PodBiz | Where's The Money In Podcasting?

By Norma Jean Belenky & John KiernanBusiness Technology Marketing Careers

PodBiz | Where's The Money In Podcasting? episodes

July 27 Leveraging Bonus Content and Subscriptions for Monetization with Eric Barnett of Supporting Cast
Are subscriptions really the most sustainable source of owned revenue in podcasting—and in media?

In this episode of PodBiz, Norma Jean Belenky speaks with Eric Barnett, Vice President of Revenue at Supporting Cast, about the power and strategy behind podcast subscriptions. Eric breaks down how publishers, networks, and independent creators can build owned revenue streams, structure high-converting bonus content, and expand into corporate internal podcasting.

As he puts it: “The ice cream in the sundae is your bonus content—that is the main star people are coming to the subscription for. All the other stuff like merchandise discounts, community, and events are the whipped cream and cherry on top.”

Here are some insightful moments within the episode:
• Why subscriptions offer revenue that podcasters truly own
• How Slate Plus led to the founding of Supporting Cast
• Why bonus content drives more subscription conversions than community features alone
• Finding the sweet spot for subscription pricing and episode cadence
• Key benchmarks for when a podcast should launch a paid tier
• Best practices for audio calls to action and Spotify Open Access integrations
• How internal company podcasts cut through corporate email fatigue

Eric Barnett is the Vice President of Revenue at Supporting Cast, the leading independent podcast subscription platform powering premium experiences for major publishers, networks, and creators. With nearly 15 years in the audio industry, including extensive work in digital audiobook distribution at Findaway, Eric specializes in business development, partnerships, and monetization strategies across audio and corporate media.

Connect with Eric on LinkedIn: / in / eric-barnett-audio
Learn more at Supporting Cast: www.supportingcast.fm

Episode Chapters
00:00 – The Ice Cream Sundae Analogy for Podcast Subscriptions
00:28 – Welcome to PodBiz
01:17 – Introducing Eric Barnett & Where the Money Is in Podcasting
02:57 – The History of Supporting Cast & Slate Plus
05:49 – Subscription Trends: Networks vs. Independent Creators
08:42 – What Bonus Content Actually Works Best?
10:45 – Bonus Content vs. Building a Community
12:03 – PodBiz is Brought to You by Lean and Loaf
13:18 – Pricing and Release Cadence Strategies
15:05 – Starting with One Tier vs. Launching Multiple Tiers
17:42 – When is the Right Time to Launch a Subscription?
19:57 – Best Practices for Promoting Your Subscription
23:20 – Eric’s Journey in Audio: From Audiobooks to Podcasting
27:30 – How Gated Podcast Technology & Individual RSS Feeds Work
31:17 – The Mindset Needed for Long-Term Subscription Success
32:43 – The Power of Internal Corporate Podcasting
39:25 – The Importance of Relationships in Business
41:58 – Common Mistakes Creators Make with Subscriptions
44:24 – Managing Subscriptions Across Large Networks
46:10 – What Eric Would Do Differently Starting Over
48:02 – The Future of Podcasting

Some Additional PodBiz Buzz…
“I believe the real money and the money that you truly own is with podcast subscriptions.”
“It’s not something that you’re adding to your show; it’s something that’s a part of your show.”
“When you own that revenue, it’s life-changing for these podcasts—it changes the trajectory of the whole show.”

PodBiz is the podcast about the business of podcasting. Hosted by industry veterans Norma Jean Belenky and John Kiernan, the show features conversations with creators, executives, and platform leaders to answer one question: Where’s the money in podcasting?
Each episode dives into monetization strategy, adtech, branded content, IP development, and audience growth. Guests include leaders from Acast, Captivate, Crooked Media, Buzzsprout, True Native Media, Podfest, and more.
Learn more: njbmedia.co | thepodhouseproductions.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
49 min
July 20Why Brands Are Investing Beyond Podcast Downloads with Ricardo Neto of Acast
What if the most valuable podcast audience is not listening to one of the biggest shows?

Podcast advertising has traditionally been driven by scale, with major brands concentrating their budgets on the largest and most recognizable podcasts. But highly engaged niche audiences, creator-led communities and influence across multiple platforms are creating new opportunities for both brands and podcasters.

In this episode of PodBiz, Ricardo Neto, Managing Director of US Sales at Acast, explains how brands are evaluating creators beyond RSS downloads. Podcast hosts are increasingly building influence across YouTube, social media, video, live events and branded experiences, giving advertisers more ways to reach their audiences and creators more ways to monetize their work.
Ricardo also shares why smaller shows can sometimes generate deeper engagement, how authentic brand relationships can grow from a host-read ad into a much larger partnership and why podcasting’s open ecosystem remains important as the industry expands.

