My Podcast Story

Wisdom
  • 5.0 (28)
  • Technology
  • Updated Semiweekly

Ever wonder what it really takes to launch and grow a podcast? My Podcast Story dives deep into the journeys of podcasters—from rising indie creators to industry leaders. Each episode features exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes stories, and hard-won lessons about content creation, audience growth, and the secrets of compelling storytelling. Want to be a guest on My Podcast Story? Send Wisdom Okonkwo a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/mypodcaststory

  1. 4d ago

    She Bought a Microphone and Waited 3 Years to Start Her Health Podcast — Magic Barclay | Ep 175

    Magic Barclay had the microphone. She had the equipment. She even had a special suitcase to keep everything protected. Then, for roughly three years, she walked past that suitcase telling herself the same things: I’m not good enough. I’m not a podcaster. I don’t know what I’m doing. Eventually, she started. In this episode of My Podcast Story, Magic shares what finally helped her move beyond the fear of starting, how she found her first guests through Facebook, and how PodMatch eventually transformed guest sourcing to the point where she once recorded an entire year of weekly podcast episodes in roughly two months. Join the My Podcast Story Newsletter https://mypodcaststory.com/join Connect with Magic Barclay Podcast: A Magical Life: Health, Wealth and Weight Loss Website: https://wholisticnaturalhealth.com.au Chapters 00:00 “I’m Not Good Enough to Be a Podcaster” 00:18 Welcome to My Podcast Story 00:38 Meet Magic Barclay 00:49 What A Magical Life Is About 01:19 Starting the Podcast During COVID 01:39 Why Magic Chose Podcasting 02:13 The Biggest Challenge in the Early Days 02:23 Finding the First Podcast Guests 03:04 Using Facebook to Find Guests 03:31 How PodMatch Changed Guest Sourcing 03:42 Recording 12 Months of Episodes in Two Months 04:16 How She Built a Full Year of Podcast Content 05:48 How Podcast Guest Discovery Has Changed 05:56 Taking a Break Without Stopping the Podcast 06:19 Why Magic Always Keeps Episodes in Reserve 07:05 Preparing Episodes Months in Advance 08:12 From Struggling to Find Guests to Struggling to Find Topics 08:37 Turning Everyday Conversations Into Episode Ideas 09:13 Magic’s Podcast Production Workflow 09:33 Planning Episodes With Colored Post-it Notes 10:22 Sending Episodes to Her Editor 11:29 How Magic Found Her Podcast Editor 12:13 What Professional Podcast Editing Costs Her 13:09 Why She Changed From Weekly to Monthly Episodes 13:28 Building a Podcast Schedule Around Your Life 14:12 Defining Consistency for Yourself 14:23 Why Your Podcast Still Has to Fit Your Lifestyle 14:36 Who Handles Publishing and Distribution 15:01 Using Buzzsprout and Promotional Sound Bites 15:19 The Team Behind A Magical Life 15:59 Running the Podcast With a Remote Team 16:27 Why Sustainability Matters More Than Frequency 17:02 How Magic Thinks About Serving Her Listeners 17:50 How She Approaches Podcast Growth 18:29 The Listener Message Magic Never Forgot 19:10 When an Episode Makes Someone Feel Less Alone 19:44 Why Sharing Personal Experiences Matters 20:09 Why You May Never Know Who Your Podcast Is Helping 20:40 Saving Both Positive and Negative Listener Feedback 21:22 When Magic Finally Felt Like a “Real Podcaster” 21:37 What Happened on Episode 100 22:00 Learning How to Lead Better Interviews 23:49 The Milestones That Made Podcasting Feel Real 24:14 How Podcasting Changed Magic Personally 24:24 Becoming a Better Communicator Through Podcasting 25:08 Becoming Less Afraid of Technology 25:33 Buying Podcast Equipment Three Years Before Using It 26:18 Why the Microphone Stayed in Its Suitcase 26:42 “I’m Not Good Enough. I Can’t Do This.” 27:29 Discovering Podcasting Wasn’t as Scary as It Looked 27:54 How the Podcast Supports Magic’s Business 28:03 Using the Podcast to Build Trust With Clients 29:07 Why Magic Calls Her Podcast a Living Business Card 29:22 Authenticity as a Podcasting Strategy 30:42 How Magic Knows Clients Found Her Through Podcasting 31:12 What Magic Wants to Try Next 31:30 Her Goal of Recording a Live Podcast 31:56 What Has to Be in Place Before Going Live 33:42 Future Content and Recording Projects 34:53 Why Magic Calls Her Team the Dream Team 35:19 Advice to the Woman Who Waited Three Years to Start 35:36 “Just Do Stuff” 36:09 Why There Will Always Be Another Episode 37:00 Where to Find A Magical Life 37:32 Connect With Magic Barclay 38:25 The Story Behind the Name “Magic”

