioners, students, and anyone drawn to meditation, relaxation, stress reduction, and the science and philosophy of listening.

► Why & how did you start this podcast?

I started Sounds Heal Podcast in January 2019, originally out of curiosity and a desire to connect with others working in the field of sound and music. At the time, I imagined there might be a handful of interesting conversations to have—what I discovered very quickly was that the field was far more expansive and diverse than I had anticipated.

My initial motivation was simply to explore and learn: to speak with practitioners and researchers about sound healing and to better understand how sound is being used for health, wellbeing, and human experience. I also wanted to highlight voices that weren’t always being centered—educators, composers, instrument makers, inventors, physicists, and even dolphin researchers whose work intersects with sound and vibration in unexpected ways.

I do listen to podcasts, but this project came more from direct inquiry and conversation than from podcasting as a medium itself. It grew organically from my own teaching, performing, and curiosity within the field of sound.

I released my first episode shortly after launching in 2019, starting with a monthly release schedule. Over time, as the conversations deepened and the community expanded, I moved to a consistent rhythm of two episodes per month, which I’ve maintained ever since—without taking a break.

What has surprised me most is how much the field has blossomed since I began. Sound healing, sound therapy, sound baths, and meditation practices have grown into a much wider global conversation than I ever expected at the outset. What began as a small exploratory project has become an ongoing, evolving archive of voices and perspectives at the intersection of sound, science, and spirituality.

► How’d you find the time and funding to do this podcast?

I release episodes consistently, currently about two episodes per month. Each episode is a long-form, in-depth conversation, typically around 40–60 minutes, and I prepare quite extensively in advance. I spend time researching each guest thoroughly—reading their books or articles, listening to their music or work, reviewing links they provide, and watching or listening to other interviews when available. That preparation is an important part of how I shape the flow and depth of each conversation.

In terms of production time, once an episode is recorded, the release process itself is relatively streamlined for me and usually takes a couple of hours per episode to finalize and publish.

I run and fund the podcast myself, which has kept it independent from the beginning. Over the years, I’ve had a small number of sponsorships that have helped support production costs, but the podcast has largely been self-sustained as a long-term creative and educational project.

► What do you gain from podcasting?

Podcasting has been one of the most meaningful and expansive parts of my work. On a practical level, it supports my wider career in sound healing and education by connecting me with a global community of practitioners, researchers, and innovators in the field. It has also helped establish long-term relationships and collaborations that continue far beyond individual episodes.

In terms of sponsorship, I have been fortunate to be approached directly over time. I currently receive a very small, select number of sponsorships, which I keep intentionally minimal so the focus remains on the content and integrity of the conversations.

Beyond any financial aspect, the greatest benefit has been learning. Every episode is an opportunity to go deeply into a subject I care about and to be in conversation with people whose perspectives continually expand my own understanding of sound, health, and human experience. It is consistently eye-opening and often challenges or refines my thinking.

It has also been an extraordinary connector. The podcast has opened doors to friendships, professional relationships, and global connections I never would have anticipated when I started. Many guests become ongoing colleagues, collaborators, or part of a shared network of inquiry.

With approximately 7,500 to 12,000 downloads per month, it has grown steadily, but the real value for me has never just been reach—it’s been the depth of dialogue and the ongoing exchange of ideas.

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► How does your podcasting process look like?

When I began the podcast, I recorded interviews over the phone. Over time, the process evolved and is now consistently done over Zoom, using both video and audio recording. I then edit and assemble each episode using iMovie.

In terms of guests, it’s a balance between people who reach out to me and those I intentionally invite. I stay open to both—some guests are a natural fit through community connections or referrals, and others I seek out based on the themes I want to explore.

For each episode, I prepare by reviewing the guest’s work in advance and identifying key themes or questions I’d like to explore, while still leaving space for the conversation to unfold organically.

► How do you market your show?

The podcast is distributed widely through my RSS feed, which pushes episodes out to 100+ platforms, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, SoundCloud, and Google/Google Podcasts integrations.

In terms of listener discovery, people find the show through a mix of platforms and channels: search on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, YouTube, my website, and social media (primarily Instagram and Facebook, with some presence on X). My email newsletter is also a consistent driver of engagement and returning listeners.

Overall, it’s a blend of organic platform discovery plus ongoing sharing through social media and email rather than relying on a single dominant traffic source.

► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?

One of the biggest things I’ve learned is that you don’t need everything figured out before you begin. The most important step is simply starting. Your voice, your confidence, and your style all develop through doing, not planning.

I often encourage students and colleagues to begin with what they already have—no need for elaborate gear or a perfect setup. Clear audio and genuine conversation are far more important than production polish in the early stages. You can always refine your systems over time.

Another key insight is to choose a format you can actually sustain. Many new podcasters start with overly ambitious plans, but longevity matters more than intensity. A simple, consistent rhythm will take you much further than bursts of content followed by burnout.

I’ve also seen how powerful it is when people lean into their existing relationships and communities. Some of the best early guests are often students, peers, mentors, or colleagues—people you already have meaningful dialogue with. It immediately removes pressure and creates natural flow.

For resources, I usually suggest starting with straightforward tutorials on your hosting platform, listening closely to podcasts you admire (not just for content but for structure and pacing), and using simple tools like Zoom for recording and iMovie or basic editors for putting episodes together.

Ultimately, the most important advice is: don’t wait until it feels “ready.” Start, stay consistent, and let the podcast evolve with you.

► Where can we learn more about you & your podcasts?

http://www.soundshealstudio.com

http://www.youtube.com/soundshealstudio
http://www.instagram.com/nataliebrownsoundsheal
http://www.facebook.com/soundshealstudio
soundshealstudio@gmail.com

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Today Marina Triner, the creator of Deep Within with Marina Triner, The Compassionate Somatic Coach shares her story of self-improvement podcast.

► Tell us about you and your podcast

Marina is a renowned somatic coach who has supported thousands in moving through stuckness, unleashing their power, and stepping into unprecedented visionary success in their relationships, careers, and lives through profoundly transformative body-based approaches that address triggers, emotional healing, and nervous system regulation at the root. She has mentored thousands of clients through her coaching, online courses, and live programs.

The Deep Within Podcast dives into nervous system regulation, trauma healing, and emotional expression to root us in our inherent wholeness.

► Why & how did you start this podcast?

The podcast was born from the same place all of my work comes from, my own healing journey. I spent years moving through the depths of complex trauma, childhood emotional neglect, and the kind of pain that lives in the body long after the mind has tried to make sense of it. Somatic coaching changed my life in ways that talk therapy alone never could, and I knew I needed a space to share that, not just as a practitioner, but as a human being who has lived it.

I’ve always been drawn to podcasts because of their intimacy. There’s something about a voice in your ear that feels like being held, like someone is sitting with you in the hard parts. I wanted Deep Within to be that for people. A place where listeners didn’t just learn about nervous system healing and trauma recovery, but actually felt less alone in it.

My initial goal was simple, to create the resource I wished had existed when I was in the depths of my own healing. I wanted to have honest, unfiltered conversations about what it really means to heal. Not the highlight reel, not the packaged transformation story, but the messy, nonlinear, embodied truth of it.

I also wanted to share other people’s journeys. Because healing doesn’t happen in isolation, and there is so much wisdom in hearing someone else say “me too.” Every guest I bring onto the show carries a story that I believe has the power to help someone feel seen, and that matters deeply to me.

Deep Within launched in 2022 and honestly, the first episode took longer than I expected, because I wanted it to feel real, not polished. That’s still the standard I hold the show to today.

► How’d you find the time and funding to do this podcast?

Honestly, the podcast isn’t something I carved time out for, it became a natural extension of the work I was already doing. I record weekly, and what makes that sustainable is that I’m not manufacturing content. I’m sharing what I’m genuinely living, teaching, and moving through. When your work is rooted in authenticity, showing up consistently doesn’t feel like a grind — it feels like an offering.

I’m fortunate to have a team around me who handle the editing and production side, which means I can stay fully in my zone, the conversation, the depth, the connection. Everything that goes out under the Deep Within name is handled in-house, which matters to me. It means nothing gets lost in translation. The intention behind each episode is protected from start to finish.

In terms of investment — yes, I fund this myself, and I do so consciously. It’s a core part of my mission. The resources I put into it reflect that. Every episode is produced with care, and that has a cost, but for me, that cost is absolutely worth it when I think about the person on the other end of that episode who might be hearing something they’ve needed to hear for years.

Episodes typically go from recording to release within 4 weeks and I aim for a weekly cadence because I believe consistency is its own form of integrity.

► What do you gain from podcasting?

What I gain from podcasting is harder to measure than downloads or numbers, though those matter too. What I gain is connection. Every week I get messages from listeners telling me that an episode helped them finally understand why they shut down in relationships, or why their body holds so much tension, or why they’ve spent their whole life taking care of everyone but themselves.

It’s also been part of my own continued healing. There is something profoundly vulnerable about showing up with a microphone and saying, this is what I’ve lived through, this is what I’ve learned, this is what I believe is possible for you. That vulnerability has been a gift.

Until now, Deep Within has grown entirely through our own community and network. We haven’t actively promoted outside of that, and the show has still reached over 29,000 downloads. That tells me something really important about the resonance of this work. We’re only just beginning to bring it to a wider audience, and I genuinely believe the people who need this show haven’t found it yet. That’s what excites me most about this next chapter.

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► How does your podcasting process look like?

My podcasting process is built around two things, ease for my guests and integrity in the final product. Once a guest has been approved, we take care of everything. They simply book a date that works for them and show up. The logistics, the editing, the production, that’s handled by my team so the guest can arrive fully present for the conversation rather than worrying about the technical side.

We record either live via Zoom or async depending on what works best for the guest and the nature of the conversation.

Editing and post-production is handled entirely in-house by my team, which matters to me. Keeping it in-house means the tone, pacing, and emotional integrity of each conversation is protected.

In terms of preparation, I come to every conversation having done genuine research into my guest’s work. I don’t send a rigid list of questions because I find that kills the aliveness of a real conversation. Instead I prepare a loose framework of themes and let the dialogue breathe. The best moments in any Deep Within episode have come from following what’s actually alive in the room rather than sticking to a script.

For finding guests, until now that has happened organically through our own network and community.

► How do you market your show?

Our listeners find us primarily through Instagram, YouTube, and guest sharing, when a guest shares their episode with their own audience it creates a warm, trust-based introduction.

► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?

Start before you’re ready. People don’t connect with perfection, they connect with truth, with the moment you say something that makes them feel less alone. Share your real journey, not the polished version where you’ve already figured it all out, and don’t wait for the perfect setup or the perfect moment to begin. Consistency and authenticity will always outlast any technical shortcoming, and the only episode that can’t change someone’s life is the one you never record.

► Where can we learn more about you & your podcasts?

www.marinayt.com
www.instagram.com/marinayt
https://youtube.com/@marinatriner

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Today Heather Ross, the creator of Living While Loving Your Child Through Addiction share their story of parenting podcast.

► Tell us about you and your podcast

I’m Heather Ross, a family recovery coach, podcast host, and mother who has personally walked through the pain of loving a child struggling with substance use disorder. My daughter, Helanna, struggled for years before eventually entering recovery. After a recurrence of use, she passed away from an overdose. That experience completely changed the direction of my life and the work I do today.

