86. Behind the Scenes: How I'd Launch a Podcast in 2026

Send us a text letting us know your thoughts on today's episodeA client came to me with 35 episodes already published and still couldn’t tell me who her show was actually for. That’s not a content problem, friend. That’s a foundation problem, and no amount of better hooks or fancier editing will fix a strategy you never built. Today we’re kicking off our deep-dive series on the LISTEN Method, my sustainable podcast growth framework, starting with the stage almost everyone skips: L, Lay the Foundation.I’m walking you through the three pillars that decide whether every episode you record actually does something for your business. We’re talking about how to choose a podcast niche that attracts buyers (not just curious listeners), how to get crystal clear on your one ideal listener, and how to write a podcast show description that people can actually find in search. If you’ve been recording episode after episode and wondering why your show isn’t converting, this one’s for you.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why your niche is a decision, not a vibe, and the difference between a demographic and a true nicheThe one question I ask clients over and over until their niche stops being vagueHow to define your ideal listener as one real person (including what she searches at 11pm when the kids are finally asleep)Why your ideal listener’s problem has to connect directly to your offer, and what happens to sales when it doesn’tHow to treat your show description as discoverability real estate instead of an About Me bioWhy your show promise should be clear, not cleverHow skipping foundation work borrows time from your future self at a much higher interest rateResources mentioned:Take the free Podcast Growth Scorecard to see exactly where your show’s foundation is solid and where it’s still shaky: https://www.podcastingformoms.co/scorecard/ Catch the LISTEN Method intro episode (the one right before this) if you haven’t yet Next week: the I in LISTEN, Improve Your EpisodesNeed support with your podcast?Book your free Podcast Profit Plan call today! Next Steps: Enjoyed this episode? Let me know over on Instagram and share your favorite takeaway on your Instagram Stories.Ready to hand off your podcast production or experience more podcast growth? Visit our website to learn more about our podcast launch, podcast management and podcast growth services. Book your free Podcast Profit Plan Discovery Call here.Don't forget to hit subscribe/follow so you get notified every time a new episode drops!

Send us a text letting us know your thoughts on today's episodeYou downloaded the podcast growth checklist and followed every tip. Your downloads still haven’t moved. That’s not a content problem or a consistency problem. You’re missing a framework. A pile of tips with no diagnosis is just guessing, and guessing gets exhausting when you only have a handful of hours a week for your business.In this episode, I’m handing you the exact framework I use with every client: the LISTEN Method. It’s six stages in one order, so you can finally see where your show is stuck and stop throwing random tactics at it.What you’ll learn:Why good podcast advice still leaves you busier but not further ahead (and why a tip without a diagnosis is just a guess)The six stages of the LISTEN Method: Lay the foundation, Improve your episodes, Simplify your workflow, Turn listeners into buyers, Expand your reach, and Nurture your audienceHow to connect your show to your real offers so you attract buyers instead of random listenersWhy most podcasters skip “Turn listeners into buyers,” the stage that turns your show from a content library into a lead generation toolThe costly mistake of jumping into guesting and outreach before your foundation can handle new listenersHow to figure out which letter you’re stuck in so you know exactly where to focus firstTake the free Podcast Growth Scorecard: In 5 minutes or less, find out which stage of the LISTEN Method your show is stuck in. Scorecard >> https://www.podcastingformoms.co/scorecard/ Need support with your podcast?Book your free Podcast Profit Plan call today! Next Steps: Enjoyed this episode? Let me know over on Instagram and share your favorite takeaway on your Instagram Stories.Ready to hand off your podcast production or experience more podcast growth? Visit our website to learn more about our podcast launch, podcast management and podcast growth services. Book your free Podcast Profit Plan Discovery Call here.Don't forget to hit subscribe/follow so you get notified every time a new episode drops!

Send us a text letting us know your thoughts on today's episodeWondering how to start a podcast in 2026? Step away from the 15 browser tabs of microphone reviews.If I were starting my podcast from scratch today, I would ignore almost everything the internet tells new podcasters to do. No week of comparing mics. No agonizing over cover art. No re-recording my intro seven times. The little stuff feels safe, and it totally feels like progress, but it was never the thing standing between you and a podcast that actually works.Today I'm sharing my actual restart plan: the three-episode launch pad I walk every launch client through. It puts trust before content and content before polish, so your show has a spine from day one.In this episode, you’ll learn: What your very first episode should be (hint: it is not a tech demo)Why I would skip the 30-topic content calendar and what episode two would be insteadThe kind of episode three that earns you a spot in your listener's weekHow to start seeding your offer without a hard pitchThe big-picture question hiding underneath all that gear researchAlready have a show? Why you probably skipped at least one of these steps tooReady to launch? The Podcast Launch Playbook is my limited series that walks you through the entire launch process step by step, starting with a quick readiness scorecard so you know exactly where you're starting from.Listen here: https://www.podcastingformoms.co/plpNeed support with your podcast?Book your free Podcast Profit Plan call today! Next Steps: Enjoyed this episode? Let me know over on Instagram and share your favorite takeaway on your Instagram Stories.Ready to hand off your podcast production or experience more podcast growth? Visit our website to learn more about our podcast launch, podcast management and podcast growth services. Book your free Podcast Profit Plan Discovery Call here.Don't forget to hit subscribe/follow so you get notified every time a new episode drops!

Send us a text letting us know your thoughts on today's episodeA few months ago, I got on a call with a woman who had been podcasting for nearly two years. 80-something episodes, never missed a publish date, great cover art, solid audio. She had done everything the internet told her to do, and she still opened the call with, "I think I just need help with growth." Spoiler: it was never a growth problem.In this episode, I pull back the curtain on the exact three questions I ask every new client before I ever look at their downloads, open their host dashboard, or listen to a single episode. These are the questions that tell me within 15 minutes whether a show has a strategy problem or a growth problem, and most of the time it's not the one people think.The one-sentence test that reveals whether your podcast is actually selling anythingWhy "who is your listener" is only half the question, and the half everyone skipsThe moment at the end of every episode that most podcasters completely wasteThe tell that means you don't have a consistency problem, you have an aim problemIf you've been consistent, done the work, and still feel like your podcast isn't producing, this episode is your gut check. Ready to find out what's really going on with your show? Grab a Podcast Profit Plan discovery call.Need support with your podcast?Book your free Podcast Profit Plan call today! Next Steps: Enjoyed this episode? Let me know over on Instagram and share your favorite takeaway on your Instagram Stories.Ready to hand off your podcast production or experience more podcast growth? Visit our website to learn more about our podcast launch, podcast management and podcast growth services. Book your free Podcast Profit Plan Discovery Call here.Don't forget to hit subscribe/follow so you get notified every time a new episode drops!

Send us a text letting us know your thoughts on today's episodeMost podcasters "review" their show by staring at download numbers and vibing. That is not a review, that is a vibe check, and it will not tell you why your podcast isn't converting listeners into buyers.In this episode, I walk through the exact four-layer diagnostic I run on client shows, in the exact order I run it because each layer depends on the one before it.You'll learn:Why your show name field might be the most underused piece of SEO real estate you ownThe "listener-to-buyer bridge" and why 18 out of 20 episodes usually skip it entirelyWhat a strategic podcast review actually diagnoses that download counts never willThe one call-to-action mistake that quietly kills conversion, even when you're doing "everything right"If your podcast is consistent, sounds good, and still isn't moving the needle for your business, this episode shows you exactly where to look first.Ready for someone else to run this diagnostic on your show? Book your Podcast Audit at podcastingformoms.co/audit.Need support with your podcast?Book your free Podcast Profit Plan call today! Next Steps: Enjoyed this episode? Let me know over on Instagram and share your favorite takeaway on your Instagram Stories.Ready to hand off your podcast production or experience more podcast growth? Visit our website to learn more about our podcast launch, podcast management and podcast growth services. Book your free Podcast Profit Plan Discovery Call here.Don't forget to hit subscribe/follow so you get notified every time a new episode drops!

Send us a text letting us know your thoughts on today's episodeYou didn't start a podcast to publish into the void every Wednesday night at 9:15 PM, but if you're being honest, that's exactly what's happening.In this episode, I break down the mindset shift that separates mom entrepreneurs whose podcasts make money from the ones whose podcasts just make them tired: treating your show like a sales asset instead of a content library. It's not about recording more or working harder. It's about giving every episode a job before you ever pick a topic.Inside this episode: The four jobs every episode can do (and why picking one before the topic changes everything)Why your call to action keeps falling flat, and the simple fix that turns it into the obvious next stepThe audit I run with clients to see how many of their last 10 episodes actually connect to something they sellWhy "I published" is not a win and the question you should be asking insteadOne 5 minute exercise to map your next four episodes to a real business goalIf you're done publishing episodes that go nowhere and ready to build a show that actually sells, this one's for you.Need support with your podcast?Book your free Podcast Profit Plan call today! Next Steps: Enjoyed this episode? Let me know over on Instagram and share your favorite takeaway on your Instagram Stories.Ready to hand off your podcast production or experience more podcast growth? Visit our website to learn more about our podcast launch, podcast management and podcast growth services. Book your free Podcast Profit Plan Discovery Call here.Don't forget to hit subscribe/follow so you get notified every time a new episode drops!

Send us a text letting us know your thoughts on today's episodeSitting down at 9pm on a Sunday with a blank doc and no idea what to record is not a creativity problem. It is a system problem. You are making the same podcast content planning decision from scratch 52 times a year and no brain is built for that especially not one that is also running a business and remembering who needs a red shirt for spirit day.This episode breaks down how to build a full year of podcast content without batch recording 12 episodes in a single weekend because who actually has that weekend.Inside this episode:Why your content calendar is really an offer calendar wearing a disguise, and the one question that surfaces your themesThe test that tells you whether a theme belongs on your show or is just a hobbyThe rotation that turns two decisions into 25 episodes with zero brainstormingWhat you should actually be batching, and why it is not your recordingThree planning habits to quit this week (number three is why your CTAs feel bolted on)Your podcast is not a content machine. It is a business asset, and assets get planned on purpose.Not sure if your current episodes are pointing anywhere? Get a Podcast Audit Need support with your podcast?Book your free Podcast Profit Plan call today! Next Steps: Enjoyed this episode? Let me know over on Instagram and share your favorite takeaway on your Instagram Stories.Ready to hand off your podcast production or experience more podcast growth? Visit our website to learn more about our podcast launch, podcast management and podcast growth services. Book your free Podcast Profit Plan Discovery Call here.Don't forget to hit subscribe/follow so you get notified every time a new episode drops!

