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The Founder Podcast Lab

The Founder Podcast Lab

By: Kenneth Adams
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The Founder Podcast Lab is a show for founders and business owners who already have a podcast and want it to do more for their business.


Each episode looks at how founders use podcasts to build trust, meet the right people, support sales, sharpen their ideas, and turn good conversations into real business assets over time.


Hosted by Kenneth Adams, the show explores the strategy behind founder-led podcasts, what makes them work, what slows them down, and how consistent conversations can create leverage beyond the episode itself.

© 2026 The Founder Podcast Lab Economics Leadership Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • Your Podcast Isn't Broken, Your Strategy Is.

    Your Podcast Isn't Broken, Your Strategy Is.
    Jun 15 2026
    Show Notes

    Most founder podcasts do not fail because the conversations are bad. They fail because the show is not clear on what job it is supposed to do for the business.

    In this episode of Founder Podcast Lab, Kenny talks with Lauren Harris, co-founder of Reliable PR and Marketing, about why a podcast can look good on the surface but still produce no leads, no relationships, and no real business movement.

    Lauren breaks down the difference between treating a podcast like content and treating it like a business asset. A show built for lead generation is not the same as a show built for authority, partnerships, positioning, or relationship-building. The strategy has to be decided before the recording starts.

    They also talk about why founders should think harder about their guest list, why downloads can turn into vanity metrics, and why every episode needs a next step besides “subscribe.”

    The big idea: if your podcast is going nowhere, the podcast probably is not broken. The strategy is.

    In This Episode

    • Why most podcasts are not connected to a real business goal
    • Why “having a podcast” is not the same as having a podcast strategy
    • How different business goals create different show formats
    • Why a beautiful podcast can still live in a corner of the internet and never move a dollar
    • How to use a podcast for lead generation without making it feel like a pitch
    • Why your guest list can become your dream client, partner, or investor list
    • Why relationships matter more than vanity metrics
    • What makes podcast content compound outside the feed
    • Why every episode needs one clear next step besides “subscribe”
    • The three questions to ask if your podcast feels like it is going nowhere

    Key Takeaways

    A podcast needs a job.
    Lead generation, authority, relationship-building, credibility, partnerships, and sales support are not the same strategy. If the podcast does not have a clear job, the format will drift.

    The guest list is part of the business strategy.
    A podcast gives founders a real reason to sit down with people they want in their orbit. The audience matters, but the relationship created during and after the recording may be the bigger ROI.

    Downloads are not the whole scorecard.
    Analytics matter, but founders can get trapped in vanity metrics. For a business podcast, the better question is whether the show is creating trust, relationships, next steps, and pipeline.

    Episodes need a life outside the feed.
    Episodes that only live on Spotify do not compound the same way. The ideas need to become clips, written posts, quotes, newsletters, and conversations.

    Every episode needs a next step besides subscribe.
    That next step does not always have to be a sales call. It can be a useful action, a resource, a prompt, or a low-friction move that turns a passive listener into an active relationship.

    Notable Lines

    “Most podcasts aren’t connected to anything.”

    “You don’t have a podcast problem. You have a strategy problem.”

    “Make your guest list your dream client list.”

    “A podcast is the best legal excuse on earth to get 45-minute conversations with someone you’d never get on a sales call.”

    “Treat it like a CRM with audio attached.”

    “The audience is almost a side effect.”

    Chapters

    00:00 — Why your guest list can become your dream client list
    00:47 — Why most podcasts do not help the business
    02:15 — A lead-generation podcast strategy that actually works
    04:06 — What makes podcast content compound
    06:14 — Better calls to action than “subscribe”
    08:49 — Lauren’s strategy behind guest appearances
    12:45 — Using a podcast as a business tool
    15:29 — The right and wrong way to look at analytics
    17:15 — Why Lauren may launch her own podcast
    19:53 — What to fix if your podcast is going nowhere
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    22 mins
  • How Your Podcast Builds Trust Before You Ever Speak to a Prospect

