Best zmc Podcasts (2024)

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Ep.31: Jason Caplain, Bull City Venture Partners | Why Founders Are the Secret Ingredient to Investment Success 34:52

2d ago34:52

34:52

Shiv interviews Jason Caplain, Co-Founder and General Partner of Bull City Venture Partners. In this episode, Jason shares why his firm values founders above an idea or business, and walks listeners through a tried-and-tested approach to assessing entrepreneurs and their teams. Founders will take away Jason’s tips on raising capital and leveraging …

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Ep.30: Chip Baird, GreyLion Capital | Optimizing Companies With the LIFT Strategy 53:35

14d ago53:35

53:35

Shiv interviews Chip Baird, Managing Partner at GreyLion Capital. Shiv and Chip take a deep dive into GreyLion’s core LIFT (Leadership, Investment, Flexibility, Technology) strategy for optimizing companies to increase enterprise value. Learn how to identify critical leadership gaps and hold new hires accountable, and how a flexible approach to cap…

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Ep.29: Anna Talerico, Corporate Finance Institute | How to Find the Right Human Capital for Bootstrapped Companies 41:17

30d ago41:17

41:17

Shiv interviews Anna Talerico, CEO at Corporate Finance Institute and Operating Partner at Arthur Ventures. Learn how capital-efficient companies can make better hiring decisions by focusing on what role they really need to fill. How can companies clearly define those roles and how do they go about finding the best-fit candidates? Plus, when should…

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Ep.28: Mark Buffington, BIP Capital | What Makes a Startup Ready for Investment 48:41

2M ago48:41

48:41

Shiv interviews Mark Buffington, CEO at BIP Capital and Managing Partner at BIP Ventures. Learn why the concept of permanent capital from a multistage fund might be a better long-term approach to funding a startup. Mark explains how not all measurements of success are based on the financials, and how that might look different for different companie…

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Ep.27: Adam Solomon, Thoma Bravo | How to Identify and Scale High-Quality Software Companies 48:44

2M ago48:44

48:44

On this episode, Shiv interviews Adam Solomon, Partner at Thoma Bravo. Shiv and Adam discuss how Thoma Bravo’s focus on market-leading companies impacts their approach to evaluating assets and value creation. Hear how one of the biggest PE firms in the world approaches due diligence, performance metrics, profitable growth, and founder relationships…

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Ep.26: Matthew Stevens, Stevens.VC | Helping Early Stage Companies to Professionalize and Add Value 32:58

2M ago32:58

32:58

Shiv interviews Matthew Stevens, Founder of Stevens.VC. Shiv and Matt discuss the business fundamentals that founders and investors should be focusing on in early-stage companies. Hear how to add value and prepare for future investment by professionalizing your business operations, why a deep understanding of your market is critical to success, and…

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Ep.25: Dan Cremons, Accelera Partners | Winning the First 100 Days After an Investment 53:42

3M ago53:42

53:42

Shiv and Dan discuss how the first 100 days can shape the outcome of private equity deals and explain the actions investors, founders and business leaders can take to set a business on the path to growth. Tune in for expert advice on when to start value creation planning, how to focus your efforts and resources on the most impactful strategies, and…

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Ep.24: Chirag Shah, Wavecrest Growth Partners | How to Increase Enterprise Value with Organic Growth Levers 42:41

4M ago42:41

42:41

Shiv Narayanan interviews Chirag Shah, Growth Partner at Wavecrest Growth Partners. Chirag and Shiv discuss the wide variety of value creation levers that Wavecrest uses to grow their portfolio companies. Learn how to identify the most effective growth levers for each company, and how to scale revenue by optimizing pricing, sales strategy, cross-se…

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Ep.23: Joanna Arras, Baird Capital | How To Succeed in the Current Venture Market 42:49

4M ago42:49

42:49

Shiv interviews Joanna Arras, Partner at Baird Capital in the US venture fund.Joanna and Shiv discuss the challenges and opportunities for both founders and investors in the current venture landscape. Learn about how to balance growth and capital efficiency, the impact of the right capital raising strategy and how to select the right investment par…

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Tracie Powell on investing in the future of journalism 1:11:56

4M ago1:11:56

1:11:56

Tracie Powell is the founder and CEO of The Pivot Fund, a venture philanthropy organization dedicated to investing $500 million into independent BIPOC-led community news. Earlier this month, Tracie’s organization invested $150,000 into the Baltimore Beat, a black-owned and woman-lead alternative newspaper. The investment comes after The Pivot Fund …

