Talking The Talk: A Podcast About Podcasting with Courtney Reimer

Courtney Reimer

Talking the Talk is a podcast about...podcasting. And everything that makes or breaks the best ones. Advice, guidance, and anti-guidance for founders, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders who want to launch, grow, and monetize a show that lasts. Hosted by podcast strategy expert Courtney Reimer, this podcast explores podcast growth, audience development, format strategy, monetization, sustainability, and industry trends. Both in her solo "hot take" episodes, and candid interviews with podcast movers & shakers, you'll learn what works, what doesn't, and how to build a podcast that builds your business, not your burnout. To learn more about Courtney Reimer and how she can help ensure you're building a podcast that earns its keep, visit soundsgreatstrategy.com and click "book an intro call."

  1. 4d ago ·  Video

    The Truth About Making Money with a Podcast (ft. Ryan R. Sullivan)

    When people say they want to start a podcast to make money, it helps to remember even [INSERT MEGAMILLIONAIRE PODCASTER NAME HERE] didn't just roll out of bed one day, sit down in front of a mic, and start rolling in the cash. But also: there's a middle ground between the hobbyist podcasters seeing little monetary gain from their shows and the ones who are probably sailing on an eleventy-foot yacht as you read this.  That gray area is what this episode is about. Ryan R. Sullivan has launched and produced more than 100 podcasts, many for CPAs, financial advisors, attorneys, and other professionals who expect every business investment—including a podcast—to justify itself. Together, Courtney and Ryan unpack what podcast monetization actually looks like today, why sponsorships aren't the whole story (or always what they're cracked up to be), and how entrepreneurs should think about their podcast as a business asset that earns its keep. We discuss: The four primary ways podcasts make money Direct vs. indirect podcast monetization When sponsorships actually make sense (and when they don't) Why niche audiences often outperform large audiences The benefits of treating your podcast like a business (with its own P&L statement) Why "fun" may be one of the most overlooked ingredients in the recipe for podcast success If you've been wondering whether a podcast can actually pay for itself–or whether it's simply another marketing expense that's hard to quantify–this conversation offers practical yet nuanced guidance on how to get more than you pay for with your podcast. It may even change the way you think about why a podcast is worth starting  in the first place.  ABOUT THE GUEST Ryan R. Sullivan is the host of The Ryan Sullivan Show and founder of Podcast Principles, where he has helped launch and grow more than 100 podcasts. He specializes in helping CPAs, financial advisors, attorneys, and other professionals use podcasting to build authority, grow their businesses, and create meaningful revenue opportunities. Get more of Ryan's wisdom on The Ryan Sullivan Show, and find him everywhere by searching Ryan R. Sullivan (don't forget the R)! ABOUT THE SHOW Talking the Talk: A Podcast About Podcasting is for entrepreneurs, creators, and thought leaders who want to build podcasts that last—and earn their keep. Each week, Courtney Reimer shares practical podcast strategy, behind-the-scenes lessons, and conversations with industry experts to help you create a podcast that's as sustainable as it is impactful. ABOUT THE HOST Courtney Reimer is a podcast strategy and development expert, founder of Sounds Great Strategy, and host of Talking the Talk. After leading podcast strategy and development at Spotify, Audible, MTV, Discovery, and executive producing the award-winning, #1-ranking, Joe-Rogan-toppling Archetypes with Meghan Markle, she now helps founders, entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and organizations build podcasts that earn their keep by creating trust, opening doors, and generating opportunities far beyond downloads. HOW TO CONNECT WITH COURTNEY Instagram: @soundsgreatpodcasts LinkedIn: Courtney Reimer Hot Tips & Hot Takes on Podcasting: Sounds Great on Paper (Courtney's weekly-ish newsletter) Meet w/Courtney: Book a Free Podcast Clarity Call ☕ If you enjoy the show and want to support it (or just buy me a coffee while I edit another episode), you can do that here: BuyMeACoffee.com

    The Truth About Making Money with a Podcast (ft. Ryan R. Sullivan)
  2. Jul 2 ·  Video

