I started my podcast on 22nd July 2016, back then, I didn't know where this journey would take me, but last week, #TimTalk officially hits 650 episodes
Why not subscribe to my podcast here
In nearly a decade of broadcasting, Podcast, Live Streaming, I’ve often been asked: What actually makes a great podcast?
Recently, a former guest of mine, Wendy Lipton-Dibner, answered this perfectly
She’s appeared on countless business shows and shared that the best experiences come from hosts who truly love the conversation. She noted:
"My best advice is to scroll different podcasts and focus on the host. Some are all about their sponsors, others are all about their own stories, and others seem bored. Listen for the hosts who LOVE their conversations... those who spotlight their guests' unique personality. When the show ends, you're still buzzing from the experience!"
Wendy was kind enough to tag me as a host who fits that criteria
It’s a generous compliment, and it gets to the heart of why #TimTalk exists
The Podcast Hierarchy of Needs
To me, every great show is built on three elements. However, most people get the order of importance completely backward. Here is how I see it:
The Audience (The most important)
The Guest
The Host (The least important)
As a host, my role is to serve
My job is to make the guest look brilliant for the benefit of the audience, who are being incredibly generous with their time
It’s Not an Ego Trip
I’ve been a guest on many shows myself, and I agree with Wendy, some hosts seem genuinely bored
Some are just going through the motions as a podcast is a tick box for being an “influencer”
Others treat the interview as an extension of their own ego
I’ve been on podcasts where the host actually spoke more than I did! Yes really!
If I’m doing my job right, I should be the conduit, not the main attraction
Protecting the Experience
This audience-first mindset also dictates how I handle the business side of things
I was once approached by a company offering £8,000 ($10,400) to run a 30-second advert at the start of every episode
My response was simple: "If I run that ad, I will lose the audience."
They didn't care; they had a KPI to hit
But I care
Which is why I walked away from the money!
My loyalty is to the people who tune in every week, not to a corporate sponsor's spreadsheet
Conclusion
Building #TimTalk to 650 episodes hasn't been about me, it’s been about the 650+ conversations and the thousands of you who listen to them
Thank you for being part of this journey since 2016
Here’s to the next chapter of learning, sharing, and keeping the conversation buzzing
Why not subscribe to my podcast here
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