The Episodes That Defined 2025 (And One You Probably Missed) | Andrew, Shannon, & Thomas

Dec 17, 2025

Dive into a reflective journey of 2025, exploring the podcast's top five episodes that captivated listeners. Discover behind-the-scenes challenges, including the re-recording of a particularly tough episode. Uncover unexpected insights about mental skills that changed perspectives. The discussion expands to YouTube growth, highlighting powerful stories that resonated. Plus, there's a sneak peek into what's coming in 2026, promising fresh topics and engaging guests that will keep the momentum going.

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INSIGHT

Podcast As A Compounding Asset

A podcast functions as a long-term asset that keeps giving value when repurposed and refreshed.
Andrew May emphasises recording durable, timestamp-free content for future use and programs.

ADVICE

Bring In Experts To Rebrand

Bring in external specialists when you hit creative or technical limits to refresh your show.
Shannon Frost credits Deadset Studios for a rebrand that materially improved reach and production.

ANECDOTE

The Episode That Broke The Process

The five-types mental skills episode with Aaron Walsh was re-recorded many times and produced 13–17 edit versions.
Thomas Parkinson recalls it became a slog but resulted in a strong final episode.

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Let’s hit pause and look back on 2025. What actually worked this year? What nearly broke the process. And what it takes to build a podcast that lasts.

This is a countdown from the 5th most downloaded episode to the one that sat at #1 all year.

Some were expected. A few surprised us. There’s one episode that was harder to make than any other. And one conversation that quietly changed how I think about performance.

If you’ve already listened to the most downloaded episode of the year — you’ll know why it landed.
If you haven’t… you probably didn’t realise what you missed.

And before we close it out, we share a glimpse of what’s coming in 2026 — and why the next chapter of the podcast will be different.

1:15 — The lessons from 2025 that will shape the podcast long-term
4:30 — The episode that nearly broke the process (and why it mattered)
7:50 — Top 5 episodes of the year

18:40 — YouTube’s rise and the top 5 videos of the year

28:15 — The most overlooked episode — and Andrew’s biggest personal insight
30:45 — The Bite Size people shared and texted about most
34:45 — Guess the Guest Game
38:00 — What’s next in 2026

Want to catch the top 5?
Listen to #5
Listen to #4
Listen to #3
Listen to #2
Listen to #1 episode of the year!

Want to chat?
Email shannon@performanceintelligence.com

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