Zero-budget podcasting truths, signs it's time to quit your show, Spotify's new "Plays" metric, Audacity's 25th anniversary, and a pro trick for getting remote guests to show up in this episode of Build a Big Podcast ...
Big Ideas in This Episode
Can you really podcast with zero budget?
Your community: free content machine or wasted potential?
Are you secretly quitting your show already?
Audacity: free tool pros secretly rely on
Spotify "plays": will your numbers embarrass you?
Doing it only for others? Beware burnout
Outsmart flaky guests with this ruthless trick
Why You Should Listen
Can you really build a high-impact podcast on a shoestring budget—and why some "zero dollar" shows secretly outperform the big spenders
What the most obsessive fans in your niche desperately want to give you—for free—that can boost your podcast overnight
The tragic mistake that exposes you as a non-believer in your own podcast ... and instantly destroys trust, influence, and momentum
The "secret weapon" tool billion-dollar media companies use (and you can too) to produce world-class audio at no cost
The seductive danger of podcasting for an audience you don't care about—and how it poisons your creativity, your brand, and your will to win
How to know with chilling certainty if it's time to quit your podcast (Don't ignore these 7 dark warning signs!)
What to do when the passion is gone and your broadcast has turned into a soul-sucking grind
Why the silent killer of fading creativity may already be sabotaging your episodes, stealing your audience, and nobody has the guts to tell you
The toxic "slow quitting" behaviors every podcaster falls into—and the simple test that reveals if you're infected
How to seduce guests into showing up on time and ready to deliver their best—using nothing but a well-timed digital "breadcrumb"
The envy-inducing way to grow a tribe of raving superfans who feed you story ideas, viral links, and juicy questions (while your competitors toil in obscurity)
Why showing your raw, embarrassing numbers on Spotify can spark insane jealousy—or merciless humiliation—and how to flip public metrics to your advantage
What podcasting's oldest "free" software can teach you about outlasting the giants and still dominating your niche
The lazy podcaster's roadmap: Set up automatic processes so even when you're running on fumes, you still ship episodes and cash checks
The ruthless truth about "doing it for your community"—is your loyalty to the audience destroying your own happiness and profits?
Episode Timestamps
[00:00] The myth of the zero-budget podcast—what you really need to make your show compelling
[00:03:40] The Blockbuster shrink wrap hustle: Does saving money mean you don't believe in your podcast?
[00:05:17] Why billion-dollar companies still use free tools like Audacity (and how you can, too)
[00:07:23] The 7 silent warning signs you're mentally quitting your podcast before you hit "stop"
[00:09:56] The surprising truth: Why taking a break might reveal you're ready to quit for good
[00:12:13] Spotify "plays" exposed: Why most podcasters shouldn't sweat over public metrics
[00:16:36] The real reason Audacity is unfairly labeled "amateur"—and how it secretly shaped the podcasting world
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The Newsletter for Podcasters
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About this episode of Build a Big Podcast:
This is the audio companion to Issue 235 of Big Podcast Insider. If you're interested in more info on what I talk about on this episode and also links, that's where to go. On this episode, I dive into where the money is made in podcasting. how to get more reviews (and subscribers) for your podcast, podcast hosting, and more.
Big Podcast Insider is a weekly newsletter on podcasting. If you like the content of this episode, you can subscribe here – it's free and you can unsubscribe at any time with a single click.
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