  2. 4d ago

    How a Niche Podcast Became Part of His Real Estate Business — Steven Arita | Ep 174

    Steven Arita didn’t start his podcast simply because he wanted another piece of content to publish. He wanted to learn from experienced investors, educate other tech professionals, build relationships, and create a platform that could support the larger business he was building around passive real estate investing. That became Path to Passive Real Estate Investing for Tech Professionals. In this episode of My Podcast Story, Steven breaks down what it has taken to build the show over the past two years—from spending nearly 10 hours producing some of his earliest episodes to developing a much more repeatable production system. Join the My Podcast Story Newsletter Get real podcasting stories, lessons, ideas, and behind-the-scenes insights from hosts building shows across different industries. https://mypodcaststory.com/join Connect with Steven Arita Website: https://aritacapital.com LinkedIn: Steven Arita Podcast: Path to Passive Real Estate Investing for Tech Professionals Chapters 00:00 You Already Have What You Need to Start 00:38 Meet Steven Arita 01:03 Building a Podcast for Tech Professionals 01:47 Why Steven Decided to Start Podcasting 02:58 Learning Directly From Experienced Investors 03:38 Creating a Cycle of Learning and Teaching 04:43 When the Podcast Actually Launched 05:09 Planning the Show Before Starting 05:40 Writing 100 Podcast Ideas Before Episode One 06:44 The Reality of Producing the First Episodes 06:58 Why One Episode Took Nearly 10 Hours 07:30 Getting Out of His Own Head 09:00 Learning to Publish Consistently 09:44 How the Production Process Became Faster 10:49 Why Iteration Beats Perfection 11:20 Turning Real Investor Questions Into Episodes 12:24 What Podcasting Taught Steven About Himself 13:16 When Being Analytical Becomes a Disadvantage 14:11 “Who Am I to Ask Them to Be on My Podcast?” 14:30 Why You’re Never Completely Ready 15:24 Inside Steven’s Podcast Production System 15:41 Using Loom to Capture Episode Ideas 16:30 Turning Voice Notes Into Content 17:48 Building Episodes With a Custom GPT 18:07 How Steven Customized AI Around His Workflow 19:45 Teaching AI About His Audience and Business 20:51 From Raw Idea to Structured Podcast Episode 21:11 The Role of Steven’s Full-Time Assistant 21:25 How His Team Researches Podcast Guests 22:48 Combining AI, Systems and Delegation 23:45 What It Costs to Produce the Podcast 24:44 How Steven Has Grown the Show 25:23 Consistency, Newsletters and Outreach 26:45 Finding Listeners Where They Already Spend Time 28:11 Why Consistency Beats Sprinting 28:40 Turning Listeners Into a Community 29:36 How the Podcast Makes Money 29:50 Why Steven Doesn't Depend on Podcast Ads 31:07 Turning Podcast Attention Into Investor Conversations 31:31 Why LinkedIn Matters to His Podcast Strategy 32:30 Using Lead Magnets to Continue the Relationship 33:31 Steven’s Next Stage of Podcast Growth 33:40 Growing the Podcast on YouTube 34:00 Turning Long-Form Episodes Into Short-Form Content 34:30 Planning a Half-Day Investing Summit 35:38 Turning Podcast Guests Into Event Speakers 36:19 Building an Email List Around the Show 36:51 Creating a Free Course for Listeners 37:34 Bringing Bigger Guests Onto the Podcast 38:06 Expanding Into New Investment Topics 38:40 Why Steven Wants to Solve One Problem First 39:43 Where to Find Steven Arita