As Ricardo puts it:
“We’re evaluating influence and we’re working with creators that maybe we wouldn’t have in the past based on the size of their RSS, but they have really strong socials, really strong YouTube.”
Here are some insightful moments within the episode:
Why major brands are investing more meaningfully in podcast advertising
How Acast evaluates creators across RSS, social media and YouTube
Why niche audiences can be more engaged than audiences of larger shows
How brand safety and suitability tools are helping more advertisers enter podcasting
Why creator partnerships can grow from host reads into branded content, events and tour sponsorships
How video gives podcasters access to content and video budgets
Why podcast listeners will increasingly move between audio and video
How authentic brand partnerships can motivate audiences to take action
Why curiosity matters as podcasting continues to evolve
What Acast looks for when hiring multiplatform podcast sales professionals

About Ricardo Neto
Ricardo Neto is the Managing Director of US Sales at Acast, where he works with brands, agencies and creators to develop podcast advertising and omnichannel partnerships.
Before joining Acast, Ricardo worked at Spotify during a period of significant investment and expansion within podcasting. His experience spans digital audio, podcast advertising, creator partnerships and the New York advertising industry.

Episode Chapters
(01:27) Where is the money in podcasting?
(03:58) Defining the podcast-first creator
(06:47) Measuring influence beyond RSS downloads
(09:58) Why audience fit matters more than size
(11:13) Brand safety and suitability in podcast advertising
(14:00) Why niche podcast audiences drive engagement
(16:03) Moving advertisers beyond vanity buying
(19:14) Growing host reads into larger brand partnerships
(20:33) Ricardo’s journey from Spotify to Acast
(24:38) Competing for video and content budgets
(27:59) Protecting the open podcast ecosystem
(30:00) How listeners move between audio and video
(32:08) Why the podcast industry remains collaborative
(34:27) Helping creators build sustainable careers
(37:11) How loyal audiences support podcast advertisers
(38:36) Simplifying omnichannel creator campaigns
(40:20) Staying curious as the industry changes
(44:02) How sales teams work directly with creators
(46:00) Building a multiplatform podcast sales team
(49:06) The future of omnichannel podcasting

Some Additional PodBiz Buzz...“The data says that people are more engaged with smaller shows than they are with big shows.”“At the end of the day, everything comes down to authenticity.”“This channel moves audiences to action.”“Everyone can access the rails, which is really, really important.”“The toothpaste is out of the tube. It’s going to continue to be omni (channel.)"

PodBiz is the podcast about the business of podcasting. Hosted by industry veterans Norma Jean Belenky and John Kiernan, the show features conversations with creators, executives, and platform leaders to answer one question: Where’s the money in podcasting?
Each episode dives into monetization strategy, adtech, branded content, IP development, and audience growth. Guests include leaders from Acast, Captivate, Crooked Media, Buzzsprout, True Native Media, Podfest, and more.
Learn more: njbmedia.co | thepodhouseproductions.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
51 min
July 13 One Year of PodBiz: Where the Money Is in Podcasting?
In this special one-year anniversary episode of PodBiz, hosts Norma Jean Belenky and John Kiernan step away from interviewing a guest to reflect on the biggest lessons from the show's first year.
Together they discuss why they launched PodBiz, the three monetization models that emerged again and again across more than 50 interviews, why transparency is still one of podcasting's greatest competitive advantages, and what creators can learn from some of the industry's most successful companies and independent podcasters.

They also share what surprised them most about producing a weekly show, the emotional decision to release their tribute episode following the passing of podcasting pioneer Todd Cochrane, and why the biggest lesson from Year One is that there isn't just one way to build a successful podcast business.

As Norma Jean says:
"When we don't have transparent conversations around monetization, that's when people get left out."
Here are some of the biggest lessons from one year of PodBiz:
• Why transparency is still podcasting's greatest competitive advantage
• The three revenue models that consistently appeared across more than 50 interviews
• Why niche audiences often outperform bigger download numbers
• What creators misunderstand about sponsorships, advertising, and brand partnerships
• The production systems required to consistently publish a professional podcast
• How sponsorship gave PodBiz something even more valuable than revenue: bandwidth
• The guests and conversations that changed the way we think about podcasting
• What's next for PodBiz as the show enters Year Two

Norma Jean Belenky is the founder of NJB Media, an audience development strategist, and a member of the Board of Governors of The Podcast Academy.
John Kiernan is the founder of Pod House Productions, helping creators and brands launch, produce, and grow podcasts.

