LONDON — I must admit, when I first came across podcasting, it didn’t interest me. It was the summer of 2014. My former co-founder — who I met on the dating app Tinder — wanted to set up a podcast network similar to the Loud Speakers Network in the United States.
I was working as an accounts manager at a London-based startup, immersed in the multifunction roles typical of a team growing a small company, including building its online profile. I hadn’t heard the word podcast before and never listened to one. It was only months later, when a colleague introduced me to “Serial,” that I got a taste for podcasting and was sold.
Podcasting is more than just a medium of communication; it’s a transformative tool with the power to captivate and educate.
Sarah Koenig’s storytelling and vulnerability were so powerful from that first episode that I was hooked and raced through the episodes. I distinctly remember finishing the series and feeling bereft. I was desperately looking for that magic again, and before you knew it, I was down the podcast rabbit hole.
I then took a more active interest in the ShoutOut Network podcast network that my partner was building to support underrepresented groups. I started to apply what I knew about building a business and content marketing to podcasts. In 2015, we launched the network with the “Wanna Be” podcast, which I hosted with a friend. That snowballed — we added more shows and started generating press and winning awards. It was a wild ride.
The network was growing but still needed income. In 2017, we launched a festival to put Black British podcasts on the map. It was a marketing success but financially ruinous. We then regrouped and launched the U.K. Women’s Podcast Festival under the name “Content is Queen” in 2018 and that did well. I left the network in 2019, taking the projects I had developed. Content is Queen felt fitting for the next chapter.
As a small business owner, I’ve learned that you must be commercially minded to make it in the podcasting industry. Our background in marketing and business has enabled us to adapt to the industry’s constant changes. This is my 10th year in audio, and I’ve seen the industry change with the wind, from mass hiring and money flowing everywhere to massive layoffs, slashed budgets, and company closures. So, the lesson I’ve learned is to keep my eggs in lots of baskets!
Shaping the industry’s future
I’ve also seen my vision realized. For me, podcasting is more than just a medium of communication; it’s a transformative tool with the power to captivate and educate. The beauty of podcasting lies in its ability to focus on the story rather than the storyteller. Through podcasts I’ve learned about diverse communities and their unique stories, significantly enhancing my empathy and understanding of the world around me.
The most common challenge we hear from creators of these podcasts is that they can’t execute the vision they have in their heads. They’re often ambitious people demanding perfectionism in themselves but who may not have the skill or time to pull that off. That’s where we step in. We provide production support as part of our community membership and have subsidized our studio and editing rates so they can focus on the stories they’re trying to tell.
Since pivoting into tech and developing our opportunities marketplace, we’re focusing on global creators who are overlooked or whose contributions are minimized or ignored. That shift is reflected in our women’s podcast festival. The original festival in 2018 focused on the U.K., so the most significant change is that we’re now global. We evolved because we wanted to ensure that Western trends don’t dictate the direction of podcasting. We try to include as many women’s voices from as many countries as possible on what the industry looks like for them. We want to capture and document what topics and themes impact podcasters everywhere so that we collectively shape the industry’s future.
Equipment
Mics:
Shure SM7B microphones. My hero Ira Glass uses them, so I wanted nothing less.
Recording:
Zoom PodTrak P8 digital multitrack mixer/recorder. We also occasionally use a RodeCaster Pro mixer/recorder. In addition, we have two Zoom H6 handheld multitrack digital recorders, which we use for remote recordings alongside a Shure SM58 handheld microphone.
Editing:
Adobe Audition
Headphones:
Sennheiser HD-280 Pro headphones
Imriel Morgan is the Founder and CEO of Content is Queen and an award-winning podcast host of the Wanna Be Podcast. “Content is Queen” is the U.K.’s first and only women’s podcast festival. Imriel now specializes in podcast marketing and PR for brands and independent podcasters around the world.
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