For the first five years of my daughter’s struggle, I searched desperately for help and kept finding the same advice: detach, stop helping, set harsher boundaries, and wait for rock bottom. Much of that advice increased fear, shame, conflict, and disconnection in our family instead of helping.

It took me five years to finally find evidence-based approaches like CRAFT (Community Reinforcement and Family Training) and Invitation to Change, and when I did, the shift in my daughter’s response was profound. Even after years of escalating substance use, she responded incredibly well to approaches rooted in compassion, understanding, nervous system safety, and relationship.

That experience changed my entire understanding of addiction and family recovery. I realized families are suffering under outdated tough love advice that often is not supported by modern addiction science, and many parents have no idea there are other options available to them. I started my podcast because I wanted to create the kind of support I desperately needed but could not find during the hardest years of my life.

My listeners are primarily parents who feel terrified, exhausted, heartbroken, and unsure how to help their child anymore. Many have already tried therapy, support groups, treatment centers, or traditional advice and still feel stuck.

The podcast gives them much needed hope, a new lens rooted in science, and practical strategies that help families create more peace, stability, and influence at home.

► Why & how did you start this podcast?

I started the podcast because I saw how many parents were suffering in silence and isolation, and how much damaging information families were still receiving around addiction. I remember desperately searching for answers during my daughter’s struggle and hearing the same messages over and over: detach, stop helping, let her hit rock bottom. Much of that advice increased fear, shame, and disconnection in our family instead of helping.

Once I discovered approaches like CRAFT and Invitation to Change, everything about the way I related to my daughter changed. Our relationship healed. I realized families were not powerless and that parents needed practical, compassionate guidance instead of stigma and blame.

Podcasting felt like the best format because parents often listen while driving, cleaning, walking, or lying awake at night worrying about their child. The medium creates a level of intimacy and connection that’s hard to achieve anywhere else. Many listeners tell me it feels like sitting with a trusted friend who understands what they’re going through. On their hardest days they turn to the podcast for comfort.

I launched the podcast in 2020. I moved fairly quickly once I decided to do it because I cared more about helping people than making it perfect. I recorded and released my first episode within a few weeks of deciding to start. The early episodes don’t have great sound but they still help desperate parents.

► How’d you find the time and funding to do this podcast?

I currently release 2 episodes per month, although occasionally I’ll release additional episodes when there’s an important topic I want to address. Depending on the complexity, an episode can take anywhere from a couple of hours to a full day between outlining, recording, editing, graphics, uploading, and promotion. I do everything myself.

I run a coaching business alongside the podcast, so time management has definitely been a learning process. The podcast is deeply connected to my mission and business, so I see it less as a separate project and more as an extension of the work I already do helping families.

I fund everything myself. My expenses include editing software, microphones, email marketing, graphics, and promotion. I intentionally kept things simple at first rather than waiting until I had expensive equipment or a big production setup.

► What do you gain from podcasting?

Podcasting has brought me opportunities, connections, friendships, clients, and meaningful conversations I never would have had otherwise. But more than anything, it’s given me a way to turn one of the most painful experiences of my life into something that helps other families feel less alone.

My daughter, Helanna, passed away after a recurrence of substance use, and this work helps me honor her memory in a meaningful way. I know she would love knowing that our experience is helping other families suffer less, reconnect, and find hope sooner than we did.

I do not rely on sponsorships because I’m very protective of the trust I’ve built with my audience. The podcast primarily supports my coaching business, programs, and broader mission of changing how families understand addiction and recovery.

The biggest benefit has honestly been the messages I get from listeners. Parents often tell me they finally feel understood for the first time or that the podcast changed the way they see addiction and relate to their child.

The show has also helped position me as a voice in the family recovery space and has opened doors for speaking opportunities, collaborations, and growth in my coaching business.

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► How does your podcasting process look like?

My process is fairly simple and relationship-driven. I usually create episodes based on patterns I’m seeing in my coaching work, conversations happening in parent support groups, or questions families are struggling with repeatedly.

I use a Shure microphone, Zoom for guest interviews, Canva for graphics, and adobe podcast for editing.

I do a lot of solo episodes but when I have guests, they’re typically authors, trusted treatment professionals, recovery advocates, or parents with lived experience. I find many of them organically through networking, social media, books I’m reading, or referrals from others in the field.

I don’t over-script episodes because I want the show to feel human and conversational. I usually prepare key talking points but follow the conversation when I’m interviewing someone.

► How do you market your show?

Most listeners find the show through podcast platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify, but social media, email marketing, collaborations, and word-of-mouth have also played major roles in growth. I have never paid for advertising.

My audience is highly relationship-driven, so the most effective marketing has been sharing meaningful content that genuinely helps them and makes them want to share it to help others.

► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?

Don’t make it harder than it has to be and don’t wait until everything is perfect to start. I started with no sound editing, a cheap microphone, and a desire to help families. I figured out how to get started using Google and watching videos.

It’s easy to spend months obsessing over equipment, branding, or having the perfect strategy when what actually matters most is high quality content.

Another important lesson is that growth can happen slower than you expect in the beginning but don’t give up. Initially I only had 30 listeners and now the podcast is in the top 2%.

► Where can we learn more about you & your podcasts?

Website:

https://heatherrosscoaching.com/

Podcast -Living While Loving Your Child Through Addiction:

Instagram: @heatherrosscoaching
Facebook: @heatherrosscoaching
Free Guide: A New Perspective About Enabling: https://heatherrosscoaching.com/perspective-about-enabling/

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Today Suzy May, the creator of Wander Worldschool: Helping Families Plan & Fund Slow & Long Term Travel shares her story of places & travel podcast.

► Tell us about you and your podcast

I’m Suzy May, a certified financial educator and mom who splits life between Denver, Colorado, and Sevilla, Spain! I host the podcast to share the intersection of financial strategy, intentional family design, and long-term, location-independent living.

The Wander Worldschool podcast explores the mechanics of diverse education options and slow family travel, offering practical logistics to help parents confidently build a travel lifestyle. Episodes tackle real-world strategies like point-redemption travel hacking, funding travel through real estate, navigating digital nomad visas, and choosing global community hubs.

Our listeners are intentional parents, remote workers, and finance-focused travelers who are either actively worldschooling or planning a family sabbatical. They seek actionable advice on managing family cash flow, preventing travel burnout, and raising adaptable, culturally immersed children through place-based and immersive learning.

► Why & how did you start this podcast?

I launched the podcast because I realized that while many families dream of location independence, they get stuck on the complex financial and educational logistics of making it a reality. As an avid podcast listener myself, I knew audio storytelling was the most intimate and accessible way to share these deep dives. I’m always listening on the go!

My initial motivation was to create the resource I wished I had when planning my own family’s slow travels: a tactical, fluff-free guide balancing financial strategy with place-based education.

I bought a microphone years ago, even moved it to Spain and back but didn’t officially begin planning the show until the spring of 2025 after attending an inspiring conference in Santiago, Spain. From that point, I quickly drafted scripts and set up my remote audio workflow before releasing our very first episode in May 2025.

► How’d you find the time and funding to do this podcast?

I release new episodes consistently every week! It is a lot but so rewarding! Because I manage the show alongside money coaching and being a mom, I treat production like a client project: I batch-record interviews when I can and dedicate specific time blocks during the week to script writing and audio assembly. On average, a single episode takes about 4 to 6 hours to fully produce, from initial guest research to finalized show notes. I am enjoying the process but I really want a well done product so it takes a while!

The podcast is entirely self-funded both because I enjoy the conversations and as a strategic marketing asset for my coaching business and plans to host worldschooling opportunities. I keep overhead lean and highly efficient, spending roughly $50 to $80 per month. This budget primarily covers remote recording platforms and audio hosting, allowing me to maintain a professional product without a massive investment.

► What do you gain from podcasting?

I do not have any sponsors though I do use dynamic ads to promote my upcoming world school pop up hubs and my e-book that helps people rent out their home while they travel. I have made about $50 on sales and PodMatch interviews.

At just over 1,600 downloads in a month, I do not believe I am ready for traditional sponsorships. Instead, the show serves as the primary organic marketing engine for my business. Still, I am content using the show to build trust and direct listeners to my digital products and my family financial coaching services at this time.

Beyond the small but hopefully growing direct business revenue, the true return of podcasting has been the incredible network of friends, remote founders, and worldschooling organizers I have met through interviewing guests. I have spoken with people that I would not have otherwise had access to and thus, it serves as an incredible personal learning platform that keeps me connected to traveling families.

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► How does your podcasting process look like?

For my podcasting process, I use quite a few tools and services. To record, I use a standard, reliable remote setup: a Samson Q2U microphone paired with a laptop. For software, I use Riverside.fm to record audio and edit, Auphonic to improve sound and Buzzsprout for audio hosting. I also utilize AI tools to assist with transcription and drafting show notes and Canva for images.

I source most of my interview guests organically from within the active worldschooling, digital nomad, and location-independent communities. I have started to have more people reach out to me too! And PodMatch was a great option at first too.

Before hitting record, I research my guests’ travel styles, professional backgrounds, or business models. I draft a structured Outline that ensures we target actionable strategies in addition to their inspiring story. I ask them to jot some notes on the Outline so I can ensure I ask questions they are comfortable answering.

Because my guests are scattered across the globe, nearly 100% of my interviews are conducted remotely via video recording platforms (primarily Riverside.fm now but also have used Zoom).

► How do you market your show?

Marketing is a time-consuming part of podcasting! The majority of our listeners discover the show directly through major podcast directories, with Apple Podcasts accounting for roughly 65% of our traffic, followed by Spotify at 20%, and the remaining 15% arriving via web search, YouTube, and direct link shares within travel communities.

Our most effective marketing channel is a mix of social media, email marketing and niche community collaboration. Whenever an episode drops, I share actionable takeaways to social media and my Substack newsletter. I post references to episodes when appropriate in Facebook groups as well. I coordinate with our guests so they can easily cross-promote the episode to their own networks.

I want to spend more time on podcast guesting, reaching out to similar podcasts to swap on, etc. I do not have the funds for massive advertising campaigns at this time.

Organic Search & Forums: Because our content focuses on highly specific logistics (like the Destination Thailand Visa, home rental strategies, or worldschooling hubs), SEO-optimized show notes and active word-of-mouth recommendations inside dedicated worldschooling and digital nomad forums drive our most engaged, high-retention listeners.

► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?

The biggest surprise was how much time happens outside the actual recording. Scripting, researching guests, and writing SEO-friendly show notes take double or triple the time of the interview itself. Also, I get nervous interviewing people too sometimes! Which makes more work for me editing. So I am working to improve my ability to host and guide the conversation as well.

I have been lucky enough to attend some amazing conferences like CampFI, FinCon, Podfest and soon the Podcast Show in London. Each time, I learn so much and I am so inspired to keep going! I also love listening to podcasts about podcasting! Podcast Morning Show and Buzzcast are excellent!

► Where can we learn more about you & your podcasts?

Whether you’re an experienced traveling family or just starting out, or an expert worldschooling creator or aspirational hub planner, please reach out!

