Earn Your Leisure 90% of Podcasts Are Doing It Wrong — Truth Behind Media Deals & Inside the Joe Budden Podcast Empire
Jan 8, 2026
Ian Schwartzman, a key player behind the Joe Budden Network, shares insights on how to navigate the podcasting world. He discusses the pitfalls of traditional podcast strategies, emphasizing that streaming numbers aren't everything. Schwartzman explains the importance of direct-to-consumer models like Patreon and why too many ads can damage brand integrity. He also dives into Netflix's interest in vodcasts, the significance of ownership, and how real success comes from building loyal subscriber bases rather than chasing quick ad revenue.
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Most Podcasts Follow A Short-Term Template
- Ian Schwartzman says 90% of podcasts copy a fast-money template and give up ownership.
- He argues creators lack curiosity to ask the right business questions and therefore repeat bad models.
Treat Content As Business Intellectual Property
- Do treat content like IP and run it as a business using good business principles.
- Avoid making business taboo; learn negotiations and ownership fundamentals before signing deals.
Use Your Own Data To Value Your Audience
- Ian built the Patreon case by modeling direct monetization from audience data rather than streamer formulas.
- He used conservative conversion math (2%) to prove subscriptions could exceed platform offers.