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A successful podcast is all about delivering value, building a loyal audience and creating growth opportunities. If you’re looking for entrepreneurial ideas, starting a business through podcasting can help you do just that. Whether you're starting a coaching business, launching a wellness brand, making money as a real estate agent or running an eCommerce store, a podcast allows you to stand out as an expert in your field.
This guide walks you through how to start a podcast, choose a niche, set up your podcast on your business website, grow your audience and monetize with sponsorships, premium content, memberships and more.
Need help thinking of other money-making opportunities? Use the Wix Business Launcher to discover more ideas based on your skills and hobbies. Chat with AI and get set up with a full market analysis, earning strategies and launch kit right out of the gate. Quickly take any idea from concept to reality.
How to start a podcast and make money
01. Find your perfect niche
Choosing the right niche is crucial for creating a podcast that makes money. Go with a topic you’re passionate about and that already has an audience. Look into small business trends, check podcast charts and explore forums to find out what people are buzzing about.
Your niche needs a unique angle. You could focus on expert advice, personal experiences or industry insights. Standing out is key, especially if you want to grow your podcast into a production company or brand.
For example, if you’re starting a fitness business, you could launch a podcast sharing workout tips for busy entrepreneurs. If you’re a culinary expert looking for food business ideas, a podcast about restaurant industry trends or food marketing strategies could connect you with aspiring chefs and food business owners. A marketing expert might explore digital trends and growth hacks for small business owners.
02. Plan with a long-term vision
A great podcast isn’t just random episodes, it’s a well-planned journey. Start by outlining 10-15 chapter ideas before launching so you don’t run out of content. Pick a format that fits your style like interviews, solo sessions or co-hosted discussions.
If you’re looking to grow into a podcast company, consistency matters. Make sure your podcast schedule and content strategy align with your business plan. Set a realistic schedule—weekly, biweekly or monthly—and stick to it. Choose an episode length that fits your audience, whether it’s quick 20-minute insights or hour-long deep dives.
03. Invest in quality sound
If your podcast sounds bad, people won’t stick around, even if your content is amazing. Start with a good microphone, headphones and recording software. Record in a quiet space with soft furniture to reduce echo.
Editing is just as important. Take time to remove background noise, balance sound levels and trim out filler words. If you’re thinking about scaling your podcast into a production company, nailing high-quality audio from the start will set you up for success.
04. Build a brand that stands out
Your podcast brand should be clear, memorable and professional. Pick a unique, searchable name, especially if it’s for a small business podcast. Create eye-catching cover art and write a description that shows what makes your show stand out. You can also consider building a website to share episodes, provide more details and connect with your audience.
Branding isn’t just about visuals. Your speaking style, intro music and episode structure all play a role in shaping your podcast’s identity. The more polished and professional your brand feels, the easier it is to attract listeners and sponsors.
Starting a podcast? Use this podcast name generator to name it.
05. Master the art of recording
You need to find some peace and quiet when it’s time to hit record. If soundproofing isn’t in the budget, use soft materials like blankets and pillows to absorb noise. Speak naturally but stay on track by outlining your key points ahead of time to keep episodes focused.
Editing is what takes your podcast to the next level. Cut out awkward pauses, background noise and filler words. If you’re serious about building a podcast company, take the time to learn advanced audio techniques to create high-quality content.
06. Grow your podcast audience
To grow a podcast production company, you need to make sure people can easily find and access your episodes. A hosting platform gets you on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, but YouTube clips help boost discovery. Sharing highlights on social media can attract more listeners. Focus on optimizing metadata, keeping branding consistent and submitting to directories manually to reach a wider audience.
How to promote your podcast
Create a dedicated website or landing page: A simple website with an embedded player, show notes and SEO-friendly content makes your podcast easier to find.
Optimize titles for search: Use clear, engaging, keyword-rich titles. Think like a listener—what would they type into Google or Spotify to find your episode?
Write compelling descriptions: Summarize key points, mention guest names and include relevant keywords to improve discoverability. Keep it short but intriguing.
Use timestamps for easy navigation: Break episodes into key moments with timestamps in descriptions and YouTube videos. This helps listeners jump to what interests them most.
Create YouTube-friendly content: Upload full episodes, short clips or animated audiograms with captions to tap into YouTube’s search power.
Repurpose content across platforms: Turn key moments into posts for Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok and Facebook to reach different audiences.
Engage in cross-promotion: Partner with other podcasters to swap guest spots, shoutouts or social media shares to reach new listeners.