Connect with Norma Jean on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/njbelenky/
Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnkiernanmusic/

Learn more about PodBiz: https://shows.acast.com/podbiz

Episode Chapters
(01:16) Celebrating One Year of PodBiz
(03:02) Why We Started PodBiz
(04:47) Why Transparency Creates Better Podcast Businesses
(06:42) Delivering Real Value Instead of Industry Buzzwords
(09:09) Three Podcast Monetization Models That Actually Work
(11:26) Why Niche Podcasts Attract Better Sponsors
(14:14) What Advertisers Want Every Creator to Understand
(17:17) Remembering Todd Cochrane
(21:47) What It Really Takes to Produce a Weekly Podcast
(23:17) PodBiz's Biggest Wins During Year One
(26:09) Why Sponsorship Changed the Way We Build the Show
(28:42) Building Partnerships That Support Podcast Growth
(29:15) Never Be Afraid of Your Numbers
(30:53) Looking Back at More Than 50 Incredible Guests
(36:56) What We're Building in Year Two
(38:00) Where Is the Money in Podcasting?

Some Additional PodBiz Buzz..."When we don't have transparent conversations around monetization, that's when people get left out.""That's when people miss the opportunity to go from hobbyist creator to professional media company.""The hardships of running a show is just being consistent.""It never occurred to me that we would have bandwidth.""Never be afraid of your numbers. Never be afraid of your metrics."

Thank you to our sponsors:
Lean and Loaf
Your one stop shop for podcast video and audio post production.
www.leanandloaf.com
Podnews
Daily news for the podcast and on-demand audio industry.
www.podnews.com
Headliner / Disco
Disco converts your readers into podcast listeners. Quickly create, clip, and caption podcast videos with ease. Turn one full-length video into optimized, accessible podcast clips.
www.headliner.app
PodBiz is the podcast about the business of podcasting. Hosted by industry veterans Norma Jean Belenky and John Kiernan, the show features conversations with creators, executives, and platform leaders to answer one question: Where’s the money in podcasting?
Each episode dives into monetization strategy, adtech, branded content, IP development, and audience growth. Guests include leaders from Acast, Captivate, Crooked Media, Buzzsprout, True Native Media, Podfest, and more.
Learn more: njbmedia.co | thepodhouseproductions.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
39 min
July 06 Why Independent Podcasters Need More Than Downloads with Rebecca Dalby of Triton

Is programmatic advertising really just an automated machine, or does the real money in podcasting come down to relationships?

In this episode of PodBiz, Norma Jean Belenky and John Kiernan speak with Rebecca Dalby, VP of Demand at Triton Digital, about the nuances of programmatic audio and monetization. Rebecca shares her journey from fast-moving consumer goods to the podcasting industry, detailing Triton’s evolution alongside Spreaker and iHeartMedia, and how creators can build a more lucrative revenue model.

As she puts it:
“When it comes to real value behind programmatic transactions and making money on audio, it all comes down to relationships and the people behind it.”

Here are some insightful moments within the episode:
• Why human relationships drive automated programmatic transactions
•How podcasters can successfully adapt a layered monetization strategy
• The structural breakdown of SSPs (Supply-Side Platforms) and DSPs (Demand-Side Platforms)
• Transitioning from independent start-up culture to a major media acquisition
• Shifting the mindset from chasing high CPMs to maximizing overall yield (RPM)
•Best practices for smart testing and tracking measurable audio campaigns
• Ensuring brand safety with real-time transcription and ad quality tech
• The future of digital media and programmatic transactions via AI agents

Rebecca Dalby is the VP of Demand at Triton Digital. With a strong background in digital media and growth strategies, she previously led the Spreaker Prime Network team before transitioning into a global role managing demand across streaming and emerging audio formats.

Connect with Rebecca on LinkedIn: / rebeccadalby
Learn more at Triton Digital: www.tritondigital.com

Episode Chapters

(01:47) Where is the Money in Podcasting?
(03:10) Host-Read Ads vs. Layered Monetization Strategy
(04:47) Platform Partnerships for Mid-Tier Creators
(06:22) Breaking Down the Acronyms: SSPs and DSPs
(09:03) From Glamping to Audio: Rebecca’s Career Journey
(11:12) The iHeartMedia Acquisition and Maintaining a Startup Mentality
(12:33) Merging Spreaker and Triton Digital
(13:54) PodBiz Buzz: Lean & Loaf Mid-Roll
(15:18) Leading the Spreaker Prime Network
(17:52) Shifting from Hyper-Niche Targets to Always-On Campaigns
(19:31) The Gap Between Audio Consumption and Ad Budgets
(21:14) Helping Buyers Test Audio Smarter
(22:41) Setting Clear Objectives for Brand Lift
(25:29) Why Post-Campaign Transparency Matters
(27:34) Why Creators Should Care About Yield Over CPM Floor
(31:17) Real-Time Campaign Tweaking in a Dynamic Landscape
(32:32) Holistic Monetization: Live Shows and Merchandise
(35:14) Pushing Past Creator Burnout
(37:49) What People Don’t Know About Rebecca’s Daily Role
(39:41) Content Suitability Tools and Episodic Pre-Bid Transcription
(42:15) Preventing Bad Ad Fits on Sensitive Content
(43:32) The Ongoing Need to Educate Publishers
(46:56) Why Asking “Dumb Questions” Builds Better Careers
(48:54) How Global Remote Work Changed Rebecca’s Career
(53:27) AI Agents and the Future of Digital Media Transactions
(55:47) Life Updates and the Next Generation of Podcasters