  3. 5d ago

    How She Launched an ADHD Podcast Without Waiting to Be Perfect — Jorie Houlihan | Ep 173

    For years, people kept telling Jorie Houlihan the same thing: you should start a podcast. She kept resisting. Eventually, she decided to do it anyway. In this episode of My Podcast Story, Jorie shares how she launched ADHD and..., a podcast primarily created for women diagnosed with ADHD later in life, and what she learned from going from “I should start a podcast” to actually publishing one. Join the My Podcast Story Newsletter Get real podcasting stories, lessons, ideas, and behind-the-scenes insights from hosts building shows across different industries. https://mypodcaststory.com/join Connect with Jorie Houlihan Podcast: ADHD and... with Jorie Houlihan Podcast Website: https://adhdandpodcast.com Website: https://joriehoulihan.com YouTube: Search Jorie Houlihan or ADHD and... Chapters 00:00 Why Your First Podcast Episodes Don’t Need to Be Perfect 00:18 Welcome to My Podcast Story 00:37 Meet Jorie Houlihan 00:52 What ADHD and... Is About 01:29 Launching the Podcast Less Than Two Weeks Ago 02:04 Why People Kept Telling Jorie to Start a Podcast 02:12 Realizing Her Personality Was Part of the Differentiation 03:19 Finally Deciding to Start 03:44 Resisting the Urge to Launch Overnight 04:09 Following a Proven Podcast Launch Process 04:56 Choosing Between Solo Episodes and Interviews 05:08 Finding the First Podcast Guests 05:30 Defining a Clear Audience for the Show 06:19 The Meaning Behind ADHD and... 06:52 The First 11 Days After Launch 07:06 Early Listener Feedback 07:46 Approaching 300 Downloads in Under Two Weeks 08:27 Building Every Episode Around “ADHD and…” 09:09 Breaking Overwhelming Tasks Into Smaller Steps 09:54 Good Enough Move On 10:30 Why Interview Episodes Run Longer 11:15 Producing the Entire Podcast Herself 11:58 Publishing One Episode Every Week 12:11 Building a Podcast Backlog 13:00 How Jorie Batches Her Recording 13:10 Being Proud of Actually Following Through 14:24 Accepting That You’ll Be Bad Before You Get Better 14:51 Learning to Interview Without Needing Perfection 16:00 Listening to Your Own Podcast Like a Listener 16:27 Editing Differently for Audio and Video 17:10 Celebrating Your Progress 17:54 Why People With ADHD Need to Celebrate Small Wins 19:05 Looking Back at Your Past Self Differently 19:33 Turning Difficult Experiences Into Something Useful 21:34 Building Confidence From Evidence 22:00 Why Perfectionism Stops People From Starting 22:36 Getting Better Through Repetition 22:48 Jorie’s Podcast Production Workflow 23:18 Recording With Riverside and an iPhone 24:19 Using CapCut for Audio Leveling 24:47 Publishing Through RSS.com and YouTube 26:06 Why Jorie Chose RSS.com for Podcast Hosting 27:17 Dynamic Ads and Future Monetization 28:49 Why She Chose Paid Hosting Over a Free Option 30:36 Why Podcasting Tools Keep Getting Better 30:45 Discovering PodMatch 31:05 Booking Six Podcast Guest Appearances in One Week 31:13 Finding Guests for ADHD and... 32:14 How Jorie Uses PodMatch Regularly 33:37 What Makes Her a Highly Active PodMatch User 36:20 The Tools Behind Jorie’s Website and Membership 36:31 Using Course Creator 360 38:12 What Jorie Wants to Build Next 38:39 Upcoming Topics for ADHD and... 39:41 The ADHD Planner Graveyard 40:40 Jorie’s Organic Podcast Growth Strategy 41:00 Growing From a 30,000-Member Facebook Community 41:45 Using the SWEEP Marketing Method 42:41 Getting Guests to Help Promote Episodes 43:36 Creating Promotional Assets for Podcast Guests 44:28 Using LinkedIn and Instagram Collaborations 44:47 What the Podcast Could Look Like Six Months From Now 45:23 Why Podcasting Feels Like a Natural Fit 45:57 The Goal of Eventually Hiring an Editor 46:31 Realizing How Much She Has Already Accomplished 46:53 Where to Find Jorie Houlihan and ADHD and...

