Mignon “Grammar Girl” Fogarty joins Lex on the Wolf Den. The two talk about Mignon’s staggering 13 years in podcasting, and how she grew one show into the thriving Quick and Dirty Tips network. They also nerd out on language.
Renay Richardson chats with Lex from across the pond, detailing her experiences working for several audio production companies (but not the BBC!) — and how it led her to found Broccoli Content. With a goal of tackling the lack of opportunities for minority talent both in front and behind the mic, Renay shares insights on how the entire industry can better embrace diversity. Then, the two talk about company consolidation and whether mergers and acquisitions in the podcast world are ultimately goo...
Danielle Kramer, Senior Producer of Exactly Right Network joins Lex on The Wolf Den. The two discuss the network’s formation, and which aspects of My Favorite Murder its original shows hope to maintain. Danielle also discusses what led her to the podcasting, including time at NerdMelt and JASH. Plus, what exactly makes a good podcast translate to television?
Lex speaks with ESPN'S Jody Avirgan, but he has a little help: He's joined by Harrison Goldberg and Brody Pontarelli from Grace Church High School. The three ask Jody about the process of turning popular documentary series 30 for 30 into an audio format. Lex and Jody also give Harrison and Brody pointers on launching their own sports podcast, With Further Review.
It's time for a holiday extravaganza! In this very special Wolf Den, Lex is joined by twelve guests from Stitcher’s New York office to talk about the Shows We're Jealous Of. Featuring Jenny Barish, Andy Slater, David Murray, Will Carey, Jared O’Connell, Harry Huggins, Abigail Keel, Kelsey Butterworth, Julie Booth, The Reverend John DeLore, Christy Mirabal, Bill Irwin and Harry Nelson. And, in a Christmas miracle, a brand new jingle by Casey Holford and the Stitcher Choir.
Martina Castro, CEO of globally-minded podcast production company Adonde Media, joins Lex on the Wolf Den. Martina tells Lex about the formation of Adonde Media, and its recent projects like El Chapo and Duolingo. Martina and Lex discuss the many opportunities available for non-English-language podcasting Finally, the two give recommendations for podcasts parents and kids can listen to and enjoy together. This episode is brought to you by Warby Parker (www.warbyparker.com/wolfden)....
Stitcher CEO Erik Diehn returns to join Lex on The Wolf Den. Erik gives updates of Midroll and Stitcher’s recent “brand rotation,” and how it affects the company’s strategy going forward. Then, Erik outlines how the the recent acquisition of Triton Digital will help bring Stitcher closer to the goal of being the “best place in the world for podcasting.” Finally, the two discuss the inherent challenges and benefits to the growing trend of bilingual podcasts. This episode is brought to you by Warb...
Berry Sykes of PodcastsInColor joins Lex on the Wolf Den. Berry and Lex discuss Berry’s journey from podcast superfan to creator of the largest directory of podcasts by and for people of color. Berry also gives her unique perspective on what podcast apps (including Stitcher) can do to better promote diversity for listeners. The two also discuss if gaming Apple's podcast charts is worth the money.
Chris Kelly and Pat Kelly —from the aptly named podcast creative studio Kelly & Kelly and CBC’s This Is That — join Lex on the Wolf Den. Chris and Pat discuss This Is That’s upcoming tour, and inadvertently tricking listeners into thinking their satiric stories were true. The three also talk about Kelly & Kelly’s new fake true crime “This Sounds Serious,” and the importance of striking the correct tone with satire. This episode is brought to you by Podchaser.
Stitcher’s own Dan Osit, Korri Kolesa, and Drew Welborn join Lex on The Wolf Den. The three tell Lex how they each came to work at Stitcher, and how their jobs have evolved. Later, the group gives its predictions for the future of the industry, and address the recent Stitcher/Midroll rebrand.
Ben Ratner, video producer at StarTalk, joins Lex on the Wolf Den. Ben and Lex discuss Ben’s job experiences, including how an appearance on late night television led to a coveted internship. Ben also gives his unique perspective as both an audio and video producer, with advice on how video can help any podcast. Also, Lex shares an anecdote about ranch dressing and Neil DeGrasse Tyson.
Grant Rutter, podcast producer at NBC Entertainment, joins Lex on the Wolf Den. The two discuss Grant’s journey through the ranks at NBC and how it led him to be their fist full-time podcast producer. Grant also details the production of The Good Place Podcast and its inspirations, as well as the the challenge of making an entertaining podcast that’s more than just an advertisement.
This week’s Wolf Den is two guests for the price of one, as Lex speaks with two entrepreneurs in the field podcasting. First, Lex talks with Dan Franks, co-founder of Podcast Movement, the first ever dedicated podcast convention. They discuss the history of the convention, from its Kickstarter origins to its 5th year with over 2000 attendees. Then, stick around as Lex interviews the young co-founder and CEO Bradley Davis all about the unlikely origins of the of new podcast directory startup Podc...
Marco Arment, developer of podcast app Overcast, joins Lex on the Wolf Den. Lex and Marco discuss pretty much everything going on in podcasting today. The two debate the technical complications of dynamic ad insertion and how it affects both podcasters and podcast apps. The two also discuss Marco’s history with Midroll in its early days, and theorize what might happen if Apple ever exited the podcast space. This episode is brought to you by The MarTech Podcast.