Some Additional PodBiz Buzz…
“To keep the podcast industry thriving and growing as it is now, it's kind of the duty of those podcast platforms to partner with creators.”“Just because you try something once as a buyer and it doesn't work... doesn't mean that audio doesn't work for your brand.”“Tweaking floor pricing and constant monitoring will allow you to unlock a serious amount more of revenue.”

Thank you to our sponsors:
Lean and Loaf
Your one stop shop for podcast video and audio post production.
www.leanandloaf.com

Podnews
Daily news for the podcast and on-demand audio industry
www.podnews.com

Headliner / Disco
Disco converts your readers into podcast listeners. Quickly create, clip, and caption podcast videos with ease. Turn 1 full-length video into 10 optimized, accessible podcast clips.
www.headliner.app
PodBiz is the podcast about the business of podcasting. Hosted by industry veterans Norma Jean Belenky and John Kiernan, the show features conversations with creators, executives, and platform leaders to answer one question: Where’s the money in podcasting?
Each episode dives into monetization strategy, adtech, branded content, IP development, and audience growth. Guests include leaders from Acast, Captivate, Crooked Media, Buzzsprout, True Native Media, Podfest, and more.
Learn more: njbmedia.co | thepodhouseproductions.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
56 min
June 29Why Independent Podcasters Need More Than Downloads with Liam Heffernan
Can independent podcasters compete without millions of downloads?

Liam Heffernan thinks they can, but only if they stop treating downloads as the whole story. As Founder and CEO of Mercury Podcast Network, Liam has built a business around supporting the independent shows that often get overlooked by larger networks. For him, the opportunity in podcasting is not just about scale. It is about helping creators understand who they serve, how their audience behaves, and where real value can be built.

Liam joins us to discuss why community matters more than raw download numbers, what independent creators should look for in a podcast network, and why mid-sized shows can be some of the most commercially interesting podcasts in the market. We also get into what makes a podcast a good fit for Mercury, why the relationship between creators and networks needs to be more than transactional, and how independent podcasters can think more strategically about growth. Liam also shares the story behind Independent Podcast Day, a new initiative celebrating the creators building shows outside the traditional media system. From launching Mercury to creating Orbit, Liam offers a practical look at the future of independent podcasting and why creators do not need the biggest audience to build a sustainable business.

“For me, the money is in community.”“Downloads at face value are such a vanity metric because they only tell you a small part of the story.”
In this episode, we discuss:
Why downloads only tell part of the story
How community creates stronger monetization opportunities
What independent podcast networks actually do for creators
Why mid-sized podcasts are often underserved
How Mercury Podcast Network evaluates new shows
Why niche audiences can be more valuable than mass audiences
The relationship between podcast networks and creator trust
The launch of Independent Podcast Day
How Orbit gives more creators access to network-level tools
Why video can expand podcasting without replacing audio

About Liam Heffernan:
Liam Heffernan is the Founder and CEO of Mercury Podcast Network, an independent podcast network focused on helping creators grow, monetize, and build sustainable podcast businesses. Before launching Mercury, Liam worked in radio, finance, and podcast production, giving him a practical view of both the creative and commercial sides of audio.
He is also the creator of Independent Podcast Day, an initiative designed to celebrate independent podcasters and spotlight the creators who continue to shape the future of the industry.
Website: https://mercurypodcasts.com/
Independent Podcasters Day: https://independentpodcastersday.com/
Mercury LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mercury-podcast-network

Episode Moments:
(02:04) Community is King
(07:23) Liam’s journey from banking to podcasting
(14:53) Why Mercury Podcast Network exists
(22:53) How Mercury chooses the podcasts it represents
(25:43) The story behind Independent Podcast Day
(31:47) Why audience comes before monetization
(36:29) Orbit and expanding access for independent creators
(42:59) Lessons from building an independent podcast network
(47:40) Why video is expanding podcasting