    How 1 Podcast Episode = 10 Business Assets

    We entrepreneurs looooove to talk about our time problems. Which are certainly real. But the bigger problem: starting from scratch with every new business asset we create. Every week, we're faced with a fresh stack of blank pages and the small, medium, and large creative decisions they demand: What should I post? What should I write? Should I finally send that newsletter? Is this workshop worth building? It's no wonder our brains feel fried before we've even created much of anything. In this solo episode, Courtney explores a criminally under-discussed benefit of podcasting: as the place where you get your best return on thinking. A strategically designed podcast dramatically increases the value of every hour you spend developing ideas. One thoughtful conversation becomes a newsletter, multiple social media assets, a client-closing case study, workshop idea, and the seeds of a robust body of work. Topics include: Why we mistake cognitive load problems for time problems--and how podcasting can actually alleviate both Why podcast episodes are actually deep wells of content spinoffs (i.e., every episode breeds a newsletter, a LinkedIn post, an Instagram Reel, and that's just the beginning) How your podcast can become a decision filter that simplifies future content choices Why the best podcasts don't just earn their keep—they 10x your return on thinking. If you've ever wondered whether a podcast is worth the effort—or worried that it will become one more thing on your already overflowing to-do list—this episode offers a different perspective. The right podcast doesn't becomes the place where your best thinking compounds, giving your ideas many places to live, thus exponentially multiplying the return on every hour you spend thinking. ABOUT THE SHOW Talking the Talk is the realest of real talk about podcasting—what works, what doesn't, and what no one tells you before you hit record. Hosted by Courtney Reimer, each episode explores how entrepreneurs, founders, creators, and thought leaders can build podcasts that earn their keep by creating trust, opening doors, and generating opportunities that extend far beyond downloads. ABOUT THE HOST Courtney Reimer is the founder of Sounds Great Creative Podcast Strategy, where she helps founders, entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and brands build podcasts that create visibility, authority, audience connection, and long-term business value. Before founding Sounds Great, Courtney developed and launched award-winning audio content for companies including Spotify, Audible, MTV, and Discovery, including executive producing Archetypes, the Meghan Markle-hosted podcast that famously unseated Joe Rogan at #1. Today, she helps entrepreneurs build podcasts that earn their keep by creating trust, opening doors, and generating opportunities that extend far beyond downloads. CONNECT WITH COURTNEY Follow Courtney for practical podcast strategy, behind-the-scenes insights, and honest conversations about building podcasts that last. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soundsgreatpodcasts  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtneyreimer  ⚡ Subscribe to Sounds Great on Paper for weekly-ish insights on building a podcast—and a business—that earns its keep: https://sounds-great-on-paper.kit.com/profile  🤝 Want to explore whether a podcast is the right strategic fit for your business? Schedule a free Podcast Strategy Clarity Call: https://calendly.com/soundsgreatcourtney/podcast-clarity-w-courtney-of-sounds-great

    How 1 Podcast Episode = 10 Business Assets
  3. Jun 26 ·  Video

    What Happens When You Treat Your Podcast Like a Business (with Jameelah Calhoun)

