Our Mics Are Open, Your Support Isn't: The True Costs of Indie Podcasting

“Hi Olabisi, I hope this email finds you well. I’m reaching out regarding an incredible opportunity to have John Doe on your podcast! John Doe is a leading expert in the Web3 space with extensive knowledge of web3 topics. Their insights would provide immense value to your audience…”

This is the default message that I get four or more times a week. Podcast booking agencies pitch their clients as the perfect guests for my show, painting them as leading experts who will be an “incredible opportunity” for me to host.

What they likely don’t realize is that in just one year, through endless work, tears, and effort, I’ve managed to grow my independent Web3 podcast to over 30,000 total listens with 2,000+ engaged monthly audience members and 250+ loyal subscribers. It’s been an arduous journey of late nights, skipped social events, and more caffeine than is surely healthy.

And you know what? They’re right — having respected voices in the Web3 world to share their knowledge and stories is a true privilege for an indie podcaster like myself.

But here’s where things get a bit disheartening. As an independent creator wearing every hat from writer to producer to editor, the cost and effort of putting together a quality episode is immense. I’m not just hitting record and calling it a day — there are countless hours of preparation, post-production, marketing, and more that go into each release.

So when I politely let these guests and their representatives know that while there’s no required fee, I welcome any voluntary donations to help sustain the show’s operations, I at least hope for some understanding. A simple “Thanks for the opportunity, but we can’t contribute financially” would suffice. Yet more often than not, the response is icy silence as they ghost me entirely.

It stings knowing these same individuals likely paid that agency hundreds, if not thousands of dollars, to get booked on podcasts…yet the idea of throwing an indie creator like myself even $20 is too much to ask. As if my labor and audience don’t hold any real value in their eyes.

Look, I get it — the agency’s services smooth the booking process and these guests are focused on marketing efforts. But does that excuse the lack of support, or even basic courtesy, for the very creators making this content possible? Where is the respect for the hard work that goes into podcasting as a true calling, not just another commercial transaction?

I’ll be the first to admit I’m no marketing messiah or legendary podcaster. I’m just one passionate voice trying to educate and engage with an audience on topics I care deeply about. But that doesn’t make the countless hours of work any less grueling or the financial pinch any less real.

The truth is, running an independent podcast is anything but a cakewalk, especially when covering emerging and complex topics like Web3. There’s intense research required to cover the subject matter credibly. Booking calendars to juggle. Audio gremlins to wrestle with in the editing bay. Not to mention endlessly brainstorming ways to grow an audience in oversaturated channels. It’s a labor of love, an emphasis on labor.

Yet too often, the narrative around podcasting portrays it as some effortless side hustle — as if we’re just rambling into microphones and raking in ad dollars. Maybe that’s the reality for the already-established heavyweights, but it couldn’t be further from the truth for the indie crowd. We’re out here grassroots-building interest, one passionate listener at a time, while struggling with costs.

So yes, when an agency positions their client as an earth-shatteringly important guest “opportunity” for me, only for that same client to dismiss even the idea of a voluntary donation, it cuts deep. It signals just how expendable and undervalued my work must seem in their eyes. It's as if I should be grateful for the privilege of giving them a platform, rather than expecting any degree of reciprocity.

Don’t get me wrong, audience growth and getting to engage with brilliant minds energizes me. But it’s a two-way street of mutual exchange. Guests receive an incredibly affordable marketing spotlight and a chance to connect with listeners. In return, a small voluntary donation could go a long way toward ensuring passionate creators like myself can continue bringing quality content to that very audience.

Maybe I’m being naive in hoping for a more balanced, sustainable ecosystem for indie podcasters. One where instead of agencies pressuring us to acquire big-name guests, there’s respect for the immense behind-the-scenes work required to produce each episode. Where open conversations around equitable compensation don’t lead to ghosting, but meaningful dialogue. An ecosystem of mutual support, rather than extracting all value from agencies and their clients.

Because here’s the painful truth — if this zero-sum, transactional approach remains the norm, indie podcasts delivering outstanding content simply won’t be able to survive. What incentive is there for passionate individuals to keep financially struggling just to elevate others? I and many of my peers find ourselves at the crossroads of pouring more personal funds into a financially unsustainable labor of love or being forced to give up and let our platforms fade away.

It doesn’t have to be this way though. By educating guests and agencies on the economic pressures of indie podcasting, we can open their eyes to the necessity of reciprocal support. By having candid dialog and piloting new compensation models, we can shape the landscape of mutual value exchange. A landscape where indie creators are valued rather than exploited by their audience. After all, we’re not just eager listeners to be blessed with your presence. We’re curators of incredible content that allows you to reach your marketing goals.

So to all the podcast guests and their representatives out there — have the self-awareness and basic courtesy to support those bringing you those incredible “opportunities” you seek. We’re not asking for your first-born child, just a little reciprocal generosity to sustain our work.

Because otherwise, the indie podcasting well will run dry. These big-name guests will have fewer and fewer appealing platforms to amplify their voices on. And we’ll all be worse off for letting this passionate independent creator community wither away due to sheer economics.