    How Your Podcast Builds Trust Before You Ever Speak to a Prospect
    Jun 8 2026
    A podcast does not need millions of downloads to become a valuable business asset.Josh Hugo launched Leadership Limbo while building his leadership consultancy. The goal was not immediate monetization. It was to create visibility, demonstrate expertise, sharpen his thinking, and give potential clients something meaningful to explore before deciding whether to work with him.In this conversation, Josh explains how the podcast has become part of his business-development process, helped create an unexpected partnership opportunity, and given him a laboratory for testing and refining his ideas.We also discuss why listening back to your own episodes can make you a better interviewer, facilitator, consultant, and communicator—and why podcasters who are motivated only by leads, money, or follower counts often struggle to continue.In this episode: Why Josh started a podcast alongside his consultancy How podcast content establishes credibility with prospective clients Why a podcast can be valuable before it generates direct revenue How existing episodes support sales and nurturing conversations The partnership opportunity that emerged from Josh’s content library Why Josh views the podcast as a laboratory for new ideas What podcasters can learn by listening to themselves The benefits and challenges of having a co-host Why you need a meaningful reason to keep publishing Josh Hugo is the founder of Peak Strategy and co-host of Leadership Limbo, a podcast exploring leadership development, management, and organizational culture.The Founder Podcast Lab explores how founders and business owners can turn their podcasts into practical business assets—building trust, strengthening relationships, clarifying ideas, and creating opportunities.Show NotesA Podcast Can Establish Credibility Before the First ConversationWhen Josh relaunched his consulting practice with a clearer focus on leadership development and team culture, he knew that professional experience alone would not answer every prospect’s question.Potential clients could see his background, but they also needed a way to understand how he thought.That led Josh to begin writing and to co-create Leadership Limbo. The podcast became a public body of work that prospective clients could use to evaluate his ideas, expertise, and seriousness.As Josh explains, people increasingly investigate what someone produces before deciding whether that person is credible. A podcast gives them more than a résumé or service page. It lets them hear how the person thinks.Visibility and Legitimacy Came Before MonetizationJosh and his co-host did not launch the show primarily to sell advertisements or immediately generate revenue.The podcast began as a creative and educational platform that could: Give listeners useful leadership ideas Increase visibility for both hosts Demonstrate their perspectives Provide evidence of their expertise Potentially support lead generation over time That distinction helped them evaluate the podcast by more than download numbers alone.The Content Created an Unexpected Business OpportunityA networking conversation at a conference led Josh to meet a company that provides short-form learning content inside organizations.Neither side entered the conversation looking for a podcast partnership. However, Josh already had dozens of episodes and a significant library of leadership content.Because the podcast was recorded in video as well as audio, portions of that existing content could potentially be adapted for the company’s learning platform.The opportunity did not require Josh to create a podcast from scratch for the partnership. The asset already existed.The Podcast Became a Sales and Nurturing ResourceJosh now uses relevant episodes throughout his marketing and sales process.Instead of creating a new explanation every time someone asks about a leadership topic, he can send: A full episode A specific clip A related article A deeper conversation on the subject The podcast gives prospects additional ways to engage with his thinking between conversations.It also sends a subtle credibility signal. A consistent catalog shows that the consultant has invested time in developing, articulating, and publishing ideas.Podcasting as a Laboratory for Better IdeasOne of the most valuable outcomes was not part of Josh’s original plan.While building his consultancy, much of his time shifted from delivering client work to developing the business. The podcast gave him a regular place to continue practicing his craft.He describes it as a laboratory where he can: Test new ideas Clarify his thinking Synthesize complex concepts Practice communicating leadership principles Stay prepared to deliver value to clients The podcast improved more than his podcasting ability. It helped him refine his professional expertise.Listening Back Creates a Powerful Feedback LoopJosh also recommends regularly listening to your...
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    35 mins
  • Your Podcast Might Be More Valuable Before Anyone Watches It

