Video *maybe* killed the radio star, but it didn't kill audio podcasts.

Hi, Reader.

Will history repeat itself like how MTV killed rock n' roll?

Sure, Netflix and YouTube are now considered 'podcasting' platforms...but let's be real; the act of listening to a podcast extends far beyond a screen. And since this newsletter edition beats up on video to some degree, I've paired this topic with an interview with a host from an audio-only podcast in the accounting space.

Let's dig in 👇

Business podcasts are the 2nd most active genre

First, there is a common misconception that I'd like to dispel. Some folks believe there's no way people actually listen to business topics on podcasts. Balderdash!

In fact, many entrepreneurs and professionals actively listen to podcasts in the business genre. According to Podcast Industry Insights, the business genre is the 2nd largest in the total number of active shows, and 4th overall in total shows available to listeners.

Podcasting works especially well in professional services industries where sales cycles are longer and require buyers to do research and evaluate multiple options. Accounting firms, engineering firms, consulting groups, marketing agencies... all of these kinds of businesses have a complex sales cycle that is driven by technical expertise.

Listening to a podcast gives buyers a chance to hear an expert explain a topic or share client success stories before reaching out. Buyers develop a 'parasocial' relationship with the host; kind of a one-way friendship so to speak. Think about your favorite podcast host. If you saw them randomly at a coffee shop, would you stop to say hi?

Liberate your buyer's eyes

Imagine for a moment... You have a 6 hour drive and no one to share the silence with. You're not in the mood to listen to music, so you turn on a business podcast you haven't been able to catch up on the past few months.

Your hands are on the wheel and eyes on the road. Yet you still consume the insights, perhaps drawing inspiration, and becoming more familiar with the hosts and their personalities. At the end of your trip, you have new ideas to put into action with new, re-invigorated energy.

This isn't some fictitious scenario.

In our 2026 State of Podcasting in Professional Services report, we surveyed a combined 141 hosts and listeners of business podcasts. Listeners of business podcasts were 3x more likely to consume podcast media while driving in a car than at a computer.

Businesses today are reaching tomorrow's clients in new, creative ways. Outside the 9-5. When they're able to give you the attention you desperately crave during the work week.

Should you say 'No' to video?

Like any marketing advice, the answer to this question depends on many different things. With most of my clients, I look at video as a growthaccelerant. Here are a few reasons why you might want to keep video as a part of your production and promotion flywheel:

Video helps you grow quickly on platforms like YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook
Video also allows buyers to see you face, building even more familiarity and trust with your personal brand.
Video enables screen sharing and opening up a visual component to help explain complex topics to buyers who may be more visual learners.

The Profitable Creative, with Christian Brim

Christian shares his journey of pivoting his 30-year-old firm to focus specifically on creative professionals and how he ended up launching his own show after guesting on other podcasts failed to spark the deep conversations he wanted to have.

Together, Christian and I explore the psychology of money in creative industries, the transformative concept of category design, the true value of business entertainment, and the haunting personal tragedy that inspired Christian's raw, unfiltered podcast on founder mental health. In this episode, you'll learn: