📌 Podcast Blueprint Workshop, Sept 8th 👉 https://depth-candor.kit.com/7ce288d99f
We're on a break until the first week of September — see you there!

📥 Grab the free 10-step guide 👉 https://tenstepstolaunch.depthandcandor.com/

👩🏽‍💻 Apply for Emerging Voices Accelerator 👉 https://hiwote.typeform.com/to/RETSnMtR

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I went to The Podcast Show in London - one of the biggest podcast conferences in the world - and asked the people who actually build shows for a living the questions I get from beginners every week.

Justin Jackson (founder of Transistor), Jeremy Enns (Podcast Marketing Academy), Jesse Baker and Eric Nuzum (executive producers on Esther Perel's Where Should We Begin). Here are the 5 takeaways I brought back:

1️⃣ IS THE IDEA WORTH MAKING? - Jesse's test isn't "will it succeed", it's "is it something you can't stop thinking about?" Then Eric's follow-up: keep getting more specific until nothing else like it exists.

2️⃣ DOES EVERY PODCAST NEED VIDEO? - the honest answer nobody gives you: there's no single correct way anymore. The real question is whether video makes YOUR show better and whether it's worth the extra work.

3️⃣ HOW DOES A NEW SHOW GET DISCOVERED? - Jeremy's distinction that reframed this for me: exposure gets you seen, attraction gets you chosen. Most people have an attraction problem and treat it like a traffic problem.

4️⃣ WHAT MAKES A SHOW WORTH EXPERIENCING? - I watched an AI podcast company get booed on stage. But the real threat isn't AI hosts. It's when the AI summary of your show is better than your show.

5️⃣ HOW DO YOU FIND A FORMAT? - a format is just a repeatable promise your audience recognises. You find it by making the thing, not by planning it for months.

Plus the story of how a small, imperfect show I made called Depth & Candor is exactly what got me hired.

Subscribe for weekly podcast production tips, and tell me in the comments which takeaway you needed most.

🙋🏾‍♀️ Who am I?

Hey, I'm Hiwote, but my friends call me Hiwi! 👋🏾

I'm a podcast producer, and I've worked on shows like Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel, This is Dating (featured in TIME Magazine as one of the best podcasts of 2022), and projects with The New York Times, TED, and more.
My goal? To help aspiring podcasters gain the creative clarity and confidence they need to create shows that are as unique as they are.

––––

Ready to start?
✅ Subscribe for weekly tips on how to create and grow a podcast that feels like you.
📥 Grab the free 10-step guide: https://tenstepstolaunch.depthandcandor.com/

Want to Stay Connected?
📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emergingvoicesstudio/

🔗 Mentioned in this episode:
Three Books podcast → https://open.spotify.com/show/6mahGgTDbirBM5IaPBZ8lS
Transistor (Justin Jackson) → https://transistor.fm/
Podcast Marketing Academy (Jeremy Enns) → https://podcastmarketingacademy.com/

👩🏽‍💻 Apply for Emerging Voices Accelerator 👉 https://www.depthandcandor.com/

📥 Grab the free 10-step guide 👉 https://tenstepstolaunch.depthandcandor.com/

The hardest part of making something isn't the idea. It's following through when nobody is making you do it and nobody would notice if you stopped.

I'm living that right now. This channel has a team and a system behind it - that isn't creative discipline. So I started posting on Instagram again, entirely on my own, and I'm relearning how hard consistency is when it's just you.

Here are the 3 things I keep reminding myself. I'm sharing them with you, but honestly I'm sharing them with me too:

1️⃣ DON'T TAKE IT TOO SERIOUSLY - the moment I decide it has to follow a strict rhythm, perfectionism creeps in and I start doubting the idea. Keep it loose. Pick a few natural themes, and let yourself post outside them. One question replaces every rule: is this useful to the person I'm hoping to connect with? (And useful is broad - entertainment counts, humour counts.)

2️⃣ KEEP YOUR TIMING REALISTIC - don't go from nothing to five times a week. My actual numbers: once a week and I've succeeded, twice and I'm proud, three times and I've outdone myself. Unrealistic timelines are just you scheduling your own failure - and then deciding you're not someone who follows through.

3️⃣ MAKE IT AS EASY AND FUN AS POSSIBLE - I could technically make better Reels editing on my computer. But lying on my couch editing on my phone is what keeps it fun, so that's what I do. The question isn't how do I make this perfect. It's what's the easiest, most fun version of this - because that's the one you'll actually keep doing.

If you're a podcaster, all 3 translate directly: your buckets, your floor, your easiest possible first episode. Consistency is what builds the confidence, not the other way around - you need a body of work before any of the bigger things become possible.

Subscribe for weekly podcast production tips, and tell me in the comments which of the three you need most right now.

🙋🏾‍♀️ Who am I?

Hey, I'm Hiwote, but my friends call me Hiwi! 👋🏾

I'm a podcast producer, and I've worked on shows like Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel, This is Dating (featured in TIME Magazine as one of the best podcasts of 2022), and projects with The New York Times, TED, and more.
My goal? To help aspiring podcasters gain the creative clarity and confidence they need to create shows that are as unique as they are.

––––

Ready to start?
✅ Subscribe for weekly tips on how to create and grow a podcast that feels like you.
📥 Grab the free 10-step guide: https://tenstepstolaunch.depthandcandor.com/

Want to Stay Connected?
📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emergingvoicesstudio/

👩🏽‍💻 Apply for Emerging Voices Accelerator 👉 https://hiwote.typeform.com/to/GRciL3o9

📥 Grab the free 10-step guide 👉 https://tenstepstolaunch.depthandcandor.com/

After hundreds of one-on-one calls with aspiring podcasters, I keep hearing the same 3 patterns holding people back from actually starting the podcast they've been dreaming about for months (sometimes years).

This isn't a how-to. It's the honest, slightly uncomfortable stuff nobody says out loud — why "just one more course" is quietly keeping you stuck, why hiring a producer or joining a program can't do the work for you, and why treating your podcast as a business plan is usually the thing that makes you quit before it ever gets off the ground.

I share the story of Shannon from the Emerging Voices Accelerator (who's now launching her fourth season), the lesson I learned in therapy that applies to podcasting, and the truth about creators like Joe Budden and Call Her Daddy that most beginner podcasters don't want to hear.

Subscribe for weekly podcast production tips, and tell me in the comments — which of the three truths hit hardest for you?

🙋🏾‍♀️ Who am I?

Hey, I'm Hiwote, but my friends call me Hiwi! 👋🏾

I'm a podcast producer, and I've worked on shows like Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel, This is Dating (featured in TIME Magazine as one of the best podcasts of 2022), and projects with The New York Times, TED, and more.
My goal? To help aspiring podcasters gain the creative clarity and confidence they need to create shows that are as unique as they are.

––––

Ready to start?
✅ Subscribe for weekly tips on how to create and grow a podcast that feels like you.
📥 Grab the free 10-step guide: https://tenstepstolaunch.depthandcandor.com/

Want to Stay Connected?
📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emergingvoicesstudio/

🎁 FREE Guest Pitch Email Templates (the reward for watching till the end) 👉 https://depth-candor.kit.com/b23c577c97

👩🏽‍💻 Apply for Emerging Voices Accelerator 👉 https://hiwote.typeform.com/to/GRciL3o9

Struggling to find guests for your new show? Learn how to get podcast guests even before you launch with these proven pitching strategies.

Many beginner podcaster tips focus on huge celebrities, but the best approach for a new show is different. This video breaks down how to identify potential guests who are slightly ahead of you in their journey, making them more likely to say yes to a new host. You will learn the specific structure of a pitch that works for people building their own authority.

We also cover the importance of warming up your prospects before sending a cold email. By combining your lived experience with your professional work, you can create a compelling reason for others to join you. This podcast launch strategy helps you build a library of episodes before your official debut.

Subscribe for weekly podcasting breakdowns, and comment below with the biggest challenge you face when reaching out to guests.

––––

🙋🏾‍♀️ Who am I?

Hey, I'm Hiwote, but my friends call me Hiwi! 👋🏾

I'm a podcast producer, and I've worked on shows like Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel, This is Dating (featured in TIME Magazine as one of the best podcasts of 2022), and projects with The New York Times, TED, and more.
My goal? To help aspiring podcasters gain the creative clarity and confidence they need to create shows that are as unique as they are.

––––

Ready to start?
✅ Subscribe for weekly tips on how to create and grow a podcast that feels like you.
📥 Grab the free 10-step guide: https://tenstepstolaunch.depthandcandor.com/

Want to Stay Connected?
📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emergingvoicesstudio/

How to grow your podcast from scratch — step by step guide for beginners.

👩🏽‍💻 Apply for Emerging Voices Accelerator 👉 https://hiwote.typeform.com/to/GRciL3o9

📥 Grab the free 10-step guide 👉 https://tenstepstolaunch.depthandcandor.com/

Most new podcasters jump straight to stage three (Reddit posts, Facebook ads, Instagram clips) before they've earned stage one, and that's exactly why they stall at 30 listeners. The growth path that actually works for new podcasters starts with your inner circle (your first 20 listeners), builds through word-of-mouth and a Substack newsletter (20 to 100), and only then expands outward by guesting on adjacent-niche podcasts and naming episodes for Apple Podcasts and Spotify search (100 to 1,000).

I also share a real timeline from one of my Emerging Voices podcasters, Shannon, who hit 1,000 listeners in 8 months from zero — no email list, no platform, nothing. Plus the part most podcast growth videos skip: how to push through the rough patch where every new podcaster wants to quit.

Subscribe for weekly podcast production tips, and tell me in the comments — which stage are you stuck at right now?

🛠 TOOLS MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO:
• Substack (free newsletter platform): https://substack.com
• Riverside (recording + AI clipping tool): https://riverside.com/
• Apple Podcasts & Spotify

🙋🏾‍♀️ Who am I?

Hey, I'm Hiwote, but my friends call me Hiwi! 👋🏾

I'm a podcast producer, and I've worked on shows like Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel, This is Dating (featured in TIME Magazine as one of the best podcasts of 2022), and projects with The New York Times, TED, and more.
My goal? To help aspiring podcasters gain the creative clarity and confidence they need to create shows that are as unique as they are.

