30 Lessons I Learned Growing My Podcast to 36,000 Downloads During My First Year

First Class Founders: Creators | Solopreneurs | Personal HoldCo

E58: How do you get your podcast from 0 to 36,000 downloads in just a year? I did just that!
Starting from scratch isn't easy, especially in the world of podcasting. I had zero listeners, a limited budget, and countless people saying I was doing it all wrong.
Just to give you an idea... I spent $27,000 just on production costs!
When I started my podcast journey, everyone around me had advice. Most said, "Save your money on production." But, call me crazy, I ignored them! I poured everything into 57 episodes, investing in the quality of the show.
Today, I'm revealing 30 lessons I learned growing my podcast over the past year into 5 Pillars of Podcasting.
On today’s episode, you’ll learn:
- The 5 Pillars of Podcasting
- Paid Advertising vs. Organic Marketing
- How to Choose the Right Guests for Your Podcast
- Why 'Packaging' an Episode is More Important Than You Think
Let's get down to business!
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EXCERPTS:
How I Create Content: "Writing my episodes helps me express my thoughts in a clear and concise manner. Basically, write the script as if you're writing a screenplay, because you will essentially be using the script to perform it on the mic when you record it." — Yong-Soo Chung (09:55)
Power of Podcast Listeners: "In all this time I have been podcasting, I have noticed that podcast listeners are some of the most dedicated, loyal, and attentive listeners I've come across. They're incredibly tuned into everything you say." — Yong-Soo Chung (20:10)
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LINKS:
How I Stacked 5 Growth Levers to Grow My Newsletter to 10,000 Subscribers

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First Class Founders is a show for indie hackers, bootstrapped founders, CEOs, solopreneurs, content creators, startup entrepreneurs, and SaaS startups covering topics like build in public, audience growth, product marketing, scaling up, side hustles, holding company, etc.
Past guests include Arvid Kahl, Tyler Denk, Noah Kagan, Clint Murphy, Jay Abraham, Andrew Gazdecki, Matt McGarry, Nick Huber, Khe Hy, and more.
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