Why Most Podcasters Fail And the 4 Steps Women Can Use to Win
- Sep 17
- 3 min read
By Kathy Baldwin
Eighty-five percent of podcasters fail. Not because they lack talent, a viable voice, or a hungry market. They fail because they don’t have a system.
Most start with passion and a mission, but they underestimate the backend workload. What they thought was “produce and publish” turns out to be only 20 percent of the job. The other 80 percent; editing, SEO, marketing, promotion, guest outreach, becomes an exhausting hamster wheel. Burnout sets in, often before they even reach 10 episodes.
That’s unnecessary but common.
I know because I’ve been there. I loved everything about podcasting; the conversations, the storytelling, the connection but I was buried in the workload. Through sheer determination, I grew my show to the top 5% of podcasts worldwide. But I knew I couldn’t keep up the pace forever. I needed a better way.
Podcasting is the new marketing frontier. It’s intimate, raw, vulnerable, and educational. Listeners form a bond with your voice that no social media post can match. And the numbers don’t lie: podcast advertising revenue already tops $2 billion and is projected to hit $5–6 billion by the end of 2025. The potential is enormous.
On my own podcast, Unlearn the Crap and Level UP Your Soul Is Calling, I’ve often talked about automation, AI, and the rise of tools that eliminate repetitive, manual work. That’s a disruption for traditional jobs but it’s also an opportunity. When you take the tedious, backend work off your plate, you free yourself to bring the real humanness, creativity, and leadership your audience craves.
So I did exactly that. I built a backend automation system that turns my podcast into my business, without burning me out. And I built it around four keys to podcast success.
1. Produce & Publish
This is where everyone starts and where most stop. Producing and publishing must be done right and done consistently. That means choosing the right equipment, creating a repeatable recording process.
Producing isn’t just hitting record. You need an efficient publishing pipeline: editing, keyword-optimized show notes, uploading to your host, scheduling releases, and distributing to every major listening platform. Without a system, this stage alone can cause burnout.
2. Grow & Convert
High-quality episodes aren’t enough. You need to actively grow your audience and convert casual listeners into loyal fans. This is where podcast SEO matters, long-tail keywords in your titles, descriptions, and show notes so your show ranks. Add transcripts for SEO and accessibility. Collaborate with guests who will actively promote the episode. Repurpose your content into Instagram reels, LinkedIn posts, YouTube Shorts, Pinterest pins, email and newsletters.
3. Monetize
Podcasting is not just a hobby it’s a business opportunity. Beyond ad revenue, you can earn through sponsorships, affiliate marketing, books, speaking engagements, courses, retreats, products, memberships, and coaching programs.
Sponsors look for loyalty and engagement, not just download numbers. Align your monetization strategy with your audience’s needs and interests. When you provide consistent value first, conversions follow naturally.
4. Scale & Influence
Scaling requires you to think like a CEO, not just a host. Track key performance indicators, listener retention, search rankings, and your best-performing episodes.
Automate your production and marketing workflows. Batch record episodes. Delegate tasks that drain your energy. Use your data to refine content strategy, attract better sponsorships, and expand your reach without adding more hours to your week.
Podcasting success is not about doing more, it’s about doing the right things in the right order with the right systems. If you’re feeling that pull to step forward, follow it. But don’t do it alone. You need a proven system, automation that works, and knowledgeable team members who know the road ahead. That’s how you amplify your message, grow your influence, and create a podcast that becomes your most powerful business asset.
About the Author
Kathy Baldwin is the founder of the Finally Podcast Automation System and host of the international podcast Unlearn the Crap and Level UP Your Soul Is Calling. As a Managing Partner for She Wins Women Networking, Kathy helps women level up to their best because when you win, we all win. With a mission to make podcasting profitable and sustainable for women entrepreneurs, Kathy combines her expertise in automation, marketing, and systems with her passion for amplifying women’s empowerment in the world.
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