Harry Nelson, studio manager and producer at Earwolf New York, joins Lex on the Wolf Den. The two discuss the history of The Wolf Den, and how the show evolved over the past seven(!) years on the network. Harry also explains how a post on Reddit got him his job at Earwolf, and finally asks Lex what exactly his job is here at Midroll. This episode is brought to you by Clockwise.io (www.clockwise.io).
Jay Soderberg, VP of Content at Voxnest — the parent company to Spreaker and BlogTalkRadio — joins Lex on the Wolf Den. The two discuss "Pod Vader's" long career at ESPN Radio, Voxnest’s mission to provide monetization for growing podcasts, and the recent S-Town lawsuit’s possible impact on podcasting. Plus a Star Wars theory that will blow your mind. This episode is brought to you by Clockwise.io (www.clockwise.io).
Jake Hurwitz, Amir Blumenfeld, and Marty Michael, co-founders of the HeadGum podcast network, join Lex on the Wolf Den. The four talk about how HeadGum came to be, and reveal the topic so controversial it almost tore the group apart. Jake and Amir also give their thoughts on how podcasting has affected their careers and comedy in general, and the viability of a million-dollar podcast deal.
Stuart Last, Chief Operating Officer at Audioboom, joins Lex on the Wolf Den. Stuart discusses Audioboom’s failed “reverse takeover” of Triton Digital and the effect it’s had on the company. They also discuss the difficulties of building a creative content company at the same time as an in-house ad sales operation, and the results of the second annual IAB podcast revenue study.
Peter Vincer from the podcast platform and network Castbox joins Lex on The Wolf Den. The two discuss how Victor wound up working in audio, the benefits and growing pains of producing original content, as well as the future of programmatic advertising.
Jason Snell from the Incomparable podcast network joins Lex on The Wolf Den. The two discuss Jason’s path to podcasting full time, the practical advantages of streaming episodes live, as well as the pros and cons of more companies making podcasts. This episode is brought to you by Pretty Litter (www.prettylitter.com code: wolfden).
Alex Ramsey and Joe Cilio, co-founders of the Forever Dog Podcast Network, join Lex on The Wolf Den. The three discuss Forever Dog’s beginnings as a theater project, growing pains inherent to launching a podcast network, and if working in comedy ever makes things seem less funny. This episode is brought to you by Intercom (www.intercom.com/GROWTH) and Pretty Litter (www.prettylitter.com code: wolfden).
Chris and Lex speak with Ryan Natoli and Katy Yeiser of The Onion’s true crime parody podcast, A Very Fatal Murder. They discuss the making of the show and what inspired it, as well as the shift from The Onion’s usual short-form storytelling structure to a long-form narrative style. Katy also describes the formation of the show's writers' room, while Ryan provides surprising facts about the casting and recording process. This episode is brought to you by Intercom (www.intercom.com/GROWTH) and Pr...
Leila Day, senior producer at Pineapple Street Media, joins Chris and Lex on The Wolf Den to detail her experience establishing her style of audio journalism and how it led her to producing for KALW and Al Jazeera. Leila also discusses teaching storytelling inside San Quentin State Prison and how she developed her podcast The Stoop. This podcast is brought to you by Act!. Go to act.com for a FREE consultation with one of our growth advisors to see how Act! CRM can grow your business for as low a...
Sarah van Mosel, Chief Podcast Sales and Strategy Officer at Market Enginuity joins Chris and Lex on the Wolf Den. The three discuss Market Enginuity’s unique role in podcast and public media advertising, outline the reasons various types of ads work well for different shows, and forecast how podcast ads will continue to evolve over the coming years. This podcast is brought to you by Act!. Go to act.com for a FREE consultation with one of our growth advisors to see how Act! CRM can grow your bus...
Gina Delvac, producer of the hit podcast Call Your Girlfriend joins Chris Bannon on The Wolf Den. Gina details her career in the audio industry, from public radio intern to podcast producer. The two also talk about the the delicate process of turning a passion project into a small business, and the impact a guest like Hillary Clinton can have on a show’s audience. This podcast is brought to you by Act!. Go to act.com for a FREE consultation with one of our growth advisors to see how Act! CRM can...
Dan Misener and Steve Pratt of Pacific Content join Lex and Chris on the Wolf Den. The four discuss the early days and learning curves of branded content podcasts, how their time in traditional broadcasting prepared them for the industry, and the process and philosophies regarding their work. This episode is brought to you by Today, Explained.
Andrea Silenzi and Hillary Frank join Chris and Lex on the Wolf Den to discuss Andrea taking over as host of The Longest Shortest Time. The four discuss the exciting challenges of a such a regime change, Hillary's new role as the show's as editor, and the pros and cons of getting Clowney’d.
Andrew Mason, CEO of Descript, joins Lex Friedman and Chris Bannon on The Wolf Den. Andrew details his new “audio word processor” Descript, and explains how it grew from his previous company Detour. The three also discuss the Andrew’s startup-themed album, and advantages of spending less time on the internet.
Kerri Hoffman, CEO of PRX, joins Lex Friedman and Chris Bannon on The Wolf Den. The three discuss Kerri’s unconventional path from working for Greenpeace to the world of podcasting. Kerri then discusses PRX’s place in the industry, including their Podcast Garage, a Massachusetts-based community recording studio and educational hub.
Kristen Meinzer, Director of Non-fiction Programming and co-host of the By The Book podcast at Panoply Media, joins Lex Friedman and Chris Bannon on The Wolf Den. The three begin with an important conversation about workplace sexual misconduct and Kristen’s personal experiences at previous jobs. Kristen also recounts her career history and making the shift from public radio to a podcast startup.
