What does it actually take to keep a podcast alive when 90% of shows don't make it to episode 20?In this solo episode, I pull back the curtain on what it's really like to make a podcast in 2026 - the money, the time, the emotional toll, and the rejection. I share the stats that put podcasting into perspective, what it feels like to spend eight hours producing an episode for 12 listeners, the learning curve of creative entrepreneurship and why I keep doing it anyway (this isn't for sympathy votes - it's honest content creator BTS)!I also get into the stuff I love most about my job - my pre-interview process, what it's like to feel the energy shift mid-conversation, and why deep focus might be the most underrated skill a podcaster can develop.00:00:00 - Introduction00:03:12 - Podcast survival stats00:05:21 - The real cost of podcasting00:07:09 - From acting to podcasting00:09:25 - How I prep for interviews00:15:24 - Presence and attention00:20:16 - Creativity vs entrepreneurship00:25:16 - Rejection and reality00:29:13 - Why I keep going00:33:15 - An invitationGet in touch with me:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PaigeLeaceySpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4sVFkvFcj3DW1wuVZuGd4UApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/on-the-same-paige-with-paige-leacey/id1573526370Newsletter: https://paigeleacey.substack.comInstagram: @samepaige__TikTok: @samepaige__Three new episodes a month - subscribe for more!#podcasttips #podcasting #onthesamepaige #contentcreator #behindthescenes