230: My Experience Opening and Operating a Brick and Mortar Podcast Studio for 3 Years

I discuss my experience opening and operating a brick and mortar podcast studio for 3 years, including:

Discovering podcasting in late 2011

Starting my own show in my apartment solely for the experience of starting a podcast – The Chris Curran Show!

Why I decided to open a physical podcast studio in June 2012

Economics:

• I had no idea if this kind of business could be profitable, but I was so energized to do it that I took the leap.
• I’ll talk more later about the monetary success or failure of the studio ;)

History:

• Before Serial hit in the fall of 2014 the podcasting space was still relatively small and unknown.
• I don’t know anyone who ran a physical podcast studio back when I did, but I’m sure at least a few people must have.

What were my competitive advantages?

• My audio experience
• My local networking experience

I was fortunate that:

• I found a space very close to my apartment.
• I had previously been a member of the largest Chamber of Commerce in that area, so I knew a bunch of people already.

i signed a 3 year lease, but it wasn’t overly expensive because it was in an older building and the space was unique (perhaps difficult to sell to most average businesses).

Fractal Recording was born in June 2012.

Equipment setup:

• 4 mics (Sennheiser e835’s)
• 4 Heil boom arms
• 4 channels of dbx 166xs
• Headphone amp
• Digital hybrid to take actual phone calls
• iPad for playing music and sound clips
• Bought my first Mac for the studio
• Focusrite interface (stereo!)
• Bought a couc