The Real Reasons You Haven’t Launched Your Podcast Yet (and How Pod Squad Will Help You Finally Get It Done)
If I had a pound for every time someone said, “I’ve been meaning to start a podcast for ages…” I’d probably be writing this blog from a beach in the Maldives by now (one day, Buckers, one day!)
Almost every chat with a new client at Decibelle Creative starts the same way. They’ve got the idea, the enthusiasm, the mic they bought in lockdown that’s still in its box… but no actual podcast.
Let’s unpack that, shall we?
Why do so many brilliant people with something worth saying find it so hard to actually hit “record”?
It’s not a lack of ideas. It’s a mix of barriers, overthinking, and a dash of good old-fashioned self-doubt. I mean, STILL with the self doubt?! Despite an abundance of brilliant achievements, impressive skills and a tonne of glowing client testimonials? *sigh* that’s gonna have to be a whole blog post in itself - back to the Pod Squad thing for now…
We built Pod Squad to tackle the most common barriers to launching a podcast that we’ve experienced over the last 5 years.
So come on then, which of the following resonates with you?
“I’m too disorganised”
No you’re not - you’re just overthinking it
You think you’re disorganised because you think there are more things to ‘organise’ than there actually are at this stage.
You’re probably telling yourself that in order to start a podcast, you need to:
have a fully mapped-out content plan for the next twelve months
understand the difference between WAV and MP3,
have a fancy mic, a studio, and at least two camera angles
have guests already lined up
know what an RSS feed is
and of course, never say “erm” or “like” (because everyone will immediately switch off the MOMENT you expose yourself as a human being and not a word-perfect robot everyone will expect of you, right?)
Just so you know, none of this matters straight away.
You don’t need all the details ironed out to get started, you just need… to get started. A sense of direction - the rest of the journey becomes clear once you get on the road. Ironically, the urge to plan out your entire podcast journey is actually keeping you in a creativity cul-de-sac (I mean, the temptation to really run with this metaphor is STRONG but we should probably shift gears…)
If we wait until we have a *perfect plan* before we get started we deny ourselves the true joy of a podcast that grows and develops over time, and that’s if we ever manage to get started in the first place.
Chances are if you’ve been pod-curious for a while now you’ve probably got a sense of why you’re doing this and who you’re doing it for. Once this is in place, the rest is just logistics and details (and that’s the easy bit – and also the fun bit - and also the bit you can get help with).
“I can’t get motivated”.
You’re unmotivated because you’re doing it alone (that’s exhausting. And boring.)
Starting anything new in business (and life!) is hard enough. Doing it in isolation is even harder.
Also - is it motivation you’re lacking? Or inspiration? Or could it even be… *a lack of confidence*?
If you work for yourself, or mostly from home, you’ll probably relate to how damn lonely that can be. Sure you’ve got your desk a stone’s throw from your kitchen and you can take as many snack breaks as you want, but you can sit there for hours in your own head, staring at blank Canva documents and hosting your own ‘business brainstorming’ sessions, second-guessing every idea you have. So it makes sense that your brain seems to take no time at all to go from: “hmm a podcast seems like a great way to build my online profile and create meaningful connection with my audience” to: “eugh is this even a good idea?” / “Is my voice annoying?” / “I wouldn’t know where to start” and my personal favourite: “the world already has enough podcasts about X, who’s going to listen to mine?” NO. Just no.
So if you’re reading this and aggressively nodding in *omg that’s so me*, whilst that mic you impulsively bought two years ago continues to gather dust, I created Pod Squad for YOU.
Pod Squad has been designed to break that cycle of negative thought and procrastination that has kept your mic in its box and your podcast dreams stranded on your to-do list. This is an accessible, inclusive and creative space for a small, supportive group of budding podcasters who are all in the same boat. We brainstorm, share ideas, throw around creative formats, ask the right questions, and yes, sometimes rein you in when you’re scattering ideas all over the place. Sometimes it’s about building on a seed of a promising idea, sometimes some refinement is needed to bring a bit more focus to a brilliant but broad concept.
Pod Squad is THE place to do this: it’s collaborative, creative, and that accountability really helps get things moving.
“I don’t know whether to DIY it or book an expesnsive studio!”
So whilst the podcasting industry may have absolutely BOOMED in the last few years, there’s still not much middle ground out there when it comes to recording and production.
On one side, you’ve got the “do it yourself” route (hello endless YouTube tutorials, and that nagging sense you’re missing something crucial, or that this is all a gigantic waste of time).
On the other, you’ve got the swanky (pricey) studios. The pricing structures are confusing. The costs aren’t sustainable, and they always seem to favour an aesthetic that you know is supposed to be cool and quirky but more often than not is actually just a bit.. wanky and intimidating? (Let’s be honest there’s probably a beanbag kicking around somewhere and an intimidating coffee machine in the ‘green room’). These places are swarming with techies who’ll switch your mics on before shuffling out of the studio, leaving you to your own devices while they ‘monitor levels’ on the other side of a glass wall. Sure they might edit your episodes for you, but they’re probably not collaborating on your podcast with you.
I really wanted to create that in-between space. Something accessible and transparent, for talented founders, content creators and thought leaders, people who already know they want to do a podcast but have hit a wall because of time, tech, or confidence.
What actually happens inside Pod Squad
So what’s the vibe?
Over the course of four fun, interactive workshops, you’ll:
refine your podcast concept, format, and objectives – we’ll make sure the podcast you’re creating is aligned with you, your audience, and your business
learn about the process of producing and launching a podcast – lets address that undercurrent of overwhelm from knowledge gaps
work alongside a small group of like-minded creators – there’s nothing like the winning combo of encouragement and accountability from others to really motivate you
co-create your artwork, intro/outro, and teaser trailer – tangible assets that will belong to you and give you a sense of what your podcast is going to look, sound and feel like
leave with a personalised production guide tailored to you that walks you through every step of recording and launching
Basically: we’ll help you build the strongest foundation for your podcast (and you can decide whether you want to DIY from there or carry on working with us to bring it to life.
Either way, you’ll walk away confident, clear, and *actually* ready to hit record (finally)!
You’ll never feel “ready” to start until you start.
The only way you become ‘ready’ to launch a podcast is by, well, getting ready – and you don’t need anything else to start that process other than an idea. Oh, and Pod Squad.
You’ve probably been waiting for the perfect time to start a podcast.
“When I’ve got more followers”.
“When I’ve done more speaking gigs”.
“When I’ve launched my new website”.
You’ll always be busy. You’ll always find a reason to wait until next month, or until you’ve had your home office renovated (we love a curated background for those recordings, don’t we?), or until Mercury is out of retrograde.
But that moment when you stop overthinking it and just start is where the magic happens.
And if what you need is a bit of structure, a nudge, some expert guidance and a group of cheerleaders to make it happen, then Pod Squad is waiting for you...
I can’t wait to see you launch that podcast you’ve had the power to create all along, and be the first to leave you that 5 star review!
Buckers x
Ready to finally make it happen?
Join Pod Squad here: https://www.decibellecreative.com/pod-squad