    Your Podcast Might Be More Valuable Before Anyone Watches It
    Jun 1 2026
    Matt Markel Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTXqBjtyKQA&list=PLe2PIJ-vWBkQTBwduYgB9BCgCCu26ifMy Anti-prenur Book: https://www.amazon.com/Anti-preneur-Thrive-Achieve-Financial-Success-ebook/dp/B0FCG2GZFLIn this episode of The Founder Podcast Lab, Kenny talks with Dr. Matt Markel, creator of Antipreneur and host of Thrive and Achieve, about how experts and business owners can use a podcast as more than just a content channel.Dr. Matt shares how his podcast helps support his larger brand ecosystem by turning conversations into real-world education, relationship-building, short-form content, business opportunities, and deeper trust with the right people.They talk about why chasing views is not always the best way to measure a podcast, how the value of a show can happen during the recording itself, and why founders should be clear on whether their podcast is built for audience growth, relationships, sales support, thought leadership, or content repurposing.If you are a founder, expert, consultant, author, or business owner using a podcast to support your business, this episode will help you think more strategically about what your show is actually for.In this episode, we cover:* Why a podcast can be more valuable than its view count* How podcasting creates relationships and business opportunities* Why the recording itself can capture most of the value* How to turn long-form podcast conversations into short-form clips and teaching content* Why LinkedIn requires a different content strategy than YouTube or Instagram* How to use your podcast to support a book, business, idea, or brand* Why guest quality matters more than guest quantity* How to think clearly about the real purpose of your podcastThe Founder Podcast Lab is for founders and business owners who already have a podcast and want it to help their business more. The show explores how founders use podcasts to build trust, meet the right people, create business opportunities, improve sales, clarify ideas, and turn conversations into compounding business assets over time.Guest:Dr. Matt MarkelEpisode Theme:How experts and business owners can use a podcast as a strategic business asset instead of just chasing views.Episode Summary:In this episode, Kenny talks with Dr. Matt Markel about the real business value of podcasting. Matt explains how his show, Thrive and Achieve, supports the larger Antipreneur ecosystem by bringing on guests who can teach professionals how to thrive in their careers and achieve financial success.The conversation moves beyond basic podcast growth and gets into a deeper question: what is the podcast actually for?Matt shares that some of the biggest benefits from his podcast have come from relationships, friendships, business opportunities, investing opportunities, referrals, and content repurposing. He also explains why founders should not assume that downloads are the only metric that matters. In some cases, the real value of the podcast is created during the recording itself, especially when the show helps build trust with the right people.Key Takeaways:1. A podcast can be a relationship asset. Matt explains that podcasting gives you focused time with someone, creates a shared experience, and can lead to relationships that last beyond the episode.2. The value is not always in the audience. For some businesses, the value of a podcast may come from the trust built with guests, not from how many people watch or listen afterward.3. Content creation can be networking. Podcasting can create educational content, short-form clips, LinkedIn posts, newsletter ideas, and business relationships from one conversation.4. Short-form clips help extract the real takeaways. Matt says the long-form conversation may be interesting, but the short clips often carry the strongest nuggets for people who want the key lessons quickly.5. LinkedIn needs a different approach. Instead of simply posting “new episode is live,” Matt prefers turning podcast insights into teaching posts, often supported by an infographic or useful framework.6. Be clear on what the podcast is for. Matt’s final advice is that experts need to know whether their podcast is meant to support a book, build relationships, grow an audience, create content, or help with sales.7. Guest quality matters. A strong podcast is not about accepting every guest. The guest has to fit the mission of the show and serve the audience.Notable Ideas:* A podcast can support a larger brand ecosystem.* The recording itself can create most of the value.* Chasing views may not be the right goal for every founder podcast.* A strong guest relationship can be more valuable than a large audience.* Each episode should create multiple assets: clips, posts, newsletters, teaching content, and relationship opportunities.* Podcasting works best when the host gives value first instead of trying to extract value from every guest.
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    33 mins
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