From Lockdown Launch to Thriving Podcast: Lessons from an Award-Winning Indie

Vicki Weinberg, host of the award-winning podcast Bring Your Product Idea to Life, recently celebrated her five-year podcasting anniversary. On this episode, Vicki shares her journey from launching during the first week of lockdown to building a successful show with a dedicated audience.

Starting a Podcast During Lockdown

Vicki launched her podcast right as the UK entered lockdown in 2020, which presented unique challenges as she recorded weekly episodes at home with two small children. Despite the timing, she was determined to create something different from the business podcasts she had been listening to.

"I couldn't find anything where the person that was talking to me wasn't that much further ahead than I was," Vicki explained. She wanted to feature product business owners who were still in the early stages of their journey, making their advice more accessible and relatable to her audience.

Finding and Booking Guests

One of Vicki's biggest initial challenges was finding guests for her brand-new podcast:

• She started by asking people she knew through business networks
• She found "warm" connections worked better than cold outreach
• Over time, as the podcast established itself, she began receiving inbound requests
• Now her schedule is booked months in advance with guests

The Evolution to Video Content

After recording as audio-only for years, Vicki expanded to video in early 2024:

• She was already recording video for the calls but not publishing it
• Made sure to inform guests that video would now be shared
• Created a YouTube channel featuring full episodes
• Added YouTube shorts featuring guests' top advice and key moments
• Developed a team workflow to create social content from episodes

"The YouTube shorts and Instagram reels have been great for promoting the episodes and highlighting my guests' expertise," Vicki shared.

Building a Podcast Team

Vicki's journey includes gradually building a team to support her:

1. First hired an editor after 12-18 months
2. Added a VA after about 2 years to manage publishing and admin
3. Now has support for video editing, content creation, and guest management

"The only things I'm doing now are booking the guests and having the conversation, which is the bit I think I'm best at," she said.

Content Strategy and Format Evolution

Vicki's content approach has evolved over five years:

• Initially mixed solo and guest episodes randomly
• Then did every fourth episode as solo content
• Now produces two episodes weekly: Friday guest interviews and Tuesday solo content
• Solo episodes are shorter (15-20 minutes) and more focused

"I realized that I have my own business, my own consultancy, I have a lot of knowledge to share," Vicki explained about adding dedicated solo episodes.

Looking Ahead

After five years, Vicki plans to continue her podcast with the current format while remaining open to organic evolution. Her main goal is to grow engagement with her audience through her Facebook group to ensure her content remains useful and relevant.

Want to learn more about Vicki and her podcast? Visit her website at vickiweinberg.com where you can find links to her podcast and all her other work.