Email: pod@suzymay.com
All the links: https://beacons.ai/suzymaywander
Podcast:

https://www.wanderworldschool.com/

Website: www.suzymaywander.com
My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suzymay.wander/
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wander.worldschool/
https://www.facebook.com/suzymay.wander/
https://substack.com/@suzymay.wander
https://www.youtube.com/@suzymay.wander

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Today Dr. Jeffrey Zurek, the creator of Whimsical Wavelengths - A Science Podcast shares his story of science podcast.

► Tell us about you and your podcast

I am Dr. Jeffrey Zurek, a volcanologist and geophysicist. I was that “strange kid” who, from a young age, wanted to poke lava with a stick. I followed that curiosity through a BSc and into the mining industry, collecting geophysical data across the Canadian Arctic. I eventually leveraged that experience to volunteer with the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, which solidified my path toward a PhD and a career deciphering the plumbing systems of volcanoes.

However, Whimsical Wavelengths isn’t just about the data; it’s about breaking down the walls of the “ivory tower.” Science is often portrayed as something belonging to the elite or the government, but in reality, it is a human endeavor. It is a task done by people, for people. My podcast puts science front and center—going deep into the weeds of peer-reviewed research—but we do so to reconnect that knowledge back to the human experience.

I explore the research process not as a cold, clinical routine, but as a story of persistence and social impact. Whether I am discussing the chemistry of a magma chamber or the socio-economic determinants of health, the goal is to show that science is a collective tool for understanding our world and ourselves.

Our listeners are those who crave depth without gatekeeping. They are science enthusiasts and curious minds who want to see the face behind the research. We bridge the gap between complex science and the community, proving that even the most technical science is, at its heart, a deeply human story.

► Why & how did you start this podcast?

To podcast or not to podcast was never really the question—I have always listened to far too many of them. The real shift happened when I transitioned from academia to industry. I found I needed a way to stay deeply connected to scientific discourse while satisfying a growing need for a creative outlet. I wanted to tell scientific stories that didn’t just “paper over” the difficult parts. While the podcast sphere has plenty of pop science, I set out to create the science equivalent of long-form journalism or a deep-dive history series. I wanted to go into the complex, “hard” explanations that other shows often skip.

My initial goals were simple: I wanted to build a show people would actually listen to. While my “why” was strong from the beginning, my specific goals were fuzzy. As the saying goes, a PhD mostly teaches you how little you actually know, and that applies to the podcasting world as well. I didn’t know what was feasible, only that I was in it for the long haul. Today, my primary goal is to reach Season 20. I am currently finishing Season 2, and that long-term vision keeps me focused on quality over quick wins.

The idea for the show began to brew during the pandemic, but professional obligations kept it on the shelf. I finally committed and released the first episode on September 16, 2024. It took time to bridge the gap between “having an idea” and “producing a show,” but starting on my birthday was the ultimate gift to myself. Since then, I’ve operated as an army of one—handling everything from the technical geophysics of the sound to the storytelling in the scripts.

► How’d you find the time and funding to do this podcast?

I am “indie to the bone.” Because I maintain a professional career as a Geoscientist, the podcast is entirely self-funded. While I am conscious of the financial costs of hosting and equipment, the most significant investment is, without a doubt, time.

Operating as an “army of one” means balancing the rigors of a professional designation with the creative demands of a high-depth show. To ensure I never have to “paper over” the science, I release episodes every two weeks. A weekly schedule simply wouldn’t allow for the level of research and technical precision I require.

The production time varies significantly depending on the format. An interview episode generally requires about 10 hours of focused labor—covering everything from the initial literature review and scriptwriting to the recording, editing, and SEO. I find this time in the margins of my day, often dedicating 30 to 45 minutes every morning to keep the momentum going.

Solo episodes are a different beast entirely. Because these are deep-dives into complex topics where I am the primary guide, they can take anywhere from 25 to 100 hours to develop over the course of a month or more. While I rely on the brilliance of my guests for interviews, the solo episodes are where I roll up my sleeves and do the heavy lifting to connect the research back to the community. Funding this myself ensures I have total creative control—science by a person, for the people.

► What do you gain from podcasting?

I don’t have any sponsors. The show is entirely self-funded, which is a choice that allows me to focus on the research without worrying about the “side-hustle” aspect of podcasting. If a sponsor came along that truly fit the show’s niche, I’d be open to it, but for now, I’m not chasing it.

The real benefit for me is the access and the learning. Podcasting gives me a professional excuse to cold-email the smartest people in their fields and ask them questions for an hour. It’s essentially a way to keep my brain sharp while transitioning from academia to industry. Every interview is a masterclass in a new topic, from vaccination logic to CO2 emissions.

Beyond education, it’s a creative challenge. Translating a dense, peer-reviewed paper into a story that a curious non-expert can enjoy is a skill I’m constantly trying to refine. It keeps me connected to the wider scientific community and ensures that even while I’m working in industry, I’m still contributing to the public understanding of science as a human endeavor.

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► How does your podcasting process look like?

My process is built on the “Army of One” model. I handle every stage of production myself, which requires a mix of standard audio tools and modern AI assistance. For recording, I use Riverside to ensure high-quality local tracks from guests, and I do all my editing in Audacity. Because I am a solo creator, I leverage AI tools for generating show notes, optimizing SEO, and as a sounding board for “bouncing” ideas. While the goal is to connect science back to humans, the irony of using AI to help tell those human stories isn’t lost on me—it’s a necessary teammate when you’re a team of one.

Preparation is the most labor-intensive part of the show. I start by doing a deep dive into the guest’s research or the specific topic at hand. I then draft a “show blueprint” rather than a rigid script. This allows for a natural conversation while ensuring we hit the essential technical milestones. My goal is to know enough to follow the guest into the weeds, but also to catch jargon in real-time so I can ask for a translation that keeps the episode accessible for the listener.

Finding guests is a mix of professional networking and following the research. I keep a close eye on new publications and often reach out to authors whose work has a significant, under-discussed social impact. Most interviews are conducted remotely via Riverside, which allows me to connect with scientists globally while maintaining the audio fidelity my listeners expect.

► How do you market your show?

I am a scientist, not a marketer! That is one of the many things a PhD definitely did not prepare me for. For the longest time, my marketing strategy was simply “still learning.” However, I’ve approached growth the same way I approach research: through experimentation and incremental branching out.

My listeners thus far have primarily found the show via Apple Podcasts and Spotify. To support growth, I maintain a presence on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Bluesky. I’ve experimented with social media ads to varying degrees of success, but I find that the most meaningful growth comes from building real-world connections.

One experiment is a monthly volunteer science column I write for my local paper. It allows me to establish authority and reach a community that might not otherwise stumble across a science podcast. I am also a big proponent of digital discovery; I utilize SEO tools and JSON-LD schema on my website to ensure that when people search for specific scientific topics, they find the show directly.

My advice for other “non-marketers” is to play the long game. Don’t feel like you have to be a social media influencer overnight. Marketing isn’t just about ads; it’s about finding the community your research was meant for in the first place.

► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?

I would never dissuade someone from starting a podcast, but I would caution them to ensure their “why” is rock solid. Most people who start will eventually give up; industry stats often suggest that only a tiny fraction of shows make it past the 20- or 25-episode mark. If you are in it for quick fame or easy revenue, the “Army of One” workload will burn you out quickly. You have to be in it for the long haul.

One thing that wasn’t obvious to me beforehand is that your podcast is essentially a research project that never ends. My advice is to find a topic that you are genuinely curious about—not just something you know, but something you want to keep learning. That curiosity is the fuel that gets you through the 100-hour solo episode edits and the technical hurdles.

In terms of resources, I recommend leaning into the community rather than just the tech. I’ve found that following the “meta” of the industry through platforms like Listen Notes (for guest research) and PodNews is vital. Also, don’t sleep on the power of SEO. As a scientist, I treated my show’s growth like a data problem—using tools to track keywords and implementing JSON-LD schema on my site.

Finally, embrace the “PhD humility.” Accept that you won’t know everything on day one. Your first ten episodes are your “undergrad”—they are where you learn how to find your voice. By the time you hit Season 20, you’ll have built something truly meaningful. Iron out your “why” early, and the “how” will follow.

► Where can we learn more about you & your podcasts?

The best place to start is the official home of the show, where you can find show notes, research links, and more:
Official Website: whimsicalwavelengths.com

You can also follow the journey and the “Army of One” behind-the-scenes updates across these platforms:

Social Media: You can find me on LinkedIn for professional updates, and on Bluesky, Instagram, and Facebook for show announcements and scientific deep-dives.
https://www.facebook.com/WhimsicalWavelengths
https://www.instagram.com/whimsical.wavelengths/
https://bsky.app/profile/whimsicallambda.bsky.social
https://www.linkedin.com/company/whimsical-wavelengths
Professional Profiles: For those interested in the academic side of the house, you can find my research history on Google Scholar or via my ORCID profile.
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=nzcrPGkAAAAJ&hl=en
Digital Directories: The show is also listed on IMDb for a look at our episode history and production.

If you are interested in collaborating or have a research story that needs to be told, feel free to reach out via the contact form on the website. I’m always looking for the next deep dive into the human side of science.

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Today Nate Tanner, the creator of Master Your Money: Budgeting, Saving, and Debt-Free Living shares his story of education podcast.

► Tell us about you and your podcast

I’m Nate Tanner — husband, father, lifelong learner, and just a little bit of a personal finance nerd. I hold one and seven-eighths undergraduate degrees and an MBA, and I’m the co-creator of the Triggator Triangle Framework and CEO of Triggator. But more than any title, I find genuine joy in helping people worry about money less and enjoy life more.

That’s exactly what Master Your Money: Budgeting, Saving, and Debt-Free Living is built around. Using the Triggator Triangle — Budget, Save, Pay Off Debt — we help listeners build real systems, solid habits, and actionable plans that create a path to financial peace of mind.

We don’t do traditional monthly budgets here. We build paycheck-based Spending Plans where every dollar has a job and does that job with as little friction as possible. On the savings side, we focus on Peace of Mind Funds — covering emergencies, non-monthly expenses, and the things in life that bring real joy. And when it comes to debt, we believe every listener deserves a personalized plan. Whether that’s the debt snowball, the avalanche method, or tackling an emotionally charged debt first — the end goal is always the same: elimination.

Our listeners are as diverse as the financial journeys we cover — ranging from ages 25 to 50, spanning singles fresh out of college, young couples, growing families, and everyone in between. Some are in financial survival mode, looking for a lifeline. Others are stable and ready to start building real wealth. What they all share is a desire to take the next step — and the Triggator Triangle gives them a framework grounded in principles that work regardless of where they’re starting from.

► Why & how did you start this podcast?

The journey to Triggator and this podcast was a long one — with plenty of personal financial bumps along the way.

My wife and I married in our very early twenties. From about 18 to 21, I did what a lot of young adults do — made some genuinely stupid mistakes with money. The pain and stress that came from those early decisions became so real and so deep that we made a decision together: we were going to learn everything we could about how money actually worked. We wanted the peace of mind that comes from bills being paid, savings growing, and that awful consumer debt finally gone.

As we figured it out, we started noticing the same struggles in the people around us. Friends, neighbors, people in our circle — expressing how their budgets never seemed to work, how a surprise car repair would completely derail them, how they always had too much month left at the end of the money. So we started coaching them. Helping them build Spending Plans. Walking alongside them. And as we watched things change in their lives, we found real joy in that journey together.

