Introducing a New Series Highlighting the Pioneers of the Podcast Industry

Over the past few years building Castbox into the most downloaded dedicated podcast app, we’ve met many podcasters. They come from a variety of professional backgrounds—everything from entertainment to athletics. Some have been in the industry for well before the podcast boom while others are still new to the scene, some having found success on other content platforms such as YouTube. But while they all come from different walks of life, what they have in common is a unique journey, one that has lead them to the exciting world of podcasting.

Many podcasters spend their days telling other people’s stories. Serial, the podcast from NPR, not only set the standard for well-researched yet entertaining storytelling through spoken audio but also hooked millions of people, many of whom had never heard the word “podcast” before. Taking a cue from Serial’s success, many podcasters across a variety of genres have chosen to tell the stories of others. But while these podcasts are incredible, it had us thinking: Who are the people behind the microphones and what are the stories behind some of our favorite podcasts?

In our new series, we’ll get to know both industry veterans and emerging players in the podcasting space. We’ll talk about everything from how they started podcasting and why they chose the format to the struggles they’ve faced in a fast-evolving market and how they’ve overcome those challenges. And instead of bringing them into another podcast, we’re giving them a break from audio and sharing their stories through a medium they don’t always frequent: the written word.

We’ll also get down to the nitty-gritty of the obstacles they face, whether it’s growing their followers, keeping their content fresh and interesting, or monetizing their shows. Along with their personal stories and their struggles, we’ll also highlight these creators’ triumphs – the moments that made all the hard work worth the effort. We’ll ask them about the projects they’re working on and what we can expect from them next.

Stay tuned for our first interview coming late April. We’ll be talking with Chris Kelly from Kelly & Kelly, the creative studio behind podcast hits like This is That, Dexter Gruff is Smarter Than You, and This Sounds Serious.

Of course, we want to hear from you, our listeners and aspiring podcasters. Have questions about podcasting? Have a favorite podcaster we should feature? Leave us a comment or ask us via Twitter at @Castbox_fm.