Developing a Distinctive Podcast Hosting Style

This is how I've helped big brands launch podcasts that currently have 10 million+ subs without a celebrity host. Creators think they only need star power in the long run, but my framework works without it. In reality, your host needs one core trait, and it's not followers, a big budget, or virality. The best hosts aren't the most agreeable or the most knowledgeable. They're just the most curious. Look at successful business podcasts: Ranveer Allahbadia:  Questions conventional wisdom in every BeerBiceps Media World Private Limited episode. Raj Shamani:  Figuring Out on YouTube challenges guests to share their real entrepreneurship struggles. Here's the framework learned from then and used: 1. Start with the listener journey Map out their current beliefs, fears, and aspirations. Your content should bridge this gap. 2. Design your conversation arc The opening should challenge a common assumption. The middle must explore unexpected angles and then land on actionable insights. 3. Host selection strategy We didn't chase industry experts but instead found someone who: - Asks questions like a 5-year-old - Highlights all the inconsistencies - Steers away from obvious questions 4. Production Approach We recorded 3 episodes before launching only to - Get feedback from target listeners - Iterate on format and flow That's how we created a podcast that isn't about the host or the guest. It's about creating intriguing moments to keep listeners entertained. But most branded podcasts fail because They're platforms instead of solutions. Focus on serving your audience, not showing your expertise. So, what's your favorite podcast and why? #podcast #marketing #influencer #brandbuilding

Podcasting is brutal. Most shows never get off the ground. Last week, Ben and I hit episode 35 and approached 10k downloads. Here are 7 counterintuitive lessons I wish I knew when starting out: 1/ Be okay with the worst-case scenario Podcast growth is notoriously difficult, so being excited about the worst-case scenario removes the pressure and makes the process enjoyable. Even if nobody listens, we still get to: ↳ Have deep conversations about topics we're passionate about ↳ Improve our public speaking and conversation skills ↳ Learn something new from every single guest ↳ Build deeper relationships with interesting people 2/ Choose your metrics carefully They shape every decision you make. As Charlie Munger said, "Show me the incentives, and I'll show you the outcomes." We only track two things: ↳ Are we having fun? ↳ Are we being consistent? That's it. No download targets. No subscriber goals. No pressure to hit arbitrary numbers. By focusing on enjoyment and consistency, we've built something sustainable that keeps getting better. 3/ Less is more We started trying to cover everything in each episode. Big mistake. The result? - Superficial questions - Rushed conversations - Constant pressure to "move on" - Missing the best insights Now we pick ONE topic to go deep on and let the conversation flow naturally. The magic happens in the unexpected tangents and follow-up questions. You can't plan those. 4/ Find your unique style Don't copy other shows. In the beginning, we tried to sound like a "proper" interview podcast. The result? Stiff, awkward conversations that felt like job interviews. We realized we wanted to create the feeling of friends chatting over coffee. No high-stakes interviews. No rigid structures. Just authentic conversations where everyone (including us) can be themselves. 5/ Create for yourself first Our best episodes? Not the ones we thought would perform well. They're the ones where WE learned the most. When we finished recording thinking "Wow, that was fascinating!" Trust your taste. The audience will follow. 6/ Double down on what you enjoy Want consistency? Focus on the parts you love. Delegate everything else. We love having the conversations and curating the guest, so we delegated everything else. This creates a virtuous cycle: Energy → Consistency → Growth → More Energy 7/ Find a great co-creator Having Ben Erez as a co-host made all the difference: ↳ Built-in accountability when life gets busy ↳ Someone to learn from and bounce ideas off ↳ More energy and fun in every episode ↳ Shared excitement about growth ↳ Different perspectives that make conversations richer ↳ Someone to celebrate the wins with What did you learn from your creative projects this year?

I'm not Joe Rogan, but we have built a nice little niche in B2B marketing. Today we crossed 250,000 downloads of the Exit Five podcast. And to think I quit this podcast twice. ... and almost didn't go all in with Exit Five as a business. Today the E5 podcast is: 1. Popular among B2B marketers 2. A top source of new members for our subscription product 3. A top revenue channel for the business (podcast advertising) Here are some of my favorite podcasting tips: 1. Consistency matters most. There's no better growth hack for podcasting than forgetting about the numbers and showing up every week. Commit to a publishing schedule. No amount of emails or video clips or social posts will drive more growth an consistency. 2. Go deeper and ask better questions. One thing that drives me nuts with some podcast hosts is they don't ask the follow up questions! You need to go deeper. When your guest tells you something like "we increased our revenue by 20%" don't just smile and say cool - ask them how! but how did you do that? what tools did you use? what was the process? When you know your audience as a host you need to own getting the right answers for listeners. I have trained my brain now to go and ask the follow up question because I know that someone in their car or out on a walk is going to want to know the answer. Your job as the host is to get the right content for your listeners. Go deeper. Ask better questions. 3. You need a decent enough audio / video setup, but it's not what will drive the initial growth. It's the content. It's understanding the audience. It's bringing on interesting guests. 4. You will learn as you go. Launch and learn. I believe this for all channels of course - but have felt this with the podcast. I can look back and see what episodes were popular, what guests were popular, which conversations I enjoyed or didn't and then each month adjust the content and process on the fly. 5. I still think you can be successful with an interview style podcast - but you have to commit to the craft of being a podcast host. You have to prep. Research. Do hours of interviews. Listen to the cringe sound of your own voice. Get feedback. Repeat. I've been hosting a podcast for 9 years now dating back to 2014. Between podcasts and webinars I'd bet I've done 500 interviews of this kind over that time period. So maybe that's the real growth hack here... PS. Yes, most of my real life friends think this is super dorky, and I don't care anymore :) it seems to be working. "Wait you have a podcast??"

A friend who is launching a podcast reached out asking for some advice... Here's what I told her: 1. People come for the guests but stay for the host. For your first 5-10 episodes you’re just feeling it out…getting into your groove…deciding what tone/style/format makes the most sense and feels authentic to you. But once you figure that out, remember that your first priority is to your listeners (not the guest). Make them feel excited. Ask questions you think they’d want to know.    2. Host the conversation that you want to host — not the conversations you think you should host. Your listeners will enjoy the show if they believe that you’re enjoying the show. Too often I see folks bring on guests that would be great for the growth of the show or that they see everyone else bringing on to their shows. If you don’t like talking about how to increase profit margins on roadside inn motels, then don’t talk about increasing profit margins on roadside inn motels (even if that’s what everyone else is talking about). 3. Ask the damn follow-up question. If you’re ever having a conversation with someone and you have a follow-up or clarifying question for them, ALWAYS ask it…assume your listeners have the same question. Don’t skip it for the sake of time, don’t brush over it…always ask it! 4. It’s okay to evolve — let your audience evolve with you. I’ve interviewed over 200 hospitality entrepreneurs at this point and my first 10 episodes are WILDLY different from my most recent 10 episodes. And that’s not because I intended for that to happen. It’s because my interests have evolved as I’ve learned more about the industry. And that’s a good thing! Now, I’m not going to start talking about cars, crypto, or politics on my podcast, but, yeah, it’s okay to engage in conversations with folks building luxury glamping resorts even if I started interviewing Airbnb hosts who rented out their ADU. People who follow you and stay with you will EXPECT you to grow…they expect you to keep learning and developing…lean into that…don’t fight it out of fear that folks will stop listening. Stay curious.    What did I miss? What would you podcasters add? 👇