  4. 5d ago

    He Started Podcasting at 50 and Reached 1.4 Million Downloads— Corwin Johnson | Ep 172

    Corwin Johnson gave himself an unusual present for his 50th birthday: he started a podcast. The original plan was to build it alongside a group of friends. But when it was finally time to start, the others dropped off and Corwin had to decide whether the vision was important enough to pursue alone. He kept going. We also talk about learning how to interview people without being intimidated by their credentials, becoming a better listener, bringing your own personality and energy into every conversation, and using podcasting as a way to build relationships rather than simply collect episodes. Corwin also opens up about the sacrifices behind building a show while working a full-time job and raising a family, the importance of having support at home, and why pursuing a vision also means learning how to balance the people who matter most. Join the My Podcast Story Newsletter Get real podcasting stories, lessons, ideas, and behind-the-scenes insights from hosts building shows across different industries. https://mypodcaststory.com/join Connect with Corwin Johnson Podcast: The CJ Moneyways Show Website: https://cjmoneyway.com Chapters 00:00 Consistency Is the Biggest Podcast Growth Strategy 01:58 Welcome to My Podcast Story 02:17 Meet Corwin Johnson 02:38 Starting a Podcast on His 50th Birthday 03:01 What The CJ Moneyways Show Is About 03:58 Building a Platform Around Resilience and Real Stories 04:38 Why Corwin Wanted to Give Everyday People a Voice 05:27 From Writing Books to Starting a Podcast 05:46 The Earliest Struggle Behind the Show 06:00 When Everyone Else Dropped Out 07:09 Building the Podcast Alone 07:29 What Running an Independent Podcast Really Takes 09:23 The Hidden Work Behind Every Episode 09:52 How PodMatch Helped Corwin Keep Going 10:28 Joining Believe Network 11:19 When the Podcast Network Opportunity Arrived 11:44 What Joining a Network Changed 12:13 Reaching 1.4 Million Downloads Through the Network 12:26 How the Podcast Created New Connections 13:16 What the Show Looked Like Before Joining the Network 13:20 Turning Down Eight Sponsorship Opportunities 13:58 Why Money Isn't the Only Reason to Podcast 14:30 What Actually Grew The CJ Moneyways Show 15:12 Why Corwin Says Consistency Is Everything 15:51 Discovering the Podcast Was Ranking Globally 16:58 Building a Podcast Without a Team 17:20 Getting 1% Better Every Day 17:48 Why You Shouldn't Get Caught Up in Views 18:15 When Listeners and Guests Start Finding You 19:30 How Podcasting Changed Corwin Personally 20:15 Interviewing CEOs, Doctors, and Accomplished Guests 20:26 Learning Not to Be Intimidated 21:01 Bringing Your Own Energy Into an Interview 21:37 Know Your Lane as a Podcast Host 22:00 Staying Authentic Behind the Microphone 23:03 Why Great Podcast Hosts Have to Listen 23:18 Going Beyond the Guest's Book or Business 24:39 Listening Closely Enough to Connect the Story 25:26 How Podcast Conversations Can Uncover Buried Stories 26:33 The Sacrifices Behind Building a Podcast 27:21 Balancing Podcasting, Marriage, Family, and Work 28:47 Making Space for the People Supporting Your Vision 30:39 When Your Family Starts Seeing What You're Building 31:29 Building a Podcast While Working a Full-Time Job 33:06 Teaching Your Children Through Your Work Ethic 35:05 The Feedback and Opportunities Corwin Gets From Guests 37:29 What's Next for Corwin Johnson 37:49 Writing Locked In and Mic'd Up 38:29 Keeping Different Ideas in Different “Pockets” 39:30 Expanding Into CJ Moneyway Entertainment 39:58 Networking Through Every Podcast Conversation 40:27 Putting More Tools in the Toolbox 40:50 Where to Find The CJ Moneyways Show

