This Week in Startups

Revolutionizing podcasting + standards vs. innovation with Anchor Co-Founder Mike Mignano | E1520

Jul 28, 2022

Mike Mignano, co-founder of Anchor and a key player in the podcasting revolution, shares his insights on the transformative journey of Anchor until its acquisition by Spotify. He discusses the challenge of balancing innovation with traditional RSS standards that may hinder progress. Mignano also explores the landscape of podcast advertising, delving into the debate between host-read and dynamically inserted ads. His thoughts on evolving monetization strategies reflect the industry's shift towards new funding models and the future of content creation.

53:40

Creator website

Episode guests

Mike Mignano

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Anchor - Podcasts Are Heavy, They Come With Baggage

01:17

The Curification of Content Creators

01:57

Do You Think Paid Podcasts Will Work?

01:20

Intro

2min

Pioneering Podcasting: Insights from a Trailblazer

11min

Navigating Podcast Advertising Dynamics

6min

Navigating Mergers and Acquisitions

4min

The Power of Connection in M&A

5min

The Competitive Landscape of Podcasting: Innovation and Distribution

2min

Monetization Strategies in Podcasting

7min

Navigating Podcasting's Innovation Dilemma

17min

Today's show is a CLASSIC TWiST founder interview. Anchor Co-Founder Mike Mignano joins to tell Anchor's founding story (1:40), break down what it's like getting acquired by Spotify (15:32), and talk about how RSS standards might be stunting innovation in the podcasting space. (33:17)

0:00 Jason intros today's guest: Anchor Co-Founder Mike Mignano

1:40 Mike explains why he started Anchor, the original inspiration and first versions, finding PMF, building the nuts and bolts of a great podcast publishing experience

14:23 Helpware - Go to https://helpware.com/TWIST to get $1000 off your first invoice

15:32 Why Anchor sold to Spotify, the Series B term sheet they were considering at the time of acquisition, getting courted by Spotify CEO Daniel Ek, Anchor's first check story

24:44 LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://linkedin.com/twist

25:58 Why Apple hasn't innovated in podcasting, paid podcasts vs. advertising

31:59 Babbel - Save up to 60% off your language learning subscription at https://babbel.com/twist

33:17 Why Mike wrote his recent article: “The Standards Innovation Paradox”, evolving standards to increase innovation, the Substack example

Read Mike's article:

https://mignano.medium.com/the-standards-innovation-paradox-e14cab521391

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts

Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.