Leverage email marketing: Send episode summaries, key takeaways and exclusive content to your email subscribers to keep them engaged.
Encourage listener interaction: Ask for reviews, comments and questions on social media. Engaged listeners are more likely to share your podcast.
07. Turn your podcast into profit
To make money, a podcast needs multiple revenue streams. Start with affiliate marketing where you recommend products and earn commissions. As your audience grows, monetizing a podcast through sponsorship deals from brands becomes an option.
You can also earn through exclusive content, online courses or coaching. Many podcasters turn their shows into businesses by selling digital products, hosting live events or starting podcast production companies to help others launch their own shows.
How do podcasts make money?
Sponsorships: Brands pay for ads or mentions during episodes
Affiliate marketing: Promote products or services and earn commissions on sales
Listener donations: Get support through platforms like Patreon or direct contributions
Merchandise sales: Sell branded products like shirts, mugs or posters
Paid subscriptions: Offer exclusive content to paying listeners
Live events: Charge for tickets to live shows or meetups
Crowdfunding: Raise money through campaigns to fund production
Paid content or courses: Provide premium content or educational courses to your audience
Advertising networks: Join podcast ad networks that place ads in your show
Best business podcasts to check out
If you're looking for insights on how to build, manage or grow your business, podcasts are a great source of information. Business podcasts usually feature industry experts who are willing to share their hard-earned knowledge — and for entrepreneurs, this knowledge can be invaluable. From high-level strategy to mistakes they've made and vow not to repeat, you can always find a nugget or two to take away and apply to your own business.
But with so many podcasts out there, you’re probably wondering which ones are worth checking out. Whether you’re at the entrepreneurial stage of refining your business idea or deciding to create a website, you’ll want to start with these 15 best business podcasts today.
SERP's Up
SERP's Up offers weekly episodes that dive into the world of SEO and spotlight some of the most forward-thinking business minds. Hosted by Mordy Oberstein (Wix's head of SEO branding) and Crystal Carter (Wix's head of SEO communications), the podcast is defined by a diverse selection of guests who come from all corners of technology and business to share their tips for scaling up business.
Former guests include LinkedIn's Purna Virji and Semrush's Kyle Byers. Hear hot takes and practical advice for growing your business without breaking the bank.
How I Built This
Veteran journalist Guy Raz heads multiple podcasts, but How I Built This, a business podcast on innovators and entrepreneurs, shows the human experience of building a company. Since 2016, Raz has been talking with some of the most influential CEOs, entrepreneurs and thinkers, providing them a safe space to share their stories of ascent.
From acclaimed filmmaker Ava DuVernay and JetBlue Airway's David Neeleman, the NPR-produced podcast features many powerful voices. And each episode will inspire you to imagine more.
Decoder
Verge Editor-in-Chief Nilay Patel is the host of Decoder, a podcast about the innovators and policy makers at the forefront of business and technology. What sets this business podcast apart from the rest are the more controversial topics Patel breaks down with the help of his guests, such as in the episodes “Juul and the Business of Addiction” and “Why Spotify’s Horacio Gutierrez Thinks Apple Behaves Like a Monopolist.”
HBR IdeaCast
The Harvard Business Review IdeaCast can be described as a go-to place for practical advice on navigating business situations and the workplace. It’s detailed and informative, giving listeners a free educational experience without paying the hefty Ivy League price.
The HBR IdeaCast has also presented some groundbreaking investigative work, including a four-part series, “The Rise and Fall of Carlos Ghosen,” on the former Nissan executive who became an international fugitive. With a strong editorial team behind it, this business podcast is always at the frontier of the most pressing issues of the business world.
Masters of Scale
The podcast name alone implies over the top and bigger than life. Indeed, Masters of Scale is a business podcast that delivers the views and opinions of heavy hitters in the entrepreneurial world. Host Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn and investor at Greylock, is all about testing his theories of the business world with his all-star guests, including former U.S. president Barack Obama, supermodel Tyra Banks and Nike co-founder Phil Knight.
Being Freelance
For more than five years, the Being Freelance podcast has shown audiences around the world an inside look into the challenges and rewards of freelancing. From UX consultant to e-book designer, these special guests know a thing or two about how to make freelancing a bit easier through the trial and error of their own experiences. Whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur or veteran freelancer, you’ll want to include this business podcast to your list of weekend listening.
