Stephanie Smellie is Head of Business Development at Patreon. She has spent more than a decade at the intersection of entertainment, the creator economy, and emerging tech, with leadership roles at Sony, iHeartMedia, Spotify, and blockchain startup Dapper Labs before joining Patreon in 2024. At Patreon, she focuses on partnerships that expand tools and monetization opportunities for creators, with podcasts emerging as the platform’s highest‑earning content category. During our conversation, we cover why podcasters have become Patreon's highest-earning category, how to convert a free audience into paying members, and why owning your audience matters more than growing it.

You can find Stephanie on LinkedIn.

I’m on all the socials @JeffUmbro.

Looking for more actionable podcast strategies after today's episode?

Check out The Podglomerate's free resources:

The Ultimate Guide to Podcast Marketing: ⁠⁠https://podglomerate.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-podcast-marketing-in-2025/⁠⁠

How to Level Up Your Monetization Strategy: ⁠⁠https://podglomerate.com/how-to-level-up-your-podcast-monetization-strategy/⁠⁠

What is a Realistic Expectation when Monetizing Your Podcast: ⁠⁠https://podglomerate.com/realistic-podcast-monetization-expectations/⁠⁠

The Podglomerate offers production, distribution, and monetization services for dozens of new and industry-leading podcasts. Whether you’re just beginning or looking to bring a popular show to the next level, we offer what you need. 

To find more about The Podglomerate:

Website: https://podglomerate.com/about/

Email: [email protected].

Twitter: @podglomerate

Instagram: @podglomeratepods

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podglomerate

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Brendan Monaghan is the CEO of Libsyn and co-founder of Megaphone. He explains why Spotify acquired Megaphone in 2020 for $235 million, why he left Megaphone a year later, and why he returned to lead Libsyn. Brendan discusses Libsyn’s latest monetization tools, its strategic partnership with Podroll, and how independent creators can better position themselves for growth in an increasingly competitive space. 

You can find Brendan at libsyn.com on LinkedIn.

I’m on all the socials @JeffUmbro 

Looking for more actionable podcast strategies after today's episode?

Check out The Podglomerate's free resources:

The Podglomerate offers production, distribution, and monetization services for dozens of new and industry-leading podcasts. Whether you’re just beginning or a seasoned podcaster, we offer what you need.

To find more about The Podglomerate:– Show Page and Transcript: ⁠https://listen.podglomerate.com/show/podcast-perspectives⁠– YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@Podglomeratepods⁠– Email: [email protected]– LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/podglomerate⁠– Twitter: @podglomerate– Instagram: @podglomeratepods

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mia Lobel is a seasoned producer with over 20 years in the game. She shares raw insights from her journey through startup at Panoply, the explosive growth at Pushkin, and her current role shaping Slate’s future. She discusses the unsustainable grind that led her to leave behind four years of relentless work, and what it really takes to build a resilient, meaningful podcasting career amid turbulence.
Mia also reflects on the promise and peril of community-owned media, explaining why she chose to work within traditional organizations rather than start her own cooperative.
We dig into the industry’s biggest misconceptions: are legacy networks dying, or just transforming? Does multi-platform expansion threaten quality? And how can creators make a sustainable living without sacrificing their integrity? With a mix of behind-the-scenes anecdotes and sharp industry analysis, Mia offers a blueprint for navigating the podcast world's volatile waters.

I’m on all the socials @JeffUmbro

Looking for more actionable podcast strategies after today's episode?

Check out The Podglomerate's free resources:

The Podglomerate offers production, distribution, and monetization services for dozens of new and industry-leading podcasts. Whether you’re just beginning or a seasoned podcaster, we offer what you need.

To find more about The Podglomerate:
– Show Page and Transcript: https://listen.podglomerate.com/show/podcast-perspectives
– YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Podglomeratepods
– Email: [email protected]
– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podglomerate
– Twitter: @podglomerate
– Instagram: @podglomeratepods

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clio de la Llave and Nadine Robinson are the co-founders of Podcast Nation, a creator-first network born out of their influencer marketing agency, Booje Media. We discuss how they evolved from managing social creators to building one of the most distinctive podcast businesses, why integrating audio with social and talent is now central to modern podcast advertising, and what they’ve learned from scaling shows like The Telepathy Tapes, Dear Shandy, and The Mom Room. Clio and Nadine also share how they’ve rethought pricing, revenue share, and cross-platform strategy as Podcast Nation has grown, and what happens when a show suddenly becomes the biggest podcast in the world.

You can find Clio and Nadine through podcastnation.co or on Linkedin.

I’m on all the socials @JeffUmbro 

Looking for more actionable podcast strategies after today's episode?

Check out The Podglomerate's free resources:

The Podglomerate offers production, distribution, and monetization services for dozens of new and industry-leading podcasts. Whether you’re just beginning or a seasoned podcaster, we offer what you need.

To find more about The Podglomerate:

– Show Page and Transcript: https://listen.podglomerate.com/show/podcast-perspectives

– YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Podglomeratepods

– Email: [email protected]

– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podglomerate

– Twitter: @podglomerate

– Instagram: @podglomeratepods

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Podcast awards can offer numerous benefits beyond just winning. Whether you become a nominee or a winner, entering a podcast awards competition enhances visibility, builds credibility, and showcases expertise. And being an “award-nominated” or “award-winning” show can help attract guests and collaborators, increase media exposure and the potential for podcast app feature opportunities, and open up avenues for monetization.
So how should you budget for podcast awards submissions in 2026? What are key awards and their success rates for recognition? And how can podcast awards move the needle towards your overall show and audience goals?
Join us for this exclusive webinar presented by The Podglomerate's SVP of Marketing & Audience Development Joni Deutsch and Sounds Profitable's Bryan Barletta.
I’m on all the socials @JeffUmbro
The Podglomerate offers production, distribution, and monetization services for dozens of new and industry-leading podcasts. Whether you’re just beginning or a seasoned podcaster, we offer what you need.

