Sam Atkinson

What are 3 reasons you continue to make your podcast?

What takes up the most of your podcasting time?

Open your analytics Look at the 2-minute mark If you dip hard early on, the problem is your hook Tighten your intro structure on the next episode to stop the bleeding

Who is your dream podcast guest?

Stop starting your interviews by telling listeners this is a “wide-ranging conversation” When you say, “We cover a lot of ground,” you really mean, “I didn’t structure this and don’t know the core hook” Listeners don’t want a vague roadmap, they want a specific reason to stay

A good podcast concept should survive the one-sentence test ❌ Bad: “A show where CEOs share their insights” ✅ Better: “A show helping first-time founders avoid the mistakes that quietly kill their first year” Specific promises make it clear why people should listen

If GTA 6 really wants to be the ultimate simulation of modern-day Florida, the radio dial needs to be 90% true-crime podcasts and tech bros explaining cryptocurrency

“A podcast for entrepreneurs” is too broad “A podcast for women over 40 launching their first business after having kids” tells you exactly who should listen Specificity isn’t limiting your podcast It’s making it legible

There’s no need to write the word “podcast” at the end of your show’s name It’s a bit like writing “TV” at the end of a television programme or “music” at the end of an album title

Stop treating your podcast like a media company unless you actually want to become one If your podcast exists to support a B2B business, its job isn’t necessarily to maximise downloads Its job is to move the right people closer to doing business with you

Posting clips won’t flood your show with listeners The real purpose of a clip? 1. Build awareness 2. Spark engagement 3. Get people into your ecosystem Moving from a 30-sec scroll to a 60-min episode is a slow crawl Focus on discovery first, then let them trickle down

Don’t interview guests using a rigid list of questions Instead, build a story arc Use this simple 3-part framework: Where did they start? (The struggle) Where are they now? (The success) Where are they going? (The vision)

Want to grow your audience? Find 3 podcasts in your niche with a similar download count Reach out and propose a “trailer swap” You play their trailer in your mid-roll, they play yours Completely free High conversion

Use this template to write your show’s bio: “The podcast that helps [Niche] achieve [Result] without [Pain Point]”

Just hit 4,400 hours on @Upwork

Stop putting episode numbers in your titles Listeners don’t care that it’s “#14” Numbers waste precious character space, hurt your SEO, and make your archive look intimidating to new listeners

Stop asking podcast guests WHAT they did Start asking WHY they did it Listeners don’t care about a timeline; they care about the decision-making process Shift the focus from biography to strategy to instantly unlock higher-value content

Your $500 microphone is useless if your room sounds like a cave ❌ Avoid hard surfaces: bare walls, empty rooms, hard flooring, high ceilings, large rooms, windows ✅ Choose soft surfaces: beds, blankets, carpets, curtains, pillows, rugs, small rooms, sofas

If you compiled all of your podcast episodes together, how many hours do you think you’ve recorded?

Your intro isn’t where you earn attention It’s where you lose it Open with the most interesting idea, question, or claim Earn the next 30 seconds

Give every episode a job Examples: • Build trust • Change an opinion • Book discovery calls • Remove an objection If the episode has no job It’s probably just content for content’s sake