    Lots of people start podcasts because they have something to say. The ones that earn their keep over the long run start with something bigger: a vision for what the podcast is meant to build, well beyond the content inside of it. In this episode, Courtney talks the talk with Jameelah Calhoun, host of Unpopular Decisions, who approached her podcast unlike anyone Courtney has encountered since starting her podcast strategy business. Before recording a single episode, Jameelah created an actual business plan for her show. Why go to all that trouble for a podcast? Because she knew the podcast itself wasn't the ultimate destination. It was the foundation of something much bigger.. Together, they explore what it looks like to build a podcast as a platform rather than simply another content channel, why strategy can provide stablitiy not rigidity, and how listening to your audience can strengthen your vision without pulling you away from it. They discuss: Why treating your podcast like a business changes the decisions you make from day one The difference between building content and building a platform How Jameelah validated her audience before launching with surveys and research The surprising focus group exercise every podcaster should steal Why solo episodes became one of her highest-performing formats How listening tours can keep creators from drifting away from the audience they set out to serve Why experimentation—not perfection—is the key to finding product-market fit How community, events, newsletters, and other brand extensions can grow naturally from a podcast Why podcasts are often loss leaders before they become opportunity generators If you've ever wondered whether you should simply launch your podcast—or map out a bigger vision first—this conversation is a reminder that the answer is probably: a combination of both.  ABOUT JAMEELAH CALHOUN Jameelah Calhoun is the creator and host of Unpopular Decisions, a podcast exploring the bold life and career choices people make when they choose courage over convention. By day, she is a marketing executive and strategist with leadership experience at companies including Audible and Forter. Through Unpopular Decisions, she's building an ecosystem of conversations, events, and community designed to help people navigate life's biggest turning points with greater courage, optimism, and agency. You can find and follow all of her brilliantly executed outputs at UnpopularDecisions.com. ABOUT THE SHOW Talking the Talk is the realest of real talk about podcasting—what works, what doesn't, and what no one tells you before you hit record. Hosted by Courtney Reimer, each episode explores how entrepreneurs, founders, creators, and thought leaders can build podcasts that earn their keep by creating trust, opening doors, and generating opportunities that extend far beyond downloads. ABOUT THE HOST Courtney Reimer is the founder of Sounds Great Creative Podcast Strategy, where she helps founders, entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and brands build podcasts that create visibility, authority, audience connection, and long-term business value. Before founding Sounds Great, Courtney developed and launched award-winning audio content for companies including Spotify, Audible, MTV, and Discovery, including executive producing Archetypes, the Meghan Markle-hosted podcast that famously unseated Joe Rogan at #1. Today, she helps entrepreneurs build podcasts that earn their keep by creating trust, opening doors, and generating opportunities that extend far beyond downloads. Her philosophy is simple: a podcast shouldn't just be another piece of content—it should become one of the most valuable assets in your business. CONNECT WITH COURTNEY Follow Courtney for practical podcast strategy, behind-the-scenes insights, and honest conversations about building podcasts that last. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soundsgreatpodcasts  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtneyreimer  ⚡ Subscribe to the Sounds Great on Paper newsletter for weekly insights on building a podcast that earns its keep: https://sounds-great-on-paper.kit.com/profile  🤝 Want to work with Courtney? Schedule a free Podcast Strategy Clarity Call: https://calendly.com/soundsgreatcourtney/podcast-clarity-w-courtney-of-sounds-great

    What Happens When You Treat Your Podcast Like a Business (with Jameelah Calhoun)
  4. Jun 19 ·  Video

    Why Podcasting Rewards the Long Game (with Meredith Hudson)

    It's easy to believe a podcast is "working" only if the downloads climb quickly, the audience grows fast, or opportunities start showing up right away. But those aren't the metrics that matter most—especially at the beginning of your podcast adventure. In this episode, Courtney talks the talk with Meredith Hudson, founder of Sideline Bags (SLB) and host of Raised by Sports. Meredith launched her podcast just a few months ago, but she's already approaching it with a mindset many experienced podcasters could learn from: one that's less about chasing early wins and more about getting the reps in. Together, they explore why podcasting rewards patience, how entrepreneurs can borrow an athlete's perspective for growth, and why the people who build meaningful podcasts often aren't the ones who launch  with the biggest splash.  We discuss: Why podcast downloads aren't the only (or even the best) measure of early success How podcasting can become a relationship accelerator and credibility builder Why your guests can become one of your greatest distribution channels How niching down makes every podcasting decision easier Why Meredith intentionally designed her show around her audience's limited time Why "good and shipped" beats waiting for perfect If you've been wondering whether your podcast is "working"—or debating whether it's worth starting one at all—this conversation is a reminder that the biggest rewards often go to the people willing to play the long game. Or just to start playing at all. ABOUT MEREDITH HUDSON Meredith Hudson is the founder and CEO of Sideline Bags (SLB), a company creating thoughtfully designed products for female athletes. A former Division I athlete herself, Meredith is also the host of Raised by Sports, a podcast exploring how the lessons learned through sports can shape successful careers, businesses, and lives long after the final whistle. ABOUT THE SHOW Talking the Talk is the realest of real talk about podcasting—what works, what doesn't, and what no one tells you before you hit record. Hosted by podcast strategist Courtney Reimer, each episode explores how entrepreneurs, founders, and creators can build podcasts that earn their keep by creating trust, opening doors, and generating opportunities that extend far beyond downloads. ABOUT THE HOST Courtney Reimer is the founder of Sounds Great Creative Podcast Strategy, where she helps founders, entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and brands build podcasts that create visibility, authority, audience connection, and long-term business value. Before founding Sounds Great, Courtney developed and launched award-winning audio content for companies including Spotify, Audible, MTV, and Discovery, including executive producing Archetypes, the Meghan Markle-hosted podcast that famously unseated Joe Rogan at #1. Today, she helps entrepreneurs build podcasts that earn their keep by creating trust, opening doors, and generating opportunities that extend far beyond downloads. Her philosophy is simple: a podcast shouldn't just be another piece of content—it should become one of the most valuable assets in your business. Follow Courtney: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soundsgreatpodcasts/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtneyreimer/  ⚡ Subscribe to the Sounds Great on Paper newsletter for hot tips on how to build a podcast that earns its keep: https://sounds-great-on-paper.kit.com/profile  🤝 Want to work with Courtney? Schedule a free podcast strategy clarity call: https://calendly.com/soundsgreatcourtney/podcast-clarity-w-courtney-of-sounds-great

