Discover practical tips and expert insights on living healthier with tech in each episode of the Healthier Tech Podcast.
"... focus on consistency and clarity of purpose."
Today R Blank, the creator of The Healthier Tech Podcast shares his story of technology podcast.
► Tell us about you and your podcast
I’m R Blank, CEO of Shield Your Body and host of the Healthier Tech Podcast. My background is in tech and education - I’ve taught on the faculty at the University of Southern California and co-authored a best-selling book on the health effects of EMF radiation. After working in California's tech industry and seeing firsthand how rapidly tech was evolving - often without considering its human impact - I became deeply focused on helping people live healthier lives in our increasingly connected world.
That’s what inspired me to launch the Healthier Tech Podcast. It’s a space where we explore the intersection of technology and health - from EMF exposure and digital privacy to screen time, sleep, mental wellness, and beyond. Each episode features insightful conversations with scientists, tech experts, doctors, entrepreneurs, and wellness advocates who help us unpack the hidden ways tech affects our bodies and minds—and more importantly, what we can do about it.
Our audience includes health-conscious individuals, parents, biohackers, tech professionals, and anyone trying to live a more balanced, intentional life in today’s digital age. Whether it’s learning how to reduce exposure to harmful radiation or setting healthier boundaries with devices, our listeners tune in for empowering, actionable advice to take control of their tech use - without having to unplug completely.
At the end of the day, our mission is simple: to help people use technology in ways that support their well-being—not undermine it.
► Why & how did you start this podcast?
I started the Healthier Tech Podcast because I saw a growing need for conversations that dig deeper into how technology impacts our health—something most mainstream tech discussions overlook. As the CEO of Shield Your Body, I was already immersed in educating people about the science of EMF and safer tech use, but I wanted a more accessible and human way to have these conversations. A podcast felt like the perfect format—conversational, engaging, and able to reach people during everyday moments like commuting, walking, or even unwinding.
I’ve always been a podcast listener myself—especially shows that combine science, wellness, and personal growth. I appreciate how podcasts can deliver both expertise and personality, and I wanted Healthier Tech to do the same: to educate, but also to inspire and empower listeners to take control of their digital lives.
The initial motivation was to create a platform where experts and thought leaders could talk candidly about topics like EMF, screen addiction, blue light, digital privacy, and tech-life balance—all from a health-first perspective. We launched the podcast in 2021, and while the idea had been brewing for some time, once we committed, it took a few months of prep—lining up guests, building the format, and getting production in place—before we dropped the first episode.
Since then, the show has evolved a lot. But the core goal has stayed the same: helping people live better with technology. Not by rejecting it, but by using it more intentionally.
► How'd you find the time and funding to do this podcast?
Since podcasting is part of our broader mission at Shield Your Body—to help people live healthier lives in a connected world—I treat the Healthier Tech Podcast as a key pillar of our educational outreach. That means it’s fully funded by our company, and I carve out dedicated time in my schedule to make sure it gets the attention it deserves.
We typically release episodes weekly or biweekly, depending on the season. Each episode—from guest outreach and research to recording, editing, and publishing—takes several hours spread across multiple team members. I’m fortunate to have a great team behind the scenes who help with editing, show notes, scheduling, and promotion, which makes the process manageable.
In terms of cost, we invest in professional editing, hosting, transcript generation, and marketing. It’s not a huge budget by podcasting standards, but it’s enough to ensure the quality stays high. And yes, the show is fully funded by Shield Your Body. We don’t currently take on sponsors, because our priority is building trust and offering unbiased, high-value conversations to our audience.
If I were doing this as a side project outside of SYB, it would be much harder to pull off. But because it’s aligned with our business mission and values, it fits naturally into my work week and allows us to offer something truly valuable to our community.
► What do you gain from podcasting?
Podcasting has been incredibly rewarding—not just professionally, but personally. Through The Healthier Tech Podcast, I’ve had the opportunity to connect with leading experts in health, science, tech, and wellness. These conversations have expanded my understanding, sparked new ideas for products and content at Shield Your Body, and introduced me to some amazing people I may never have met otherwise. It’s also helped position our brand as a trusted voice in the digital wellness space.
At this stage, we don’t rely on sponsorships. The podcast is funded by Shield Your Body as part of our broader mission to educate and empower people to live healthier with tech. That allows us to remain completely focused on delivering value to our listeners—without needing to interrupt the flow with ads or compromise on topics we want to cover.