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Ep.22: Ripan Kadakia, ZMC | How To Be of Service To Your Portfolio Companies 39:45

5M ago39:45

39:45

Shiv Narayanan interviews Ripan Kadakia, Partner at ZMC. Ripan and Shiv discuss ZMC’s aim to serve portfolio companies through a strategy that includes business development, talent acquisition and technology. Learn about ZMC’s focus on macro trends to identify long-term investment opportunities, and hear case studies of growth in challenging circum…

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Micha Green of the Washington Informer left theater for journalism 53:08

5M ago53:08

53:08

Micha Green is the managing editor of The Washington Informer, one of the country’s top Black newspapers. Micha shares her journey from theater to journalism while highlighting the significance of the Black press in her career development. She also weighs in on the state of the industry. Follow Micha on X @MichaPGreen. Interested in being on the sh…

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Ep.21: Dirk Sahlmer, saas.group | A Long-Term Approach to Profitable SaaS Company Growth 33:46

5M ago33:46

33:46

Shiv Narayanan interviews Dirk Sahlmer, Head of Origination at saas.group. Dirk and Shiv discuss how saas.group’s investment approach differentiates them from traditional PE firms and influences their value creation framework. Learn about saas.group’s focus on profit margins rather than quick flips, their criteria for identifying companies with lon…

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Did the media do a good job? Claudine Gay, Fani Willis and more 48:25

5M ago48:25

48:25

We’re back from hiatus. We talk about the importance of Black representation in journalism and evaluate how the media fared covering the Claudine Gay debacle, Fulton County District Attorney Fannie Willis, the appointment of Raheem Morris as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, and layoffs in journalism. Interested in being on the show? Email bla…

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Ep.20: Kevin Mosley, Jurassic Capital | How to Use SaaS Benchmarks to Build a Better Business 53:15

5M ago53:15

53:15

Shiv Narayanan interviews Kevin Mosley, General Partner at Jurassic Capital. Kevin and Shiv take a deep dive into Jurassic Capital’s B2B SaaS Benchmarks Report and explore how founders, investors and business leaders can use this data to achieve their growth objectives. Learn about the vital metrics every SaaS company should be tracking, how your c…

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Ep.19: Narbe Alexandrian, Define Capital | Essential Guide to the Capital Stack and Choosing Investors 40:38

6M ago40:38

40:38

Shiv Narayanan interviews Narbe Alexandrian, founder and CEO of Define Capital. Shiv and Narbe discuss the options investors and founders have for their deal structure and capital stack. Learn about how Define Capital builds long-term partnerships with companies, their approach to valuations and risk, and hear how the current economic environment i…

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Ep.18: Unforgettable Moments From 2023 39:27

6M ago39:27

39:27

Take a look at some of the highlights from the 2023 season of the Private Equity Value Creation podcast. In these bite-sized value creation insights from firms including Hg Capital, B Capital Group and JMI Equity, you’ll learn about tried-and-tested strategies for portco hiring, financial management, sales processes and much more.…

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Ep.17: Legal, Tax and Accounting Panel | Essential Guide To Preparing for a Successful Founder Exit 45:03

7M ago45:03

45:03

Shiv Narayanan interviews Hanny Akl, Transaction Advisory Services Practice Leader at Warren Averett, David LeGrand, Member (Partner), Tax and Transaction Advisory at Warren Averett, and Zach Crowe, Partner at Morris, Manning and Martin. Hanny, David, Zach and Shiv walk you through the essential legal and finance work it takes to set your business …

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Ep.16: Lauren Bonner, MBM Capital | The Value of Steady Growth in a ‘Unicorn or Bust’ VC Environment 38:44

7M ago38:44

38:44

Shiv Narayanan interviews Lauren Bonner, Managing Partner at MBM Capital. Shiv and Lauren discuss how to sustainably scale enterprise value in companies where VC funding has dried up. Learn about MBM Capital’s playbook for investing in these companies, including how they evaluate potential investments, an approach for guiding companies towards prof…

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Ep.15: Sunil Grover, True Blue Partners | How to Help Companies Grow With a Corporate Finance 37:17

7M ago37:17

37:17

On this episode Shiv Narayanan interviews Sunil Grover, Managing Partner at True Blue Partners. Sunil and Shiv discuss how True Blue Partners’ corporate finance perspective helps early-stage AI companies scale. Learn how they identify founders and companies that are best suited for their approach, why product-market fit is so vital, and how they co…

