Podcasting’s Golden Egg: Who’s Feeding the Goose?

Let me take you behind the mic for a moment.

As a host, I’ve had the privilege of speaking with thousands of guests over the years. Some come in with insight, generosity, and real presence. Others… show up with a smile and a pitch, wrapped in the familiar line: “I’m here to serve your audience.”

Now, I’ve heard that one more times than I can count. And sure, it sounds good—noble, even. But if you’re walking into a podcast hoping to serve only the audience while secretly eyeing clients, book sales, or boosted visibility… that’s not serving. That’s strategizing in disguise.

The irony is that when you hire an agency or PR firm to promote your work, you write big checks without blinking. Yet when it comes to podcasts—platforms with real reach and credibility—many expect to hop on for free. So, hosts either start charging or risk burning out. Still, some amazing shows run at no cost to guests, pouring time, energy, and intent into every episode. If you truly value that, support it. Not with polite words, but with presence, follow-through, and sometimes yes—even financial investment. It’s a mindset shift: invest where you want to grow.

That realization led me to make a difficult, but necessary shift: I’ve largely stepped away from booking guests through agencies, PR firms, and podcast networks. It’s not because I don’t value their work—many of them are doing what they believe is best for their clients. But often, the guest feels they’ve already paid—to the agency, the PR firm, the booking service—and now it’s time to extract that value from the host and their audience. The truth is agencies rarely support shows by helping with software subscriptions, production costs, or anything that actually makes life easier for creators. Instead, what hosts get are more emails, more follow-ups, and more back-and-forth—often with little genuine commitment or support from the guest side.

That’s why I now lean toward voices that come directly, openly—those who want to build something real together. A not-so-famous expert, a first-time author, someone just starting out but full of intent and curiosity. These conversations feel alive. There’s mutual growth, a sense of shared investment. That, to me, is where the true value lies.

Look, I get it—podcasting is a marketing tool. But let’s not pretend it’s a temple when we’re treating it like a marketplace.

Passion kept many of us going in the early days—but passion didn’t cover studio costs, editing time, or the hours poured into every conversation. The golden goose only lays eggs when it’s fed. All too often, it’s starved under the weight of free expectations and hollow intentions.

If you’re coming on a show to grow your brand, just say it. No shame in that. But also—show up fully. Share generously. And if there’s a way to support the platform—do it. Not with empty lines, but with real value. Otherwise, the goose doesn’t just stop laying. It disappears.

So, here’s what I’m asking—what if we dropped the pretense and made podcasting a place of honest exchange? What if every guest saw themselves as part of something built, not just something used?

That’s the kind of space I want to keep creating. And I hope you’ll help me protect it.

How do you see it? Where’s the line between giving and gaining in this space we all share?