Podcast Perspectives Podcast Veteran Lex Friedman on the Podcast Industry's Evolution
Sep 30, 2025
Lex Friedman, a podcast industry veteran and founder of Lex Friedman Consulting, shares his journey through the ever-evolving podcast landscape. He discusses early challenges in podcast advertising and highlights his role in launching Midroll, navigating pivotal acquisitions like Stitcher, and his decision to turn down Spotify for family time. Lex candidly critiques industry consolidation and emphasizes the resilience of indie creators, offering a cautiously optimistic outlook on the future of podcasting.
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From Hobby Podcast To Ad Sales Hustle
- Lex Friedman started podcasting in 2006 and later sold his first ad within weeks of joining a network.
- Within three months he represented 50 shows and made half a million in ad sales in a year.
Early Growth Required Education
- Early podcast ad sales required educating brands and explaining what a podcast even was.
- That teaching laid the foundation for later mainstream advertiser adoption.
Building Midroll's Sales Engine
- Lex was a co-founder at Midroll and sold ads while the company built the industry's standards.
- He helped create an internal ad-management app that automated inventory, proposals, and audience survey data.