Change is possible, but only if we work together to create a more balanced, sustainable ecosystem. One where the value created by indie podcasters is recognized, respected, and reciprocated in kind. It’s what we all deserve as hard-working media entrepreneurs. The stakes are simply too high to allow this unsustainable model to persist. Beyond just the financial realities, there’s so much more at risk if we lose the voices of passionate indie podcasters.

In emerging, decentralized spaces like Web3, we play a vital role in educating and guiding curious audiences through noise and hype. We’re not beholden to corporate overlords or VC paycheck protectors — our sole mission is to explore these innovations with authenticity, skepticism, and nuance. To be the true voice of the people, for the people.

Where else will listeners be able to hear candid, unvarnished perspectives and critiques? Who will be left to probe guests with the tough questions that big media brands might avoid for fear of alienating advertisers or powerful interests? Independent creators are the catalysts for critical discourse and lifting underrepresented voices.

We’re the ones digging deep into niche subjects and subcultures that don’t yet command mainstream attention. The curators help surface fresh ideas and narratives before they get co-opted and watered down by mass media. An independent podcast could very well be planting the seeds for the next big societal paradigm shift.

Losing that would be a brutal intellectual death. Simply put, if we don’t support the indie podcasting community in building sustainable career paths, we’ll be shutting off idea engines and damming up the free flow of thought.

But if we invest in this space and forge an ecosystem of mutual value exchange, we open the floodgates for more diverse voices and ideas to break through. imagine a world with more podcasters covering historically underserved communities, or even just exploring unconventional wisdom. A true renaissance of audio-based knowledge sharing.

That’s what’s really at stake here — whether we want to reside in a dynamic future with decentralized podium voices respected and proliferated. Or one of crumbling, commercialized homogeneity where certain interests get to control what we know and how we know it.

The opportunity to shape a balanced ecosystem is right in front of us. One where podcast guests recognize the value that independent creators provide in spurring discourse and earning audiences. One where agencies evolve from being mercenary booking services into true partners for creators. And where shows like my own don’t constantly teeter on the brink of financial insolvency for the crime of pursuing a passion?

We all have a stake in getting this right because the stakes are high. Nothing less than protecting the free flow of ideas and the flourishing of audio culture. If we let the winds of commercialization erode at indie podcasting, we’re putting vibrant communities on a path to wither and trail off into obscurity — their worthwhile stories and messages drowned out.

But I don’t believe it has to be that way. By having open, honest conversations and doing the hard work of piloting new symbiotic models, we can shape an ecosystem that leaves no actor exploited. No voices stifled.

The question is — who’s going to step up and join this movement of rebalancing? Who’s going to fight to sustain the indie creator community as a thriving, respected sector?

The opportunity has arrived to get on the right side of this pivotal transition. Now, we just have to seize it before the window closes.

The path forward won’t be easy, but it’s one we must walk together. We need an organized effort — indie creators, guests, agencies, platforms, and listeners aligned behind a new covenant.

For guests and their representatives, that means respecting the value independent podcasters provide in elevating your voices and stories. Having the self-awareness to compensate creators proportionally, even if just through modest voluntary contributions. Forging a balanced exchange of values, not exploitation.

For podcasting platforms and hosting services, it’s time to explore equitable revenue-sharing models that empower indies rather than siphoning all earnings to the top. Get engaged with creator communities to truly understand their struggles and co-develop sustainable solutions.

And for listeners, your role is to maintain that supportive life force. Actively participating in shows you care about through constructive feedback, sharing with friends, and yes — financial support proportional to your means. Even $5 per month can be transformative when pooled.

As for my fellow indie podcasters, we have to keep using our platforms to raise awareness and rally cooperation from every stakeholder. Having those candid conversations about the realities and exploring alternative models. Most importantly, maintain faith that our voices truly do matter — that we’re vital contributors to a rich, dynamic culture.

Because when you step back, that’s what’s at stake here. Whether we want a monoculture dominated by a few elite voices and interests. Or a decentralized future overflowing with the diversity of thoughts and perspectives. Optimism or stagnation. Paradigm shifts or ossification of the status quo.

I don’t know about you, but I’m fighting for that vibrant, multi-faceted world of transformative ideas constantly being born, shared, and celebrated. A world where the podcasting community is the fertile soil from which those paradigms sprout.

So I’m asking you to join me in tending to that soil before it lies fallow. To water its roots intentionally and nurture its growth intentionally. Whether you’re an agency, guest, techno, or listener — we each play a vital role in this ecosystem. It’s time we start behaving that way and treating each other as symbiotic partners, not mercenary transactions.

If we succeed, think of the possibilities. More bold, underrepresented creators joining the fray, enriching our discourse. Monumental ideas are exposed to broader audiences at inception. An independent media renaissance where we the people reclaim our narratives.

But that dream needs all of us to work together to realize it. Use this flashpoint as a wake-up call to start building new models and having hard, honest conversations.

The moment of truth has arrived for the indie podcaster community. After reading this, the choice is yours — will you let our voices wither away due to economic realities? Or will you join us in rooting out a revitalized, sustainable ecosystem where our impact and values are recognized and respected?

The decision is yours, but the clock is ticking. What’s your choice going to be?

You can listen to my podcast here: https://rb.gy/kflghi

If you would like to support an indie web3 podcaster, you can buy me a coffee here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/web3quickbites