Design Matters
Author, educator and brand strategist, Debbie Millman started a podcast, Design Matters, which acts as a junction between design and art. Millman conducts in-depth interviews with her guests, including actors Ethan Hawke and Claire Danes, artists Nick Cave and Bob Faust and entrepreneurs Seth Godin and Jacquline Novogratz. Tune in for the longest-running design podcast out there.
Startup Podcast
Billed as the “show about what it’s really like to start a business,” the StartUp podcast is a documentary series about entrepreneurial life that’s filled with humor, drama and tension. These make up the elements of a great story.
Creator Alex Blumberg, of radio program This American Life, recorded his initial struggles in launching a podcasting company, which became the premise of StartUp. It provides a fly-on-the-wall view of business conflicts, clashes, resolutions and even employee burnout, as Blumberg and co-founder Matt Lieber built Gimlet Media from the ground up.
Side Pro Hustle
The best way for budding business owners to learn actionable steps and strategies for scaling their idea is by hearing from others in the industry who have made it happen. Side Pro Hustle puts the spotlight on black women entrepreneurs who have turned their side hustles into a full-blown operation. Host Nicaila Matthews Okome rounds up experts to share their stories, humanizing the experience of starting a business.
Just take the example of recent guest Angel Gregorio, founder and owner of the Spice Suite, who brings a fresh perspective about what it means to be an entrepreneur and design a viable business model within the eCommerce world. This episode and many more are unique in celebrating small business owners around the U.S.
Over the Wall
Rob LoCascio, inventor of live chat for brands, is a veteran CEO who has a lot of experience and lessons to share from his decades-long entrepreneurial journey. With his business podcasts. Over the Wall listeners get a more nuanced take on the tech industry and entrepreneurship that’s impactful and meaningful.
LoCascio wants to honestly talk about what it takes to be an entrepreneur, embracing all the struggles, failures and obstacles. Apart from other entrepreneurs, LoCascio also invites spiritual leaders and artists to the show to explore how individuals fulfill their purpose as innovators and creators.
Brown Ambition
What do you get when you have two successful women financial reporters in one place? An unapologetically smart business podcast, Brown Ambition. Mandi Woodruff and Tiffany Aliche specialize in helping people build wealth using tactics and tools to take charge of their finances and professional lives.
Creating personal budgets, balancing work and life and learning how to save and invest are among the many podcast topics covered by Woodruff and Aliche. The duo also take on politics, race and how they are affecting communities of color around the country. Nothing gets left unsaid.
The Indicator
NPR’s The Indicator gives you news on what’s happening in the business and financial sector in under 10 minutes. Listeners can rely on this bite-sized business podcast for recent job reports, statistics and expert voices that help paint the global economic picture of our time.
While the stories are fast-paced, the information provided on The Indicator has led to deep discussions about the ever changing economic situations around the world. There’s nothing like this in the podcast market.
Y Combinator Podcast
The Y Combinator Podcast is another great business podcast designed for those in startups. It’s the in-house broadcast show produced by Y Combinator, an organization that provides seed funding for startups.
The biggest takeaway from this podcast is learning about the intricacies of building and financing a startup through the personal experience of its guests, who have struggled and succeeded as entrepreneurs. Whether you’re just starting out or are in the thick of practicing entrepreneurship, you’ll want to dig deep into the podcast.
The $100 MBA Show
Host Omer Zenhom shares practical and valuable advice on how to build a business in The $100 MBA Show. Zenhom himself dropped out of the prestigious Wharton School of Business due to his frustration with the educational system, seeking to change the way people think and talk about entrepreneurship.
By tuning into the business podcast, you’ll get the real deal and zero fluff on all the aspects of running a successful company, from what to charge clients to how to grow your email list and other marketing strategies.
The Jewish Women Entrepreneur Podcast
The final business podcast on this list is yet to become a household name, but with only a handful of episodes, The Jewish Women Entrepreneur Podcast is off to a good start. It talks about women, Jewish identity and leadership in business, focusing on an important niche that’s been overlooked in the past. While there’s a lot to say about how Jewish spirituality and running a business, the guests on the show are working hard to shift the discourse for greater social change.
How to make money with a podcast FAQ
How much money do I need to start a podcast?
Starting a podcast can cost anywhere from $100 to thousands depending on your setup. At minimum, you’ll need a good microphone, headphones and recording software—plenty of free options are available. Hosting platforms range from free to around $20 per month. If you’re on a budget, start with the basics and upgrade as your podcast grows.