  5. 6d ago

    What Five Years of Podcasting Taught Him About Playing the Long Game — Loren Richmond Jr. | Ep 171

    Loren Richmond Jr. started Future Christian Podcast during the pandemic as a way to explore questions about the future, health, and vitality of churches across North America. Five years later, the podcast has become much more than a place to have conversations. It has connected Loren with authors, pastors, academics, researchers, and thinkers he may never have met otherwise. The experience he gained producing the show also became the foundation for Resonate Media, his podcast production business, and has helped him build credibility for his work as a church and nonprofit consultant. Loren also shares how podcasting helped him build friendships, find a co-host, create a business, land speaking opportunities, and develop expertise through more than 200 conversations with people working at the intersection of church, leadership, research, and culture. Join the My Podcast Story Newsletter Get real podcasting stories, lessons, ideas, and behind-the-scenes insights from hosts building shows across different industries. https://mypodcaststory.com/join Connect with Loren Richmond Jr. Podcast: Future Christian Podcast Website: https://resonatepurpose.org Instagram: Future Christian Facebook: Future Christian Chapters 00:00 Why Podcasting Has to Be Sustainable 00:39 Meet Loren Richmond Jr. 01:11 What Future Christian Podcast Is About 01:34 Why Loren Focuses on the Future of the Church 02:18 Starting the Podcast During COVID 02:53 How the Podcast Evolved After the Church Closed 03:53 The Mission Behind Future Christian Podcast 04:38 What a Typical Episode Looks Like 05:21 Healthy Churches Aren’t Always the Biggest Churches 05:21 Behind the Scenes of Loren’s Podcast Workflow 05:39 Why Loren Interviews So Many Authors 06:00 Reading the Book Before Interviewing the Author 07:01 What Happens After an Episode Goes Live 07:09 Why Marketing Isn’t Loren’s Favorite Part of Podcasting 08:03 The Biggest Challenge in the Early Years 08:14 Paying for a Podcast Long Term 09:00 Starting Resonate Media to Help Fund the Podcast 09:26 How Podcasting Became the Foundation of a Business 10:15 Turning Podcasting Experience Into Expertise 11:05 How Loren Found His First Client 11:12 The Pricing Mistake He Made Starting Out 12:20 Building a Business With Contractors 12:46 Why Loren Doesn't Want to Do Everything Himself 13:29 Making Time for Strategic Thinking 14:28 Building Systems Instead of Drowning in Details 14:48 The Listener Feedback That Keeps Him Going 15:31 Does Future Christian Podcast Make Money? 15:45 Why Loren Turned Off Generic Podcast Ads 16:22 Using Sponsorships and Business Revenue to Support the Show 16:45 How the Podcast Fits Into His Larger Work 16:54 Turning 200+ Conversations Into Consulting Expertise 18:40 Speaking Opportunities That Came From Podcasting 18:48 Why Expertise Comes From Staying With Something 19:38 Podcasting Is a Long Game 20:01 What Loren Wants to Do Next 20:09 Why He Wants More In-Person Podcast Interviews 21:17 Meeting His Co-Host In Person for the First Time 21:59 How a Podcast Guest Became His Co-Host 23:23 Who Handles the Podcast Production 23:57 Making In-Person Interviews Affordable 24:39 Combining Conferences, Travel, and Podcast Interviews 25:57 Meeting Future Guests Through Events 26:03 Why Podcasting Opens Doors to People You'd Never Meet Otherwise 27:29 Relationships Built Through Podcasting 27:46 Turning Podcast Connections Into Friendships and Collaborations 28:28 Producing Crossover Episodes With Other Podcasters 28:55 How Loren Uses AI in His Podcast Workflow 29:24 Using Headliner and AI for Show Notes 30:56 Why AI Can Help Level the Playing Field 31:16 Advice for Podcasters Struggling With Consistency 31:35 Don't Spend Thousands on a Studio Before You Need One 32:32 Build a Sustainable Podcast From the Ground Up 32:45 Where to Find Loren Richmond Jr. and Future Christian Podcast