  5. Jun 13 ·  Video

    Why I Ignored My Hesitation and Made This Episode Anyway

    This episode almost didn't exist. Recorded semi-spontaneously from the Kit Studios in Boise, Idaho, while I was in town for the Craft + Commerce conference, this solo episode began with a familiar internal debate: should I push through the discomfort of trying something new...or retreat to my hotel room to tackle the mountain of emails waiting for me there? Ultimately, the reason I went for it was remembering the point of my show, and who it was for. I spend a lot of time telling my clients and Accelerator members to just go for it. And since I'm supposed to be walking the walk AND talking the talk, I did, too. If you've been waiting for the perfect timing, the perfect setup, or the perfect version of yourself to emerge before you hit record, consider this your gentle nudge to start anyway. ABOUT THE SHOW Talking the Talk is a podcast about podcasting, hosted by Courtney Reimer, founder and principal strategist of Sounds Great Creative Podcast Strategy. Inside, you'll get the realest of real talk about what it takes to make a podcast that lasts, reaches + resonates with your ideal audience, and earns its keep without burning you out. ABOUT COURTNEY Courtney Reimer is the founder of Sounds Great Creative Podcast Strategy, where she helps founders, entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and brands build podcasts that create visibility, authority, audience connection, and long-term business value. Before founding Sounds Great, Courtney developed and launched award-winning audio content for companies including Spotify, Audible, MTV, and Discovery, including executive producing Archetypes, the Meghan Markle-hosted podcast that famously unseated Joe Rogan at #1. WHERE TO FIND COURTNEY Instagram: @soundsgreatpodcasts   LinkedIn: Courtney Reimer Newsletter: ⚡Sounds Great on Paper⚡ ☕ This podcast runs on curiosity, crunch time, and caffeine. If you have enjoyed it, by all means Buy Me a Coffee! I'll return the favor by continuing to create engaging, enriching episodes for you to slurp down like I do my morning cup of ambition. ☕⚡ buymeacoffee.com/soundsgreatcourtney

  6. Jun 4 ·  Video

    The Joy of Podcasting Without Metrics (with Lori Pine)

