Building a Passionate Audience: The Journey of the Startup Podcast with Yaniv Bernstein

Episode Summary:

In this engaging episode of "Earning Ears," host Adam Spencer talks with Yaniv Bernstein, a seasoned professional with deep roots in the tech industry and startup ecosystem. Yaniv delves into the importance of living an exciting life as the bedrock for generating compelling content, bridging his extensive experience to provide listeners with a unique understanding of Silicon Valley-style entrepreneurship. Drawing from his roles at Google and Airtasker and insights from his podcast journey, Yaniv imparts valuable knowledge on growing an audience and the political energy landscape.

Yaniv emphasizes the significance of podcasting as a medium for its intimate approach to audience building, where the power of conversation and consistency reign supreme. He shares his journey from impulsively launching a podcast to developing it into a business with substantial branding and a tight-knit community of listeners. Adam and Yaniv discuss topics ranging from the nuances of content creation to creatively leveraging platforms like YouTube for podcast promotion. They also explore the intricacies of branding, discuss the challenges of podcast discoverability, and reveal insights into starting and maintaining a successful podcast.

About the Guest(s):

Yaniv Bernstein boasts a multifaceted career, from software engineering manager at Google to chief operating officer of Airtasker. As an angel investor and founder of Circular, a tech subscription service, Yaniv brings a wealth of experience and expertise. His insightful perspectives are shared as the co-host of the Startup podcast, a resource exploring the mindset and methods driving Silicon Valley-style innovation. With over 100,000 downloads, the podcast stands as a testament to his audience-building acumen.

Key Takeaways:

• Vital Experience Over Hacks: Yaniv underscores the necessity of having authentic experiences to discuss, suggesting that content creators thrive best when they can draw from a rich personal and professional background.
• Podcast Persistence: The conversation highlights the commitment required to grow a podcast audience gradually. Podcasts demand consistency and engagement to retain listeners.
• Conversational Dynamo: The Startup podcast's unique conversational format fosters a more personal connection with the audience, reinforcing the potency of dialogue in Podcasting.
• YouTube as a Catalyst: Yaniv outlines YouTube's potential as a growth channel for podcasts, thanks to its algorithmic reach and ability to attract new listeners through diverse content forms like shorts and full episodes.
• Sophistication in Simplicity: Quick-start tools like Riverside FM, Descript, and Spotify for Podcasters provide the fundamental capabilities for anyone aspiring to launch a podcast without overwhelming investment or complexity.

Notable Quotes:

• "If you want to produce good content, live an interesting life."
• "Make sure you have something to talk about. Be a doer, right? Do things."
• "It's a big commitment to listen to a new show... You have to earn each one."
• "Most podcasts never even make it to ten episodes because it's more work than you think, and you kind of give up on it."
• "Podcasting... it's a grind. Like most content, especially podcasts, which are interesting mediums."

Resources:

The episode showcases Yaniv Bernstein's Startup podcast, which can be accessed for a deeper dive into the mindset behind venture-backed startups. Listeners can connect with Yaniv and follow his insights, particularly through LinkedIn, where he actively shares content. The podcast discussed in this conversation can be found at TSP Show.

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