  6. 6d ago

    How She Launched a Podcast People Actually Listened To — Melissa Armstrong | Ep 170

    Melissa Armstrong was convinced her new podcast might flop. She wondered who would listen, whether anyone would care, and whether adding yet another content project to an already busy business made sense. Then No Se Habla Taxes launched and generated around 150 downloads in its first week. Melissa didn’t stumble into that launch. She spent the weeks leading up to it building anticipation, getting her network involved, preparing clips and promotional copy people could easily share, and treating the podcast launch more like a book launch than simply publishing another piece of content. In this episode of My Podcast Story, Melissa shares how she designed a podcast that actually fits her life as a busy CPA and business owner. Instead of committing to hour-long interviews every week, she built short, practical solo episodes that can often be consumed in five to ten minutes. Join the My Podcast Story Newsletter Get real podcasting stories, lessons, ideas, and behind-the-scenes insights from hosts building shows across different industries. https://mypodcaststory.com/join Connect with Melissa Armstrong Website: https://steadyhandaccounting.com Podcast: No Se Habla Taxes YouTube: Search No Se Habla Taxes LinkedIn: Melissa Armstrong, CPA — Denver Email: info@SteadyhandAccounting.com Chapters 00:00 She Thought the Podcast Would Flop 00:30 Getting 150 Downloads in the First Week 01:18 Meet Melissa Armstrong 01:53 What No Se Habla Taxes Is About 02:55 Why the Podcast Has a Spanish Name but Is in English 03:28 Why This CPA Doesn't Focus on Taxes 05:39 Starting a Brand-New Podcast 06:13 Why Melissa Originally Said She Would Never Start One 06:49 Discovering That a Podcast Could Fit Her Schedule 07:25 Building Five-to-Ten-Minute Episodes 08:42 What Melissa Has Learned From Starting 08:47 Using Podcasting to Show More Personality 10:17 Why She Expected the Podcast to Fail 10:19 Building Hype Before Launch 11:08 Getting 35 Apple Podcast Reviews 11:35 Treating a Podcast Launch Like a Book Launch 12:45 What Happens After the Launch 12:52 Connecting the Podcast to a Coaching Program 13:00 Why Melissa Created a Lower-Cost Coaching Offer 14:49 Letting Listeners Experience Her Personality Before Buying 15:04 The Biggest Challenge After Launching 15:13 Keeping a Publishing Commitment While the Business Grows 16:00 Outsourcing Parts of Podcast Production 17:19 How Melissa Comes Up With Episode Ideas 17:38 Turning Client Conversations Into Podcast Content 18:22 Separating Business and Personal Expenses 19:00 Using a Custom GPT to Build Podcast Scripts 20:13 Turning Episodes Into Clips With Opus Clip 20:40 Connecting the Podcast to Her Newsletter 21:12 Growing an Email List Alongside the Podcast 22:25 Why People Actually Read Melissa's Newsletter 23:13 Does No Se Habla Taxes Make Money? 23:38 Connecting Podcast Listeners to the Coaching Program 24:06 Using Dynamic Ads Across Podcast Episodes 24:28 No Se Habla Taxes as a Coaching Brand 25:03 Why the Main Website Still Uses the Accounting Business Name 26:36 Connecting the Podcast, Newsletter, and Business 26:55 Building an Onboarding Process for Coaching Clients 29:34 Other Ways Melissa Could Use Dynamic Podcast Ads 30:31 Future Plans for Monetizing the Podcast 30:55 Turning Trusted Business Tools Into Affiliate Opportunities 31:28 The Business Tool Melissa Recommends 31:41 Monetizing Without Gatekeeping Useful Tools 33:11 Why Growing the Audience Comes Before Monetization 34:12 How Melissa Uses a Virtual Assistant 34:21 Prioritizing What to Outsource First 35:23 Letting Someone Else Handle Podcast Publishing 36:06 What's Next for Melissa's Podcast and Business 36:36 Where to Find No Se Habla Taxes and Melissa Armstrong

  7. 6d ago

    How a Niche WordPress Podcast Became a Business Growth Engine — Jonathan Denwood | Ep 169

