At Podcast Magazine®, we’re celebrating 40 under Forty this month, and it got us wondering… what advice might your average under 40 podcaster give to his or her non-podcasting peers about podcasting?
We asked, and certain themes emerged. Below are the answers from podcasters in the Religion & Spirituality space, all under the age of 40.
First, don’t be afraid to chase your passion and use your voice.
“God has given you a voice, and nobody else in the world is exactly like you! Your age does not disqualify you from having wisdom to share with others, so be confident that your voice matters.”
– Sarah Keeling, Hearts at Rest
“There is an audience who will value your voice and insight, and they will find you out. Don’t worry about the people around you telling you otherwise.”
– Andrew Fouts, Ministry Misfit
“In podcasting, it is easy to feel like you aren’t enough and question who would want to listen to you. If you are called to this, God knows what He’s doing, so own that! Own the fact that God has given you a voice, message, and an audience, and step into it all with boldness in Christ. Like Paul told Timothy in Scripture; don’t let anyone judge you because you’re young. Instead, be a trendsetter, and show everyone just who God made you to be!”
– Amanda Turnbull, Come to the Table
“Just get started. Your voice matters, and your message is important. Quit second-guessing yourself.”
– Stephanie Baker, The Faithful Podcast
“If God has given you something to say, but you are worried you won’t be taken seriously, podcasting is a great way to say it anyway. Your listeners hear your wisdom, knowledge, and authority without being distracted by your age or the way you look. With minimal cost, you can reach the people who need to hear what you have to say—wherever they are in the world.”
– John Piper, The Wounded Christian
“My advice to younger podcasters is to find value/purpose in what you’re doing outside of the numbers. It takes time to grow your base, but if you’re driven by purpose, you’ll be faithful and consistent even when you feel like quitting. Putting your wisdom into a podcast episode is a type of legacy you leave for people to benefit from for decades… like writing books, but easier. 😉 So, find your purpose, and pursue that… the numbers will follow.”
– Jenilee Samuel, Java with Jen
Second, give yourself time to grow in the craft.
“Be passionate about your topic, and don’t be afraid to change and experiment over time. Changing things about your podcast is not indicative of failure, and you may end up finding something new that works for you and your audience.”
– Paul DeArment, Use Your Words
“Give it a go—your style and skills will develop over time, but only through having a go and making mistakes!”
– Abigail Thomas, The Hopeful Activists’ Podcast
“While content will always be king, creating a process that you can stick to and repeat over and over is just as important and vital to your long-term success.”
– Jonathan Carone, Unlearning Youth Group
“Don’t shelve your message because you’re waiting for it to be perfect, because it never will be. Get started, and put yourself out there, imperfections and all. It’s in the mess that you will not only find yourself, but also your audience… the ones who need to hear your message in all its imperfections.”
– Josh Hollingshead, Unashamed Recovery Podcast
“Be consistent. People like consistency and dependability. If you’re going to do a podcast, stay with it. Through time, when people see that you have been doing this a while and you’re committed to it, that speaks to them.”
– Nathan Rasor, King of the Cosmos
Finally, keep your show in proper perspective.
“Podcasts are like a storybook for the soul. Not everyone likes the same book, but for every book that has been written, there is an audience that book speaks to. It may take a lot of time and effort, but eventually, you will touch the soul of people in some way, shape, or form. Keep at it. Put the time in, and speak to your audience.”
– Chris Fuller, Real Talk Christian Podcast
“Don’t overload your schedule. You get excited with opportunities and trying to stay up to date and create new content. Remember that you have to take breaks. You need rest, and you need to feed your soul.”
– Celeste Mora, Geek Devotions
“Don’t depend on the volume of listeners to validate your voice. You have something to share, so share it.”
– Bobby Benavides, Being a Dad… On Purpose
“Make it one of your top priorities to find a balance between home life and podcasting life. I need more than both of my hands to count how many podcasts I’ve seen come and go because of podcaster burnout. Finding a healthy balance creates happier podcasters, prevents burnout, and fosters better content.”
– Josh Emerick, Taste and See Podcast
“Don’t get lost in the data of listens, downloads, and shares. Your voice, your identity, isn’t in those things. Be true to yourself. Be true to your voice.”
– Dallas Mora, Geek Devotions
“True podcast growth is measuring your personal spiritual growth.”
– Catherine Cooley, The Biblical Woman
The last several years have seen podcasting grow as more money and famous people join the industry. But there’s still room for anyone with a message—especially a spiritual one—to take up the microphone. These young podcasters get it.
April 2022 Issue