Some Additional PodBiz Buzz:
“I've said to many people in sort of how I come back to the success and sort of the monetization of our network is, is relational, not transactional. That's why not our first year, you know, I had bills to pay, but, I wanted to focus on building something that felt meaningful, that felt arguable, because, you know, long term that that's where the money is.”
PodBiz is the podcast about the business of podcasting. Hosted by industry veterans Norma Jean Belenky and John Kiernan, the show features conversations with creators, executives, and platform leaders to answer one question: Where’s the money in podcasting?
Each episode dives into monetization strategy, adtech, branded content, IP development, and audience growth. Guests include leaders from Acast, Captivate, Crooked Media, Buzzsprout, True Native Media, Podfest, and more.
Learn more: njbmedia.co | thepodhouseproductions.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
49 min
June 22Building Creator-Owned Media with Stella Young of Tiny Legends and This Is TV Now
What happens when a YouTube creator mindset collides with traditional podcasting?

For Stella Young, the answer is a completely different way of thinking about audience growth, monetization, and ownership.
As the founder of Tiny Legends and co-host of This Is TV Now alongside Dane Cardiel, Stella entered podcasting after years in the YouTube ecosystem. What she found was an industry that often viewed creators, influencers, and audience relationships very differently than digital media.
"If you have a big Patreon, you're making more money than the biggest podcast from ads. I'm a big believer in people helping people. That's where the money is."
In this episode, Stella shares lessons from producing comedy podcasts, working with creators and celebrities, launching viral content strategies, and building a production company focused on quality over quantity. She also offers a candid look at the realities of podcast production, the challenges of pricing creative work, and why she believes the future belongs to creator-owned media.

In This Episode We Discuss:
Why Stella believes memberships outperform advertising for many creators
The differences between YouTube culture and podcast industry culture
How Tiny Legends built a reputation through viral podcast clips
Why social media audiences and podcast audiences are often different products
The rise of video-first podcast strategies
Creator ownership, audience control, and intellectual property
The challenges of producing celebrity-driven podcasts
Building a sustainable production company
Why many podcast producers struggle to charge what they're worth
The launch and mission behind This Is TV Now
What podcasting can learn from digital creators and influencers

Connect with Stella Young
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stellatheproducer https://www.instagram.com/tinylegends.prod
Tiny Legends https://www.tinylegends.media
This Is TV Now https://www.thisistvnow.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stella-young

About Stella Young
Stella Young is the founder of Tiny Legends, a production company specializing in creator-led content, podcast production, and digital media strategy. With roots in the YouTube creator ecosystem, Stella has worked across live events, comedy podcasts, social media, and content production. She is also the co-host of This Is TV Now, a new podcast exploring the intersection of creators, entertainment, internet culture, and the future of media.

Episode Chapters
(01:44) Where Is the Money in Podcasting?
(05:20) What Podcasting Gets Wrong About Creators
(13:31) From YouTube and Live Events to Podcast Production
(18:23) Why Podcast Clips Became a Growth Engine
(20:23) The Difference Between Viral Clips and Podcast Downloads
(22:12) Building Tiny Legends
(25:03) Celebrity Podcasts and Authenticity
(27:12) Video-First Podcasting and Membership Revenue
(34:44) Launching This Is TV Now
(39:46) Producer Pay, Transparency, and Industry Challenges
(51:56) What Stella Would Do Differently Starting Over
(54:26) The Future of Creator-Owned Media

Some Additional PodBiz Buzz"The future is podcasters becoming influencers and going directly to brands and audiences.""I was pretty early on the clip train. I was like, we need to do a really good clip every day.""I think the best way for creators is people funding people.""Embracing this mentality gives creators more control over their audience, their IP, and the way they build their business.""I think the future belongs to creators who own their relationship with their audience."
PodBiz is the podcast about the business of podcasting. Hosted by industry veterans Norma Jean Belenky and John Kiernan, the show features conversations with creators, executives, and platform leaders to answer one question: Where’s the money in podcasting?
Each episode dives into monetization strategy, adtech, branded content, IP development, and audience growth. Guests include leaders from Acast, Captivate, Crooked Media, Buzzsprout, True Native Media, Podfest, and more.
Learn more: njbmedia.co | thepodhouseproductions.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
57 min
June 15 Owning the Work: N'Jeri Eaton on Building a Creator-Owned Podcast Business After Big Tech
How do you build a podcast business that's truly your own?

After leadership roles at NPR, Apple, Netflix, Wondery, and Amazon, N'Jeri Eaton made a decision that more podcast professionals are considering: stop building for someone else's platform and start building something you own.