That joy became a mission. If we could help the people in our circle, why not share it with as many people as possible? Master Your Money was born on April 7th, 2025 — six years in the making and a lifetime of learning. The framework had been living in our heads and in the lives of the people we’d coached for years. The podcast was simply the moment we decided to stop keeping it to ourselves.

As for podcasts — yes, I listen constantly. It’s one of my favorite ways to learn, and honestly, it felt like the most natural way to have the kind of real, honest money conversation I’d always wished someone had with me when I was just starting out.

► How’d you find the time and funding to do this podcast?

Master Your Money is entirely self-funded. No debt, no third-party investors, no strings attached. We teach that those who understand interest earn it and those who don’t, pay it — and that principle applies to more than just a bank account. When someone else is funding your vision, you’re paying a price, whether you see it on a statement or not. They set the terms. They influence the direction. But when you own something outright, you are in the driver’s seat. You control the journey. That’s exactly where we want to be.

As the show grows, we’re open to partnering with sponsors who genuinely align with our mission — but on our terms, in our own time, and never at the cost of the message.

Time is the harder question — and the more honest one. Family comes first, always. Add the responsibilities of building a business, and every hour has to count for something.

When the podcast launched on April 7th, 2025, the original goal was daily episodes. And for a stretch, we delivered. But as we coached more people and dug deeper into the real struggles our listeners faced, something became clear: the tools people needed to actually build their Spending Plans and systems simply didn’t exist — at least not in the way we envisioned them.

As a software engineer, I had already built a small-scale version for my own use. But others needed it too. So I made a difficult call — I shifted my focus toward building something that could scale and help everyone, not just the people in my immediate circle. Producing four or more hours of podcast content daily while simultaneously building a financial technology platform wasn’t sustainable. The podcast had to slow down so something bigger could be built.

That something bigger is now live and with it, we’re returning to regular episode production, ready to share the Triggator Triangle with as many people as possible.

The wait made the mission clearer. And now we’re just getting started.

► What do you gain from podcasting?

Right now, Master Your Money carries no sponsorships and generates no podcast revenue. And honestly — that’s intentional. The podcast isn’t about monetization. It’s about the message.

What I gain from podcasting is something far more valuable than a sponsorship check. I’ve seen firsthand what money stress does to people. I know what it feels like to hit your windshield trying to kill a spider — true story — and suddenly have a broken windshield problem and a financial problem at the same time. I know what it’s like to pull into your garage after a late night of hard work, hear that spring snap on the way down, and feel that sinking combination of exhaustion and dread when you realize you have no idea how you’re going to cover it. Those moments are stressful enough on their own. Compounding them with financial anxiety turns them into something that breeds real anger, real sadness, and real fear.

I podcast because I believe nobody should have to feel that way. As a devout Christian, I’m guided by the principle found in Matthew 25 — that what we do for those around us, we do unto God. As I’ve followed that counsel and poured into the lives of others through this show, I’ve found a joy and fulfillment that no revenue figure could replicate.

The mission is simple: help as many people as possible worry about money less and enjoy life more.

If the right sponsor — one who genuinely shares that vision — comes along as the show grows, I’m open to that conversation. But the podcast will never become a vehicle for revenue at the expense of the people it exists to serve.

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► How does your podcasting process look like?

If you’ve listened to the show, you already know — at Triggator, we love a good plan. The A-Team would be proud.

Episode planning starts with the listeners themselves. As emails come in with questions, concerns, and real-life stories, I start building a picture of what people are actually wrestling with. That listener feedback is gold. From there I layer in what’s happening in the world — news, law changes, economic shifts, social media trends, the latest financial fad that needs a solid stress test. Nothing makes it onto the show unless it genuinely serves the listener. Episodes are planned five at a time, which keeps production moving without sacrificing intentionality.

On the production side, we have a small but talented team — a dedicated editor, an artwork creator, and a scripting assistant. I am heavily involved in the script writing process. Probably to the occasional frustration of the team. But the words matter, the message matters, and I’m not willing to let that part go.

The podcast is distributed through Captivate.fm to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and many others. Hardware is handled through a professional studio setup, keeping the audio clean and consistent for every episode. One thing I am personally proud of is that we have developed an SDK for automated episode creation and upload on Captivate.fm that we have shared at no cost for any who would like to use it. It is available on GitHub.

As for guests — we’ve had one in studio so far, and we welcome more. But there’s a standard every guest has to meet: they’re here to serve the listener, not pitch a product. Every single episode — guest or no guest — delivers something the listener can act on today. We close every show with a Daily Challenge for exactly that reason. A guest who shows up just to say “buy my book to find out more” isn’t the right fit for this audience. Our listeners deserve better than that — and we make sure they get it.

► How do you market your show?

Marketing Master Your Money is a team effort. We have a dedicated social media manager who handles a mix of paid ads, boosted content, and organic growth across our platforms. Our weekly newsletter is another key touchpoint — subscribers get episode updates, financial tips, and a direct line into everything happening at Triggator.

Our primary homes are Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and listener acquisition is fairly evenly split between the two. We also have a small but loyal group who tune in directly through the Triggator website and a handful of smaller platforms. Every listener counts — regardless of where they find us.

We’re also in the middle of an exciting transition to video and YouTube distribution. I’ll be completely transparent about that one — like most people, I’m not exactly in love with the sound of my own voice, and watching myself on camera is somehow even worse. But here’s the thing: this message matters too much to let my own discomfort get in the way. If someone finds this show for the first time because they stumbled across a YouTube video instead of browsing Apple Podcasts, and it changes how they handle their next paycheck — that’s worth every uncomfortable moment in front of a camera. So I push past it, every single time.

The goal is simple: show up wherever our listeners are, deliver something worth their time, and let the message do the work. Word of mouth remains one of our most powerful growth drivers — and honestly, that tells us everything we need to know about whether the content is resonating.

► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?

Stay true to your message. Practice what you preach. And don’t compromise for clicks.

Money is a tool — and it amplifies who we really are. When it becomes the sole motivator, things start to slip. You chase the viral moment. You write the clickbait headline. You make moves that aren’t in the best interest of your audience. And when that happens, you lose something that no revenue figure can buy back — your integrity.

I take my cues from my third great-grandfather, Karl G. Maeser, founder of Brigham Young University. He was once asked what he meant by the phrase “word of honor.” His answer has become our family creed: “Place me behind prison walls — walls of stone ever so high, ever so thick, reaching ever so far into the ground — there is a possibility that in some way or another I might be able to escape; but stand me on the floor and draw a chalk line around me and have me give my word of honor never to cross it. Can I get out of that circle? No, never! I’d die first.”

That is the standard. Honor and integrity cannot be purchased, and they are the true measure of a person — and of a podcast.

On the practical side — read, listen, and keep learning. Audiobooks have been invaluable to me, covering everything from studio setup and scripting to marketing and audience growth. The podcasting space has incredible resources if you’re willing to seek them out. But none of it matters if you don’t first know exactly what you stand for and why. Start there. Build everything else on top of that foundation — and don’t let anyone, or anything, pull you across the chalk line.

► Where can we learn more about you & your podcasts?

The best place to start is the podcast hub at https://triggator.com/podcast — every episode lives there, along with show notes, resources, and the Daily Challenge from each episode.

From there, head to triggator.com to learn more about the Triggator Triangle framework, download the free Triggator eBook, and explore the Triggator Budgeting Tool — our paycheck-based financial planning app that just launched. If you’re ready to take the next step and want a personal walkthrough, you can also grab one of the limited Founder’s Fast-Track Setup Sessions there — a free one-on-one call where we build your first Spending Plan together inside the app.

You can find us and follow along on all the major social platforms:
X: https://x.com/triggator
Facebook: https://facebook.com/triggator
Instagram: https://instagram.com/triggator

We post tips, real-life money wins, episode updates, and the kind of behind-the-scenes content that doesn’t make it into the show.

And if you have a question, a story, or something you’d love to hear covered on the podcast — I genuinely want to hear from you.

Email me directly at podcast@triggator.com.

Listener questions and real-life stories are some of the best fuel for future episodes, and I read every single one.

However you find us — welcome. The mission is the same everywhere we show up: help you worry about money less and enjoy life more.

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Today John Cordray, the creator of Mental Health Today Show | Mental Wellness & Overthinking shares his story of mental health podcast.

► Tell us about you and your podcast

I’m John Cordray, LPC, a Licensed Professional Counselor and host of the Mental Health Today Show. My podcast is dedicated to helping busy professionals and high achievers overcome burnout, overthinking, and common mental health challenges using practical, evidence-based strategies.

With a background as a national board-certified counselor, I bring clinical expertise and actionable CBT tools directly to listeners. Occasionally, I interview leading mental health professionals to provide deeper insights and support for emotional resilience.

The podcast focuses on topics like cognitive distortions, stress management techniques, combatting overthinking, and mental wellness tailored for high achievers in high-pressure roles. Episodes offer fast, practical lessons designed for busy lives, perfect for listening during commutes or workouts.

My audience mainly consists of burned-out corporate climbers, newly promoted managers, and remote work professionals seeking quick relief methods and effective strategies to regain mental clarity and balance.

What sets this podcast apart is its foundation in research-backed techniques, exclusive expert interviews, and a counseling perspective. The show empowers listeners with tools to interrupt anxious thought cycles and promote lasting mental peace, making complex concepts accessible and actionable.

Listeners appreciate the blend of relatable stories, expert guidance, and the promise of mental freedom, all delivered in a concise, approachable style suited for today’s fast-paced world.

► Why & how did you start this podcast?

I started the Mental Health Today Show in 2015 because I wanted to share practical mental health guidance with busy professionals struggling with burnout and overthinking. At that time, my kids were little, and my schedule was tight, so I recorded episodes in between client sessions in my office. I’d set up my podcast equipment, record, then tear it down quickly to have a quiet space for therapy sessions.

Podcasting felt like the perfect medium to reach people outside traditional therapy, offering convenient, evidence-based tips they could listen to anytime, during commutes, workouts, or short breaks. I’m also a podcast listener myself and appreciate shows that provide expert insights in a clear, accessible format.

My initial motivation was to create a supportive resource that offered actionable strategies to reduce anxiety and improve emotional resilience. I wanted to help listeners regain mental clarity and balance despite busy, stressful lives.

Starting the podcast amidst parenting and work responsibilities taught me to be resourceful and focused on quality content, even with limited time and space. The first episode came together in that same busy, real-life context, setting the tone for the practical, relatable approach I continue today.

► How’d you find the time and funding to do this podcast?

Finding time to podcast has always been a balancing act alongside my counseling practice and family life. I still record episodes in between client sessions out of my home office. Fortunately, I now have a dedicated recording space in my office, so I no longer need to set up and tear down equipment for each episode, thank goodness.

I release episodes regularly, aiming for a consistent schedule that fits around my professional and personal commitments. Producing an episode typically takes a few hours, including recording, editing, and final touches, though sometimes more if there are guest interviews or extra preparation involved.

Podcasts have to fit into my busy days, so I prioritize efficiency and keep episode lengths manageable. My day job as a licensed counselor is my main focus, so podcasting is a passion project that I fit in when I can, especially during quieter periods between clients.

I fund the podcast myself. Costs include hosting fees, software for editing, and occasional marketing efforts. I manage these expenses carefully to maintain a high-quality show without overspending. The podcast is a labor of love and an extension of my mission to provide accessible mental health support, so I’m happy to invest my own resources in keeping it going.