    Here's a radical idea: what if the best thing you could do to ensure the success of your podcast is to not track your numbers. At all. In this episode of TALKING THE TALK, Courtney talks with Lori Pine, former corporate executive and host of THE JOY CEO PODCAST, about the radical-sounding but deeply strategic decision Lori made when she launched her show: she would not look at her podcast metrics for a full year. No downloads. No rankings. No dashboard spiraling. No letting a squiggle on a screen decide whether the work was worth doing. Instead, Lori committed to staying in the room long enough for the magic to happen. Courtney and Lori talk about redefining podcast success beyond the usual metrics, building a show around mission and service, and why protecting your momentum may matter more in year one than measuring every move. IN THIS EPISODE Why Lori chose not to check her podcast metrics for an entire year The non-numerical success metric that shaped her show from the beginning How a podcast can support a coaching or consulting business without giving everything away "for free" How Lori uses both guest interviews and solo episodes to serve her audience Why outsourcing and flexibility helped her stay consistent What happened when Lori accidentally learned her podcast was ranking in the top 5% globally ABOUT THE GUEST: LORI PINE Lori Pine is the founder of Lori Pine Coaching & Consulting and host of The Joy CEO Podcast, where she helps ambitious women redefine success on their own terms. Prior to launching her business, Lori spent decades leading teams and billion-dollar business units at companies including Coca-Cola, Anheuser-Busch, and Campbell Soup Company. Today, through coaching, consulting, speaking, and podcasting, she helps high-achieving women build careers and lives that align with their values, purpose, and definition of success. Learn more at loripine.com.   ABOUT THE HOST Courtney Reimer is the founder of Sounds Great Creative Podcast Strategy, where she helps founders, entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and brands build podcasts that create visibility, authority, audience connection, and long-term business value. Before founding Sounds Great, Courtney developed and launched award-winning audio content for companies including Spotify, Audible, MTV, and Discovery, including executive producing Archetypes, the Meghan Markle-hosted podcast that famously unseated Joe Rogan at #1. Today, she specializes in helping people build podcasts that are strategic, sustainable, and unmistakably human.   Follow Courtney: Instagram: @soundsgreatpodcasts LinkedIn: Courtney Reimer ⚡ Subscribe to Courtney's newsletter, Sounds Great on Paper, for more insights, hot takes, and early access to opportunities to work with her. ⚡   ☕ This podcast runs on curiosity, crunch time, and caffeine. If you have enjoyed it, by all means Buy Me a Coffee! I'll return the favor by continuing to create engaging, enriching episodes for you to slurp down like I do my morning cup of ambition. ☕⚡   buymeacoffee.com/soundsgreatcourtney

    The Joy of Podcasting Without Metrics (with Lori Pine)
  7. May 27 ·  Video

    How Podcasts Turn Conversations Into Opportunities (with Greg Wasserman)

    Most people launch podcasts hoping for downloads, growth, visibility, and maybe even money. All of which are attainable (with varying degrees of time investment).  But it turns out size isn't everything when it comes to podcasting and the numbers-based data around it. One of the biggest returns on investment in your podcasting has nothing to do with the number of people listening to it. In this episode, Greg Wasserman, Head of Relationships at RSS.com and host of Podcast Network Insights, talks the talk with Courtney Reimer about why podcasts can function less like "content" and more like relationship engines: creating opportunities, conversations, introductions, partnerships, community, and long-tail business value that often has very little to do with traditional podcast metrics. They discuss: Why relationship ROI outpaces sponsorship revenue for entrepreneurs The under-tapped opportunity of building a community from your podcast guests How podcasts create access to people you might never otherwise meet Using podcasts as a networking and career-building tool The role of LinkedIn in growing thought-leadership podcasts How AI (sorry, not sorry!) can help newer hosts improve  How podcasts create access to otherwise inaccessible people  If you've ever wondered whether a podcast is worth the effort if you don't have a large audience, this episode may completely reframe your thinking. ABOUT THE SHOW Talking the Talk is a podcast about podcasting, hosted by Courtney Reimer, founder and principal strategist, Sounds Great Creative Podcast Strategy. Here, you'll get the realest of real talk about what it takes to make a podcast that lasts, reaches + resonates with your ideal audience, and earns its keep without burning you out. ABOUT THE GUEST: GREG WASSERMAN Greg Wasserman is the Head of Relationships at RSS.com and the host of Podcast Network Insights, a show exploring how podcast networks operate, grow, monetize, and support creators. Known for his deeply human approach to networking and connection-building, Greg believes life and business are built on two things: time and relationships. Connect with Greg on LinkedIn and mention you came from Talking the Talk (like he said to do in the episode)!  ABOUT COURTNEY Courtney Reimer is the founder of Sounds Great Creative Podcast Strategy, where she helps founders, entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and brands build podcasts that create visibility, authority, audience connection, and long-term business value. Before founding Sounds Great, Courtney developed and launched award-winning audio content for companies including Spotify, Audible, MTV, and Discovery, including executive producing Archetypes, the Meghan Markle-hosted podcast that famously unseated Joe Rogan at #1. Today, she specializes in helping people build podcasts that are strategic, sustainable, and unmistakably human. Follow Courtney: Instagram: @soundsgreatpodcasts LinkedIn: Courtney Reimer ⚡Subscribe to Courtney's newsletter ⚡Sounds Great on Paper⚡for more insights, hot takes, and early access to opportunities to work with her ⚡ ☕ This podcast runs on curiosity, crunch time, and caffeine. If you have enjoyed it, by all means Buy Me a Coffee! I'll return the favor by continuing to create engaging, enriching episodes for you to slurp down like I do my morning cup of ambition. ☕ buymeacoffee.com/soundsgreatcourtney