In this episode of PodBiz, Norma Jean Belenky speaks with N'Jeri about creator ownership, independent production, and the realities of building a media business in today's podcast landscape. From shaping podcast strategy at some of the industry's biggest companies to launching Type C Studios, N'Jeri shares what she's learned about storytelling, audience growth, collaboration, and creating work that lasts.

As she puts it:
"I'm going to invest in myself, create my own company, really invest in my own brand. And if I'm doing a podcast, I'm going to find a way to pay for it myself. Because I own it and I control it."

Here are some insightful moments within the episode:
• Why production services and creator-owned businesses are becoming a larger part of podcasting's future
• What N'Jeri learned working at NPR, Apple, Netflix, Wondery, and Amazon
• How the podcast industry's recent layoffs have reshaped career paths for creators and producers
• Why independent creators are increasingly choosing ownership over employment
• The business realities behind narrative podcast production budgets
• What large media companies still get right about podcast monetization
• Why video should be part of every podcast growth conversation
• How Type C Studios helps creators and organizations develop impactful audio and video projects

Episode Chapters
(01:35) Where the Money Is in Podcasting Today
(07:17) The Impact of Industry Layoffs
(09:12) Why Narrative Podcasting Still Matters
(15:38) From Documentary Film to NPR
(19:12) Building Podcast Strategy at Apple
(26:05) Netflix, Companion Content, and Audience Growth
(33:49) Launching Type C Studios
(40:30) The Economics of Podcast Production
(45:00) Turning "No" Into a Collaborative Yes
(48:04) Why Podcasting Should Have Embraced Video Earlier
(50:51) What Excites N'Jeri About Podcasting's Future

About N'Jeri Eaton
N'Jeri Eaton is the CEO and co-founder of Type C Studios, a podcast and media production company helping creators, publishers, and organizations develop high-impact audio, video, and storytelling projects. Prior to launching Type C Studios, she held leadership roles across some of the most influential media and technology companies in podcasting, including NPR, Apple Podcasts, Netflix, Wondery, and Amazon. Throughout her career, N'Jeri has focused on helping storytellers reach audiences, building innovative content strategies, and creating opportunities for underrepresented voices across media.Connect with N'Jeri Eaton
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/njerieaton/
Learn more about Type C Studios.

Some Additional PodBiz Buzz
"I think the biggest thing I learned at NPR is that if I hear a no, I always try to understand what's behind that no. If you're talking to someone and they feel really heard, then everything becomes much more collaborative."
PodBiz is the podcast about the business of podcasting. Hosted by industry veterans Norma Jean Belenky and John Kiernan, the show features conversations with creators, executives, and platform leaders to answer one question: Where’s the money in podcasting?
Each episode dives into monetization strategy, adtech, branded content, IP development, and audience growth. Guests include leaders from Acast, Captivate, Crooked Media, Buzzsprout, True Native Media, Podfest, and more.
Learn more: njbmedia.co | thepodhouseproductions.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
52 min
June 08 The Future of Podcast Advertising in Latin America with Rodrigo Tigre
How do you build the infrastructure for a podcast market that's about to become larger than the United States?

For years, podcast industry conversations have largely centered around English-speaking markets. But according to Rodrigo Tigre, President and Co-Founder of Ozen.fm, the next major growth story may come from somewhere else entirely.

Rodrigo has spent more than two decades working in digital advertising and audio, helping brands, creators, and media companies navigate evolving technology and audience behavior. Today, through Ozen.fm, he's focused on connecting podcast creators, advertisers, and networks across Latin America while helping the industry solve one of its biggest challenges: monetization.

As Rodrigo explains:
"By 2027, the podcast consumption in Latam will surpass U.S., so we will have more podcast listeners than we have in the U.S."

That growth creates enormous opportunity, but it also requires education, measurement, attribution, and infrastructure capable of supporting advertisers across multiple countries, languages, and audience segments.
As he puts it:
"When we have these tools that can show audience results, there's going to be a shift into more investing, more money into the space."

In this episode of PodBiz, Rodrigo joins Norma Jean Belenky to discuss the future of podcast advertising in Latin America, why audio remains one of the most powerful engagement channels available to brands, and what creators should understand about the next wave of podcast growth.

