Jay Soderberg, VP of Content at Voxnest — the parent company to Spreaker and BlogTalkRadio — joins Lex on the Wolf Den. The two discuss “Pod Vader’s” long career at ESPN Radio, Voxnest’s mission to provide monetization for growing podcasts, and the recent S-Town lawsuit’s possible impact on podcasting. Plus a Star Wars theory that will blow your mind.

This episode is brought to you by Clockwise.io (www.clockwise.io).

Jake Hurwitz, Amir Blumenfeld, and Marty Michael, co-founders of the HeadGum podcast network, join Lex on the Wolf Den. The four talk about how HeadGum came to be, and reveal the topic so controversial it almost tore the group apart. Jake and Amir also give their thoughts on how podcasting has affected their careers and comedy in general, and the viability of a million-dollar podcast deal.

Stuart Last, Chief Operating Officer at Audioboom, joins Lex on the Wolf Den. Stuart discusses Audioboom’s failed “reverse takeover” of Triton Digital and the effect it’s had on the company. They also discuss the difficulties of building a creative content company at the same time as an in-house ad sales operation, and the results of the second annual IAB podcast revenue study. 

Peter Vincer from the podcast platform and network Castbox joins Lex on The Wolf Den. The two discuss how Victor wound up working in audio, the benefits and growing pains of producing original content, as well as the future of programmatic advertising.

Jason Snell from the Incomparable podcast network joins Lex on The Wolf Den. The two discuss Jason’s path to podcasting full time, the practical advantages of streaming episodes live, as well as the pros and cons of more companies making podcasts. 

This episode is brought to you by Pretty Litter (www.prettylitter.com code: wolfden).

Alex Ramsey and Joe Cilio, co-founders of the Forever Dog Podcast Network, join Lex on The Wolf Den. The three discuss Forever Dog’s beginnings as a theater project, growing pains inherent to launching a podcast network, and if working in comedy ever makes things seem less funny.

This episode is brought to you by Intercom (www.intercom.com/GROWTH) and Pretty Litter (www.prettylitter.com code: wolfden).

Chris and Lex speak with Ryan Natoli and Katy Yeiser of The Onion’s true crime parody podcast, A Very Fatal Murder. They discuss the making of the show and what inspired it, as well as the shift from The Onion’s usual short-form storytelling structure to a long-form narrative style. Katy also describes the formation of the show’s writers’ room, while Ryan provides surprising facts about the casting and recording process.

This episode is brought to you by Intercom (www.intercom.com/GROWTH) and Pretty Litter (www.prettylitter.com code: wolfden).

Leila Day, senior producer at Pineapple Street Media, joins Chris and Lex on The Wolf Den to detail her experience establishing her style of audio journalism and how it led her to producing for KALW and Al Jazeera. Leila also discusses teaching storytelling inside San Quentin State Prison and how she developed her podcast The Stoop.

This podcast is brought to you by Act!. Go to act.com for a FREE consultation with one of our growth advisors to see how Act! CRM can grow your business for as low as $1 a day.

Sarah van Mosel, Chief Podcast Sales and Strategy Officer at Market Enginuity joins Chris and Lex on the Wolf Den. The three discuss Market Enginuity’s unique role in podcast and public media advertising, outline the reasons various types of ads work well for different shows, and forecast how podcast ads will continue to evolve over the coming years.

This podcast is brought to you by Act!. Go to act.com for a FREE consultation with one of our growth advisors to see how Act! CRM can grow your business for as low as $1 a day. Also brought to you by Suny Stonybrook (www.stonybrook.edu/southampton/mfa/podcast).

Gina Delvac, producer of the hit podcast Call Your Girlfriend joins Chris Bannon on The Wolf Den. Gina details her career in the audio industry, from public radio intern to podcast producer. The two also talk about the the delicate process of turning a passion project into a small business, and the impact a guest like Hillary Clinton can have on a show’s audience. 

This podcast is brought to you by Act!. Go to act.com for a FREE consultation with one of our growth advisors to see how Act! CRM can grow your business for as low as $1 a day. Also brought to you by Suny Stonybrook (www.stonybrook.edu/southampton/mfa/podcast).

Dan Misener and Steve Pratt of Pacific Content join Lex and Chris on the Wolf Den. The four discuss the early days and learning curves of branded content podcasts, how their time in traditional broadcasting prepared them for the industry, and the process and philosophies regarding their work.

This episode is brought to you by Today, Explained.

Andrea Silenzi and Hillary Frank join Chris and Lex on the Wolf Den to discuss Andrea taking over as host of The Longest Shortest Time. The four discuss the exciting challenges of a such a regime change, Hillary’s new role as the show’s as editor, and the pros and cons of getting Clowney’d.

Andrew Mason, CEO of Descript, joins Lex Friedman and Chris Bannon on The Wolf Den. Andrew details his new “audio word processor” Descript, and explains how it grew from his previous company Detour. The three also discuss the Andrew’s startup-themed album, and advantages of spending less time on the internet.

Kerri Hoffman, CEO of PRX, joins Lex Friedman and Chris Bannon on The Wolf Den. The three discuss Kerri’s unconventional path from working for Greenpeace to the world of podcasting. Kerri then discusses PRX’s place in the industry, including their Podcast Garage, a Massachusetts-based community recording studio and educational hub.

Kristen Meinzer, Director of Non-fiction Programming and co-host of the By The Book podcast at Panoply Media, joins Lex Friedman and Chris Bannon on The Wolf Den. The three begin with an important conversation about workplace sexual misconduct and Kristen’s personal experiences at previous jobs. Kristen also recounts her career history and making the shift from public radio to a podcast startup.