––––

Ready to start?
✅ Subscribe for weekly tips on how to create and grow a podcast that feels like you.
📥 Grab the free 10-step guide: https://tenstepstolaunch.depthandcandor.com/

Want to Stay Connected?
📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emergingvoicesstudio/

👩🏽‍💻 Apply for Emerging Voices Accelerator 👉 https://hiwote.typeform.com/to/GRciL3o9

👉 Try Transistor for Free → https://transistor.fm/?via=hiwote

📥 Grab the free 10-step guide 👉 https://tenstepstolaunch.depthandcand...

📸 CAMERAS:
• iPhone 14 or above (records in 4K)
• DJI Osmo Pocket 3 (~$499 / $629 creator combo) — my main camera
• Sony ZV-E10 (~$800 with kit lens)

🎤 MICROPHONES:
• Blue Yeti Nano
• Audio-Technica AT2020 / ATR2100
• Shure MV7+what (I'm using now)

💡 LIGHTING:
• Elgato Key Light
• Ring light (Amazon or Best Buy)

👩🏽‍💻 RECORDING & EDITING
• Riverside — https://riverside.com/
• Transistor (podcast hosting): https://transistor.fm/?via=hiwote
• Descript (AI editing):  https://get.descript.com/hiwotepodcasts
• Handbrake — convert video format for podcast hosts
• Music: Epidemic Sound https://share.epidemicsound.com/4906m4
• Newsletter: Substack (free)

(Note: Some links above are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.)

How to start a video podcast as a beginner with not a huge budget. Learn the exact 2026 workflow to create a video podcast efficiently.

Many creators struggle with the transition from audio to video, but this guide simplifies the process. Whether you are using an iPhone or a dedicated camera setup, you will learn how to align your hardware with your production goals. This video breaks down the essential podcast equipment setup required to get started without overcomplicating your workflow.

We cover a step-by-step method to record without errors and ensure your publishing process is streamlined. If you want to create a podcast that looks professional while keeping your workload manageable, this strategy is designed for you. By focusing on efficient recording and publishing, you can maintain consistency and grow your audience effectively.

Subscribe for weekly podcast production tips, and comment below if you prefer audio-only or video-first content.

🙋🏾‍♀️ Who am I?

Hey, I'm Hiwote, but my friends call me Hiwi! 👋🏾

I'm a podcast producer, and I've worked on shows like Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel, This is Dating (featured in TIME Magazine as one of the best podcasts of 2022), and projects with The New York Times, TED, and more.
My goal? To help aspiring podcasters gain the creative clarity and confidence they need to create shows that are as unique as they are.

––––

Ready to start?
✅ Subscribe for weekly tips on how to create and grow a podcast that feels like you.
📥 Grab the free 10-step guide: https://tenstepstolaunch.depthandcand...

If you've ever listened back to your own recording and thought that doesn't sound like me at all, this episode is for you. Hiwote explores the science behind what we call "natural talent" and what it actually takes to sound like yourself on mic.

What you'll learn:

• Why sounding stiff when you start has nothing to do with talent
• What deliberate practice actually means (and why recording 20 episodes in a day doesn't count)
• The 5 specific things that make someone sound natural — and how to train each one

Key idea: What looks like talent is usually just reps you haven't seen. Your job is to coach yourself, not criticize yourself.

Apply to the Emerging Voices Accelerator here. 

Can you actually make money from a podcast? Yes. But most people are thinking about it the wrong way.

In this episode, Hiwote breaks down every realistic path to podcast income in 2026, split into two parts: direct monetization (money from your podcast) and indirect monetization (money because of your podcast). The second part is where the most life-changing income actually happens.

What you'll learn:

• How sponsorships and ads actually work, and what the numbers really look like
• How memberships and affiliate marketing can create steady recurring income
• Why your podcast is one of the most powerful business tools you can own
• How podcasters are landing book deals, speaking gigs, and corporate clients
• The math that shows why selling your own product beats ads every time

📥 Download the free 10-step launch guide
🎙️ Apply to the Emerging Voices Accelerator

Mentioned in this episode:

• Patreon, Supercast, Apple Podcast Subscriptions (membership platforms)
• Kajabi (creator economy research)

You've watched the tutorials. Maybe you even bought a mic. But every time you get close to hitting record, doubt creeps in.

In this episode, Hiwote walks you through exactly how to launch your podcast in 2026 - from finding your idea to hitting publish - without a expensive setup or quitting your day job.

What you'll learn:

• How to find the angle that only you can make
• The 3 P's of episode structure: Problem, Path, Payoff
• The beginner tech stack for 2026 (and what you can skip)
• How to edit like a listener, not a creator
• The simplest way to publish and distribute your show

📥 Download the free 10-step launch guide
🎙️ Apply to the Emerging Voices Accelerator

Tools mentioned in this episode:

• Mics: Blue Yeti Nano, Shure MV7+
• Recording & editing: Descript
• Publishing: Substack (free)
• Cover art: Canva, Claude
• Music: Epidemic Sound, Descript library