3 Signs You Have an Amateur Creator Mindset

Vicki Weinberg, host of the award-winning podcast Bring Your Product Idea to Life, recently celebrated her five-year podcasting anniversary. On this episode, Vicki shares her journey from launching during the first week of lockdown to building a successful show with a dedicated audience.Starting a Podcast During LockdownVicki launched her podcast right as the UK entered lockdown in 2020, which presented unique challenges as she recorded weekly episodes at home with two small children. Despite the timing, she was determined to create something different from the business podcasts she had been listening to."I couldn't find anything where the person that was talking to me wasn't that much further ahead than I was," Vicki explained. She wanted to feature product business owners who were still in the early stages of their journey, making their advice more accessible and relatable to her audience.Finding and Booking GuestsOne of Vicki's biggest initial challenges was finding guests for her brand-new podcast:She started by asking people she knew through business networksShe found "warm" connections worked better than cold outreachOver time, as the podcast established itself, she began receiving inbound requestsNow her schedule is booked months in advance with guestsThe Evolution to Video ContentAfter recording as audio-only for years, Vicki expanded to video in early 2024:She was already recording video for the calls but not publishing itMade sure to inform guests that video would now be sharedCreated a YouTube channel featuring full episodesAdded YouTube shorts featuring guests' top advice and key momentsDeveloped a team workflow to create social content from episodes"The YouTube shorts and Instagram reels have been great for promoting the episodes and highlighting my guests' expertise," Vicki shared.Building a Podcast TeamVicki's journey includes gradually building a team to support her:First hired an editor after 12-18 monthsAdded a VA after about 2 years to manage publishing and adminNow has support for video editing, content creation, and guest management"The only things I'm doing now are booking the guests and having the conversation, which is the bit I think I'm best at," she said.Content Strategy and Format EvolutionVicki's content approach has evolved over five years:Initially mixed solo and guest episodes randomlyThen did every fourth episode as solo contentNow produces two episodes weekly: Friday guest interviews and Tuesday solo contentSolo episodes are shorter (15-20 minutes) and more focused"I realized that I have my own business, my own consultancy, I have a lot of knowledge to share," Vicki explained about adding dedicated solo episodes.Looking AheadAfter five years, Vicki plans to continue her podcast with the current format while remaining open to organic evolution. Her main goal is to grow engagement with her audience through her Facebook group to ensure her content remains useful and relevant.Want to learn more about Vicki and her podcast? Visit her website at vickiweinberg.com where you can find links to her podcast and all her other work.

We dive into the three sneaky signs you’re stuck in an amateur creator mindset: struggling with writer’s block, relying too much on motivation, and being scared to share your ideas. On this episode, we'll break down why clarity beats inspiration, how small rituals and voice memos can kickstart your creative flow, and why documenting your journey publicly builds confidence and an audience. From AI tools like VoicePal to the power of a good title and a solid idea dump in Trello, this episode is packed with practical mindset shifts to help you create more consistently—and more confidently.

With its impressive 50k per episode download numbers and strong YouTube presence, Cal Newport's Deep Questions is a podcast in the "top 1%" category. On this episode, producer Jesse Miller joins me for a chat about going from regular caller to planning and running the show. We'll find out more about the role of a podcast producer, as well as the similarities and differences between creating a show with a five-figure audience and the more typical podcasts of the average indie creator.

The landscape of online search is changing rapidly. While roughly 60% of Google searches now end without a click (known as "zero-click searches"), we discuss how this trend has actually been evolving for years - it's not just about AI.Key points from our conversation:Search behaviours have been changing gradually - Google has long provided direct answers for weather, sports scores, currency exchange, etc.Content in the "middle ground" struggles most - generic, shallow content that doesn't fully answer questions.The "barbell approach" to content creation: Focus on either high-utility, data-rich content OR uniquely human content (stories, experiences, opinions)Distribution is becoming decentralized - YouTube, TikTok, and Reddit are becoming search engines in their own right.Recommendation algorithms are replacing traditional search in many contexts.Content sites aren't dying, but their role is evolving more toward conversion rather than discovery.We also touched on how podcasting fits into this changing landscape, discussing the trend toward video podcasting while acknowledging the unique advantages of audio-only formats.5 key takeaways:Adapt your SEO - Keep the fundamentals but optimize for snippets and AI summariesDiversify discovery channels - Don't put all content eggs in one basketBuild your owned audience - Email newsletters are rising again for good reasonPick your side of the barbell - Expert structured content OR human stories and experiencesBe loud and unmistakably human - Personality matters more than ever

A great podcast episode title isn’t just catchy—it grabs attention, boosts discoverability, and sets clear expectations for your audience. On this episode, we break down best practices, including ideal character length and front-loading key information, and introduce the WHISPER TITLES framework—13 proven structures to make your episodes more clickable. Whether you’re aiming for curiosity, emotion, or problem-solving, these strategies will help you craft titles that drive engagement and grow your podcast.Also MentionedWant to work with us? Get in touchPodcraft Pointers newsletter (full WHISPER TITLES guide will be emailed out next week!)

It’s understandable why so much misleading advice exists around “the podcast launch”. After all, we’re used to the launch life cycles of products, films, albums, and books.After a few days or weeks, it becomes pretty clear that a new game console or blockbuster movie has sunk or swam. But a podcast isn’t like that at all.In this episode, we talk about why, before going on to dispel three common podcast launch myths. Then, we'll go through our podcast's L.A.U.N.C.H framework—these tactics and techniques genuinely move the needle and are well worth your time and attention. Mentioned in This EpisodeWork with us14 ways to collaborate with other creators6 tried and tested content frameworks

There are more mics, interfaces, mixers, and digital recorders than there are stars in the sky. In this episode, we delve into the cost of podcast equipment in 2025 and give options, examples, and recommendations for every budget and format.The Cost of Podcast Equipment in 2025Need Help With Your Podcast?

If you've launched a lot of podcasts, you're likely also someone who's quit a lot of them - and that isn't a bad thing. Some shows and topics have natural life cycles, and whether we lose enthusiasm or just feel we've said all there is to say, there's no harm in drawing a line under things and moving on.

We'll often say that podcast sponsorship isn't the only way to monetize a podcast, and for many creators, it likely isn't "the best". But all forms of podcast sponsorship aren't equal, and it's entirely possible that it could be lucrative for you, even without thousands of downloads. Podcast Sponsorship: The Ultimate GuideHow to Make a Podcast Media KitThe Podcraft Academy

A bit of a dual-purpose episode this week. We're going to run through (and dispel) 16 common podcasting myths and test out eight different call recording platforms in the process.We recorded segments with Squadcast, Riverside, Alitu, Iris, Cleanfeed, Zoom, Streamyard, and Zencastr.Also mentioned: The Podcraft listener surveyThe IndiePod CommunityWhy video can't and won't replace audio in podcastingWhat's the best day of the week to release a podcast episode?Podcast industry statisticsAverage podcast downloads Data on desired episode lengthHow to do effective podcast sponsorshipHow to grow a podcast without social mediaMinimum effective podcast editing