That said, we do highlight our own products when relevant, but always in a way that feels natural and aligned with the episode’s content. So, while we’re not monetizing through sponsorships right now, the podcast does serve as a valuable channel for brand awareness and trust-building—which has a measurable impact on our business.
As for benefits? The show has helped deepen relationships with partners and guests, opened doors to new collaborations, and has genuinely been a joy to create. It’s not just a marketing asset—it’s a learning journey I get to take with my audience, week after week.
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► How does your podcasting process look like?
Our podcasting process has evolved quite a bit since we launched. In the beginning, we recorded interviews over Zoom, which worked well enough to get started. But as the show grew, we wanted to elevate the audio and video quality, so we transitioned to using Riverside.fm. That’s now our primary recording platform for remote interviews—it gives us higher resolution audio and video, and it’s much more reliable for producing professional-level content.
I record using a Shure MV7 microphone, which strikes a great balance between studio-quality sound and ease of use. On the editing side, we now rely on the Riverside tools. My team handles editing, cleanup, and final mastering to ensure the listening experience is smooth and polished.
As for guests, many come from my professional network or through partnerships with thought leaders in wellness, tech, and health. Others reach out directly after hearing the show or reading our content. We’re selective—we look for people who bring practical, evidence-based insights and fresh perspectives to our audience.
Preparation is key. Before each interview, we do a deep dive on the guest’s work, watch or listen to past interviews they’ve done, and draft a tailored list of questions. I don’t stick to a rigid script during the recording—I prefer to let the conversation flow naturally—but I always have a clear arc in mind.
All our interviews are conducted remotely, which gives us the flexibility to host guests from around the world. That remote setup, combined with the right tools and prep, lets us produce high-quality episodes while keeping the process efficient and scalable.
► How do you market your show?
We primarily market The Healthier Tech Podcast through the existing Shield Your Body audience and community. Since SYB has built a strong base of health-conscious, tech-aware individuals over the years, the podcast became a natural extension of our mission—and that audience has been incredibly receptive and engaged from day one.
Email is by far our most effective channel. We have an active email list of subscribers who are genuinely interested in topics like EMF protection, digital wellness, and safer tech use. Every time we release a new episode, we feature it in our email campaigns with curated messaging that speaks directly to our community’s concerns and interests.
We also promote across our social media platforms—especially Facebook and Instagram—where we have dedicated followers who care about the same values we promote in the show. Occasionally, we’ll run targeted ads or partner with guests to help amplify reach, but most of our growth has come from within our ecosystem.
In terms of discovery, most listeners find us through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or direct links from our emails and website. We don’t currently have a formal breakdown of listener acquisition sources, but Apple Podcasts has historically been our top platform, followed by Spotify and web traffic via SYB.
Overall, our approach is less about mass marketing and more about serving a highly engaged niche audience with content that genuinely resonates. And that alignment between brand, mission, and audience has been the key to the show’s steady growth.
► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?
If you’re thinking about starting a podcast, my biggest piece of advice is this: focus on consistency and clarity of purpose. A lot of new podcasters get caught up in equipment, downloads, or “hacking growth,” but what really builds a show over time is delivering value—episode after episode—to a specific audience you understand well.
One thing I didn’t fully grasp when starting The Healthier Tech Podcast was just how much work goes into the process beyond hitting records. Guest outreach, research, recording, editing, promotion—it all takes time. That’s why it’s so important to build a system or a team that can support you. Even if it’s just a VA or a freelancer to help with editing or show notes, delegating can help you stay focused on the content and the conversation.
Another lesson: audio quality matters more than you think. People will forgive a lot, but poor audio is a dealbreaker. You don’t need a full studio, but invest in a good mic (we use the Shure MV7) and a quiet environment. It makes a huge difference.
As for resources, I found a lot of value in listening to other podcasts—not just for content, but for structure, pacing, and tone. Buzzsprout’s blog and The Podcast Host offer great practical advice. Descript and Riverside have also built out solid content libraries to help with editing and recording tips.
And finally, know your “why.” The clearer you are about why you’re doing your podcast—and who you’re doing it for—the easier it becomes to make decisions, book the right guests, and stick with it through the long haul. Because podcasting is a long game, but if you’re aligned with your mission, it’s one of the most rewarding formats out there.
► Where can we learn more about you & your podcasts?
https://healthiertech.co
@shieldyourbody on YouTube, Facebook & Instagram
@healthiertech on Tiktok
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