Pod Savvy Guide

If you’re an entrepreneur, small business owner, realtor, insurance agent, marketer, coach, or consultant wondering whether starting a podcast can actually help grow your business, tis episode is for you.

In this episode of Pod Savvy Guide, Steph Shoell, Director of Podcasting and Digital Media and producer of 1,000+ podcast episodes across 25+ podcast series, shares why podcasting is more strategic than networking events, more scalable than lunch meetings, and one of the most effective ways to generate referrals, build trust, strengthen your personal brand, attract clients, and become known as the expert in your field.

Here’s the thing: guests turn into conversations, and conversations turn into opportunities. At Steph’s job, inviting people onto the podcast has become one of the company’s biggest lead generators. You’ll learn practical podcast marketing strategies, lead generation tips, content marketing ideas, and relationship-building tactics that use podcasting as a business development tool.

Whether you want to know how to start a podcast, how to grow a podcast, or how to interview guests and have real conversations that bring in clients, this episode shows why your next best client relationship could start with a microphone. And waiting is riskier than starting.

Ready to turn your podcast idea into your first episode?

Steal the Pod 60 Blueprint and go from “I want to start a podcast” to “I actually did it” in about 60 minutes. Get Episode #1 published on Spotify and Apple Podcasts with 5 short, bite-sized lessons, a temporary podcast setup, an Episode #1 outline (your intro, questions and outro already written), and a free publishing option. No fancy gear. No experience. Just your phone and your computer.

Resources

• Pod 60 Blueprint: How to Start a Podcast in 60 Minutes
• Use code START30 for $30 off (just $25 instead of $55)
• Follow Steph on Instagram: @stephshoell

Done is better than perfect. Start with Episode #1.

Think solo podcast episodes are boring? They don’t have to be. In this episode of Pod Savvy Guide, Steph Shoell breaks down that scene in “Nobody Wants This” season 3 where Morgan tries to wing a solo episode, struggles, and then goes viral with her “make them” take once Sasha joins the conversation. It’s a great look at why some podcasters can wing it and others sound like they’re thinking out loud.

You’ll learn:

1. When winging it actually works (and why “Seinfeld” and Giggly Squad only look effortless)
2. How much prep a solo episode really needs, from “done is better than perfect” to months of research like Markel Horner’s
3. Steph’s simple solo episode process: talk it through in Claude, then go in with a bare minimum of one opening story, one point and one action step for listeners

Whether you’re starting a podcast, growing one, or nervous about talking to camera, this episode will help you plan solo episodes that sound natural, share your expertise and keep listeners hookeda.

Resources

• Watch “Nobody Wants This” on Netflix
• Pod 60 Blueprint: How to Start a Podcast in 60 Minutes. Use code START30 for $30 off.
• Instagram: @stephshoell

What do you do when your guest completely disagrees with you? Honestly, I thought I had made a huge booking mistake. I invited a guest who teaches homeowners how to sell without a real estate agent onto a show hosted by a real estate agent. In this episode, I'm breaking down what happened, why the conversation worked, and the surprising lesson it taught me about credibility, curiosity, and finding common ground. If you've ever worried about interviewing someone with a different perspective, this one might change your mind.

Think great podcast hosts are just naturally talented? I don't. After training multiple hosts on our team, I've learned that hosting is a skill anyone can improve, but what you need to work on depends a lot on your personality. In this episode, I'm sharing the seven biggest lessons I've learned from producing and coaching podcasts, including when to talk less, when to step up, how to make your guest feel like the expert, and the simple habits that instantly make interviews better. If you want more engaging conversations and happier guests, this one's for you

E\ver scroll past someone's perfectly lit studio and immediately start questioning your own podcast? Same. In this episode, I'm sharing how comparison almost stopped me from recording, what the research says about constantly measuring ourselves against other people online, and why knowing your strengths matters way more than having the fanciest setup. If you've been spending more time comparing than creating, this episode is your reminder to stop looking around and start hitting record.

What if the voice that got you through your hardest season wasn't real? According to a new Edison Research survey, 66% of weekly podcast listeners say they'd turn a show off right away if they found out the host had been replaced by AI, and many said they'd feel upset or even betrayed. In this raw, unedited episode, Steph shares how podcast hosts felt like friends while she was working at a remote Alaska fishing lodge with barely any Wi-Fi. She explains why that human connection matters more than ever, what really sets you apart from AI-generated shows, and why this is the perfect time to start your podcast or bring back the one you've put on hold. Your stories, your opinions, and your experience are exactly what listeners want, so press play and find out why your voice matters more than you think.

What happens when you book a guest with a big audience, publish the episode, and then... crickets? In this episode, I’m sharing the podcasting lesson I learned the hard way: your guest doesn’t owe you their audience. Unless sharing the episode was part of an agreement, you can’t expect a guest to promote it, post it, or collaborate with you on social media. I’ll share the experience that completely changed my expectations around guests, why someone might choose not to share an interview, and how letting go of that expectation can make podcasting a whole lot better.

Podcasting is starting to look a lot like a full-on TV show. But does your podcast actually need to become one?

Video podcasts are everywhere, and there are real benefits to getting your show on camera. But video also means lighting, backgrounds, editing, clips, and a whole new list of tasks that can make hitting record harder than it needs to be.

In this episode, I’m sharing my producer take on when video is worth the extra work, when audio is more than enough, and the questions to ask before adding video to your podcast. Because if worrying about the camera is keeping you from publishing at all, hit record without it. Done is better than perfect.

What if AI is making your podcast easier but also making it sound less like you? I use AI constantly for podcasting, from researching guests and brainstorming questions to writing show notes and automating the little tasks I don’t want on my plate. But there’s a line between using AI to remove friction and letting it replace your personality.

In this episode, I’m sharing my producer take on where AI helps, where I think we’re letting it do too much, and why your curiosity, tangents, humor, and imperfect human moments are still some of the best parts of your podcast.

400 views on one platform and 60 plays on another which episode actually performed better? You might be comparing two completely different things.

Spotify, Apple, YouTube, and your podcast host all give you analytics, but those numbers don’t necessarily measure the same behavior. A play, view, download, impression, and listener can each mean something different.

In this episode, I’m sharing why I’m finally becoming a podcast analytics nerd after years of barely looking at my stats, what I’m learning about the numbers behind your show, and why understanding what a metric actually measures matters more than chasing the biggest number.

Because your analytics shouldn’t just be a scoreboardthey should help you make better decisions about your podcast.