► What do you gain from podcasting?

I don’t have sponsors for the show yet, but I am actively looking for three main sponsors to support the podcast on an ongoing basis, rather than just sponsoring a single episode or two.

Since I haven’t secured sponsorships yet, I don’t have sponsorship revenue to share. My focus remains on growing the audience and creating high-quality content that will attract sponsors aligned with mental health and wellness.

Podcasting benefits me in many ways beyond potential income. It has expanded my professional reach and credibility as a licensed counselor by allowing me to share evidence-based mental health strategies with a wider audience. It’s also a valuable learning experience, keeping me engaged with the latest research and trends through expert interviews.

Additionally, podcasting is personally fulfilling. It allows me to connect with like-minded professionals and listeners, building a community focused on mental wellness. It has sharpened my communication skills and helped me bring therapy concepts to life in a relatable, practical way.

Overall, podcasting is both a career enhancer and a meaningful creative outlet that complements my counseling work and passion for helping people.

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► How does your podcasting process look like?

Podcasting tools change all the time, but currently I use Descript for editing, Riverside FM to record interviews, and Opus Clips to create short clips to share on social media. These tools help me produce high-quality audio and engaging promotional content efficiently.
I have a vetting process for my guests, and interestingly, many guests find me. I get pitches nearly every day, so I use a detailed guest intake form and review process to ensure my guests are high-quality and align with the show’s focus on mental health and wellness.
When preparing each episode, I research the topic and my guest thoroughly to develop thoughtful questions and key points to cover. This helps keep the conversation focused, informative, and valuable for my listeners.

I conduct interviews remotely, usually via Riverside FM, which offers reliable, high-quality recording capabilities. This allows me to bring in experts from anywhere without geographic limitations.

► How do you market your show?

Apple Podcasts is my largest listener base. Most listeners find the show there, along with Spotify, as another major source.

I use social media channels like X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn to engage with my audience and promote new episodes. Additionally, I send an email newsletter called The Mental Freedom with weekly actionable mental wellness tips, which helps maintain listener loyalty and awareness.

Organic discovery on Apple Podcasts, word of mouth, and guest appearances on other shows also contribute to new listeners finding the podcast.

Overall, Apple Podcasts and social media, combined with email marketing, are my primary and most effective channels for audience growth and engagement.

► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?

Pick one main topic to focus on for your podcast. Don’t try to cover everything under the sun. Your audience wants to learn what you uniquely have to say about a particular topic, so stay focused and consistent.

Also, choose your hosting provider wisely and stick with them. Early on, I switched hosting providers a couple of times and ended up losing thousands of downloads and audience because of the transfers. That was a hard lesson about the importance of stability and continuity.

Finally, find a podcaster you admire and listen closely. Observe what they do well, from content to delivery to promotion, and think about how you can apply those lessons to improve your own podcast. Learning by example is invaluable.

► Where can we learn more about you & your podcasts?

You can learn more about me and my work at my personal website, htpps://johncordraylpc.com. There, you’ll find information about me, my resources, and ways to connect.

To follow the Mental Health Today Show and access episodes, you can visit the podcast’s main page here:

https://www.mentalhealthtodayshow.com

. This is where new episodes are published, and you can also find links to listen on platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

I regularly share mental health insights, episode updates, and wellness tips through these sites, so they are the best places to stay connected and learn more. You can also sign up for my newsletter, The Mental Freedom, where I offer practical tips for overcoming overthinking.

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Today Christian Taylor, the creator of Documentary First shares her story of film interviews podcast.

► Tell us about you and your podcast

I’m Christian Taylor, the host of Documentary First. I’ve spent four decades in the entertainment industry as an actor, voice actor, and casting director, but documentary filmmaking found me in the most unexpected way. I was accompanying my son’s Army unit to a D-Day commemoration in Normandy when an encounter there changed the direction of my career. That trip became my directorial debut, The Girl Who Wore Freedom, which went on to win over 25 international awards. I’d stepped into the director’s chair midlife, but I brought a lifetime of industry experience with me when I did. I also spent 12 years co-hosting a nationally recognized Christian podcast, so by the time I launched Documentary First, I had over a decade of hosting experience under my belt.

Documentary First is a podcast about how documentaries actually get funded, made, and seen. Every episode is a long-form conversation with filmmakers, editors, producers, distributors, and composers whose work spans major networks and streamers like HBO, Netflix, PBS, and Amazon, as well as independent film. Past guests include Ken Burns, PBS American Masters creator Susan Lacy, and Emmy and Peabody Award-winning editor Charles Olivier. On alternate weeks, I release The Deep Dive, a companion series where I take one idea from a recent conversation and sit with it on my own, pulling out the deeper lessons for filmmakers who want more than surface-level advice.

Our listeners are working and aspiring documentary filmmakers, film students, and people who simply love documentaries and want to understand how they’re made. Most are US-based, but we hear from listeners all over the world. The age range runs from 18 to 70, which tells me something I’m proud of: the show speaks to people who are just getting started and people who’ve been doing this for decades. That’s by design. I’ve always wanted Documentary First to be the resource I wish I’d had when I was figuring all of this out on my own.

► Why & how did you start this podcast?

Documentary First started because I was living through something I didn’t want to forget. During the production of my first film, The Girl Who Wore Freedom, so many unbelievable things were happening that I couldn’t keep up with writing them all down. So I decided to record them instead. At the same time, I was making every mistake a first-time director can make, and I thought if I could document what I was learning in real time, maybe I could spare other filmmakers some of the pain. I figured I was killing two birds with one stone.

Here’s the part that surprises people: when I launched Documentary First on March 7, 2019, I had never listened to a single podcast. Not one. I’d been co-hosting another podcast since 2012, so I had years of experience behind a microphone, but I wasn’t a podcast listener. Documentary First was born out of a completely separate impulse from that other show. It wasn’t strategic. It was organic. I had something I needed to say and a medium I already knew how to use, so I just hit record and figured it out as I went.

And honestly, a lot of the early episodes are a reflection of that. I had co-hosts who were also working with me on the other podcast, and I let them handle the technical details while I focused on the creative side. The show evolved over time as I grew into it. I’ve only recently started listening to other podcasts myself, specifically because I wanted to study what works and improve my own show. That might sound backwards, but I think it’s part of why Documentary First sounds the way it does. It wasn’t built by studying what everyone else was doing. It was built from the inside out, from a real need to process what I was going through and share it with anyone who could use it.

► How’d you find the time and funding to do this podcast?

Right now, Documentary First releases on a weekly rhythm. The main show and The Deep Dive alternate weeks, so there’s always something new for listeners. That schedule has evolved over time. When we started, it was a weekly show. Then we pulled back to biweekly. In February 2025, we shifted to the current alternating format, which keeps the feed active every week while giving each show room to breathe.

Production is entirely in-house with a small team of three people, plus one incredibly dedicated volunteer, Ben Feithen, who is honestly one of the most valuable people in the operation. Each episode involves coordinating with PR agents and guests to book the interview, recording in Riverside, then editing, adding video and photos, music, and creating thumbnails. On top of that, we produce three social media clips with thumbnails for marketing, and I spend a real chunk of time writing titles, descriptions, and thumbnail copy optimized for search. Since February, I’ve taken over all of the post-production work myself, and the honest truth is that it fills most of my day, every day.

The podcast takes the majority of my time right now. I still take voice over jobs when they come in, and I work my filmmaking projects around the podcast schedule. When I have to travel, I record episodes ahead of time. It’s a constant juggling act

As for funding, I want to be transparent because I think new podcasters deserve to know what this actually costs. Between hosting, recording software, sound design, production help, and marketing, the monthly expenses add up quickly. We have a wonderful sponsor in Virgil Films Entertainment, and we have supporters on Patreon, but those don’t come close to covering the full budget. The rest comes out of my pocket. I pay my small team well below market rate, and my most valuable team member is volunteering his time. This podcast exists because the people involved believe in what we’re building, not because the economics make sense yet.

► What do you gain from podcasting?

We do have sponsorship. Virgil Films Entertainment, a documentary distribution company, is our current sponsor. That relationship came about organically. They reached out to us, which felt like a real validation of what we’d been building. We also have supporters on Patreon. Between the two, the revenue helps but doesn’t cover our costs, so I’m still personally funding the difference. I’m open about that because I think too many podcasters assume sponsorship solves everything, and the reality is more complicated, especially for a niche show.

And Documentary First is a niche show. We’re not chasing mass-market download numbers. Our audience is documentary filmmakers, film students, and people who genuinely love the genre. That’s a specific community, and the listeners we have are deeply engaged. They email us, they come back week after week, and they tell us the show has changed how they think about their own work. I’ll take that over inflated numbers any day.

But the real answer to what I gain from podcasting has nothing to do with revenue. This podcast has been one of the most important professional development experiences of my life. I have learned more about the documentary industry through 276 conversations than I could have learned in a decade on my own. I’ve built relationships with filmmakers, editors, distributors, and composers that I never would have had access to otherwise. The podcast has given me standing in the marketplace as a filmmaker and a voice in the documentary community that I didn’t have before.

One of the things I value most is being able to connect people with each other. I’ll interview a filmmaker who’s struggling with distribution and I’ll know someone from a previous episode who can help. That kind of matchmaking happens constantly, and it’s one of the most rewarding parts of what I do. I feel like I’m doing genuinely important work, building something that serves filmmakers and serves the genre, and that keeps me going even when the economics don’t add up yet.

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► How does your podcasting process look like?

My setup is pretty straightforward. I record on a MacBook Pro with a 16-inch display, using a RØDE NT-USB Mini microphone, a Glide Gear TMP 75 teleprompter, and a lighting kit that includes Skytex softbox lights and a UBeesize ring light. Nothing fancy, but it gets the job done and looks professional on camera.

For software, Riverside is the backbone of almost everything. I record there, edit there, and produce video and social media clips there. Captivate is our hosting platform. Riverside has become a one-stop shop for our production workflow, which keeps things simple for a small team.

Finding guests has changed dramatically over the life of the show. In the early days, I was reaching out to people I found interesting. Usually other filmmakers I’d meet at film festivals, or directors behind films I was curious about. I’d cold pitch them, and most of the time they’d say yes because the show gave them a platform to talk about their work in depth. A few years ago, that dynamic shifted. PR agents started pitching me guests, and that pace has only picked up. At this point, I have to turn people away because I don’t have enough weeks for the number of interviews I’m being asked to do. That’s a problem I never imagined having when I started.

For preparation, I take it seriously. I research every guest, watch their films, and sometimes do a pre-interview to get a feel for the conversation before we record. I want every episode to go deeper than the standard press tour interview, and that takes homework. My guests notice it too. I hear all the time that our conversations go places they haven’t gone on other shows, and that doesn’t happen by accident.

Almost every episode has been recorded remotely through Riverside. Just this past week I did my very first live event podcast, which was a completely different experience. But remote recording has been the foundation of the show from the beginning, and it’s what allows me to talk to filmmakers all over the world.

► How do you market your show?

We market the show across six social media platforms: Instagram, X, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube, We also post clips on Spotify, maintain our website, send an email newsletter, have a Patreon community, and are working on cross-promotions with other shows. For every episode, we produce three social media clips with custom thumbnails tailored to each platform. We don’t just post the same thing everywhere, each platform has its own audience and its own algorithm, so we adapt the content to fit.