To find more about The Podglomerate:
– Show Page and Transcript: https://listen.podglomerate.com/show/podcast-perspectives
– YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Podglomeratepods
– Email: [email protected]
– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podglomerate
– Twitter: @podglomerate
– Instagram: @podglomeratepods

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jerry Kolber is the Emmy-nominated producer behind Nat Geo’s Brain Games and Netflix’s Brainchild, and co-creator and host of family podcast Who Smarted? through his company Atomic Entertainment. We discuss his shift from educational TV to family podcasting, why he believes this is the “Story Age” for brands and creators, and Atomic Entertainment’s emphasis on paid growth, specifically buying Facebook ads. Jerry also explores the massive success of Who Smarted?, which engages both parents and children while monetizing and staying COPPA compliant.

You can find Jerry on LinkedIn or at atomicentertainment.com.

I’m on all the socials @JeffUmbro

The Podglomerate offers production, distribution, and monetization services for dozens of new and industry-leading podcasts. Whether you’re just beginning or a seasoned podcaster, we offer what you need.

To find more about The Podglomerate:
– Show Page and Transcript: https://listen.podglomerate.com/show/podcast-perspectives
– YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Podglomeratepods
– Email: [email protected]
– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podglomerate
– Twitter: @podglomerate
– Instagram: @podglomeratepods

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recorded live at SXSW 2026 in Austin, TX, "Will Podcasts Survive the YouTube Era". Join YouTube Global Product Activation Manager Emma Sweet, Podcast Nation Director of Strategic Growth and Partnerships Libby Absten, HubSpot Head of Media Partnerships Carly Baker, and The Podglomerate VP of Production Services Chris Boniello in conversation.

They discuss the difficulties and possibilities of creators and advertisers adapting to the video space, as well as the technical aspects of video production. They also go beyond YouTube to TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

I’m on all the socials @JeffUmbro

The Podglomerate offers production, distribution, and monetization services for dozens of new and industry-leading podcasts. Whether you’re just beginning or a seasoned podcaster, we offer what you need.

To find more about The Podglomerate:
– Show Page and Transcript: https://listen.podglomerate.com/show/podcast-perspectives
– YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Podglomeratepods
– Email: [email protected]
– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podglomerate
– Twitter: @podglomerate
– Instagram: @podglomeratepods

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recorded live at SXSW 2026 in Austin, TX, this third special episode of Podcast Perspectives is a high-level panel called So Everyone Has a Podcast. Should They? Our conversation includes Sounds Profitable founder Bryan Barletta, Podcast Nation co-founder Nadine Robinson, Lower Street founder Harry Morton, and Podglomerate founder and CEO Jeff Umbro.

We discuss when it makes sense for people to create (own), guest (visit), or buy ads on podcasts (rent). With our live audience split 50-50 between marketers and podcasters, we also cover how to properly invest both time and money into the audio space.

I’m on all the socials @JeffUmbro

The Podglomerate offers production, distribution, and monetization services for dozens of new and industry-leading podcasts. Whether you’re just beginning or a seasoned podcaster, we offer what you need.

To find more about The Podglomerate:
– Show Page and Transcript: https://listen.podglomerate.com/show/podcast-perspectives
– YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Podglomeratepods
– Email: [email protected]
– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podglomerate
– Twitter: @podglomerate
– Instagram: @podglomeratepods

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recorded live at Podcast Movement at SXSW 2026 in Austin, TX, this second special episode of Podcast Perspectives brings together three voices from across the podcast advertising world, with Bumper’s Jonas Woost, Ad Results Media’s Taylor Bradbury, and Crooked Media’s Giancarlo Bizzarro.

With a combination of publishers, buyers, and data, we break down why brands should invest in podcasting, how publishers and agencies approach ad buying differently, and how to leverage data and AI to drive smarter podcast ad strategies.

I’m on all the socials @JeffUmbro 

The Podglomerate offers production, distribution, and monetization services for dozens of new and industry-leading podcasts. Whether you’re just beginning or a seasoned podcaster, we offer what you need.

To find more about The Podglomerate:

– Show Page and Transcript: https://listen.podglomerate.com/show/podcast-perspectives

– YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Podglomeratepods

– Email: [email protected]

– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podglomerate

– Twitter: @podglomerate

– Instagram: @podglomeratepods

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special episode of Podcast Perspectives recorded live at Podcast Movement at SXSW on March 13, 2026 in Austin, TX with Audacy's Leah Reis-Dennis, Acast's Greg Glenday, and Libsyn's Brendan Monaghan.

I’m on all the socials @JeffUmbro

The Podglomerate offers production, distribution, and monetization services for dozens of new and industry-leading podcasts.

Whether you’re just beginning or a seasoned podcaster, we offer what you need.

To find more about The Podglomerate:
– Show Page and Transcript: https://listen.podglomerate.com/show/podcast-perspectives
– YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Podglomeratepods
– Email: [email protected]
– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podglomerate
– Twitter: @podglomerate
– Instagram: @podglomeratepods

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices