Why Everyone and Their Mother Has a Podcast

In this solo episode, I break down why so many people are starting shows right now, drawing on 10 years of running Side Hustle Pro, which I launched in 2016 and have grown past 10 million downloads.I walk through three things a podcast can be: a networking tool, a bridge from where you've been to where you want to go, and a launch pad. I share how I grew the show with a small paid promotion budget, landed my first $4,000 sponsorship while working full time at NPR, and was found by producers from the Today Show and TEDx without pitching.I also cover how I started Side Hustle Pro after graduating from business school without a job, how Ryan Clark used his podcast The Pivot to move into his next chapter, and how to give people a clear reason to listen so your show can grow and earn.Main TakeawaysA podcast is a networking tool that opens doors a cold coffee request would not.Your show can be a bridge to the field you want next, even before you know what it is.Specificity grows a show; "life and everything in between" gives no one a reason to listen.Start before you need it: a podcast can work as your work insurance plan.Highlights Include[00:00] What Michelle Obama, Jalen Brunson, LeBron James, and I have in common[02:03] Why podcasting is the most powerful networking tool[04:40] Podcasting from home as an introvert[06:55] Podcasting as a bridge to where you want to go[12:05] How I grew Side Hustle Pro with $5 to $10 per post in paid promotion[15:00] Landing my first $4,000 sponsorship[18:50] Using your podcast as a pivot tool[22:50] How Side Hustle Pro started after business school[26:30] How the show led to the Today Show and TEDx[27:25] Ryan Clark, The Pivot, and your work insurance plan[29:45] Why "life and everything in between" won't grow your showLinks Mentioned in This EpisodePodcast Moguls: https://sidehustlepro.co/podcastmogulsWatch & ListenSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/13qDj08lBR4ymzGhXIKy8tApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/side-hustle-pro/id1126021323AnnouncementsPodcast Moguls, my coaching program for podcasters, is open. If you want to start your own podcast or grow your current one, I'll coach you on making your show more visible, more marketable, and an actual business. Join at sidehustlepro.co/podcastmoguls. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.