The biggest growth we’ve seen came not from any single marketing channel but from changes we made to the show itself. We shortened our episodes, restructured the format to open with a hook clip from the interview before the main conversation, added more video, and visual elements, and then put serious work into optimizing every thumbnail, title, and description for SEO and AIO. That combination made a noticeable difference. That marketing matters, but the product has to be right first.

What our data tells us is that a large percentage of our audience listens through web browsers rather than traditional podcast apps. That was a surprise at first, but it makes sense given how much we’ve invested in video and visual content. People are finding us on YouTube and through our website, not just through Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It’s changed how we think about production. We’re not just making a audio show anymore. We’re making something people watch.

Geographically, the US is our largest audience, but we have listeners in over 80 countries. that still blows my mind. Documentary filmmaking is a global craft and it’s been one of the most rewarding discoveries of this whole process to realize that the conversations we’re having resonate far beyond the American market.

If I’m honest about what I wish were different, it’s resources. I wish I could pay my team market rate. I wish I had more staff. We’re doing everything in-house with a tiny team, and we’re leaving reach on the table for lack of resources.

► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is one I wish someone had told me on day one: no one will ever care more about your show than you do. For years, I relied on other people to handle the details of my podcast while I focused on the creative side. And they did a fine job. But nobody was lying awake at night thinking about how to make Documentary First better. That was my job, and I wasn’t doing it.

When I finally took full ownership of every part of the show, everything changed. I started researching the podcast landscape, studying the competition, learning what audiences were actually looking for, and figuring out how platforms like YouTube really work. I dug into SEO, AIO, thumbnail strategy, title writing, formatting, hooks. There is so much more to podcasting than just talking, and I had no idea how much I didn’t know until I forced myself to learn it.

My advice to new podcasters is this: be a student of the medium, not just a practitioner. Record your show, yes. But also study how people find podcasts, how they decide what to listen to, and what makes them stay. Understand audiencing. Learn what the algorithms reward. Look at what successful shows in your space are doing differently from you. That research will change your show faster than any new microphone or editing tool.

A few resources that have been genuinely helpful to me: Cody McLaughlin’s The Podcast Tech Stack on Substack (thepodcasttechstack.substack.com) has been a go-to for smart, practical guidance on tools and growth strategy. I actually hired Cody to do an audit of my show, and his report was critical to turning some things around. I’d also recommend Podcast Plunge by Arielle Nissenblatt (podcastplunge.substack.com) and Podcast The Newsletter by Lauren Passell (podcastthenewsletter.substack.com).

All three are written by people who genuinely understand the industry and are generous with what they know.

► Where can we learn more about you & your podcasts?

The best place to start is the podcast itself. You can subscribe on any of these platforms:

Apple Podcasts: tinyurl.com/DocFirstApple
Spotify: tinyurl.com/DocFirstSpotify
Amazon Music: tinyurl.com/DocFirstAmazon
YouTube: tinyurl.com/DocFirstYouTube

If you want to support the show, you can join our community on Patreon at tinyurl.com/DocFirstPatreon. Every bit of support helps us keep making the show.

To learn more about our documentary work, visit documentaryfirst.com. You can watch my award-winning debut film, The Girl Who Wore Freedom, on major streaming platforms at geni.us/TheGirlWhoWoreFreedom, or learn about our upcoming projects at heroesofcarentan.com and thebravedutch.com.

If you want to support our documentary filmmaking directly, you can donate at givebutter.com/TGWWF2026. The Girl Who Wore Freedom and Heroes of Carentan are fiscally sponsored by Living Stories Ltd, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, so donations are tax-deductible.

You can also find my voice over work at neighborladyvo.com.
Follow us on all platforms: linktr.ee/doc1st
Email: info@documentaryfirst.com

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Today Keith Casebonne and Jodi Beckstine, the creators of Disability Deep Dive share their story of society & culture podcast.

► Tell us about you and your podcast

I’m Jodi, and I co-host Disability Deep Dive with Keith Casebonne as part of Disability Rights Florida. My background is in content, communications, and audience-centered storytelling, so a lot of my work lives at the intersection of accessibility, advocacy, and public conversation.

I’m Keith, and I co-host with Jodi Beckstine. I have close to three decades of experience in communications and technology. I focus on turning complex concepts into clear messages, building inclusive strategies, and creating accessible content—all rooted in the belief that effective communication can drive real change.

We both try to create conversations that are informed, welcoming, and honest, and podcasting is a great place to make that happen.

Disability Deep Dive is a bi-weekly interview-based podcast that centers the voices, stories, and perspectives of people with disabilities. We talk with advocates, creators, educators, leaders, and people with lived experience about disability through the lens of culture, media, policy, rights, identity, access, and everyday life. Our goal is not just to explain issues, but to explore how disability shapes the world and how the world responds in return.

Our listeners include people with disabilities, family members, advocates, educators, professionals, and anyone who wants a deeper understanding of disability beyond surface-level talking points. We try to make the show useful both for people already engaged in disability spaces and for listeners who are still learning but want to listen well and think more deeply.

► Why & how did you start this podcast?

In mid-2016, Disability Rights Florida was looking for an innovative way to reach people with disabilities to encourage them to vote in the November 2016 election. One idea was to create a podcast for that purpose, and others agreed that we should give it a try. So, on October 4th, the first episode of our podcast—then under the name “You First: The Disability Rights Florida Podcast” (or just “You First,” for short)—was released. Three episodes followed, all on voting-related topics, and all were released before election day. From there, we started talking about other disability-related topics, and our podcast took off. Over the years, the show’s format has evolved, the guests have become more diverse, and even the name changed: in 2025, we rebranded to “Disability Deep Dive,” added a new “Deep Cut” segment, and haven’t looked back.

Podcasting made sense because it creates space for real conversation. It lets guests tell fuller stories, and it gives listeners time to sit with ideas instead of just scrolling past them in a social feed. We both listen to podcasts, and one of the things we each value most about the format is that it can make complex issues feel approachable without flattening them.

► How’d you find the time and funding to do this podcast?

We release episodes bi-weekly, and each episode takes a fair amount of coordination. Between guest outreach, prep materials, recording, editing, scheduling, promotional assets, and publishing, each episode can take anywhere from several hours to a couple of weeks of shared work, depending on the topic and production needs. The actual recording may be under an hour, but as usual, the part people hear is only the tip of the iceberg. Because the podcast is part of Disability Rights Florida, it fits into our broader communications and public education work rather than existing as a side hobby we fund personally. That structure helps a lot. We are able to build podcast production into our work responsibilities and content planning, which makes the time commitment more sustainable. This also enables us to purchase the equipment, software, and hosting we need.

► What do you gain from podcasting?

For us, the biggest gain is impact. Podcasting gives us a way to create deeper, more lasting conversations than we can usually have in short-form content. We get to learn directly from our guests, build relationships, highlight important issues, and create a record of conversations that matter.

Podcasting has also helped us each grow professionally. It has strengthened our interviewing, writing, and editorial skills, expanded our network, and made us better communicators. It has pushed us to think carefully about how to ask stronger questions, prepare more intentionally, and make complex issues clear without oversimplifying them.
Personally, one of the most rewarding parts is hearing from guests and listeners who felt seen, informed, or challenged in a meaningful way by an episode.
We have not had any sponsors at this point.

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► How does your podcasting process look like?

Currently, we both use Shure SM7B microphones, Focusrite Vocaster interfaces, and Audio-Technica headphones. We record using Descript Rooms (previously we used SquadCast), and edit with Descript, along with Adobe Premiere, After Effects, and Photoshop.

We find guests in a lot of different ways, but it often starts with paying close attention to what people are already sharing online. We spend a lot of time on social media looking for stories that feel honest, timely, and meaningful, and then looking more closely at the people behind those stories. We’re especially drawn to people who are sharing their lives, their perspectives, and the issues that matter to them in a real and thoughtful way. Many of our guests are people or organizations we’ve been following since the start of the pandemic, so sometimes the outreach is the result of years of listening and learning first.

Our process usually starts with identifying themes, issues, or guests we think would bring something meaningful to our audience. From there, we do guest outreach, schedule the recording, develop a prep package, draft guiding questions, and think through the flow of the episode before we ever hit record.

We interview guests remotely, typically over Descript, which allows us to talk with people across different locations while keeping the process flexible and accessible. We also build in time for accommodations, tech checks, and any guest support needs ahead of the recording.

► How do you market your show?

We market the show through a mix of podcast platforms, YouTube, social media, website content, guest collaboration, and organizational communications. Because the show is connected to Disability Rights Florida, we are able to share episodes through established channels and reach audiences who already care about disability rights, access, and public education.

Our listeners find the show through podcast apps, YouTube, social media, our website, and cross-promotion from guests and partners. We do not rely on just one source. Instead, we try to meet people where they already are and make it easy for them to discover an episode in multiple formats.

The most useful marketing channels for us have been social media, short-form video or visual promo assets, guest tags and shares, and strong episode titles and descriptions that help people understand immediately why an episode matters. Clear positioning makes a big difference. If the title sounds vague, people scroll past it. Humanity’s attention span is now apparently held together with dental floss.

We also try to think beyond “promotion” in the narrow sense. Good marketing starts with a strong episode concept, a compelling guest, and framing that tells listeners why they should care.

► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?

Start with clarity before you start with gear. You do not need the most expensive equipment to make a meaningful podcast, but you do need a clear sense of what your show is about, who it is for, and what will keep people coming back.

Over time, I’ve learned that consistency matters more than perfection, and that good preparation leads to better interviews. The more work you do ahead of time, the more relaxed and natural the conversation can be. I’ve also learned that accessibility needs to be built into the process from the start, not treated as an afterthought. And when your show has a strong identity, promotion becomes much easier because people can quickly understand what it offers.

Another thing that surprised me is how much work happens before and after the recording. So much of podcasting is in the planning, coordination, follow-up, publishing, graphics, transcripts, clips, captions, and promotion. The recording is the part people hear, but there is a lot of thoughtful work surrounding it that makes the final episode possible. The actual conversation may be the easiest part.

Helpful resources can include other interview podcasts you admire, creator communities, YouTube tutorials on editing and recording, and platform-specific guidance from your hosting service. But honestly, one of the best teachers is making the show, listening back, and improving one step at a time.

► Where can we learn more about you & your podcasts?

You can find Disability Deep Dive at https://disabilityrightsflorida.org/podcast, on all major podcast platforms, and on YouTube.

To learn more about Disability Rights Florida, visit

https://disabilityrightsflorida.org/

.
And you can find us on social media:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/disabilityrightsflorida
• Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/DisabilityRtsFL
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/disabilityrightsfl/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/disability-rights-florida/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/DisabilityRightsFL

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Today Lynn "Elikqitie" Smargis, the creator of Self Publishing for Professionals shares her story of entrepreneurship podcast.

► Tell us about you and your podcast

Self Publishing for Professionals is the podcast built for experts, executives, speakers, and leaders who are ready to write and publish their book. Hosted by Lynn, a five-time published author, ghostwriter, and book editor, this show breaks down every step of the publishing process in plain, practical language. Each episode covers the real decisions authors face, from choosing between self-, traditional, and hybrid publishing to navigating Amazon KDP, book cover design, ISBNs, royalties, and book marketing. Whether you’re battling mindset blocks, looking for a ghostwriter or book coach, or just trying to figure out where to start, this podcast meets you exactly where you are. If publishing your book has been on your to-do list, Self Publishing for Professionals is your invitation to finally make it happen.

