The Top 10 Business Coaches and Mastermind Groups to Help You Grow Your Podcast Audience

If you’re in the business of podcasting, you’re floating amid a sea of competitors that likely have better sponsors, better resources, and a better means of building success—but it doesn’t have to be that way. There are several different resources out there today that can help you boost your podcast audience and improve your position in the industry. 

A business coach or mastermind group is a great, yet often untapped, resource that just about everyone can benefit from. These experts have spent years perfecting their craft and they know the ins and outs of the industry better than anyone. Some of the coaches out there are specifically focused on coaching for podcasts, while others are focused on thought leadership and learning how to create a following, regardless of the medium you use or the product or service that you offer. 

Even if that offering is a mere hour or two a week of airtime where you discuss whatever interests you or brings your audience to the cast, it’s still something that people value and you can make it better for them. If you want to put your podcast in the best position for growth, the assistance of a business coach can be invaluable. 

The podcast industry is exploding

Right now, more people than ever are starting podcasts and attempting to gain a following. Whether you’re an existing business trying to use podcasting to build your brand or you are specifically trying to break into the world of podcasting itself, any of the experts on the list below will be able to assist you in your endeavors. 

The podcast industry is hot, but it’s also highly competitive:

• Podcasting is projected to surpass the $1 billion mark as an industry in 2021
• More than 60% of U.S. adults will listen to podcasts every month
• By the end of 2021, there will be more than 117.8 million podcast listeners
• Ad spending will breach $1.33 billion in 2021 for podcasts alone

If you’re trying to make your mark in the industry, you’re not alone. Fortunately, you also don’t have to do the work yourself. The competition is fierce, but the podcast coaching expertise out there is fiercer. 

People love podcasts because they’re quick, easy to digest, and don’t require a lot of attention or focus. Instead of reading, people can listen, for hours, to their favorite hosts, books, and topics on just about anything and everything. If you do it right, a podcast can be a great way to build success. Part of that starts by using the resources available, including podcast coaches and coaching groups. 

What does a business coach offer?

There are many things that a business coach can provide. Their entire goal is to help you grow your business and become more successful. After all, if you are a success, they become even more of a success because you’ve followed their teachings—it's a win-win for everyone. Of course, for those who are still on the fence about hiring a business coach, here are some of the perks to keep in mind:

Accountability. A business coach is going to call your bluff—they don’t care about your feelings. They're not there to make you feel good. Their job is to make you more profitable. If that means pointing out that you’re the one that needs to be held accountable, so be it. If you’re looking for someone to call your bluff, this is the support you need. 

Honesty. Again, coaches aren’t here to make friends. The best coaches will give you an honest perspective of their insights on your business and what’s not working. They will help you come up with a strategy to attack those issues and address them head-on. Of course, you have to be willing to accept the criticism and make the changes. 

Clarity. A third-party resource is a great way to get a perspective on your business operations. They will give you an outside, unbiased look at your business. Through their eyes and assessments, you will easily be able to see where changes need to be made and gain a new perspective yourself. 

Productivity and performance. Coaches will identify all the areas of productivity that are being hampered and help you streamline your operations. In the case of podcasting, they’ll help you come up with a proper schedule for creating, producing, and sharing your podcasts so that your productivity improves and your podcasting is more streamlined. 

Confidence. All of this insight and support is going to give you major confidence in your business endeavors. If you’re a podcaster looking to build your audience, having that confidence is invaluable. That in itself is something that your audience seeks and will follow if you do it right. 

Profits. When you have made improvements in so many other ways, you will start to see that reflected in your profits and growth. Through all the honesty and productivity, you will bring about real change that impacts your business in the best way—by helping grow the bottom line. This isn’t the only focus in business, of course, but it’s definitely one of the big ones for those who are trying to succeed. Without profits, you don’t have growth. 

The top 10 business coaches and groups for podcasters 

1. Tim Wohlberg

Tim Wohlberg is an expert podcast and broadcast host-turned-coach. He has more than 25 years of experience in the industry and has turned his focus to coaching other podcast hosts to help them excel in their efforts. He offers a free 15-minute call for all first-timers and has videos, articles, and other resources available on his website, the Podcast Performance Coach. 

Tim covers everything from recording best practices to topics, titling your shows, and more. He provides an extensive education on all things podcasting to help you get your own show off the ground. Plus, he’s got a tips newsletter and social media outlets you can follow, as well. 

2. E Podcast Productions 

Founded by Emily Prokop, E Podcast Productions offers a variety of coaching sessions, strategy lessons, and free resources for pre and post-podcast insights and suggestions. She has more than 100 episodes of her podcast, which has also been nominated for awards over the years. She offers end-to-end podcasting solutions and assistance including everything from building your brand to choosing topics your audience will love. 