    Jonathan Denwood has been hosting The WP Tonic Show for roughly eight years and has published more than 900 episodes. But the biggest return from all those conversations hasn’t come from downloads alone. For Jonathan, podcasting has become a relationship engine. Guests have become friends, industry connections have led to referrals, and some of those relationships have eventually turned into paying clients for his WordPress hosting business. In this episode of My Podcast Story, Jonathan shares how The WP Tonic Show started with a co-host, why he nearly stopped after that co-host left, and how the show evolved into a long-running weekly podcast serving WordPress professionals, agency owners, SaaS founders, and people building businesses online. We also talk about what 900 episodes taught him about choosing guests, understanding your audience, growing through reviews and YouTube, building an email list from podcast listeners, attracting sponsors, and why owning your website, email list, and community matters more than relying entirely on platforms you don’t control. Join the My Podcast Story Newsletter Get real podcasting stories, lessons, ideas, and behind-the-scenes insights from hosts building shows across different industries. https://mypodcaststory.com/join Connect with Jonathan Website: https://wp-tonic.com Podcast: The WP Tonic Show Podcast: The Membership Machine Show Podcast Offer: https://wp-tonic.com/deals Chapters 00:00 The Real Business Value of Podcasting 01:04 Meet Jonathan Denwood 01:31 More Than 900 Episodes of The WP Tonic Show 02:27 How the Podcast Started Eight Years Ago 03:48 What Happened When His First Co-Host Left 04:31 Working With Multiple Co-Hosts Over the Years 05:13 The Business Side of WordPress Podcasting 05:39 The Difference Between Jonathan’s Two Podcasts 06:53 How WP Tonic Connects to His Business 07:08 Getting 5,000 to 10,000 Downloads a Month 07:22 How Podcast Relationships Turned Into Paying Clients 08:34 A Real Example of a Podcast Relationship Creating Business 09:53 Publishing One Episode Every Week 10:24 Behind the Scenes of a 900-Episode Podcast 10:38 Working With the Same Editor for Six Years 11:02 How Jonathan Finds Podcast Guests 11:55 Why He Rejects Most Agency-Pitched Guests 12:24 His Recording and Editing Workflow 13:12 Growing a YouTube Channel Alongside the Podcast 13:34 What Helped WP Tonic Grow 13:57 Why Jonathan Consistently Asks for Reviews 14:30 The Role of YouTube in Podcast Growth 16:34 Why You Shouldn’t Build Your Business Entirely on Social Platforms 17:32 What Jonathan Would Do Differently Starting Again 17:51 Understanding Your Podcast Audience Earlier 18:42 Why Podcasters Need to Build an Email List 18:52 Using Podcast Offers to Capture Email Subscribers 20:33 What to Offer If You Don’t Have a Product Yet 20:55 Using Lead Magnets to Grow Your List 21:33 Does The WP Tonic Show Make Money? 21:43 How Sponsorship Covers Podcast Costs 22:22 Using Podcasting for SEO, Branding, and Authority 22:59 Why Jonathan Almost Quit the Podcast 23:39 How He Found His Long-Term Editor 24:10 Finding and Keeping Podcast Sponsors 24:29 Why Most Sponsors Come to Him 25:33 What a Podcast Sponsorship Costs 26:10 Should Podcasters Build Their Website on WordPress? 26:56 Why Jonathan Recommends Owning Your Podcast Website 28:39 WordPress vs. All-in-One Podcast Website Platforms 30:39 Why Owning Your Domain Matters Long Term 31:49 Building a Community Around Your Podcast 32:09 Creating Membership Communities on WordPress 32:52 Fluent Community vs. BuddyBoss 35:31 Why Owning Your Community Platform Matters 37:44 The Importance of Owning Your Intellectual Property 38:06 Comparing WordPress With Kajabi and Podia 41:24 Why Flexible Tools Can Become Too Complicated 42:39 Start Simple Before Building an Advanced Membership 43:03 What WP Tonic Offers Clients 44:18 Hosting, Plugins, and Managed WordPress Support 46:31 Where to Find Jonathan Denwood and WP Tonic

  8. Sep 26

    How Podcasting Helped Her Find Her Voice and Tell Her Story — Teresa Blaes | Ep 168