► Why & how did you start this podcast?

My podcasting journey actually started back in 2018 with Travel Gluten Free, which is still going strong as my passion project. I have Celiac disease, and I love to travel, so it just made sense to combine the two! Ever since that first episode, I’ve been deeply embedded in the podcasting world, making amazing connections and friends for the past decade.

What I’ve always loved about podcasting is that it attracts listeners who genuinely want to learn. That’s exactly the kind of audience I wanted to reach when I created Self Publishing for Professionals. Writing and publishing a book takes real time, effort, and commitment, and I wanted to build a space where authors, both new and returning, could get the support and guidance they need to actually cross the finish line.

I launched Self Publishing for Professionals in January 2024 and had my first episode out within the very first week. Honestly, the process felt pretty natural to me at that point. This is the fifth podcast that I’ve personally produced, and over the course of my career, I’ve worked on post-production for more than 200 other shows. By now, I know my way around a microphone!

► How’d you find the time and funding to do this podcast?

New episodes drop every week, and if you’ve ever wondered what goes into making a podcast, each one takes me roughly four to six hours from start to finish. That includes everything from writing the script and recording to editing, post-production, and creating the marketing content that accompanies it. It’s a labor of love, but I genuinely enjoy every part of the process.

I created Self Publishing for Professionals as an extension of my business, Write For You, which offers ghostwriting and self-publishing services to authors at every stage of their journey. Think of the podcast as your free introduction to what we do, and a way for you to get to know me before we ever work together. Whether you’re writing your first book or your fifth, there’s something here for you.

► What do you gain from podcasting?

I’ll be honest with you, sponsorships have never been part of the plan for this show. I created Self Publishing for Professionals purely to serve authors and give professionals a behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to write and publish a book. This podcast is my way of giving back to a community I care deeply about, and of course, letting people know that if they ever need a ghostwriter, editor, or publishing guide in their corner, I’m here for that too.

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► How does your podcasting process look like?

For recording, I use Riverside, which is hands down one of the best tools out there for capturing high quality audio and video, and all of my guest interviews are held there as well. When it comes to editing, Hindenburg is my go-to audio editor, and I’ve loved it from the start.

Most of my guests come from my own professional network, which I love because it means I’m bringing in people I already know and trust. On the production side, my two amazing team members and I stay organized through a combination of Trello and a shared production sheet that we update together every week. It’s a simple system, but it keeps everything running smoothly and on schedule.

► How do you market your show?

My listeners find the show in a few different ways. A good chunk of them discover it through searching on Apple Podcasts or through Overcast, and it turns out most of my audience are Apple users, which doesn’t surprise me, given the crowd I attract. I also have a wonderful community called Publishing for Leaders, and that group sends many engaged, motivated listeners my way.

On top of that, the podcast lives on YouTube as well, and a lot of people stumble across the show there through my podcast shorts. It’s a great way to give new listeners a quick taste of what the show is about before they commit to a full episode. Once they’re hooked, they usually don’t stop there!

► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?

I always point new podcasters toward Podcasting Business School, which is a fantastic community and learning hub for anyone serious about growing a show. Dave Jackson’s classes are another must, he’s one of the most knowledgeable voices in the podcasting space and has a gift for making the technical side feel approachable. And if you’re a book lover like me, grab a copy of Build a Strong Podcast by Jennifer Longworth. It’s a great read that walks you through the process in a practical, encouraging way. The podcasting world is incredibly supportive, so don’t be afraid to dive in, ask questions, and learn as you go!

► Where can we learn more about you & your podcasts?

If you want to learn more about me and what I do, the best place to start is my website at writeforyou.me, where you can explore my ghostwriting and self-publishing services, get a feel for my work, and even book a discovery call if you’re ready to talk about your book. You can also find me through the podcast itself, where I show up every week with new episodes designed to help you on your publishing journey. And if you’re looking for a community of like-minded professionals who are serious about writing and publishing their books, come join us in Publishing for Leaders. It’s a wonderful group of people on the same path, and I’d love to see you there!

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Today Dr. Cynthia Bentzen-Mercer, the creator of Climbing the Corporate Ladder without Breaking a Heel shares her story of careers podcast.

► Tell us about you and your podcast

I’m Dr. Cynthia Bentzen-Mercer, a human capital strategist, board-certified executive coach, and USA Today bestselling author of Now, Near, Next, with over 30 years of experience in leadership, organizational development, and executive coaching. My work sits at the intersection of human potential and strategic advantage—helping individuals and organizations move from autopilot to intentional action.

I host the podcast Climbing the Corporate Ladder Without Breaking a Heel, a show focused on leadership, agency, and what I call the Discipline of Direction. Through candid conversations with executives, founders, and high-performing women and men, we explore how success is built—not just through ambition, but through clarity, intentionality, and disciplined choices over time.

At the core of the podcast is a powerful idea: most people don’t fail—they drift. And drift, left unchecked, quietly erodes potential across careers, leadership, and life. Each episode helps listeners recognize the signals of drift and equips them with practical tools—like my 7-Minute Pivot—to reclaim direction and build meaningful momentum.

My listeners are ambitious, high-capacity professionals—particularly women—who are navigating complex careers, leadership roles, and life demands. They are thoughtful, driven, and often successful by traditional measures, yet seeking greater alignment, clarity, and control over their next chapter.

This podcast is for those who are ready to stop drifting—and start leading their lives and careers with intention.

► Why & how did you start this podcast?

I started recording my podcast in August 2025 and officially launched in September 2025. Within the first four weeks, I recorded and banked 10 episodes, allowing me to launch with both consistency and momentum from day one.

Podcasting was a natural extension of my work. As an executive coach and author, I saw a gap between insight and access—particularly for high-performing women who are navigating pivotal moments in their careers but don’t always have the time, space, or support to step back and think strategically about what’s next. The podcast became a way to meet them where they are.

I do listen to podcasts regularly—both for learning and for enjoyment—and I’ve always appreciated the intimacy and depth the format allows. There’s something powerful about hearing real conversations unfold that can shift perspective in a way that written content sometimes cannot.

My initial goal was simple but meaningful: expand my reach and create a consistent, accessible platform to help women reconnect to their agency, gain clarity, and take intentional steps toward their next chapter. Over time, it has also become a platform to elevate important conversations around leadership, human potential, and the Discipline of Direction.

► How’d you find the time and funding to do this podcast?

I approach my podcast the same way I approach any strategic investment—through intentional structure and disciplined execution.

I release one episode every Tuesday, 52 weeks a year. To maintain that consistency, I record approximately six episodes per month and am typically booked about five months out. That forward pipeline allows me to stay focused on quality conversations without the pressure of last-minute production.

As an entrepreneur, podcasting isn’t separate from my work—it’s integrated into my broader business model. It supports my thought leadership, extends my reach, and creates meaningful touchpoints with my audience. I design my calendar accordingly, treating recording days with the same level of priority as client work or speaking engagements.

From a production standpoint, I keep it efficient and high-quality. I am self-funded, and my son—who is a professional video editor—produces the show as a gig-based partner. That allows me to maintain a polished final product while keeping costs controlled and aligned with the value the podcast generates for my brand and business.

In terms of time, each episode requires focused recording time, followed by streamlined post-production and distribution. Because I’ve built a repeatable system, the process is sustainable and scalable.

Ultimately, the podcast is not something I “fit in”—it’s something I invest in, because it directly supports my mission to help people stop drifting and lead with intention.

► What do you gain from podcasting?

I’m not currently sponsored. At this stage, the podcast is a strategic platform to extend my message and deepen impact.

The show averages approximately 300 downloads per month and continues to grow steadily. My focus has been on building a highly aligned audience—listeners who are thoughtful, driven, and ready to engage with the work in a meaningful way.

Podcasting has become a powerful extension of my broader mission: helping individuals stop drifting and lead with intention. It allows me to translate my frameworks—like the Discipline of Direction and the 7-Minute Pivot—into real conversations that people can access anytime, anywhere.

From a business standpoint, the value shows up in multiple ways. It strengthens my thought leadership, creates visibility with new audiences, and opens doors to speaking engagements, coaching relationships, and strategic partnerships. It also allows me to build authentic relationships with guests—many of whom become collaborators, clients, or long-term advocates.

Equally important, it sharpens my own thinking. Each conversation is an opportunity to learn, test ideas, and stay connected to the real challenges leaders are facing today.

Over time, I may explore sponsorships or partnerships, but only if they align with the integrity of the message and the value I’m committed to delivering to my audience.

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► How does your podcasting process look like?

My podcasting process is highly structured, which allows me to maintain both quality and consistency as the show grows.

I source the majority of my guests through my LinkedIn network, where I’ve built a strong community of leaders, founders, and high-performing professionals. As the podcast has gained traction, I now receive approximately five inbound guest requests per day, which allows me to be selective and ensure strong alignment with the show’s themes and audience.

Before recording, I schedule a 15-minute chemistry call via Microsoft Teams. This ensures there is a natural conversational fit, aligns on key themes, and allows me to connect the guest’s story to the broader through-line of the show.

All episodes are recorded remotely using Riverside, which provides high-quality audio and video. This allows for flexibility with guests across different locations while maintaining a professional production standard.

In terms of preparation, I approach each episode with a clear structure rather than a rigid script. I map the conversation to core themes—leadership, agency, and the Discipline of Direction—while leaving space for authentic dialogue. This balance ensures each episode feels both intentional and organic.

Post-recording, my production process is streamlined through a dedicated editor, ensuring consistency in sound, pacing, and overall quality before distribution.

Overall, the process is designed to be efficient, repeatable, and scalable—so I can focus on what matters most: meaningful conversations that create insight and momentum for the listener.

► How do you market your show?

My marketing approach is intentional and audience-specific. My primary audience is on LinkedIn and Instagram, so I focus my efforts where they are already engaging.

Each month, I release a curated lineup of upcoming podcast episodes—positioning the conversations as a cohesive series rather than standalone content. This creates anticipation and reinforces the strategic through-line of the show. From there, each episode is supported by two weekly short-form video clips, designed to capture key insights and drive listeners to the full episode.

Most of my listeners discover the show through social channels—particularly LinkedIn—where I’ve built a strong, engaged community. Instagram serves as a complementary platform to extend reach and reinforce visibility through more visual, bite-sized content.

In addition to social, I integrate the podcast into my broader content ecosystem, including my newsletters and thought leadership platforms. This ensures the podcast is not marketed in isolation, but as part of a larger conversation around leadership, agency, and the Discipline of Direction.

I also benefit from organic reach through my guests, who often share their episodes with their own networks, expanding visibility to new, relevant audiences.

While I don’t rely heavily on paid acquisition at this stage, the combination of consistent content, aligned platforms, and network effects has proven to be both effective and sustainable for growth.

► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?

Podcasting is a meaningful commitment—more than most people anticipate. It requires consistency, preparation, and a clear point of view. If you approach it casually, it will feel heavy. If you approach it with intention, it becomes a powerful platform.