Send us a text letting us know your thoughts on today's episodeYour podcast name is doing way less work than you think it is.Go pull up your show in Apple Podcasts right now. If someone searched for the exact topic you teach, would your show name give them any clue that you cover it? For most mom podcasters, the answer is a hard no. And that one tiny field is costing you listeners every single week.In this episode, we're getting into the most overlooked field in your entire podcast setup. Not your titles. Not your cover art. Not even your description. Your podcast name and specifically what comes after it.Here's what we cover:Why Apple Podcasts and Spotify treat your podcast name as a primary search signal and what happens when yours says nothingThe keyword extension formula that lets you keep your brand name and still get foundHow to pick the right two to three keywords without sounding like a robotThe three naming habits that are killing your discoverability right nowA five minute research trick that shows you exactly where the gap in your niche isThis is not a rebrand. It is a five minute fix that keeps working every single week even when you are not posting.Ready to find out what else is holding your show back? Grab the free Podcast Growth Scorecard Need support with your podcast?Book your free Podcast Profit Plan call today! Next Steps: Enjoyed this episode? Let me know over on Instagram and share your favorite takeaway on your Instagram Stories.Ready to hand off your podcast production or experience more podcast growth? Visit our website to learn more about our podcast launch, podcast management and podcast growth services. Book your free Podcast Profit Plan Discovery Call here.Don't forget to hit subscribe/follow so you get notified every time a new episode drops!

Send us a text letting us know your thoughts on today's episodeYou've listened to a show and lost three hours to it. AirPods in, dinner half made, six episodes deep. So here's the uncomfortable question: is anyone doing that with your podcast?If you're publishing every single week and your downloads still aren't moving, it's probably not your content. It's not your audio and it's definitely not that you need to post more on Instagram. Your podcast just wasn't designed to be binge-worthy in the first place.In this episode, I'm breaking down the three things quietly costing you listeners (and buyers):Why your episode titles might be making you invisible in podcast search and the two-part test every title needs to passThe reason your episodes feel like a pile of puzzle pieces with no picture on the box, plus how to thread them together like a Netflix seriesWhat a real listener journey looks like and how it moves someone from first-time listener to trusting buyer without a single pushy pitchThe one habit you need to stop immediately if you want your podcast to actually growPlus, an action plan you can run this week using episodes you've already published.Ready to stop guessing? Book your Podcast Audit and find out exactly what's working, what's not, and what to fix first.Need support with your podcast?Book your free Podcast Profit Plan call today! Next Steps: Enjoyed this episode? Let me know over on Instagram and share your favorite takeaway on your Instagram Stories.Ready to hand off your podcast production or experience more podcast growth? Visit our website to learn more about our podcast launch, podcast management and podcast growth services. Book your free Podcast Profit Plan Discovery Call here.Don't forget to hit subscribe/follow so you get notified every time a new episode drops!

Send us a text letting us know your thoughts on today's episodeYour downloads are flat so you assume your content isn't good enough. New niche. New format. Better mic. But what if your episodes are actually fine and the real problem is how they're labeled on the outside?The podcasters who grow aren't always the best podcasters. They're the most findable ones and the gap between those two groups has a name: podcast SEO.In this episode, we're breaking down the three podcast SEO mistakes hiding your show from the exact listeners searching for you right now. These are the fixes that don't require more content, more posting, or more hustle. Just smarter labeling.Here's what we get into:Why the episode titles your current audience loves are the same ones keeping strangers from ever finding youThe one question to ask before you publish that instantly reveals whether your title is searchableWhat your episode description is supposed to be doing (and why "summary" is the wrong job description)The two pieces of SEO real estate most podcasters set once and never touch againThe one thing to stop doing immediately if you want to show up in searchPlus a homework assignment you can knock out in ten minutes today.Ready for eyes on your full podcast strategy, including your titles, descriptions, show name, and everything either helping or hurting your discoverability? Grab a Podcast Audit here.Need support with your podcast?Book your free Podcast Profit Plan call today! Next Steps: Enjoyed this episode? Let me know over on Instagram and share your favorite takeaway on your Instagram Stories.Ready to hand off your podcast production or experience more podcast growth? Visit our website to learn more about our podcast launch, podcast management and podcast growth services. Book your free Podcast Profit Plan Discovery Call here.Don't forget to hit subscribe/follow so you get notified every time a new episode drops!