January 6, 2026 • 29 mins
In this new-year mixtape episode, guests that have featured on Creators from TrueFans in 2025 share their personal hopes for their indie podcasts and for the independent podcasting landscape as a whole.
Aspirations range from continued growth and increased listener engagement to securing sponsorships and expanding into new formats, including in-person series. A recurring theme is the desire for better support and recognition for independent podcasters, and many express a wish for clearer categories, more meaningful listener statistics beyond just downloads, and a shift away from the dominance of celebrity or AI-generated content towards valuing authentic, human-made stories.
The episode underscores the vital role of independent creators as the ‘lifeline of the podcast industry’, advocating for an environment where depth, honesty, creativity, and the impact of storytelling are valued above mere numbers.
Listeners are invited to join the conversation and share their own aspirations for independent podcasting in 2026 directly on the TrueFans app, reinforcing our show's commitment to community and interaction.
Sam Sethi and Claire Waite Brown started Creators from TrueFans in early summer 2025 with the aim of amplifying the creative endeavours of independent podcasters and highlight how TrueFans supports discovery, interactivity, and monetization for indie voices.
See below for links to the podcasts featured, which will also be linked to in the chapters!
What are indie creators hoping for:
The Year of the Indie Voice
There’s a strong collective hope for 2026 to be the year where independent podcasts gain greater recognition and are valued for their depth, creativity, and authentic storytelling, rather than just download numbers or celebrity status.
Beyond Downloads
Creators are yearning for improved analytics, specifically asking for metrics like listener retention, actual listening time, and engagement data, to better understand their audience and the impact of their content.
Sustainable Growth and Monetization
Many indie podcasters hope to find more sustainable ways to fund their passion projects, seeking sponsorships that align with their show’s values and clearer pathways to remuneration, moving beyond a "labor of love" into financially viable endeavours.
Enhanced Listener Engagement
A strong desire exists among creators for more direct feedback and interaction with their audience, emphasizing the need for accessible platforms and features that facilitate two-way conversations, like those offered by TrueFans.
Rethinking Podcast Categorization
Calls for better, more descriptive podcast categories and formats are made, arguing against, for example, broad ‘arts and entertainment’ tags that lump diverse indie shows with celebrity content, hindering discoverability for unique or niche productions.
Listen to the podcasts featured in this episode by clicking on their links:
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
The Failing Writers Podcast (00:06):
Maybe in 2026 people will start to look for those, you know, lovely little gems, those independent real voices. The ones that aren't just looking to cash in.
Multispective (00:16):
I hope indie podcasters are supported, connected and valued. Not just for reach or for numbers, but for depth and honesty and creativity and the impact of the stories that they tell.
The Late Bloomer Actor (00:28):
I would really like to see an improvement to the stat no more of this download numbers. I'd like to know how much people are listening.
Exhibitionistas (00:38):
Not only better categories than arts and entertainment where I find myself competing with a celebrity cooking show or a pop culture podcast, but also perhaps different types of formats presented as such.
Watts on Your Screen (00:53):
In 2026, I would like to get better at marketing my podcast so that it reaches more people, but marketing is very boring.
Claire Waite Brown (01:06):
Happy New Year to all you podcast creators and consumers. I'm Claire Waite Brown. In early summer 2025, Sam Sethi suggested we start a regular podcast together to showcase the kind of content you can access on the TrueFans app and the features you can implement there that you won't find on other podcast apps. We wanted the podcast to focus on independent creators, what they are producing, and how TrueFans can help them with discovery, interactivity, and monetization. Independent creators are the lifeline of the podcast industry, although perhaps not recognized as such as often as they should be, with more creative energy and inventiveness than many of the popular shows you'll see at the top of the charts in some other podcast apps. We wanted our show to amplify indie voices and keep those creators informed about industry changes relevant to them, including Podcasting 2.0 features and tools that can help small shows to grow sustainably. In 2025, we interviewed the creators of 13 indie podcasts covering a wide range of topics and formats, and I highly recommend that if this is the first time you've listened to Creators from TrueFans, that you head back to episode four and continue listening up to episode 18. You don't need to listen to episodes one to three. We started scrappy, as many indie podcasters do for this mixtape episode. I asked some of those podcasters and podcast friends about their hopes for their show and the indie podcast landscape in general in 2026. I hope you enjoy their answers and perhaps find some commonality with your own indie podcast aspirations. You will hear that a few of the guests on this episode are hoping to get more feedback for their shows and interactions with their listeners, something that is easily done directly in the TrueFans app. So here's a little bit of homework to get you used to interacting on TrueFans. Everyone at Creators, guests and hosts would love to know about your own hopes for your independent podcast or the indie podcast environment as a whole. So please send us your thoughts by writing a comment on this episode in TrueFans. Simply click on the speech bubble icon or on the tab called Comments and away you go. Now, over to those guests.
The Failing Writers Podcast (03:49):
Hi, I'm Tom. And I'm Jon. And we're the chaps behind the Failing Writers Podcast. A podcast for anyone who's ever thought about writing a book, who has ever written a book, or anyone who just, you know, loves writing in general and all the things that go along with that. Yeah, the psychology of it all. Talking to big name writers and also little name writers. Indeed. And I guess writers who haven't even been allocated a particular size of name yet. It's true. But most of all, we have a laugh, don't we? And although we do take writing very seriously, we definitely don't take ourselves seriously. But we did take our appearance on Creators from TrueFans very seriously, didn't we, Jon? Did we? Well, I seem to remember you messing about quite a bit and maybe being a bit silly now that's gonna happen, isn't it? But yes, we had a great time talking to Claire and yeah, we're looking forward to our episode coming out. We are. So, Jon, what are our hopes for the Failing Writers Podcast in 2026?
(04:44):
2026.
I don't know, 2025 was pretty good. We had quite a lot of growth. Sustained growth, I'm gonna call it. We won a couple of awards. So what you say, you're saying it can only go one way from here, that we've reached a peak zenith and it's. It's all downhill. Who knows? I mean, we're gonna aim for that not to be the we. Right.
Yeah.
(05:05):
Yes. Shall we? Yes, of course. We're gonna get more big name guests. We're gonna be coming up with some brilliant writing related shenanigans. Yeah. So more of the same, really. And hopefully continue growing those listener numbers.
Yep.
And my next question to you, Jon, is what about the independent podcasting landscape as a whole? Well, I suppose as an independent podcaster, I think you just wanna feel like you're getting a fair crack of the whip. Do you know what I mean? Yeah, I know what you mean. There's more like C list celebrity podcasts than ever coming out, doesn't it? And it's as hard as ever to get any sort of exposure.
(05:40):
Yeah.
But maybe in 2026 people will start to look for those, you know, lovely little gems, those independent, real voices, the ones that aren't just looking to cash in. Yeah, I hope so. I would agree with that. It'd be great if 2026 could be the year of the non celeb podcast. Or how about Tommy? This is another way of looking at it. Maybe we just become famous and it wouldn't matter, would it? So we just jump on the C list, podcast bandwagon. We just. Exactly. We would be so good at that. We could just phone it in and just, you know, rely on our celebrity status. Who do you think? Which one of us would go on dancing on ice though, would that be probably you, do you think? Or just one of us. Or would have gone as a pair or just thought of you on ice skates. Tom. Yeah. Yeah, I think. I don't know how we'd work that out. Hey, tell you what, let's see how the Celebrity MasterChef goes first. Yes. And then we'll take it from there. That makes sense. That's a good idea. That makes sense. That sorted then. Cool.
The Story of Woman (06:33):
Hello, I'm Anna Stoecklein, creator and host of The Story of Woman, which is a podcast that explores the various issues shaping women's and ultimately all of our lives all around the world through intimate, human centered stories. I've had conversations with people like Hillary Clinton and Cherie Blair, a creator of the Black Lives Matter movement and a Olympian, a Nobel Peace Prize winner. I've spoken with women driving change in Afghanistan, Chad and Yemen. And I've gone on the ground to Kenya to create an in person miniseries. I was a guest on episode 15 of the Creators podcast where I talk more about the podcast and specifically the recent miniseries I created in Kenya. What I hope will happen with my podcast in 2026 is that I'm able to create another in person series, spending time on the ground listening and telling stories right alongside the people who are at the heart of them. And what I hope will happen with independent podcasting in 2026 is that creators will be able to keep finding ways to sustain themselves while remaining independent. Thanks and Happy New Year to you all.
Indie Business Club (07:48):
Hi, I'm Mel Barfield, the host of Indie Business Club podcast. It's the podcast for independent creatives, freelancers, founders and business owners. At the time of recording, my episode with Claire hasn't gone out, but I had a lovely chat in 2026. My hope for my podcast is probably shared by anyone with an indie podcast, which is to find more listeners to grow the podcast and to reach more people and help more people. Because a lot of what I talk about on my podcast is ways people can make their lives a little bit easier, how they can market their freelance or independent business. So I hope to be able to reach more people in 2026. What I hope for in terms of the broader independent podcasting family in 2026 is for us to find more creative ways to bring in income from what we do. Because while money isn't always the end goal for everyone who's an independent podcaster, I think if we can find a way to at least make it so that running a podcast doesn't cost us too much, then that'll be great and that'll get more voices out there.
The Late Bloomer Actor (08:58):
Hi, I'm David John Clark. I'm coming all the way from Adelaide, South Australia, and I am the host of The Late Bloomer Actor podcast. I was very fortunate to be a part of Creators from TrueFans for episode number 11, which was wonderful to chat to Sam Sethi on everything about podcasting in my podcast. So what is my podcast about? Well, as the name suggests, I am the Late Bloomer Actor and I like to record and discuss my journey as a Late Bloomer Actor, where I interview guests of people that have been a part of my journey as an actor and pass on things that we've that I've learned from them on my journey. So what I hope will happen with my podcast in 2026 is I'd like to see a lot more feedback. Unfortunately, the podcasting medium is something unlike YouTube, where people are watching it and they can comment. Podcasting is in your ears. It's something we're listening to. And a lot of podcasts don't have that opportunity to send feedback because they're out on their morning walk or they're in their gym or they're driving their car. And obviously they don't have that opportunity at that time. So I would just like to see a bit more feedback just to know that I'm not alone there as a host. What I hope will happen with independent podcasting in 2026 is I would really like to see an improvement to the stats. No more of this download numbers. I'd like to know how much people are listening, what our retention time is, when are they dropping off. If they're dropping off, are they listening to the whole episode or are they skipping certain parts? I'd just like to see a bit more on the statistical side of things. That's what I'm hoping for for 2026 so thank you Claire. Thank you Sam for everything that you do in podcasting world. I love it. It's great having you down here in Australia and great seeing you share everything with the world and I love being part of your journey. All the best for 2026. I hope it's a great year not just in podcasting but in your life itself. So thank you very much. Check out the Late Bloomer Actor podcast on all great platforms, but particularly on TrueFans. Thank you very much. Have a wonderful year. As I like to say. I'll see you on set. Cheers guys.
