How to Start an Interview Podcast

Step 1: Pick a focused show concept

The single biggest predictor of whether a new interview podcast finds an audience is focus. 'Conversations with interesting people' is not a concept — it gives a listener no reason to subscribe and gives you no way to decide who belongs on the show.

Nail down three things before you record anything:

• A specific audience — who, exactly, is this for? 'Early-stage SaaS founders' beats 'entrepreneurs.'
• A clear topic lane — the recurring subject every episode orbits, so the show is bingeable.
• An angle — your point of view or the question the show keeps asking, so it isn't interchangeable with ten others.

A useful test: can you describe the show in one sentence that names the audience and the payoff? 'A weekly show where indie game developers break down exactly how they shipped and sold their first title.' That sentence tells a listener to subscribe and tells you precisely which guests fit.

Step 2: Choose a format and cadence you can sustain

Format and schedule are commitments, not preferences. Pick what you can keep up for a year, because consistency is what compounds into an audience.

• Length — 25–45 minutes is the comfortable default for interviews; go shorter if your topic is tight.
• Cadence — weekly builds momentum fastest, but a sustainable every-other-week beats a burned-out weekly that stops.
• Structure — a light, repeatable arc (quick intro, the guest's story, the core lesson, a rapid-fire close) makes editing and prep faster every time.
• Solo vs. co-host — a co-host adds energy and scheduling overhead; decide before you build the workflow around it.

Batch-recording two or three episodes in a sitting gives you a buffer, so one busy week or one guest cancellation never breaks your publishing streak.

Step 3: Set up gear and recording tools (without overspending)

You do not need a studio to start. Audio quality matters, but the gap between 'good enough' and 'overkill' is small and cheap to cross. Beginners lose far more episodes to no guests than to mediocre microphones.

• Microphone — a single decent USB mic (roughly $60–120) is plenty for episode one; upgrade later if the show sticks.
• Headphones — any closed-back pair so you and your guest don't get echo from open speakers.
• Recording platform — a remote-recording tool that captures each person on a separate local track, so one bad connection doesn't ruin the audio.
• Quiet room — soft furnishings beat bare walls; a closet of clothes is a surprisingly good vocal booth.

Record a five-minute test with a friend before your first real guest. You want to discover your levels, your room, and your tool quirks on someone forgiving — not on the founder you spent three weeks landing.

Step 4: Line up your first guests (the part that decides everything)

This is where interview podcasts live or die. You need guests for episode one — and, just as important, a system so episode ten isn't a panic. Start sourcing before you record, and keep several channels running at once.

• Your own network first — a colleague, a former boss, someone whose work you admire. Warm asks get fast yeses and calm your nerves for the early episodes.
• Guest marketplaces — platforms where people list their topics because they want to be booked, so you can search by fit and invite instead of cold-emailing strangers.
• Authors, founders, and creators with something new out — they're actively looking for places to talk about it right now.
• Referrals — end every recording with 'Who else should I have on?' It's the highest-quality source there is and it keeps the pipeline self-refilling.

When you invite, lead with why this specific person fits your specific show, set expectations (length, tool, topic), and offer concrete times or a scheduling link instead of 'when are you free?' A short, personal invite looks like this:

Subject: Guest invite — [Your Show], a podcast for [audience]

Hi [Name],

I'm starting [Show Name], a podcast where [one-line concept]. I'd love to have you on to talk about [specific topic / their specific work] — your [specific thing they did] is exactly the kind of story my audience wants.

It's a relaxed [30]-minute remote conversation. We'd cover [2–3 themes]. No prep required beyond showing up.

Would [day] or [day] next week work? Here's my calendar if it's easier: [link].

Thanks either way,
[Your name]

Aim to have three to five guests confirmed before you publish episode one. That buffer is the difference between a show with momentum and one that stalls the moment your first batch runs out.

Step 5: Record a conversation worth listening to

Great interviews are made before you hit record. A little prep turns a polite Q&A into a real conversation people finish.

• Research the guest — read or listen to something they've made so your questions go past the obvious.
• Send three or four directions, not a rigid script — guests arrive relaxed and you both stay flexible.
• Ask for stories, not opinions — 'walk me through the moment it broke' gets specifics; 'what do you think about X' gets platitudes.
• Listen and follow up — the best moments come from the question you didn't plan because you actually heard the answer.
• Leave silence — let a good answer breathe instead of rushing to the next item on your list.

Open with something easy to settle nerves, save your sharpest question for the middle when you're both warm, and close with a consistent ritual (a recommendation, a rapid-fire round) so episodes feel like a series.

Step 6: Edit, publish, and get the episode heard

Publishing is more straightforward than new hosts fear. Don't let perfectionism on the edit stop you from shipping.

• Light edit — trim the dead air and the worst stumbles; listeners forgive imperfection, they don't forgive boring.
• Hosting — upload to a podcast host that generates your RSS feed and distributes to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and the rest.
• Show notes — a short summary, timestamps, and links to the guest; this is also your SEO surface.
• Promotion — the highest-leverage move is having the guest share it, so make that easy with a ready-to-post caption and an audiogram.

Every guest who shares your episode brings their audience to your show for free. Booking guests who have a reason to promote is the closest thing to a growth hack interview podcasts have.

The shortcut: never run out of guests

Most interview podcasts don't fail at recording or editing — they fail at the pipeline. The fix is to make guest sourcing a system instead of a scramble. On Let's Make A Podcast, you add your show once, then search vetted guests by topic, niche, and audience fit, review their one-sheets, and invite the right people — with scheduling and prep in the same place.

Set up your show profile and you can line up your first few guests today, before you ever hit record.

Frequently asked questions