    How Podcasts Turn Conversations Into Opportunities (with Greg Wasserman)
  8. May 20

    The Low-Lift Podcast Format That Converts Clients Like Crazy

    Would you believe me if I told you the most powerful style of podcast right now is less like a podcast and more like something you're probably already putting out there–no fancy equipment necessary? The most underrated and undercelebrated type of show right now is the "voice-note podcast": a collection of short, highly specific, deeply human audio episodes that prioritize intimacy, usefulness, POV, and connection over slick production and content-factory energy. Inspired by Build With Becky host Becky Pierson Davidson (whose minimalist, voice-note-style podcast has quickly become her #1 sales conversion tool), this episode explains how entrepreneurs, consultants, creators, and service providers may be dramatically overcomplicating podcasting…and freezing themselves out in the process. Inside this episode: Why "low-lift" does not have to mean "low-value" The hidden power of intimacy and imperfection in audio How short-form, voice-note-style episodes can build enormous trust The real nonnegotiables of a resonant podcast (spoiler: none involve a three-camera setup) Why podcasting may be especially powerful for service providers and thought leaders → If you're stuck at the podcasting starting line, consider applying for my Podcast Launch Accelerator, a 5-week program that's small, human, interactive, and focused on getting you out of your head and into the podcast players of your ideal audience.   ABOUT THIS PODCAST Talking the Talk is a podcast about podcasting, hosted by Courtney Reimer, founder and principal strategist, Sounds Great Creative Podcast Strategy. Inside, you'll get the realest of real talk about what it takes to make a podcast that lasts, reaches + resonates with your ideal audience, and earns its keep without burning you out.   ABOUT THE PODCAST HOST Courtney Reimer is a podcast strategy architect, creative development consultant, and founder of Sounds Great, where she helps entrepreneurs, founders, thought leaders, and brands build podcasts that are strategically sharp, creatively compelling, and sustainable enough to actually keep making. Before founding Sounds Great, Courtney helped develop and launch award-winning podcasts for Spotify, Audible, and beyond—including Archetypes with Meghan Markle, which famously dethroned Joe Rogan from Spotify's top spot upon launch. She's also worked in radio since before many people even knew what a podcast was, interviewed celebrities in hotel junkets, and remains deeply convinced that audio is one of the most powerful relationship-building mediums on earth. Courtney is also the creator and host of the Sounds Great Podcast Launch Accelerator, a hands-on small-group program that helps aspiring podcasters go from idea to live show without burning themselves out in the process. Connect with Courtney: Instagram: @soundsgreatpodcasts Newsletter: Sounds Great on Paper LinkedIn:  Courtney Reimer on LinkedIn   ⚡☕ This podcast runs on curiosity, crunch time, and caffeine. If you have enjoyed it, by all means Buy Me a Coffee! I'll return the favor by continuing to create engaging, enriching episodes for you to slurp down like I do my morning cup of ambition. ☕⚡ → buymeacoffee.com/soundsgreatcourtney

5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Talking the Talk is a podcast about...podcasting. And everything that makes or breaks the best ones. Advice, guidance, and anti-guidance for founders, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders who want to launch, grow, and monetize a show that lasts. Hosted by podcast strategy expert Courtney Reimer, this podcast explores podcast growth, audience development, format strategy, monetization, sustainability, and industry trends. Both in her solo "hot take" episodes, and candid interviews with podcast movers & shakers, you'll learn what works, what doesn't, and how to build a podcast that builds your business, not your burnout. To learn more about Courtney Reimer and how she can help ensure you're building a podcast that earns its keep, visit soundsgreatstrategy.com and click "book an intro call."