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Ep.14: Andrew Pierno, XO Capital | How to Leverage the Opportunity in Micro SaaS Investments 35:08

8M ago35:08

35:08

Shiv Narayanan interviews Andrew Pierno, Co-Founder at XO Capital.Andrew and Shiv discuss XO Capital’s highly-targeted investments into small, PLG, single-purpose SaaS companies, and how their thesis contrasts with typical VC attitudes.Learn about why micro-investing presents such a blue ocean opportunity, how Andrew’s technical capabilities inform…

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Ep.13: Krista Morgan, Stage Fund | How Companies Can Rebound By Refocusing on Profitability 38:59

8M ago38:59

38:59

Shiv Narayanan interviews Krista Morgan, General Partner at Stage Fund.Krista and Shiv discuss the challenges many companies experience in high-pressure VC models, and how Stage’s alternative investment approach offers a solution for founders and investors.Learn about Stage’s process for finding efficiencies and rebuilding revenue generation to get…

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Ep.12: Justin Johnson, Camber Partners | Maximizing Returns of PLG Software Investments 33:51

8M ago33:51

33:51

Shiv Narayanan interviews Justin Johnson, Director of the Investment Team at Camber Partners. Justin and Shiv discuss how Camber Partners sources, evaluates, and adds value to companies with a product-led growth focus. Learn why PLG is such a popular approach among SaaS companies, and how Camber is leveraging AI, machine learning and a proprietary …

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Ep.11: Cody Lee, Summit Partners | What You Need to Know About Marketing in Portcos 50:26

8M ago50:26

50:26

Shiv Narayanan interviews Cody Lee, Vice President in Summit Partner’s Peak Performance Group. Cody and Shiv discuss why marketing is a function no portco (and no investor) can afford to ignore, and what you need to know about portco marketing in the current environment. Learn about a realistic approach to data-driven marketing strategy, common are…

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Ep.10: Allen Duan, B Capital Group | 5 Pillars of Value Creation for Minority Investors 42:11

9M ago42:11

42:11

Shiv Narayanan interviews Allen Duan, General Partner at B Capital Group.Allen and Shiv discuss how B Capital Group’s role as minority investors influences their approach to value creation and how they leverage the experience of advisors and partners.Learn how you can guide companies towards growth through team and organization, capital advisory, s…

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Ep.9: Matt Gallagher, Hg Capital | How to Increase Efficiency with Data and Strategy 40:20

9M ago40:20

40:20

Shiv Narayanan interviews Matt Gallagher, Portfolio CRO at Hg Capital. Matt and Shiv discuss how the Hg portfolio team prioritize revenue growth strategies that will move the needle most in the first months after an investment. Learn about the importance of due diligence as a foundation for scale and the metrics you should review to assess performa…

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Ep.8: George Rossolatos, CBGF | How to Build Sustainable Growth with a Long Term Investment Approach 40:55

9M ago40:55

40:55

Shiv Narayanan interviews George Rossolatos, CEO and Managing Partner of Canadian Business Growth Fund. George and Shiv discuss how CBGF’s investment philosophy and evergreen fund are a rewarding alternative to companies choosing rapid growth at all costs. Learn how longer holding periods can be the basis of sustained, profitable growth and better …

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Ep.7: Vinny Prajka, JMI Equity | How to Use ICPs and Segmentation as a Foundation for Scale 39:43

9M ago39:43

39:43

Shiv Narayanan interviews Vinny Prajka, Partner at JMI Equity. Vinny and Shiv discuss how portfolio companies can increase efficiency and grow sustainably with a more focused approach to sales. Hear how JMI use customer segmentation to target sales efforts, reduce churn and increase average sales price. Learn how to implement this approach in your …

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Ep.6: AJ Gandhi, Marlin Equity Partners | 6 Needle Movers for Organic Growth 50:17

9M ago50:17

50:17

Shiv Narayanan interviews AJ Gandhi, CGO at Marlin Equity Partners.AJ and Shiv discuss how Marlin Equity Partners’ team of operating professionals create value in their portcos with a hands-on approach to revenue growth. Learn about the sales and marketing structures that are the foundation to scaling but are often underdeveloped, and hear how Marl…