Preparation is one of the most underestimated factors in a great interview. The best conversations don’t happen by accident—they are designed. Knowing your guest, understanding their story, and connecting it to a larger narrative elevates the experience for both the guest and the listener.

Equally important is production quality. Having a producer or editor with a strong attention to detail is critical. Audio quality, pacing, and flow all shape how your message is received. A strong production partner allows you to stay focused on the conversation while ensuring a professional final product.

Another lesson: don’t wait until you have a large following to think big. In the early stages, not everyone will say yes to being on your show—but ask anyway. Some of the most meaningful opportunities come from simply reaching out. A genuine invitation to “pay it forward” can open doors with people you may not expect to access.

Finally, build systems early. Consistency compounds. When you create a repeatable process for recording, production, and promotion, the podcast becomes sustainable—and that’s what ultimately drives growth.

Podcasting, done well, is not just content creation—it’s relationship building, thought leadership, and a long-term investment in your voice.

► Where can we learn more about you & your podcasts?

You can learn more about my work, podcast, and thought leadership here:

• Website:

https://www.dr-cynthia.com

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-cynthia
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.cynthia

My podcast, Climbing the Corporate Ladder Without Breaking a Heel, is available on all major podcast platforms.

For those interested in going deeper, I also share insights through my newsletters, speaking engagements, and coaching programs—all focused on helping high-performing leaders and women stop drifting and lead with intention.
www.dr-cynthia.com

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Today Amy Lynn Durham, the creator of Create Magic At Work® shares her story of management podcast.

► Tell us about you and your podcast

Amy Lynn Durham the founder of the executive coaching firm Create Magic At Work® and Magic Thread Media™, a curated boutique podcast network of conscious voices. She is an executive coach and leadership advisor who works with senior leaders and organizations navigating complex change.

Her podcast, Create Magic At Work®, explores the intersection of leadership, human development, and spiritual intelligence in modern organizations. Through conversations with visionary leaders, coaches, authors, and entrepreneurs, the show examines how leaders can navigate uncertainty, cultivate self awareness, and create workplaces that are both high performing and deeply human.

Many episodes explore themes such as transformational leadership, intuition in decision making, organizational change, and the inner work required to lead well. The show also introduces frameworks rooted in spiritual intelligence, including SQ21, the Archetypes of Change, and the Edgewalker philosophy. These perspectives help listeners understand the different ways people respond to transformation and support leaders in walking the edge into quantum leadership, where business decisions ripple outward for the greater good.

Listeners of Create Magic At Work® are leaders who want to edgewalk rather than sleepwalk through their work and life. They want to bring their full selves into the spaces they inhabit, including their spirituality through a faith neutral lens. Many are founders, coaches, and professionals seeking a deeper sense of meaning in their work and lives. They are thoughtful change agents navigating their own leadership evolution and are interested in blending strategy, psychology, and spiritual intelligence to create meaningful impact in their organizations and communities.

► Why & how did you start this podcast?

I started the Create Magic At Work® podcast in September 2021 because I saw a gap in how leadership was being discussed. Many workplace conversations focused on productivity and emotional intelligence, but rarely explored the deeper dimensions of leadership such as spiritual intelligence, intuition, and inner development. At the time, those topics still felt somewhat taboo in professional spaces.

The podcast became a way to pioneer conversations about spiritual intelligence in the workplace from a faith neutral lens. My goal was to help leaders realize that going beyond EQ is where the next evolution of leadership begins. I often describe this as the shift toward the quantum leader, someone who understands that their decisions ripple outward and influence people, organizations, and communities in profound ways.

One of the things I love most about the show is the range of perspectives guests bring to the conversation. Some of our most popular episodes feature voices from the edge of leadership thinking. Bill Kirst explored how leaders can hold onto their humanity in an AI driven world. Aaron Tabacco shared powerful insights about presence and the deeper layers of feedback and relationship in leadership. Josh Plaskoff challenged traditional ideas about the employee experience and introduced a more expansive view of quantum leadership.

At the same time, the show also makes space for more imaginative and reflective conversations. We have explored topics like dream analysis for leaders, ferocious compassion with Sandra Ingerman, and other perspectives that invite leaders to expand how they think about consciousness, creativity, and change.

Ultimately, the goal of the podcast has always been to amplify the work we do at Create Magic At Work® and help people understand how they respond to change. The conversations are designed to help listeners build the inner skills needed to make wise and compassionate decisions, even during times of great stress, while maintaining a sense of inner peace.

► How’d you find the time and funding to do this podcast?

Create Magic At Work® releases episodes weekly. The production timeline for an episode typically spans several stages including guest preparation, recording, editing, publishing, and promotion. Depending on the complexity of the conversation and post production work, it can take anywhere from several hours to a few days to move an episode from recording to release.

When the podcast first launched in 2021, I was balancing production alongside my work as an executive coach and founder of Create Magic At Work®. Like many independent podcasters, the early days involved learning the process, experimenting with formats, and building the rhythm of recording and publishing consistently.

Over time, the podcast has become a core part of my work rather than a side project. Today it sits within Magic Thread Media™, a boutique podcast network I founded to support thoughtful, conscious voices in podcasting. Through the network, we have developed a more structured production process that includes professional editing, publishing support, and promotional coordination.

Like most independent podcasts, the show initially required personal investment in hosting, editing, software, and production tools. As the podcast has grown, the focus has shifted toward building a sustainable ecosystem around the show through the network, partnerships, and related projects.

One of the most rewarding aspects of podcasting has been the incredible people I have met along the way. The show has become a gathering place for leaders who are exploring spiritual intelligence, quantum leadership, and new ways of thinking about work and life. Those conversations have been deeply energizing and have reinforced my belief that many leaders are ready to edgewalk instead of sleepwalk in their leadership.

► What do you gain from podcasting?

Podcasting has been incredibly rewarding. One of the greatest benefits has been the relationships that form through these conversations. I have had the opportunity to speak with extraordinary leaders, thinkers, and change makers from around the world who are exploring new ways of approaching leadership, human development, and the future of work.

Over the past four and a half years, the podcast has steadily grown an engaged audience. According to Listen Notes, Create Magic At Work® is currently ranked in the Top 5% of podcasts globally. That growth has come through consistent publishing, thoughtful conversations, and a focus on topics that resonate deeply with leaders who are looking for more meaning in their work and lives.

As the show has grown, new opportunities have emerged. We now collaborate with content partners who invest in producing limited mini-series within the podcast. Examples include The Magic Formula and Finding Treasures in the Trash. These partnerships allow experts with powerful ideas to reach an established audience without having to take on the heavy lift of launching and producing an entire podcast on their own.

Podcasting has also become an important platform for amplifying the work we do at Create Magic At Work® and through Magic Thread Media™, the boutique podcast network I founded. The show creates a space where conversations about spiritual intelligence, leadership, and change can happen openly in ways that traditional workplace environments often do not allow.

From a personal perspective, the learning and connection have been unmatched. Every conversation expands my thinking and introduces me to people who are exploring the edges of leadership, consciousness, and human potential. That community of thoughtful leaders is ultimately one of the most valuable things podcasting has created.

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► How does your podcasting process look like?

The podcast is recorded through my Riverside studio using a Yeti microphone and headphones, with production support from the Magic Thread Media™ team. As the founder of the network, I’m fortunate to have an incredible production team that handles editing, publishing, and promotional coordination so the conversations themselves can remain the focus.

Most interviews are recorded remotely, which allows me to speak with leaders, authors, and innovators from around the world. This year I have also started experimenting with more live interview formats and in person setups, which has been exciting as the show continues to evolve.

My podcast production journey has evolved quite a bit over the years. I originally started with a very boutique virtual assistant-style podcast management setup, then moved to working with a larger podcast management company, and later joined the People Forward Network. Those experiences taught me a great deal about the industry and ultimately inspired me to launch my own network, Magic Thread Media™, which now supports the production and growth of multiple shows.

Guests come to the podcast in a variety of ways. Many emerge naturally through conversations I am already having with fascinating people. I scored highly in the Edgewalker skill of Connecting, so I often find myself in deep conversations with someone and thinking, “You have to come on the show and share this.” I also occasionally explore guest opportunities through PR firms and reach out directly to people whose work I am genuinely curious about.

Preparation for each episode is intentionally light. I review the guest’s work and keep the thread of spiritual intelligence and quantum leadership in mind, but the goal is always an organic conversation rather than a scripted interview. The most meaningful moments tend to emerge when the dialogue unfolds naturally.

Looking ahead, I’m excited about expanding into live events and recordings through Magic Thread Media as the network continues to grow.

► How do you market your show?

Marketing for Create Magic At Work® has evolved alongside the podcast itself. The show is distributed across all major podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other listening apps where many listeners naturally discover new podcasts through search, recommendations, and algorithmic suggestions.

A significant portion of listeners find the show through podcast platforms themselves, while others discover it through social media, guest sharing, and word of mouth. Because many guests bring their own communities into the conversation, each episode has the potential to reach new audiences organically.

Email has also been an important channel. Through the Create Magic At Work® newsletter and community, I share new episodes, highlights from conversations, and ideas related to leadership, spiritual intelligence, and navigating change.

Social media platforms such as LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram help extend the life of each episode. Clips, quotes, and reflections from the conversations often spark additional discussion with leaders and professionals who resonate with the ideas being explored on the show.

Another important growth channel has been the network effect created through Magic Thread Media™, the boutique podcast network I founded. The network brings together conscious voices across different categories, allowing listeners to discover new perspectives and conversations while each show maintains its own unique focus and creative direction.

Ultimately, the most effective form of marketing has been the conversations themselves. When an episode resonates deeply, listeners share it with colleagues and friends, which continues to grow the community around the podcast.

► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that consistency matters far more than perfection. Many aspiring podcasters spend months worrying about equipment, branding, or having the perfect launch strategy. What actually builds a show is showing up consistently and creating meaningful conversations over time.

Another lesson is that podcasting is much more relational than people expect. Some of the most powerful opportunities have come from the relationships that form through conversations with guests and listeners. Podcasting creates a unique space for thoughtful dialogue, and those connections often lead to collaborations, friendships, and new ideas.

I would also encourage new podcasters to think about the long term vision for their show. A podcast can be much more than a content channel. It can become part of a larger ecosystem that supports your work, your community, or the ideas you care about bringing into the world.

From a practical standpoint, it helps to keep the production process simple in the beginning. Start with reliable recording tools, focus on clear audio, and prioritize authentic conversations over complicated production. One of the reasons I launched Magic Thread Media is to help thoughtful voices launch and grow their shows without having to navigate the entire production process alone. We also incorporate voice and presence coaching for hosts and guests to help create an environment where your presence and insights are amplified.

Finally, choose topics and conversations that genuinely excite your curiosity. Listeners can tell when a host is truly interested in the dialogue unfolding in front of them. That curiosity and authenticity are often what keep people coming back.

Over time, podcasting becomes a remarkable learning experience. You gain access to conversations with people you might never have met otherwise, and those conversations can expand how your community and your world.

► Where can we learn more about you & your podcasts?

You can learn more about my work and the podcast at:

Create Magic At Work®

https://createmagicatwork.net

Magic Thread Media™ Podcast Network

https://magicthreadmedia.com

Podcast: Create Magic At Work®
Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms.

LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/amylynndurham

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/createmagicatwork

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