In 2005 my friend Pipes and I started a podcast called Six-String Bliss. We both play guitar and love talking about music, so we decided to record some conversations and post them on the Internet. Eight years and 272 episodes later, we finally ended the podcast.
I was talking to another friend recently, and he asked me, “How much money did you make off your podcast over the years?â€
I wasn’t sure how to respond, but I figured honesty was the best policy. “Negative. We made negative money.†There were hosting fees for the podcast, costs to travel around and interview people, etc. We made a few bucks from sponsorships here and there, but we never turned a profit.
“So why’d you keep doing it for so long?†my friend asked. “What did you get out of it?â€
On the one hand, that is an odd question to ask about a hobby. After all, I don’t ask him how much he makes from golfing or watching movies. On the other hand, podcasting is an Internet business (of sorts) in which it is theoretically possible to make money. His question got me thinking. I made some great friends and had fun podcasting, but what did I learn through the experience? [Read more…] about Lessons Learned from Eight Years Podcasting