Podcast Perspectives

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: listen@thepodglomerate.com. Twitter: @podglomerate Instagram: @podglomeratepods LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podglomerate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sharing a new podcast from Campside Media called Origin Stories, about the creative process and the craft of writing and reporting. Each episode drills down on a single work. What inspired it? How was it created, and why? What kind of challenges and hurdles cropped up along the way? And above all, what can the rest of us learn from the guest’s creative process? In this episode, Matt talks to Dan Taberski about his podcast “Hysterical,” which centers on a strange illness that afflicted a group of girls in the New York town of LeRoy. Dan discusses his reporting and outlining approach and the importance of treating subjects (and their stories) with care and respect. You can listen to more episodes of Origin Stories at https://link.mgln.ai/podcastperspectives Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From sponsor dollars to listener loyalty, podcast ad reads can make or break your monetization strategy. But what separates an ad that gets renewed from one that gets dropped after a single campaign?In this exclusive – and free – fireside chat, discover the secrets of crafting successful ad reads that advertisers actually want to rebook with Alec Trunley (Brand Partnerships at RedCircle) and Dan Christo (COO at The Podglomerate). Alec helps top-tier advertisers scale host-read ads across hundreds of shows, and Dan has helped unlock over $2 million for The Podglomerate's monetization clients.This deep-dive session reveals the advertiser perspective that most creators never see – giving you the competitive edge to transform your ad reads from one-time deals into recurring revenue streams.Join us to learn:What makes your ad read irresistible to sponsorsHow advertisers evaluate your ad’s performance behind-the-scenesWhich metrics actually matter for securing future campaignsMost common mistakes when delivering sponsored content I’m on all the socials @JeffUmbroThe 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: listen@thepodglomerate.com– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podglomerate– Twitter: @podglomerate– Instagram: @podglomeratepods Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Misener is the co-founder of Bumper, a podcast data and growth company. Dan joins the show to share ways to grow podcasts, including identifying when you have a marketing vs editorial problem, the importance of properly tracking audience engagement, and how the innovative Bumper Dashboard packages and provides show statistics across several platforms. He also explains how we can use download metrics in a future-facing way and how AI is reshaping listener behavior. You can find Dan on LinkedIn and at wearebumper.com. I’m on all the socials @JeffUmbro (00:00) Introduction (00:45) Starting in Radio (02:14) From Production to Podcast Data (05:19) Bumper: A Podcast Data and Growth Company (05:47) Balance of Ads and Content (07:56) What to Ask Podcast Creators Who Want Growth (09:49) The Bumper Dashboard (13:15) Death of the Download Metric (17:56) Downloads as a Currency (21:55) The Ideal World of Ad Buying (26:22) Verified Impressions (31:07) Who Is Using the Bumper Dashboard (36:21) Metrics to Show Podcast Health (39:23) AI in Podcast Data Measurement (42:40) Conclusion and Final Thoughts 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: listen@thepodglomerate.com– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podglomerate– Twitter: @podglomerate– Instagram: @podglomeratepods Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Podcast industry veteran Lex Friedman is the founder of Lex Friedman Consulting where he works with creators, advertisers, platforms, and brands as a strategic consultant. Lex joins the show to discuss the challenges and triumphs as a former executive at Midroll, Art19, and Wondery, shares insights into the changing landscape of podcast advertising, and the hilarity of being confused with fellow podcast veteran Lex Fridman. He also provides a cautiously optimistic take on where the industry is headed.You can find Lex on LinkedIn or at lexfriedman.com/consultingI’m on all the socials @JeffUmbroThe 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: listen@thepodglomerate.com– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podglomerate– Twitter: @podglomerate– Instagram: @podglomeratepods Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cathy Csukas is the CEO and co-founder of AdLarge Media and the fwd. network. AdLarge is an independent audio ad sales firm that for the last decade has shaped how advertisers, networks, and creators navigate the world of podcast and digital audio monetization. The fwd. network is a more recent initiative to deliver content by and for female audiences. Cathy discusses the evolution of AdLarge into an all-in-one audio network, their early work monetizing shows like Ashley Flowers’ Crime Junkie, their cutting-edge approach to advertising technology, and how her leadership style fosters an innovative company culture.You can find Cathy on LinkedIn, AdLarge.com, and thefwd.network.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: listen@thepodglomerate.com– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podglomerate– Twitter: @podglomerate– Instagram: @podglomeratepods Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices