Business Besties Turn Skype Calls Into Six-Figure Podcast
After two friends create a podcast for fun, it turns into a side hustle that generates title: "Business Besties Turn Skype Calls Into Six-Figure Podcast"00,000 in its first year, multiple six-figures in year two, and a book deal in year three.
Subscribe Now For A Free Five Step Tutorial
Get a free five-part email course that shows you how to find, validate, and launch your side hustle idea — no experience required.
What It's About
Two friends start a podcast to share their wisdom-filled conversations—and make multiple six-figures!
Business Model
Skills Required
Complexity
Profit Potential
Words of Wisdom
I asked Kathleen how to build a brand and get more podcast listeners. She said to focus on making “real” content, having real conversations. And show up with consistency. They haven’t missed a week of recording in over three years.
Although they got sponsorship early, Kathleen’s advice is to not worry about it. It’s rare to make a good income entirely from sponsorships. If you do get sponsored, make sure your values and expectations are aligned. And think outside of the box on what that partnership looks like.
Fun Fact
Kathleen and Emily's lucky break was when Freshbooks Cloud Accounting wanted to partner with them right out of the gate. These days, they have become more than a sponsor and have collaborated with them by buying their bosses beers at a local (to their HQ) brewery in Toronto, a party on a yacht in Miami, and a parade through the streets of New Orleans at their annual Being Boss Vacations. These vacations are how they celebrate their successes—not only with each other but their community of listeners.
Notes from Chris
Episode 404
Kathleen Shannon and Emily Thompson were creative colleagues. Kathleen co-founded a branding agency in 2011, and Emily’s studio has been developing websites for almost a decade. They collaborated on some projects and struck up a friendship. Then they started meeting monthly for Skype calls. They would share what was and wasn’t working in their businesses and exchange ideas to take their businesses to the next level. In November of 2014, Emily pitched the idea of turning those conversations into a podcast called Being Boss Podcast. They knew their conversations were similar to what a lot of other creatives were having. Less than three months later, in January of 2015, they released their first episode. They had no plans to monetize this podcast. If anything, they hoped it would be an awareness tactic for Kathleen’s branding agency and Emily’s website development studio. However, soon after that first episode, they were featured in the "new and noteworthy" section of iTunes." They also made it up to number two in the Business category! They kept their expenses low by not using expensive equipment and doing most of the production themselves using GarageBand. As their revenue increased, they began to hire or outsource parts of the process. They invested in a sound engineer, a content director, and a virtual assistant, among others. Speaking of revenue, after making a bit over one-hundred-thousand dollars in their first year, they made $250,000 dollars in 2016. And last year, they made over $400,000 dollars.MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
- Being Boss Podcast: Check out these awesome ladies and their super informative podcast over on their website!
- Freshbooks: The accounting software company that ended up being Being Boss' first official partner and helped them really get started
- GarageBand: The digital audio workstation that allowed Kathleen and Emily to create their podcast and keep their expenses low
- EXTENDED CUT #11: Lessons in Podcasting: If you're thinking of starting a podcast, what do you need to know? This special episode includes tips on marketing, content, gear, and more
- From Landscaper to Podcast Producer Earning $4k/Month: A Canadian landscaper lands on the side hustle trifecta: passion, skill, and opportunity. He eventually uses his new income to quit his job and travel to 10 countries
- Musician Turns Drum Lessons Into Six-Figure Podcast: It starts with a drum set that his brother’s band left at his house for a month when he was a teenager—and it develops into a lifelong love of percussion and a major moneymaker