    Teresa Blaes’ first podcast didn’t work. Instead of walking away from podcasting, she learned from it. Years later, Teresa has built and hosted multiple shows, published more than 200 episodes of Unresolved Life, launched a podcast production business with her husband, and discovered that podcasting could become something far more personal than simply creating content. In this episode of My Podcast Story, Teresa shares why her first podcast struggled, the importance of choosing a clear niche, what she learned from trying to produce daily episodes, and why she eventually reduced her publishing schedule to something she could sustain. We also talk about building several different podcasts around different interests, growing shows through real interaction on social media, turning podcast production into a business, and why even 10 or 20 listeners can represent real people whose lives may be affected by what you publish. Teresa also shares the deeper role podcasting played in helping her open up about painful parts of her past—and how years behind the microphone eventually helped prepare her to write Protected, a book she spent four years avoiding and another year finally bringing to life. Join the My Podcast Story Newsletter Get real podcasting stories, lessons, ideas, and behind-the-scenes insights from hosts building shows across different industries. https://mypodcaststory.com/join Connect with Teresa Blaes Book: Protected: A Story of Survival, Faith, and Redemption Website: https://protectedbook.com Chapters 00:00 When a Podcast Changes Someone’s Life 00:40 Meet Teresa Blaes 00:58 The Podcasts Teresa Currently Hosts 01:28 The First Podcast That Didn’t Work 01:46 How Unresolved Life Started 02:36 Reaching More Than 200 Episodes 02:52 Starting More Podcasts Around Different Interests 04:16 Building a Football Podcast for Fun 04:50 Starting The Equipped Podcast With Her Husband 05:33 Running Four Podcasts at Once 05:43 The Listener Message Teresa Never Forgot 07:33 The Moment She Understood the Power of Podcasting 08:37 Why Podcasting Is Such an Intimate Medium 09:19 Hearing From Listeners With Similar Stories 09:49 Why 10 Downloads Still Represent 10 Real People 10:50 Starting Without Any Podcasting Experience 11:00 Why Her First Podcast Failed 11:13 The Importance of Niching Down 12:07 Turning Failure Into a Learning Experience 12:47 Trying to Produce Two Daily Podcasts 13:10 Why Teresa Switched From Daily to Weekly 13:34 Why Podcasting Is a Long Game 14:32 Building a Podcast Production Agency 15:02 The Story Behind Kadosh Media Productions 16:09 Learning Podcast Production While Building the Business 16:40 Who Kadosh Media Works With 18:58 How They Found Their First Podcast Clients 19:12 What Teresa Has Learned About Growing Podcasts 19:37 Using Social Media to Grow a Show 20:14 Why Social Media Is the New Town Square 20:33 Interaction vs. Simply Posting Podcast Links 21:17 Why Good Content Creates an Obligation to Share It 22:04 Marketing the Why Behind Your Work 22:32 How Teresa and Her Husband Work Together 23:10 Monetizing Four Different Podcasts 23:37 Promoting the Podcast Production Business 24:17 Why Each Podcast Has Its Own Website 24:46 Building a Podcast Network 25:37 Looking Back on Years of Podcasting 26:08 The Personal Impact Podcasting Had on Teresa 26:53 Why She Can’t Imagine Walking Away From Podcasting 27:20 Finally Writing Protected 28:08 How Podcasting Helped Prepare Her to Write the Book 29:22 Four Years Avoiding the Book and One Year Writing It 30:19 Why Teresa Was Afraid to Tell Her Story 30:31 Podcasting as a Bridge Into Sharing Difficult Experiences 31:08 Where to Find Teresa Blaes and Her Work

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5
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About

Ever wonder what it really takes to launch and grow a podcast? My Podcast Story dives deep into the journeys of podcasters—from rising indie creators to industry leaders. Each episode features exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes stories, and hard-won lessons about content creation, audience growth, and the secrets of compelling storytelling. Want to be a guest on My Podcast Story? Send Wisdom Okonkwo a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/mypodcaststory

Information

  • Creator
    Wisdom
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    175
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Wisdom
  • Show Website
    My Podcast Story