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Ep.5: Mariza Warshawsky, Assembly Group | How to Hire the Right Team To Grow Your Portfolio Companies 41:58

10M ago41:58

41:58

Shiv Narayanan interviews Mariza Warshawsky, Partner at Assembly Group. Mariza and Shiv discuss Assembly Group’s tried-and-tested process to source and hire for key roles for PE-backed software companies. Learn how the experts recommend laying the groundwork for a successful search, and how to secure the best candidates in a competitive market. Get…

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Ep.4: Zane Tarence, Founders Advisors | What Makes a Business Investment-Grade 55:10

10M ago55:10

55:10

Shiv Narayanan interviews Zane Tarence, Partner and Managing Director at Founders Advisors Technology Practice. Zane and Shiv discuss what investors look for in potential acquisitions and how founders can make their businesses more appealing for investment. Get an insider’s perspective on the finance options available to growing businesses, what ma…

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Pulitzer Prize winner Corey G. Johnson on the need for more Black investigative reporting 1:31:09

10M ago1:31:09

1:31:09

Corey Johnson is an investigative reporter for ProPublica and a Pulitzer Prize winner for a series of stories on lead for the Tampa Bay Times. Corey is also a co-founder of the Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting. In this episode, he shares his unorthodox journey into journalism, from his early days in Atlanta to his first opportunity …

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Ep.3: Mike Devine, Fortra | How Marketing Needs to Evolve for a High-Growth Platform Company 37:34

11M ago37:34

37:34

Shiv Narayanan interviews Mike Devine, CMO at Fortra. Mike and Shiv discuss how the Fortra marketing function has adapted and scaled to suit the company’s changing needs and consistently drive growth. Learn how they integrated teams, built centres of expertise and maintained open communication with investors.Learn more about Fortra: https://www.for…

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Ep.2: Bryce Youngren, Polaris Growth Fund | How to Deliver Big Returns on Small Companies 35:27

11M ago35:27

35:27

Shiv Narayanan interviews Bryce Youngren, Managing Partner at Polaris Growth Fund. Bryce and Shiv discuss how Polaris Growth Fund creates value in smaller businesses, and why this area of the market is under-leveraged. Learn about the tried-and-tested process that has helped them generate impressive returns, including a founder-friendly approach an…

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Ep.1: Daniel Pianko, Achieve Partners | How to Stand Out in the War for Capital with Talent Development 35:41

11M ago35:41

35:41

Shiv Narayanan interviews Daniel Pianko, Managing Director at Achieve Partners and host of the Better Money Better World podcast. Daniel and Shiv discuss how Achieve Partners is using talent development to maximize portfolio company growth, unlock revenue potential, and make positive change for employees and their communities. Learn how Achieve Par…

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Is it too soon to add Threads to your podcast social media strategy? 13:08

11M ago13:08

13:08

Threads is Meta's alleged Twitter killer. It's built on the infrastructure of Instagram's two billion monthly active users. And while Threads currently lacks essential features for podcast discovery, such as search functionality and marketing tools, it has all of the characteristics of a growing and viable distribution channel for podcasters. Need …

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Donnell Suggs on how he took the initiative to find opportunities in journalism 1:03:46

11M ago1:03:46

1:03:46

In this episode, we’re doing something different by telling our own stories. We’re going to begin with Donnell Suggs. He’s the Editor-in-Chief of The Atlanta Voice and a reporter for The Gainesville Times. He walks us through his career journey, including his start as a music and sports writer in New York, how he ended up in Atlanta, and his role l…

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Nicole Carr on becoming an investigative reporter and why the job title matters 1:04:13

1y ago1:04:13

1:04:13

Nicole Carr is an Atlanta-based investigative reporter for ProPublica and an adjunct professor at Morehouse College. Nicole talks with us about money, how she created opportunities for herself, the pathway to becoming an investigative journalist, her forthcoming book, and she offers some advice for young journalists. We also discuss her story, "Whi…

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Caron LeNoir advocates for women veterans in journalism and beyond 1:01:23

1y ago1:01:23

1:01:23

Caron LeNoir is a journalist, podcaster, voice-over artist, and photographer who advocates for women veterans’ issues and mental health support. Caron is a member of the Military Veterans in Journalism speakers’ bureau, which advocates for more nuanced coverage of disabled veterans. She also regularly discusses how to report on women veterans, vete…

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Michael Butler transitions seamlessly from music and tech to real estate reporting 1:20:07