3. Jordan Harbinger

The founder and podcast host of The Jordan Harbinger Show was awarded the “Best of 2018” award by Apple and continues to see impressive downloads of his show. Although he’s not a dedicated podcast coach, he offers insight and advice to other podcasters to help them along on their own journeys. He has more than 6 million downloads per month of his podcast and can offer great tips on creating a strong audience and continuing to deliver what they want. 

4. Evo Terra

The author of Podcasting for Dummies, Terra has written several books on podcasting and has been in the industry for more than 15 years. Since podcasting is relatively new, that kind of experience is hard to come by. He also hosts his own show, Podcast Pontifications, which is a short-form program that’s designed to help podcasters grow their own show and audience. That means you can read up on his resources, or just give the show a listen, and you’ll find plenty of advice and insight to help you take your podcast to the next level. 

5. Jake Jorgovan

Jake Jorgovan is a highly-trained enterprise podcast consultant. He helps enterprise-level companies strategize their own podcasting experience and improve their audience. He is experienced in podcasting, digital marketing and content marketing, and B2B operations. He founded and leads Content Allies, which is a tech podcasting agency that helps companies build their podcasts and create revenue from them. He also has a service arranging guest podcast experiences and co-hosts the Leaders of B2B Podcast. 

6. Truth Work Media

Truth Work Media offers podcast coaching for all kinds of people who are just starting out in the industry. They can help with everything from getting started to actually building an audience and growing your podcast like never before. They have transparent pricing on the site that makes it easy for you to see what you get, and you will get a personalized coach that can assist with vision, planning, marketing and branding, networking, and more. There are online resources in addition to one-on-one and group coaching solutions, and more. 

7. Matthew Passy

The Podcast Consultant, Matthew Passy offers a variety of podcasting solutions and support for people who are just starting out. He has tons of insight and resources on podcasting best practices, technical aspects of podcasting, and even insights on how to grow your audience using digital marketing, SEO, and social media. 

His commitment to the small business and solopreneur make him a great choice for those who are just starting out on their own with podcasting. Where other experts offer solutions for businesses and enterprise-level organizations, Passy focuses on helping the individual who needs a little more assistance getting things off the ground. He’s got a website and blog, along with online resources to help you along the way. 

8. Kristen Meinzer

Kristen Meinzer has been podcasting for more than a decade. She offers a variety of insight and expertise for individuals and companies who are looking to use podcasting to reach a specific objective. Even if you’re not already on that train, Meinzer can help you find your objective and grow your business in podcasting in several ways. She even offers consultations so that you can discuss your podcast and how it works, set up workflows, and analyze things to provide feedback to help you take your podcast to the next level. 

She works with individuals and organizations alike and is capable of helping you scale your show appropriately, based on your specific goals and podcasting intentions. 

9. Colin Grey

Colin Grey is the CEO and Director of the Podcast Host, a complete resource for podcasting expertise and education. He offers a ton of resources for companies and individuals looking to start their own podcast or grow their existing show audience. There’s a Podcasting Academy or you can just use the resources on the website, of which you’ll find many. There are online courses, coaching sessions, live Q&A, and so much more. You'll even find interactive checklists and tools you can use to set up and organize your own show. 

10. Liz Scott

Although she’s not a dedicated podcast expert, the “Marketing Mastermind” Liz Scott is one of the best resources to assist you in growing your audience and building a following online. She does this with 25 years of experience and a commitment to helping you find the most profitable ways to market your podcast. She is also known as the Business Firestarter and is focused on helping companies find impressive growth results without a lot of effort. 

Founder and CEO of Brighter Strategies, she offers consulting for all kinds of business, along with webinars, blogs, YouTube videos, events, books, and so much more. She focuses on providing consulting and value-added thought leadership. 

Master your communications by partnering with Smith.ai 

Podcasting is a full-time endeavor and we know that you take pride in what you do. The team at Smith.ai is available to help you streamline your communications and customer service so that you can put more focus on your podcasting and let us handle the rest. 

When you hire our virtual receptionists to be the face of your brand, you’ll get 24/7 support for live website chat, after-hours phone answering, intake and scheduling, and so much more. We can even answer your SMS messages and build an entire communications strategy to help you field every single inquiry. That way, while you’re building your podcast empire, you’ll know that your customers are taken care of. 

You can learn more when you schedule a consultation to discuss our 24/7 virtual receptionist solutions, including support for live chat, phone answering, and much more. You can also reach us at hello@smith.ai or (650) 727-6484.