6 Business Podcast Success Stories [2024]
Launching a business podcast could be your golden ticket to carving out a unique niche in the digital age. Essentially, a business podcast involves creating audio content focused on industry insights, trends, and expert interviews that provide value to business enthusiasts and professionals alike.
To get started, you'll need a clear vision of your podcast's theme and target audience. Craft compelling episodes, secure industry leaders for interviews, and utilize quality recording equipment. Marketing your podcast through social media and leveraging platforms like Spotify or Apple Podcasts will be crucial.
Imagine cultivating a platform where you engage with followers, influence markets, and generate ad revenue. A business podcast offers low upfront costs and flexible scheduling, fitting seamlessly into your busy life. The real work lies in consistency and quality to build a loyal listener base. If you have a passion for business and communication, this venture could be incredibly rewarding.
In this list, you'll find real-world business podcast success stories and very profitable examples of starting a business podcast that makes money.
1. Empire Flippers ($4.2M/year)
Gregory Elfrink came up with the idea for Empire Flippers when his outsourcing company in the Philippines lost a major client, leading him to explore the world of niche sites. After finding success with his own niche sites and receiving requests from others to sell their websites, Elfrink pivoted to become a full-time broker. With a focus on transparency and content marketing, Empire Flippers has become a leading M&A advisory business for online businesses, brokering over $50 million worth of deals.
How much money it makes: $4.2M/year
How many people on the team: 53
Empire Flippers is a thought leader in brokering online business deals, having brokered over $50 million worth of deals and grown their pool of potential buyers by hundreds every month through a focus on content marketing and middle-of-funnel content.
2. Guestio ($1.8M/year)
Travis Chappell came up with the idea for Guestio after realizing the difficulty entrepreneurs faced in getting booked on good podcasts for promotion. He leveraged his experience as a podcast host and created a Saas marketplace that connects podcast guests to hosts, helping them have better conversations. With an initial investment of $1.3 million and a recent $220k month in revenue, Guestio is rapidly growing in the podcasting industry.
How much money it makes: $1.8M/year
How much did it cost to start: $90K
How many people on the team: 7
Guestio, a Saas marketplace connecting podcast guests to podcast hosts, founded by Travis Chappell, recently raised $1.3 million in a pre-seed round and clocked in a $220k month in August 2022 through their software subscription and agency, featuring an impressive marketing funnel strategy.
3. The Smart Passive Income Blog ($1.5M/year)
Pat started the Smart Passive Income blog after being laid off from his architecture job in 2008. He created a website to help people pass the LEED exam, which unexpectedly attracted thousands of visitors daily. Encouraged by positive feedback and initial ebook sales, he launched Smart Passive Income to share his entrepreneurial journey and insights.
That first month, I made $7,008.55. That was just life-changing for me. I was so excited I wanted to share how it all happened and what I had learned, so I created SmartPassiveIncome.com that same month. — Pat Flynn (Source)
How much money it makes: $1.5M/year
Pat Flynn's Smart Passive Income Blog generates $125K/month on average, with $1.5M/year in revenue since its inception in 2008, offering guidance for those seeking to transition from traditional jobs to online businesses generating passive income.
4. Ecom Crew Podcast ($420K/year)
EcomCrew, an ecommerce blog and podcast, was founded by Mike Jackness and an unnamed co-founder in 2014. With a passion for content creation and a desire to share ecommerce knowledge, they started EcomCrew and eventually monetized it through a membership program. They now generate around $35,000 a month in revenue.
How much money it makes: $420K/year
How many people on the team: 3
EcomCrew is an ecommerce blog and podcast that took three years to monetize and now brings in around $35,000 a month by selling a membership to a private ecommerce group that includes exclusive access to ecommerce courses, webinars, events and more, with plans slowly becoming more expensive to expand with new content.
5. Sober Powered Media ($60K/year)
Gill, the founder of Sober Powered Media, came up with the idea for her business after growing her own podcast to become a top mental health podcast in just two years. She saw an opportunity to bring together other top mental health podcasts to monetize their shows with sponsorships and share their expertise in a mastermind group. With her background in biochemistry and a passion for helping others, Gill launched Sober Powered Media to support and connect mental health podcasters.
How much money it makes: $60K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 0
With a successful podcast already under her belt, Gill founded Sober Powered Media to monetize mental health podcasts through sponsorships, cross-promotion, and a mastermind group, with income streams from podcast and Instagram coaching, writing, and a membership for her listeners.
6. Ramen Club ($48K/year)
Charlie stumbled upon Product Hunt and attended indie hacker meetups. Eventually, he saw how encouraging meet ups are, leading him to start with the idea validation process.
How much money it makes: $48K/year
How much did it cost to start: $250
How many people on the team: 0
Ramen Club is a founder community that aims to help solopreneurs succeed, enjoy their journey, and feel less lonely; it currently has over 100 members and $3,800 MRR with 35% MoM revenue growth between April and May 2022.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