1y ago1:20:07

1:20:07

Michael Butler is a real estate reporter for the Miami Herald with a deep history as a freelance tech, music, and features writer. Michael tells us how his versatility helped him transition from tech writing to real estate reporting, how he went from freelance writing to a role at the Herald, and about his move from Philadelphia to Miami. Follow Mi…

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Podcasting with Eman Ismail, host of Mistakes That Made Me 28:03

1y ago28:03

28:03

This episode is different. I wanted to talk with someone I’ve worked with who has had a successful podcast launch, who is podcasting to build their brand authority, and who is focused on storytelling, which is at the heart of everything that I do here at ZMC. So, naturally, I started talking with Eman Ismail. She is an expert copywriter and email s…

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Deadspin’s Carron J. Phillips on sports and culture, plus his coverage of Deion Sanders and Rachel Nichols 2:07:33

1y ago2:07:33

2:07:33

Deadspin editor and senior writer Carron J. Phillips is known for his spicey columns and sharp takes on Twitter. But too little is known about how he came up as a journalist, including his days as a prep sports writer, as an editorial columnist, and ground-breaking role with the New York Daily News. Carron discusses his struggles to land his first …

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Khari Thompson on covering Boston sports, Deion Sanders, and more 41:21

1y ago41:21

41:21

Khari Thompson is a general assignment sports reporter for Boston.com — the same job Zuri once held for four and a half years. We talk about his experience covering the Patriots and Celtics, his run-ins with Deion Sanders, James Wiseman, and Penny Hardaway, and get his advice for aspiring sports journalists. Follow Khari on Twitter @_KhariThompson.…

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Vashti Hurt went from private banking to launching a sports media startup 52:06

1y ago52:06

52:06

Follow your passion! Vashti Hurt never wanted to be a banker. She wanted to cover sports. Now, she is the founder and editor-in-chief of Carolina Blitz, a sports media site based in Charlotte, North Carolina, that covers the Panthers and college basketball. So how did she go from banking to sports media? We discuss her career transition, how she ha…

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Nicki Mayo of Black Women Unmuted gets real on activism in journalism 1:07:10

1y ago1:07:10

1:07:10

Nicki Mayo is the Editor-at-large for Black Women Unmuted, a digital publication that focuses on the power of Black women in U.S. politics. In the second episode of Black Journalists on Journalism, she walks us through her career as a reporter and editor, including stints in broadcast TV and radio, and her new venture at Black Women Unmuted. We dis…

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How Philly native Keith Pompey got the Sixers beat 50:37

1y ago50:37

50:37

Keith Pompey was born and raised in Philly, and he’s been watching the Sixers his whole life. But it took him a long time to get an opportunity to cover his hometown team. In the first episode of Black Journalists on Journalism, Keith tells the story of how he became the 76ers beat writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer, weighs in on the state of spo…

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Podcasting the news? Major news events can be a great showcase for your podcast 10:16

1+ y ago10:16

10:16

Podcasting the news helps build effective relationships with your listeners, increases the trust between the listener and the host, and is a cost-effective way to educate your audience on an ongoing basis. A weekend filled with news events illustrates why. For past episodes and transcripts, visit https://zmcpodcasts.com/podcasting-with-zuri-berry. …

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Is a video-first podcasting strategy right for your brand? 5:04

1+ y ago5:04

5:04

A recent Morning Consult survey showed that 46% of active podcast listeners prefer consuming podcasts with video. Only 42% wanted audio-only podcasts. The reason? 51% said they wanted to see the reactions of the host and guest, and 50% of their survey respondents indicated that video helps them better focus on the podcast. This new data demonstrate…

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How artificial intelligence tools will drive podcasting in 2023 8:24

1+ y ago8:24

8:24

Podcasters need to understand how artificial intelligence will drive the industry forward in 2023 and specifically how these new tools will help their production and business needs. 0:00 Intro 0:30 How can artificial intelligence tools help podcasters? 3:59 Transcripts lead to new opportunities 5:15 Instantly generated marketing and promotional mat…

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The easiest way to edit a podcast for audio storytellers 13:55

1+ y ago13:55

13:55

The easiest way to edit a podcast for audio storytellers is by simplifying your storytelling devices, music, and tools. But simple isn’t always good, and in fact, it can be quite boring. So, the only way to easily produce a great podcast is by using a storytelling framework and process that you can duplicate. This month, I walk through what you sho…

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