Here are some insightful moments within the episode:
• Why Latin America is projected to surpass the U.S. in podcast listenership
• The differences between Brazil's podcast ecosystem and the broader Spanish-speaking market
• Why podcast advertising still represents a surprisingly small share of digital ad spend
• How attribution and measurement are helping unlock new advertiser investment
• The opportunity dynamic ad insertion creates for evergreen podcast content
• Why radio broadcasters are increasingly embracing podcasting
• The challenges and opportunities of serving multilingual audiences
• How Ozen.fm is helping connect creators, advertisers, and podcast networks across Latin America

About Rodrigo Tigre
Rodrigo Tigre is President and Co-Founder of Ozen.fm, a podcast advertising marketplace serving creators, networks, and advertisers across Latin America. With more than 25 years of experience in digital media, advertising, and audio, Rodrigo has helped shape podcast monetization strategies throughout Brazil and the broader LatAm market. He is also an active contributor to industry standards through IAB Brazil and has spent more than a decade working at the intersection of podcasting, technology, and advertising.
Connect with Rodrigo Tigre on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tigre/

Episode Chapters:
(00:00) The LatAm Opportunity
(01:07) Podcast Monetization Models
(03:53) Brazil's Podcast Market
(06:16) Borderless Audiences
(07:40) Advertising Growth
(13:09) The Ad Spend Gap
(18:23) Educating Advertisers
(22:32) Radio And Podcasting
(24:05) Audio-First Content
(27:04) Monetizing Back Catalogs
(29:27) Dynamic Host-Reads
(32:17) Building Ozen.fm
(36:18) Rodrigo's Journey
(43:50) Attribution And Measurement
(46:03) Advertising In The Family
(49:28) The Future Of Podcasting

Some Additional PodBiz Buzz:
"Podcasting is a digital medium that you can listen to offline without a screen.""We truly believe in the power of audio and the engagement it creates.""The influence of it is completely different."
PodBiz is the podcast about the business of podcasting. Hosted by industry veterans Norma Jean Belenky and John Kiernan, the show features conversations with creators, executives, and platform leaders to answer one question: Where’s the money in podcasting?
Each episode dives into monetization strategy, adtech, branded content, IP development, and audience growth. Guests include leaders from Acast, Captivate, Crooked Media, Buzzsprout, True Native Media, Podfest, and more.
Learn more: njbmedia.co | thepodhouseproductions.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
52 min
June 01 Building a Sustainable and Successful Podcast Membership Model with Joe Fucigna
How can a membership model transform your podcast from an unpredictable hobby into a recurring revenue stream?

In this episode of PodBiz, Norma Jean Belenky and John Kiernan speak with Joe Fucigna, a creator membership specialist, about the power of direct-to-fan monetization models. Joe shares how he helps podcasters transition away from unpredictable advertising cycles to build thriving communities and sustainable businesses.

As he puts it:
“A lot of what building or running a membership is data-backed feedback... when you're building the membership, it's like you build it around what people want.”

Here are some insightful moments within the episode:
🎧 Why advertising is unpredictable and how memberships offer predictable, recurring revenue
🎧 Why the top-performing podcast memberships are often shows you’ve never heard of
🎧 How an "emotional connection score" matters more than download numbers
🎧 The 3 crucial questions creators ask before launching a membership
🎧 Why you must separate passive listenership from actively engaged communities
🎧 Using a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) survey to prevent launch failure
🎧 Choosing the right platform based on where your audience already exists

About Joe Fucigna:
Joe Fucigna is a creator membership specialist with an extensive background helping talent navigate the fan monetization landscape. With professional experience spanning Patreon as well as traditional entertainment agencies like UTA and A3 Artists Agency, Joe works with niche and major creators alike to maximize their community value through direct data-backed strategies.

Connect with Joe Fucigna on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-fucigna/
Learn more about Joe Fucigna Consulting: https://www.joefucignaconsulting.com/

Episode Chapters:
00:00 – Relationships over platforms
01:10 – Where is the money in podcasting?
03:18 – Understanding the modern "Fan-scape" landscape
04:42 – Why brand deals and ad revenue aren't predictable anymore
05:50 – Owning your audience vs. renting platform space
08:05 – The power of niche micro-creators
09:13 – Measuring your audience's emotional connection score
11:24 – Finding top independent creators on Graphtreon
13:56 – Mid-roll: Shoutout to our video partner Lean & Loaf
15:44 – The 15 to 20-question membership validation survey
17:52 – Why active feedback beats passive listening data
20:05 – Building an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) to avoid failure
22:22 – Platform agnosticism: Where does your community live?
24:12 – The 1% to 3% conversion game
26:14 – How Joe Fucigna got his start in the entertainment industry
29:32 – From booking touring musicians to talent management
32:45 – Navigating traditional talent agencies (UTA & A3)
36:08 – The transition from Hollywood agent to creator consultant
39:40 – What traditional media gets wrong about creator monetization
42:55 – The daily grind of building a membership strategy
46:12 – Overcoming creator fear of "selling out" to their audience
49:30 – Case study: The unexpected power of small, rabid communities
52:15 – Why membership unlocks long-term creative freedom