Multispective (11:09):
Hi, my name is Jennica and I'm the host and creator of the podcast Multispective. Multispective is an interview podcast where I sit with everyday people, people we don't always hear from who've lived through adversity and come out the other side with insight, resilience and perspective. We talk openly about mental health, trauma, grief, identity and the moments that shape us, but every episode ends with growth, what was learned and how pain can be transformed into purpose. As a teacher, I see every day how powerful it can be when people feel truly seen and heard and multispective grew out of that belief. I was a guest on Creators Episode 18. It was such a meaningful conversation. I really appreciated the opportunity to reflect on creativity, podcasting, what it means to be human, and just my own lived experience. Looking ahead, what I hope will happen with my podcast in 2026 is that it will continue to grow, sustain. I'd love to secure sponsorships that align with the values of the show. I'd love to attend podcasting events and become more involved in the wider podcasting community. I also hope to invite more mental health professionals and industry experts onto the podcast so listeners can benefit from both lived experience, stories and professional insight. And what I hope with independent podcasting in 2026 is that it continues to be recognized as a powerful space for authentic voices. I hope indie podcasters are supported, connected and valued not just for reach or for numbers, but for depth and honesty and creativity and the impact of the stories that they tell.
In Ten Years Time (12:44):
Hi, I'm Tricia Duffy, host of In Ten Years Time
Watts on Your Screen (14:00):
Hello, I'm Matt Watts and I make the podcast Watts on Your Screen, Which is a show all about the fact that we all have the shared experience of looking at screens for longer than is truly healthy. But we can't ever actually be sure what each of us is seeing on those screens, and it's often very different. So through a series of interviews, some monologues, some experimental soundscapes, I explore what it is we're actually all seeing and doing when we're online, and hopefully it's something a little bit different to what you'll find elsewhere. It's not just a breakdown of what memes are big at the moment or trying to work out what 67 means. I try and investigate more niche things like over this last year, one month I spoke to a priest about what it's like to be a man of God on the Internet. And then a couple of months after that I spoke to an embodied amalgamation of all of the ad data I'd produced over the last year. So it's quite a varied show and hopefully. But one thing you can say about it is that it's unique in 2026. I would like to get better at marketing my podcast so that it reaches more people, but marketing is very boring. The title of my podcast is a very lame pun on my name. Watts on Your Screen. My name's Matt Watts, and what I'd like to do is to contact all of the other people who make the same pun with the same surname as me in the titles of their podcast because it turns out there's quite a lot of people doing that. And then to promote my podcast by appearing on their podcasts and vice versa. I'm not sure whether this would be the most effective marketing. I think it would be the most fun, which means it's the kind of marketing I'm most likely to actually do. So I'll let you know how that goes in 2026. What would I like for indie podcasts? Well, I would like platforms that promote independent producers to gain more prominence. I think there's a bit of a kickback against Spotify at the moment and perhaps that will drive people, as they leave it as a music service, towards replacing that with either podcast platforms that promote independent actual audio podcasts instead of just clickbaity nonsense. And perhaps similarly, as we see a kickback against AI slot and podcasts generated by AI, which are now polluting a lot of those big platforms that I don't think were great for podcasts anyway, that there will be a newfound respect and premium put on human made independent shows, and that there will be platforms that have that as their selling point.
Exhibitionistas (17:12):
Hello, my name is Joana PR Neves. I'm the creator and host of Exhibitionistas, a podcast with a number of different fun, researched or poetic formats to provide listeners with different ways of enjoying contemporary art. I was a guest on the fourth episode of Creators and had a blast talking with Claire, who is the sweetest person and the most lively interviewer who provided a good pause and time to have a think. It was really fruitful to actually stop and look at what I was doing and the industry. Thank you, Claire, for providing yet another moment to look back. Specifically, what I hope will happen in my podcast podcast in 2026 is to have more engagement. I don't care that much about the numbers. I think I'm at the average number of listeners. But I do find that it takes longer, perhaps even more so in contemporary art for people to warm up to the idea of leaving a comment or responding to a poll. Of course I want growth, but I find it easier to locate strategies for growth than for engagement. What I hope will happen with independent podcasting in 2026 is, I think, clear categories. And I say this as a podcaster and a listener, of course, as a writer, I'm glad that people buy my books because of my podcast or sign up for my substack because of it. But I don't have a podcast to lead to my business. I do it because I love the creative potential it has and I want to explore it for itself. And so while I believe that there is a space for everyone, and I think that if you have a business and you have a podcast as a strategy to lead to your business, that's amazing and I think you should do it, go for it. More power to you. What I consider A problem is the fact that it's really difficult to differentiate yourself. So I find myself thinking about TV and thinking, you wouldn't consider a TV show by Coca Cola about the greatness of fizzy beverages as the same thing as a Louis Theroux documentary. And therefore, if you were watching tv, you wouldn't be offered the same content in the same way. And so I daydream about a channel dedicated to art only or culture, or at least to have not only better categories than arts and entertainment, where I find myself competing with a celebrity cooking show or a pop culture podcast, but also perhaps different types of formats presented as such. Investigative, research, creative, artistic. Because I find that podcasting has so much potential. It's audio. It can be audio and video, especially for art. So why do we always have the same type of format? Why not propose more formats? Or at least highlight the fact that there are other formats out there? Because that would also, I think, stimulate more creativity. We have a tendency to explore these new technologies and then narrow down their potential. And that makes me sad, especially because I work with contemporary art, I work with lots of creative people, and I see the potential and I explore that potential. But then I don't have a way to explain very quickly to people who are looking for podcasts that that's what I do. So 2026, organize yourself and make it easier for people to find different kinds of podcasts. Because as a listener, sometimes I want something light and quick, sometimes I want a conversation, and other times I really want something that goes deep, that takes me somewhere, that informs me about a field that I don't know very well, or something that is actually poetic and makes me dream and takes me to another state of mind? Why don't we have clear categories about that so that we very quickly find what we're looking for or very quickly discover that there are things out there that we haven't explored yet. That's it. That's my very complex wish that actually could be really, really simple, I think.
