What I Wish I Knew Before Starting a Podcast: A Practical Guide for Year One

Starting a podcast is exciting. Keeping it running? That’s the real work. After a year in the trenches, you quickly learn there’s a gap between the launch-day buzz and the weekly grind of scripting, recording, editing, scheduling, and showing up again and again.

This guide distils real lessons from working podcasters into a practical plan. Whether you’re just starting or stuck in a rut, it will save you time, set honest expectations, and help you build a show you’re genuinely proud of.

The Truth About Difficulty

Podcasting is hard, like training hard. Every stage demands energy: planning, recording, editing, writing show notes, creating artwork, uploading, and promoting. The work compounds. The good news? With repeatable systems, everything gets faster.

One hour of polished audio may take several hours of effort, especially with multiple speakers. Your first ten episodes are your real training ground. The next thirty are where you find your voice. Bad weeks happen, but solid systems keep you publishing.

Consistency Is Not Optional

Listeners form habits. If you promise weekly, deliver weekly. If you release in seasons, stick to that cadence. Consistency doesn’t mean daily social posts, it means consistent episodes.

To stay on track:

• Record in batches.

• Stay 4–8 episodes ahead.

• Block recording/editing like client meetings.

• Choose a realistic cadence, weekly, fortnightly, or seasonal.

Do It for Love, Not for Likes

Fame and income are never guaranteed. Passion is the only fuel that lasts. Ask yourself: if only two people listened, would I still want to make this show?

That mindset leads to:

• Better content

• Loyal listeners

• Long-term satisfaction

Content > Kit

Great microphones don’t save bad content. But decent gear + preparation always beats fancy gear with weak delivery.

Start with:

• Reliable dynamic mics (like the Samson Q2U or Shure MV7)

• Basic headphones

• Room treatment (even blankets help)

Keep the signal chain simple to reduce failure points. For gear guides, check The Podcast Host or Sound on Sound.

Learn the Basics of Audio

You don’t need to be an engineer, but learn:

• Gates: Cut background noise

• Compressors: Smooth out volume spikes

• EQ: Shape your voice for clarity

Tools to explore:

• Auphonic

• Audacity

• Adobe Audition

A little knowledge goes a long way, even understanding what a high-pass filter does can clean up your sound.

Edit Your Own Episodes Early On

Editing feels slow at first, but it’s crucial.

You’ll:

• Catch your verbal tics

• Improve pacing

• Learn how to fix things at the source

Later, if you hire an editor, your standards will be clearer.

Your Show Will Evolve

Don’t treat your pilot as your final template.

Every few episodes, ask:

• What’s working?

• What’s dragging?

• What can we try next?

Flexibility = Growth.

Promotion Without Burnout

Promotion matters, but not at the expense of creativity. Most shows grow by word-of-mouth.

Try a low-stress rhythm:

• 1 publish-day post

• 1 mid-week insight

• 1 monthly highlight reel

(And skip the guilt if you miss a post.)

According to Buzzsprout, long-term engagement always beats quick-hit vanity metrics.

Scheduling and Guests Are Harder Than They Look

If you rely on guests, scheduling becomes your biggest bottleneck.

Tips:

• Confirm sessions twice

• Build a backlog

• Keep a list of warm backups

Using Podzay simplifies it all, guest outreach, relevance filtering, and calendar syncing with no email ping-pong.

Rituals That Improve Performance

Warmed-up voices and relaxed minds = better episodes.

Try this pre-recording ritual:

1. Banter for 2 minutes

2. Do a mic check

3. Review your outline

4. Record your cold open first (to set the tone)

Less editing later. Better vibe overall.

When to Spend Money

Spend where it saves you time:

• A good microphone that suits your space

• Editing tools like Auphonic or Adobe Audition

• Plugins like iZotope RX Elements

Free tools like Reaper or Audacity are solid starters, but don’t hesitate to invest once your workflow is predictable.

A One-Year Plan You Can Actually Keep

Phase 0: Pre-launch Sprint

• Define audience, format, and promise

• Record 2 private practice episodes

• Record & edit 6 real episodes

• Set up show note & artwork templates

• Launch with a content buffer

Phase 1: Weeks 1–8

• Publish on schedule

• Track downloads and retention

• Ask 1 audience question per episode

Phase 2: Weeks 9–24

• Fix recurring edit issues at source

• Add a recurring segment

• Batch next two recording sessions

Phase 3: Weeks 25–52

• Seasonal? Announce breaks and drop minis

• Evergreen? Plan quarterly “dark weeks” to rebuild your buffer

Podzay Power-Ups to Make Podcasting Easier

Podzay is your podcast assistant, making the boring parts invisible so you can focus on the mic.

• AI-powered guest matching with relevant shows

• Chat + calendar sync = no scheduling chaos

• Verified podcast profiles to showcase your pitch

• Monthly guest or host outreach slots to keep your pipeline fresh

Explore how Podzay works for both guests and hosts.

SOPs You Can Copy

Recording Day

• Room prep

• Mic check

• Outline review

• Light warm-up

• Cold open first

• Record

• Timestamp highlights

Editing Workflow

• Ingest & name files

• Strip silence

• Dialogue cleanup

• EQ & compression

• Normalize loudness

• Export clips & master

• Schedule + add show notes

Troubleshooting Common Pain Points

The Mindset That Lasts

Podcasting is a long game.

Make the show you wish existed. Stay curious. Keep showing up. Give yourself room to grow.

If you love doing it, the audience will come, and even if they don’t, it’s still worth it.

📍 Want fewer headaches and better matches? Start using Podzay today.