Podcast Network Insights: Understanding the Business of Podcast "Networks"
Video Podcast
From Social Media Agency to Podcast Network
Curating Discovery Through Sampler Feeds
Can a million Instagram followers actually fill a podcast feed? How do you turn influencers into Podcasters? Podcast Nation co-founders Nadine Robinson & Clio De La Llave challenge familiar expectations about what a podcast network delivers, sharing lessons from their years helping creators, especially millennial and Gen Z women, build loyal audiences and sustainable businesses. Their on-the-ground experience shows just how much depends on the right fit, real partnership, and the daily grind. Nadine and Clio have worked together for 18 years, building businesses together, evolving from a digital agency, Booje Media, focused on social and influencer campaigns, to creating Podcast Nation. Their operational experience spans helping podcasters launch successfully, managing network relationships, and navigating the fast-changing demands of content formats. They've seen every side of how creators cross from social to audio and what real support looks like. Their approach is marked by a hands-on, customized model designed for long-term results. Listen for: 00:00 Podcast Networks and Influencers 10:01 Podcasting Requires Unique Skills 11:02 Success: Niche is Key 19:53 Show Development and Launch Strategy 22:02 Tips for Podcaster Agreements 27:36 Choosing Between Boutique and Large Networks 34:54 Cross-Platform Branding Challenges 41:17 From Social Media to Podcasts 49:20 No Magic Bullet CONNECT WITH GUESTS: CLIO DE LA LLAVE, FOUNDER OF PODCAST NATION LinkedIn | Clio's IG NADINE ROBINSON, FOUNDER OF PODCAST NATION LinkedIn PODCAST NATION Podcast Nation Nadine's Book rec: Rabbit: The Autobiography of Ms. Pat Nadine's Podcast rec: Petty Crimes Clio's Book rec: Transforming Toddlerhood Clio's Podcast rec: Take Your Shoes Off CONNECT WITH GREG, HEAD OF RELATIONSHIPS FOR RSS.COM Website | LinkedIn Greg's Book rec: Grit Systems, Sponsors, and Partners: Hosted with RSS.com Podcast Hosting Produced by Stories and Strategies Content Repurposed with Castmagic Podcast Project Management with Northflow
What happens when a podcast network starts by experimenting with a “sampler feed," packing dozens of niche music shows into one place? This approach shaped how one podcast network helped new podcasts find listeners and revealed what truly matters for building a network that endures shifts in technology and creator needs. Peter Ferioli has been at the helm of Pantheon Podcast Network for nearly a decade, growing it from a passion project launched with a friend and co-founder, Christian Swain, into a home for more than 100 music-focused shows. In this conversation, he pulls back the curtain on how Pantheon was born out of a scripted rock history show that launched to crickets, why they walked away from ad money early on, and the counterintuitive moves that built one of the most respected independent networks in podcasting today. Greg and Peter go deep on the "magazine feed" strategy Pantheon pioneered before anyone else was talking about it, why Slack is the most valuable thing they've ever built (more than any tool or tech), what "liquid content" means for the future of audio, and the red flags every podcaster should watch for before signing with any network. Listen For: 06:28 Early Podcast Growth Challenges 13:22 Evolving Podcasts for Diverse Audiences 18:50 Building Listener Loyalty Strategy 27:11 Streamlining Podcast Tools for Creators 37:13 Music, Tech, and AI Insights 42:54 Gigaverse: Collaborative Content Platform 48:23 Consistency Over Star Power 51:48 Empowering Podcasters Through Support 59:51 Insights on Podcasting Success CONNECT WITH GUEST: PETER FERIOLI LinkedIn | Pantheon Podcasts | Instagram | YouTube Peter's Book rec: Notes on Being a Man by Scott Galloway Peter's Podcast rec: Possible with Reid Hoffman and Guy Kawasaki's Remarkable People CONNECT WITH GREG WASSERMAN, CHIEF RELATIONSHIP OFFICER FOR RSS.COM Website | LinkedIn Systems, Sponsors and Partners: Hosted with RSS.com Podcast Hosting Produced by Stories and Strategies Content Repurposed with Castmagic Podcast Project Management with Northflow
What exactly is a podcast network? Is it a group of shows under one banner? A talent manager? A distribution engine? A collective? Or something entirely different? Podcast networks are among the most talked about yet least understood parts of the podcast industry. Welcome to Podcast Network Insights, a show exploring how podcast networks actually operate. Hosted by Greg Wasserman, a relationship-driven podcast professional who has worked across podcast platforms, creator tools, and media partnerships, the show brings together conversations with the founders and operators behind today’s podcast networks. Because if you talk to podcasters, you’ll hear one set of stories about networks. And if you talk to the networks themselves, you’ll hear another. This podcast brings those perspectives together. In this show, you can expect: Candid conversations with podcast network founders and operators Insights into how networks grow shows and support creators Honest discussions about monetization, strategy, and industry change Real examples of how different networks structure and run their businesses Whether you're a podcaster considering joining a network, a production company thinking about starting one, an advertiser looking for your next set of shows to buy, or someone curious about how the podcast industry works behind the scenes, this show is designed to help you understand the evolving role of podcast networks. Episodes are released on Thursdays. Subscribe now and listen to the trailer to learn what to expect from the conversations ahead. Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregwasserman/ And follow the show: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podcast-network-insights/about/ Systems, Sponsors and Partners: Hosted with RSS.com Podcast Hosting Produced by Stories & Strategies Content Repurposed with Castmagic Podcast Project Management with Northflow