The Adult Ballet Studio (22:03):
My name's Elizabeth Blosfield, and I'm the host and producer of The Adult Ballet Studio. This is a podcast for amateur adult ballet dancers. It features conversations with dancers who've returned to ballet or discovered it for the first time later in life, as well as anyone working to make the ballet feel more welcoming for dancers of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. Claire and I had a great chat this year, and at the time of recording this, I don't know exactly when my conversation with Claire will be featured on Creators, but she has assured me it will be at some point soon. Speaking of the future, in 2026 I would love for The Adult Ballet Studio to serve as a trusted voice in conversations about access, ageism and equity in ballet, and to establish this podcast as a leading platform for adult and non traditional ballet dancers. I hope to strengthen two way engagement with my listeners, maybe by introducing some in person or hybrid events, and continue building relationships with artists, educators and ballet companies. I would love to secure some advertising and revenue streams to move the podcast beyond a labor of love into a financially sustainable creative project. But most of all, I want to continue to document adult ballet stories as an adult ballet dancer and podcaster myself. At its core, this work is about connection, connecting dancers to one another, listeners to the art form and the ballet industry to a broader, more diverse community. Through storytelling, advocacy and community building. The aim of the Adult Ballet Studio is to help shape a more accessible, relevant future for ballet overall. Next year I hope that independent podcasting becomes more sustainable. I hope it can continue to be respected as a form of journalism and cultural work, and I'd like to see clear pathways for independent creators, especially those telling community driven stories, to get started and to grow and to connect with each other. I valued so many of the connections I've been able to make with fellow independent podcasters, largely this year because my podcast was lucky enough to be a nominee for the International Women's Podcast Awards - plug! - where I travelled to London, met Claire and connected with her creators community Independent podcasts play an important role in documenting culture, amplifying underrepresented voices, and creating space for conversations that don't always fit into traditional molds. And I hope in 2026 the podcasting industry will continue to recognize the importance of this work and that audiences will continue to support it.
The Cashflow Show (24:12):
Hello, I'm Clayton M Coke. I'm the creator and the host of The Cashflow Show podcast. The Cashflow Show is a podcast for founders, CEOs and business owners who want to be educated, entertained and inspired by successful entrepreneurs who share their stories and lessons learned in a long form format. Claire Waitee Brown was kind enough to feature us on episode six of the Creator Series where we had a lively discussion about all things podcasting. What I hope will happen with my podcast in 2026 is that it will continue to grow after nine years and be expanding to get more subscribers, more listeners, and more quality guests who want to share their experiences in business. What I hope will happen with independent podcasting in 2026 is that there will be more recognition and more remuneration for independent podcasters. We're finding ourselves in a situation where so many great podcasters are doing such great work, but not getting the access or the praise or the recognition that they should get as podcasters. And that's been taken away to a certain extent by media figures who are already prominent in the sphere. I'm looking forward to more growth in the independent podcasting arena and in terms of the Independent Podcasting Awards, and that everybody will ultimately, if they choose, be able to get paid for the work that they do. I'm Clayton M Coke and I'm wishing everybody in the podcasting world a successful 2026 and a prosperous future in the podcasting environment.
Book Imprint (25:59):
Hi, my name is Rebecca Thandi Norman and I am the creator and host of Book Imprint, which features on episode 16 of Creators. I am also the host of Tea & Murder an Agatha Christie Podcast.
What I hope will happen with my
podcast in 2026 is that we're able to continue producing interesting episodes with great guests as well as do more live episodes.
Exhibitionistas (26:20):
What I hope will happen with independent
Book Imprint (26:22):
podcasting in 2026 is that more of us find our audiences and are able to connect with them in new, exciting ways. Thanks, Claire and Creators for having me.
The Friendship File (26:31):
My name is Jayne Morgan and I am the creator and the voice of the questions and producer of The Friendship File. In The Friendship File, two friends each answer the same 17 questions on their own and without conferring, and each episode is a combination of those answers. Before everyone else hears it. The two friends get to hear that cut together and react to what each other has said. It is aimed at celebrating friendship and getting people to have a look at their friendships, perhaps from a slightly different angle. Friendship is a slightly undervalued relationship, I think, but the fact is it's often one of the most enduring. There are playmates, there are witnesses, there are support network, and they are incredibly important. And The Friendship File is trying to shine a very much needed spotlight on those important relationships in our lives. What I hope will happen with my podcast in 2026 is that I do some of it. I am a professional podcast producer and I'm very happy that I am most of the time very busy. But that means it's often not too easy to fit in The Friendship File. So it does come and go, but I'm determined not to let it die and I will make another series. That is my plan. What I hope will happen with independent podcasting in 2026 is it's a very, very interesting time to be an independent podcaster because this is the age of video and it's not always possible for those of us who are trying to keep our own podcasts going, to add that element in it's more time and more resources, and that's not always easy. We are also in the age of huge organizations who are so dominant in the podcast world and therefore their formats have become very dominant. And I hope that there is still room for invention and variety. So yes, independent podcasting is important because it keeps that variety and that origination and innovation going.