Some Additional PodBiz Buzz:
“Direct-to-fan is like: Do you have an email address from the person that purchased that product or engaged with you? Otherwise, it's not.”
“The number of people that said that they would pay $5 or more is very closely correlated to the number of members you'll have at launch.”
“When people see that the thing that they provided feedback on actually came to be, they're like, 'Oh, this is a collaboration.'”
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PodBiz is the podcast about the business of podcasting. Hosted by industry veterans Norma Jean Belenky and John Kiernan, the show features conversations with creators, executives, and platform leaders to answer one question: Where’s the money in podcasting?
Each episode dives into monetization strategy, adtech, branded content, IP development, and audience growth. Guests include leaders from Acast, Captivate, Crooked Media, Buzzsprout, True Native Media, Podfest, and more.
Learn more: njbmedia.co | thepodhouseproductions.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
54 min
May 25Why Podcast Advertising Still Runs on Predictions, Not Certainty with Sean Howard
How do podcast publishers actually know what inventory they can sell?

According to Sean Howard, most of the industry historically hasn’t. In this episode of PodBiz, Sean Howard, founder and CEO of Flightpath and co-founder of Fable and Folly, breaks down one of the biggest operational problems in podcast advertising: forecasting ad delivery in a medium built around unpredictable audience behavior.

Before building Flightpath, Sean worked across fiction podcasting, branded content, and podcast audience growth. Through years of buying and selling podcast advertising, he realized that publishers, networks, and sales teams often didn’t actually know what they could reliably deliver to advertisers, creating cascading problems around campaign fulfillment, inventory management, and monetization.
That insight became the foundation for Flightpath, a platform focused on predictive inventory forecasting, campaign management, and helping publishers better understand how audiences consume content across podcasting and video.

The conversation also explores how creator behavior is changing as podcasting evolves into a multi-platform ecosystem spanning RSS, YouTube, Spotify video, newsletters, memberships, and creator-owned media businesses. Sean shares why podcast audiences behave differently than social audiences, how evergreen podcast catalogs create long-tail monetization opportunities, why YouTube discoverability is often misunderstood, and what the next generation of creator media companies may look like.

In this episode we cover:
Why podcast ad inventory forecasting has historically been unreliable
How predictive modeling changes podcast monetization
The operational challenges behind podcast advertising sales
Why podcasting’s evergreen back catalog is so valuable
How audience behavior differs between podcasts and YouTube
Why creators are rebuilding audiences across multiple platforms
The rise of simulcast monetization strategies
Why podcast listeners behave differently than social media audiences
The evolution of fiction podcasting and independent creator networks
Why creator-owned media companies are becoming increasingly powerful

Episode Chapters
(00:00) Why podcast ad forecasting is still broken
(01:29) The origin story behind Flightpath
(03:29) Predicting audience behavior across platforms
(06:08) Why podcast publishers oversell inventory
(08:05) Audience targeting vs download metrics
(11:32) What actually drives discoverability on YouTube
(15:42) Why podcast back catalogs are so valuable
(20:49) The operational side of podcast ad sales
(26:16) Building Fable and Folly in the early days of podcasting
(31:40) Why podcasting still feels scrappy
(40:40) What Sean would do differently building a media company today
(43:38) Why creator-owned media businesses are the future

About Sean Howard
Sean Howard is the founder and CEO of Flightpath, a predictive inventory and campaign management platform for podcast publishers and media companies. He is also the co-founder of Fable and Folly, one of the pioneering fiction podcast networks, and previously worked with Pacific Content during podcasting’s early branded content expansion.

Connect with Sean:
https://www.flightpath.fm/
https://www.fableandfolly.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanhoward/

Some Additional PodBiz Buzz“Nobody had a clue what they could actually promise. They were just giving us a number.”“Podcasting has this deeper trust relationship. We’re actively engaged in what we want to listen to.”“The creators are starting to set the terms. They’re owning the audience, literally and figuratively.”

PodBiz is the podcast about the business of podcasting. Hosted by industry veterans Norma Jean Belenky and John Kiernan, the show features conversations with creators, executives, and platform leaders to answer one question: Where’s the money in podcasting?
Each episode dives into monetization strategy, adtech, branded content, IP development, and audience growth. Guests include leaders from Acast, Captivate, Crooked Media, Buzzsprout, True Native Media, Podfest, and more.
Learn more: njbmedia.co | thepodhouseproductions.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
46 min

About PodBiz | Where's The Money In Podcasting?

From the publisher's feed

Where's the money in podcasting? Hosted by Norma Jean Belenky and John Kiernan, PodBiz dives into the strategies, trends, and tools driving podcast monetization and industry…