This week on PodBiz, we’re joined by Catrin Skaperdas, Marketing and Audience Development Director at The Podcast Guys, whose career spans Cumulus Media, independent consulting across European markets, and now building marketing infrastructure inside a growing UK agency.

Catrin makes one thing clear: marketing is not an afterthought. It belongs in the room from day one.

As she puts it:

And when it comes to monetization for independent creators, she’s equally direct:

This is a grounded, practical conversation about audience growth, branded podcast strategy, European market nuance, and why downloads alone don’t define success.

• Why monetization isn’t “one giant pile of money”
• How indie creators can build revenue beyond ads
• Why brands must budget for marketing as seriously as production
• What podcast audits reveal about discoverability
• Why European podcast markets operate differently country to country
• The real meaning behind “the death of the download”
• Why consistency builds subconscious audience trust
• How audience development evolves from execution to leadership

(01:54) Where is the money in podcasting?

(04:52) Paid promotion and podcast listener targeting

(08:39) Why brands must fund marketing properly

(14:36) Building and launching Italian For Sure

(18:12) Why audience development starts in development

(22:39) U.S. vs European podcast markets

(25:49) Mindset and staying current in the industry

(27:46) Moving beyond downloads as the primary metric

(30:09) Building marketing departments inside agencies

(38:54) Consistency, seasons, and avoiding podfade

(44:21) Accessibility, video pressure, and the future of podcasting

On consumption over downloads:

On scrappiness:

On consistency:

On marketing clarity:

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.

This week on PodBiz, NJ sits down with Matt Cundill (AKA Captain Canada), founder of Sound Off Media, longtime radio and podcast strategist to talk about what monetization really looks like for independent podcasters.

Matt breaks down what he calls “small buckets of money” and why the biggest revenue often comes from one or two direct advertiser relationships rather than large agency buys. He explains how newsletters, websites, and owned inventory often get overlooked, and why podcasters should think beyond just pre-roll and mid-roll ads.

He also shares insights on Canadian podcast markets, exportability, and why comparison across borders can distort expectations.

As Matt puts it:

The conversation moves into audience development, consumption data, and what makes a show sustainable long term. From three-year audience timelines to personality-driven growth, this episode is a practical look at podcasting as a business.

• Why “small buckets of money” add up

• The one or two advertisers every show should focus on first

• How to leverage newsletters and inventory beyond the audio feed

• Why Canadian podcasts face different scaling realities

• The three-year rule for building an audience

• Consumption metrics and why 80 percent matters

• Personality, hosting skills, and mic discipline

• Taking breaks without killing momentum

• Why video is a marketing tool more than a revenue engine

(01:55) Where’s the money in podcasting

(04:15) The one or two advertisers that matter most

(06:21) Grants, foundations, and brand fit

(09:51) From radio to podcasting

(11:18) Dynamic ad insertion and monetization

(17:22) Three years to build an audience

(23:08) Consumption data and tightening your show

(27:18) Canadian markets and scale realities

(34:33) What Matt would do differently

(37:35) Video as marketing and the coming equipment glut

Matt Cundill is the founder of Sound Off Media, a podcast network and consulting company based in Canada. With a background in radio programming and voiceover, Matt helps podcasters refine their sound, grow their audiences, and build sustainable advertising models.

Find him on socials at @mattcundill on X, Instagram and Facebook.

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.

This week on PodBiz, NJ sits down with Patrick Hill, Founder and CEO of Disctopia, to unpack where power, money, and influence are converging across podcasting, music, and creator platforms.

Patrick brings a platform-level view of the industry. He explains why monetization is increasingly tied to access, subscriptions, and distribution control, how opinion-based media has become financially powerful, and why long-form content remains the engine behind sustainable revenue.

From creator subscriptions to streaming versus RSS, from indie hustle to enterprise platforms, this conversation connects the cultural shifts shaping podcasting to the business models emerging underneath them.

• Why the money sits between content creation and distribution
• How subscriptions and exclusive access are reshaping monetization
• Why people now pay for opinions, not just information
• The role of community and cause-driven creators in building leverage
• How Disctopia evolved from music streaming into podcast hosting
• Streaming vs RSS and where Patrick believes the industry is heading
• Why long-form content is where revenue is actually generated
• The relationship between short-form visibility and long-form income

(01:44) Where Patrick sees money concentrated in podcasting

(02:14) Subscriptions, exclusivity, and creator access

(05:36) Entertainment, opinion, and monetization power

(07:31) Creators, causes, and niche communities

(12:46) How Disctopia entered podcasting

(17:47) Streaming vs RSS and future formats

(22:08) Long-form content as a revenue driver

(36:13) What Patrick would do differently building today

Patrick Hill is the Founder and CEO of Disctopia, a creator-first platform supporting podcasting, music, audiobooks, and streaming distribution. With a background in information technology and software development, Patrick has built Disctopia into a multi-format platform serving independent creators, enterprise clients, and institutions. His work focuses on helping creators distribute content, build community, and get paid.

Patrick on where real leverage comes from:

Patrick on subscriptions and access:

Patrick on creators and power:

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.