Ear Worthy (28:45):
Hi Claire, this is Frank Racioppi at Ear Worthy. We fervently believe that independent podcasters should become part of the mainstream, enabling more listeners to sample the kinds of creative freshness that so defines independently produced shows. No podcast network is currently developing the kind of novel, unique, and quite honestly, sometimes quirky content that the indies are. So for 2026, I recommend to listeners that instead of listening to Alex Cooper and Call Her Daddy, try Reena Friedman Watts and Better Call Daddy. Instead of Joe Rogan, try Joe Mealy of The Wine Pair Podcast. Instead of the Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard, try 5 Random Questions with Danny Brown. And instead of Mel Robbins, try Aubrey Jonson of The Road to Rediscovery. Thanks, Claire.
Claire Waite Brown (29:44):
Thanks so much for all of your contributions. And here's to a cracking year for indie creators.
Maybe in 2026 people will start to look for those, you know, lovely little gems, those independent real voices. The ones that aren't just looking to cash in.
Multispective (00:16):
I hope indie podcasters are supported, connected and valued. Not just for reach or for numbers, but for depth and honesty and creativity and the impact of the stories that they tell.
The Late Bloomer Actor (00:28):
I would really like to see an improvement to the stat no more of this download numbers. I'd like to know how much people are listening.
Exhibitionistas (00:38):
Not only better categories than arts and entertainment where I find myself competing with a celebrity cooking show or a pop culture podcast, but also perhaps different types of formats presented as such.
Watts on Your Screen (00:53):
In 2026, I would like to get better at marketing my podcast so that it reaches more people, but marketing is very boring.
Claire Waite Brown (01:06):
Happy New Year to all you podcast creators and consumers. I'm Claire Waite Brown. In early summer 2025, Sam Sethi suggested we start a regular podcast together to showcase the kind of content you can access on the TrueFans app and the features you can implement there that you won't find on other podcast apps. We wanted the podcast to focus on independent creators, what they are producing, and how TrueFans can help them with discovery, interactivity, and monetization. Independent creators are the lifeline of the podcast industry, although perhaps not recognized as such as often as they should be, with more creative energy and inventiveness than many of the popular shows you'll see at the top of the charts in some other podcast apps. We wanted our show to amplify indie voices and keep those creators informed about industry changes relevant to them, including Podcasting 2.0 features and tools that can help small shows to grow sustainably. In 2025, we interviewed the creators of 13 indie podcasts covering a wide range of topics and formats, and I highly recommend that if this is the first time you've listened to Creators from TrueFans, that you head back to episode four and continue listening up to episode 18. You don't need to listen to episodes one to three. We started scrappy, as many indie podcasters do for this mixtape episode. I asked some of those podcasters and podcast friends about their hopes for their show and the indie podcast landscape in general in 2026. I hope you enjoy their answers and perhaps find some commonality with your own indie podcast aspirations. You will hear that a few of the guests on this episode are hoping to get more feedback for their shows and interactions with their listeners, something that is easily done directly in the TrueFans app. So here's a little bit of homework to get you used to interacting on TrueFans. Everyone at Creators, guests and hosts would love to know about your own hopes for your independent podcast or the indie podcast environment as a whole. So please send us your thoughts by writing a comment on this episode in TrueFans. Simply click on the speech bubble icon or on the tab called Comments and away you go. Now, over to those guests.
The Failing Writers Podcast (03:49):
Hi, I'm Tom. And I'm Jon. And we're the chaps behind the Failing Writers Podcast. A podcast for anyone who's ever thought about writing a book, who has ever written a book, or anyone who just, you know, loves writing in general and all the things that go along with that. Yeah, the psychology of it all. Talking to big name writers and also little name writers. Indeed. And I guess writers who haven't even been allocated a particular size of name yet. It's true. But most of all, we have a laugh, don't we? And although we do take writing very seriously, we definitely don't take ourselves seriously. But we did take our appearance on Creators from TrueFans very seriously, didn't we, Jon? Did we? Well, I seem to remember you messing about quite a bit and maybe being a bit silly now that's gonna happen, isn't it? But yes, we had a great time talking to Claire and yeah, we're looking forward to our episode coming out. We are. So, Jon, what are our hopes for the Failing Writers Podcast in 2026?
(04:44):
2026.
I don't know, 2025 was pretty good. We had quite a lot of growth. Sustained growth, I'm gonna call it. We won a couple of awards. So what you say, you're saying it can only go one way from here, that we've reached a peak zenith and it's. It's all downhill. Who knows? I mean, we're gonna aim for that not to be the we. Right.
Yeah.
(05:05):
Yes. Shall we? Yes, of course. We're gonna get more big name guests. We're gonna be coming up with some brilliant writing related shenanigans. Yeah. So more of the same, really. And hopefully continue growing those listener numbers.
Yep.
And my next question to you, Jon, is what about the independent podcasting landscape as a whole? Well, I suppose as an independent podcaster, I think you just wanna feel like you're getting a fair crack of the whip. Do you know what I mean? Yeah, I know what you mean. There's more like C list celebrity podcasts than ever coming out, doesn't it? And it's as hard as ever to get any sort of exposure.
(05:40):
Yeah.
But maybe in 2026 people will start to look for those, you know, lovely little gems, those independent, real voices, the ones that aren't just looking to cash in. Yeah, I hope so. I would agree with that. It'd be great if 2026 could be the year of the non celeb podcast. Or how about Tommy? This is another way of looking at it. Maybe we just become famous and it wouldn't matter, would it? So we just jump on the C list, podcast bandwagon. We just. Exactly. We would be so good at that. We could just phone it in and just, you know, rely on our celebrity status. Who do you think? Which one of us would go on dancing on ice though, would that be probably you, do you think? Or just one of us. Or would have gone as a pair or just thought of you on ice skates. Tom. Yeah. Yeah, I think. I don't know how we'd work that out. Hey, tell you what, let's see how the Celebrity MasterChef goes first. Yes. And then we'll take it from there. That makes sense. That's a good idea. That makes sense. That sorted then. Cool.
The Story of Woman (06:33):
Hello, I'm Anna Stoecklein, creator and host of The Story of Woman, which is a podcast that explores the various issues shaping women's and ultimately all of our lives all around the world through intimate, human centered stories. I've had conversations with people like Hillary Clinton and Cherie Blair, a creator of the Black Lives Matter movement and a Olympian, a Nobel Peace Prize winner. I've spoken with women driving change in Afghanistan, Chad and Yemen. And I've gone on the ground to Kenya to create an in person miniseries. I was a guest on episode 15 of the Creators podcast where I talk more about the podcast and specifically the recent miniseries I created in Kenya. What I hope will happen with my podcast in 2026 is that I'm able to create another in person series, spending time on the ground listening and telling stories right alongside the people who are at the heart of them. And what I hope will happen with independent podcasting in 2026 is that creators will be able to keep finding ways to sustain themselves while remaining independent. Thanks and Happy New Year to you all.
Indie Business Club (07:48):
Hi, I'm Mel Barfield, the host of Indie Business Club podcast. It's the podcast for independent creatives, freelancers, founders and business owners. At the time of recording, my episode with Claire hasn't gone out, but I had a lovely chat in 2026. My hope for my podcast is probably shared by anyone with an indie podcast, which is to find more listeners to grow the podcast and to reach more people and help more people. Because a lot of what I talk about on my podcast is ways people can make their lives a little bit easier, how they can market their freelance or independent business. So I hope to be able to reach more people in 2026. What I hope for in terms of the broader independent podcasting family in 2026 is for us to find more creative ways to bring in income from what we do. Because while money isn't always the end goal for everyone who's an independent podcaster, I think if we can find a way to at least make it so that running a podcast doesn't cost us too much, then that'll be great and that'll get more voices out there.
The Late Bloomer Actor (08:58):
Hi, I'm David John Clark. I'm coming all the way from Adelaide, South Australia, and I am the host of The Late Bloomer Actor podcast. I was very fortunate to be a part of Creators from TrueFans for episode number 11, which was wonderful to chat to Sam Sethi on everything about podcasting in my podcast. So what is my podcast about? Well, as the name suggests, I am the Late Bloomer Actor and I like to record and discuss my journey as a Late Bloomer Actor, where I interview guests of people that have been a part of my journey as an actor and pass on things that we've that I've learned from them on my journey. So what I hope will happen with my podcast in 2026 is I'd like to see a lot more feedback. Unfortunately, the podcasting medium is something unlike YouTube, where people are watching it and they can comment. Podcasting is in your ears. It's something we're listening to. And a lot of podcasts don't have that opportunity to send feedback because they're out on their morning walk or they're in their gym or they're driving their car. And obviously they don't have that opportunity at that time. So I would just like to see a bit more feedback just to know that I'm not alone there as a host. What I hope will happen with independent podcasting in 2026 is I would really like to see an improvement to the stats. No more of this download numbers. I'd like to know how much people are listening, what our retention time is, when are they dropping off. If they're dropping off, are they listening to the whole episode or are they skipping certain parts? I'd just like to see a bit more on the statistical side of things. That's what I'm hoping for for 2026 so thank you Claire. Thank you Sam for everything that you do in podcasting world. I love it. It's great having you down here in Australia and great seeing you share everything with the world and I love being part of your journey. All the best for 2026. I hope it's a great year not just in podcasting but in your life itself. So thank you very much. Check out the Late Bloomer Actor podcast on all great platforms, but particularly on TrueFans. Thank you very much. Have a wonderful year. As I like to say. I'll see you on set. Cheers guys.
Multispective (11:09):
Hi, my name is Jennica and I'm the host and creator of the podcast Multispective. Multispective is an interview podcast where I sit with everyday people, people we don't always hear from who've lived through adversity and come out the other side with insight, resilience and perspective. We talk openly about mental health, trauma, grief, identity and the moments that shape us, but every episode ends with growth, what was learned and how pain can be transformed into purpose. As a teacher, I see every day how powerful it can be when people feel truly seen and heard and multispective grew out of that belief. I was a guest on Creators Episode 18. It was such a meaningful conversation. I really appreciated the opportunity to reflect on creativity, podcasting, what it means to be human, and just my own lived experience. Looking ahead, what I hope will happen with my podcast in 2026 is that it will continue to grow, sustain. I'd love to secure sponsorships that align with the values of the show. I'd love to attend podcasting events and become more involved in the wider podcasting community. I also hope to invite more mental health professionals and industry experts onto the podcast so listeners can benefit from both lived experience, stories and professional insight. And what I hope with independent podcasting in 2026 is that it continues to be recognized as a powerful space for authentic voices. I hope indie podcasters are supported, connected and valued not just for reach or for numbers, but for depth and honesty and creativity and the impact of the stories that they tell.
In Ten Years Time (12:44):
Hi, I'm Tricia Duffy, host of In Ten Years Time
Watts on Your Screen (14:00):
Hello, I'm Matt Watts and I make the podcast Watts on Your Screen, Which is a show all about the fact that we all have the shared experience of looking at screens for longer than is truly healthy. But we can't ever actually be sure what each of us is seeing on those screens, and it's often very different. So through a series of interviews, some monologues, some experimental soundscapes, I explore what it is we're actually all seeing and doing when we're online, and hopefully it's something a little bit different to what you'll find elsewhere. It's not just a breakdown of what memes are big at the moment or trying to work out what 67 means. I try and investigate more niche things like over this last year, one month I spoke to a priest about what it's like to be a man of God on the Internet. And then a couple of months after that I spoke to an embodied amalgamation of all of the ad data I'd produced over the last year. So it's quite a varied show and hopefully. But one thing you can say about it is that it's unique in 2026. I would like to get better at marketing my podcast so that it reaches more people, but marketing is very boring. The title of my podcast is a very lame pun on my name. Watts on Your Screen. My name's Matt Watts, and what I'd like to do is to contact all of the other people who make the same pun with the same surname as me in the titles of their podcast because it turns out there's quite a lot of people doing that. And then to promote my podcast by appearing on their podcasts and vice versa. I'm not sure whether this would be the most effective marketing. I think it would be the most fun, which means it's the kind of marketing I'm most likely to actually do. So I'll let you know how that goes in 2026. What would I like for indie podcasts? Well, I would like platforms that promote independent producers to gain more prominence. I think there's a bit of a kickback against Spotify at the moment and perhaps that will drive people, as they leave it as a music service, towards replacing that with either podcast platforms that promote independent actual audio podcasts instead of just clickbaity nonsense. And perhaps similarly, as we see a kickback against AI slot and podcasts generated by AI, which are now polluting a lot of those big platforms that I don't think were great for podcasts anyway, that there will be a newfound respect and premium put on human made independent shows, and that there will be platforms that have that as their selling point.
Exhibitionistas (17:12):
Hello, my name is Joana PR Neves. I'm the creator and host of Exhibitionistas, a podcast with a number of different fun, researched or poetic formats to provide listeners with different ways of enjoying contemporary art. I was a guest on the fourth episode of Creators and had a blast talking with Claire, who is the sweetest person and the most lively interviewer who provided a good pause and time to have a think. It was really fruitful to actually stop and look at what I was doing and the industry. Thank you, Claire, for providing yet another moment to look back. Specifically, what I hope will happen in my podcast podcast in 2026 is to have more engagement. I don't care that much about the numbers. I think I'm at the average number of listeners. But I do find that it takes longer, perhaps even more so in contemporary art for people to warm up to the idea of leaving a comment or responding to a poll. Of course I want growth, but I find it easier to locate strategies for growth than for engagement. What I hope will happen with independent podcasting in 2026 is, I think, clear categories. And I say this as a podcaster and a listener, of course, as a writer, I'm glad that people buy my books because of my podcast or sign up for my substack because of it. But I don't have a podcast to lead to my business. I do it because I love the creative potential it has and I want to explore it for itself. And so while I believe that there is a space for everyone, and I think that if you have a business and you have a podcast as a strategy to lead to your business, that's amazing and I think you should do it, go for it. More power to you. What I consider A problem is the fact that it's really difficult to differentiate yourself. So I find myself thinking about TV and thinking, you wouldn't consider a TV show by Coca Cola about the greatness of fizzy beverages as the same thing as a Louis Theroux documentary. And therefore, if you were watching tv, you wouldn't be offered the same content in the same way. And so I daydream about a channel dedicated to art only or culture, or at least to have not only better categories than arts and entertainment, where I find myself competing with a celebrity cooking show or a pop culture podcast, but also perhaps different types of formats presented as such. Investigative, research, creative, artistic. Because I find that podcasting has so much potential. It's audio. It can be audio and video, especially for art. So why do we always have the same type of format? Why not propose more formats? Or at least highlight the fact that there are other formats out there? Because that would also, I think, stimulate more creativity. We have a tendency to explore these new technologies and then narrow down their potential. And that makes me sad, especially because I work with contemporary art, I work with lots of creative people, and I see the potential and I explore that potential. But then I don't have a way to explain very quickly to people who are looking for podcasts that that's what I do. So 2026, organize yourself and make it easier for people to find different kinds of podcasts. Because as a listener, sometimes I want something light and quick, sometimes I want a conversation, and other times I really want something that goes deep, that takes me somewhere, that informs me about a field that I don't know very well, or something that is actually poetic and makes me dream and takes me to another state of mind? Why don't we have clear categories about that so that we very quickly find what we're looking for or very quickly discover that there are things out there that we haven't explored yet. That's it. That's my very complex wish that actually could be really, really simple, I think.
The Adult Ballet Studio (22:03):
My name's Elizabeth Blosfield, and I'm the host and producer of The Adult Ballet Studio. This is a podcast for amateur adult ballet dancers. It features conversations with dancers who've returned to ballet or discovered it for the first time later in life, as well as anyone working to make the ballet feel more welcoming for dancers of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. Claire and I had a great chat this year, and at the time of recording this, I don't know exactly when my conversation with Claire will be featured on Creators, but she has assured me it will be at some point soon. Speaking of the future, in 2026 I would love for The Adult Ballet Studio to serve as a trusted voice in conversations about access, ageism and equity in ballet, and to establish this podcast as a leading platform for adult and non traditional ballet dancers. I hope to strengthen two way engagement with my listeners, maybe by introducing some in person or hybrid events, and continue building relationships with artists, educators and ballet companies. I would love to secure some advertising and revenue streams to move the podcast beyond a labor of love into a financially sustainable creative project. But most of all, I want to continue to document adult ballet stories as an adult ballet dancer and podcaster myself. At its core, this work is about connection, connecting dancers to one another, listeners to the art form and the ballet industry to a broader, more diverse community. Through storytelling, advocacy and community building. The aim of the Adult Ballet Studio is to help shape a more accessible, relevant future for ballet overall. Next year I hope that independent podcasting becomes more sustainable. I hope it can continue to be respected as a form of journalism and cultural work, and I'd like to see clear pathways for independent creators, especially those telling community driven stories, to get started and to grow and to connect with each other. I valued so many of the connections I've been able to make with fellow independent podcasters, largely this year because my podcast was lucky enough to be a nominee for the International Women's Podcast Awards - plug! - where I travelled to London, met Claire and connected with her creators community Independent podcasts play an important role in documenting culture, amplifying underrepresented voices, and creating space for conversations that don't always fit into traditional molds. And I hope in 2026 the podcasting industry will continue to recognize the importance of this work and that audiences will continue to support it.
The Cashflow Show (24:12):
Hello, I'm Clayton M Coke. I'm the creator and the host of The Cashflow Show podcast. The Cashflow Show is a podcast for founders, CEOs and business owners who want to be educated, entertained and inspired by successful entrepreneurs who share their stories and lessons learned in a long form format. Claire Waitee Brown was kind enough to feature us on episode six of the Creator Series where we had a lively discussion about all things podcasting. What I hope will happen with my podcast in 2026 is that it will continue to grow after nine years and be expanding to get more subscribers, more listeners, and more quality guests who want to share their experiences in business. What I hope will happen with independent podcasting in 2026 is that there will be more recognition and more remuneration for independent podcasters. We're finding ourselves in a situation where so many great podcasters are doing such great work, but not getting the access or the praise or the recognition that they should get as podcasters. And that's been taken away to a certain extent by media figures who are already prominent in the sphere. I'm looking forward to more growth in the independent podcasting arena and in terms of the Independent Podcasting Awards, and that everybody will ultimately, if they choose, be able to get paid for the work that they do. I'm Clayton M Coke and I'm wishing everybody in the podcasting world a successful 2026 and a prosperous future in the podcasting environment.
Book Imprint (25:59):
Hi, my name is Rebecca Thandi Norman and I am the creator and host of Book Imprint, which features on episode 16 of Creators. I am also the host of Tea & Murder an Agatha Christie Podcast.
What I hope will happen with my
podcast in 2026 is that we're able to continue producing interesting episodes with great guests as well as do more live episodes.
Exhibitionistas (26:20):
What I hope will happen with independent
Book Imprint (26:22):
podcasting in 2026 is that more of us find our audiences and are able to connect with them in new, exciting ways. Thanks, Claire and Creators for having me.
The Friendship File (26:31):
My name is Jayne Morgan and I am the creator and the voice of the questions and producer of The Friendship File. In The Friendship File, two friends each answer the same 17 questions on their own and without conferring, and each episode is a combination of those answers. Before everyone else hears it. The two friends get to hear that cut together and react to what each other has said. It is aimed at celebrating friendship and getting people to have a look at their friendships, perhaps from a slightly different angle. Friendship is a slightly undervalued relationship, I think, but the fact is it's often one of the most enduring. There are playmates, there are witnesses, there are support network, and they are incredibly important. And The Friendship File is trying to shine a very much needed spotlight on those important relationships in our lives. What I hope will happen with my podcast in 2026 is that I do some of it. I am a professional podcast producer and I'm very happy that I am most of the time very busy. But that means it's often not too easy to fit in The Friendship File. So it does come and go, but I'm determined not to let it die and I will make another series. That is my plan. What I hope will happen with independent podcasting in 2026 is it's a very, very interesting time to be an independent podcaster because this is the age of video and it's not always possible for those of us who are trying to keep our own podcasts going, to add that element in it's more time and more resources, and that's not always easy. We are also in the age of huge organizations who are so dominant in the podcast world and therefore their formats have become very dominant. And I hope that there is still room for invention and variety. So yes, independent podcasting is important because it keeps that variety and that origination and innovation going.
Ear Worthy (28:45):
Hi Claire, this is Frank Racioppi at Ear Worthy. We fervently believe that independent podcasters should become part of the mainstream, enabling more listeners to sample the kinds of creative freshness that so defines independently produced shows. No podcast network is currently developing the kind of novel, unique, and quite honestly, sometimes quirky content that the indies are. So for 2026, I recommend to listeners that instead of listening to Alex Cooper and Call Her Daddy, try Reena Friedman Watts and Better Call Daddy. Instead of Joe Rogan, try Joe Mealy of The Wine Pair Podcast. Instead of the Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard, try 5 Random Questions with Danny Brown. And instead of Mel Robbins, try Aubrey Jonson of The Road to Rediscovery. Thanks, Claire.
Claire Waite Brown (29:44):
Thanks so much for all of your contributions. And here's to a cracking year for indie creators.
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