What I Learned From One Year of Podcasting
What I Learned From One Year of Podcasting: Lessons from The Business of Video Production Podcast
One year ago, I launched The Business of Video Production podcast with the hope that it would help video production business owners grow more confident, strategic, and successful. I wanted to create something useful, meaningful, and honest. Something that would support video business owners to navigate the challenges of pricing, sales, marketing, workflow, and mindset. Something that I wish had existed when I was first starting out.
Now, 52 episodes in, I’m taking a moment to reflect on the lessons I’ve learned over the past year—and to share them with you.
This blog post is for those of you who have been listening regularly, and for anyone curious about starting their own podcast or creative project. My hope is that these insights help you run your business more intentionally, and maybe even inspire you to begin a project you’ve been thinking about.
1. The Courage to Begin
Before the first episode was recorded, I remember standing in my home office, a small studio pod at the bottom of my garden (see a photo of the pod below). It was dark outside. I had just finished dinner. I was nervous. Excited. Unsure.
I set up the mic and hit record.
And then I launched it. I remember waking up the next morning to find the podcast live on Spotify. Over that week, I had four listens. Two of which were probably me. But I’d done it. I’d crossed the threshold. There was no turning back.
There’s a Goethe quote I’ve always loved that says: “Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.”
That moment of stepping into something new. Caught between fear and ambition, doubt and drive, is something I’ll never forget. And if you’re sitting on a creative idea or business initiative, I’d encourage you to harness that boldness and just begin.
2. Strategy Matters
This wasn’t my first podcast. Back in 2014, I launched one and made it to 29 episodes. It had some good moments, but I went in without a clear strategy. I hoped things would take shape along the way.
This time, I did things differently. I sat with the idea for months. I thought deeply about who I wanted to serve, how I could help them, what kind of format and tone I wanted to create, and what specific outcomes I wanted to achieve.
Yes, it’s good to take imperfect action. But even better is thoughtful action. Strategy before execution. It made all the difference this time around.
3. Flexibility Is a Superpower
Even with a solid plan, I gave myself the freedom to adapt. Originally, I thought I’d batch record episodes in a studio. But I soon discovered the best episodes happened when I gave myself time to sit with a topic, reflect, jot down ideas, and let it evolve organically throughout the week.
I call it "backburner thinking." I’d land on a theme early in the week, then let it bubble away in my subconscious. By the time Friday came, I’d have a fully formed structure.
So while a plan is vital, staying flexible is equally important. The best work often emerges when you listen, adapt, and trust the process.
4. Do One Thing Well
In an age of AI hacks, batching, and productivity shortcuts, I went the other way. I decided to take an old-school approach: one episode at a time, full focus, full effort.
No shortcuts. No batching. No automation.
It was just me, every week, giving it 100%.
And it worked. For me, quality over quantity wasn’t just a philosophy—it was a necessity. It kept me aligned with why I started the podcast in the first place: to create something genuinely useful, not just more noise.
5. Commit to Quality
Over the years, my perspective on perfectionism has evolved. I used to believe it was better to ship something—anything—rather than let perfectionism get in the way.
But there’s a middle path: aiming for excellence without paralysis.
I’ve been proud of every episode this past year. I never phoned it in, never rushed to get something out. That commitment to quality gave me confidence, and it also built trust with my audience.
6. Regret Minimisation
I recorded an episode called "Regrets and Lessons Learned." In it, I explore the idea that good regret—regret based on action—is a powerful teacher.
This podcast has been one big experiment in regret minimisation. I didn’t want to look back and think, "What if I had really tried?" I wanted to give it everything—go all in, no holding back.
And I have.
7. Resist the Urge to Quit
Most worthwhile projects have their "why am I doing this?" moments. For me, that dip hit somewhere around Episode 13. I had been putting in a lot of effort, and the results—listeners, feedback, engagement—weren’t quite there yet.
It would’ve been easy to slow down. Maybe stop.
But I reminded myself of the promise I made—to myself and to the people I hoped to serve. I reminded myself that the longer the delay between effort and reward, the greater the reward often is.
So I kept going.
8. Trust Your Gut (But Sleep on It)
I’ve always leaned more rational than instinctual. But through this podcast, I’ve started to deeply trust my instincts—while also giving them space to breathe.
Here’s what I discovered: instinct doesn’t mean impulse. You don’t have to act immediately. Instead, notice the gut feeling. Sit with it. Revisit it a day or two later. If it still feels right, then move.
That rhythm helped me make better decisions about episode topics, coaching offers, and how to respond to challenges.
9. Build a No-Compromise Business
In many ways, my video production business was built on compromise—it needed to be. To keep things moving, I occasionally took jobs I wasn’t thrilled about. I sometimes worked with challenging clients because that’s part of the game.
But with this podcast and my coaching business, I wanted to build something without compromise. A podcast and coaching service 100% true to me and my values.
That meant:
Sharing openly from my life
Letting my values guide the structure of my coaching program
Saying no to things that didn’t feel right
This no-compromise approach led to more aligned coaching clients. People knew exactly what I stood for before they even reached out.
That clarity has now started flowing into Dream Engine, too. I’m no longer afraid to be selective or to shape the business in a way that fits who I am today.
10. Focus on the Gain, Not the Gap
Dan Sullivan has a great concept called "The Gap and the Gain." Most of us fixate on the gap—what we haven’t yet achieved. But real growth happens when we focus on the gain—how far we’ve come.
This mindset shift has been powerful for me.
Instead of obsessing over downloads or social media metrics, I’ve looked back to see:
A year of consistent content
A community of listeners and coaching clients
A deeper sense of purpose
Looking back at where I started—just a dream and a mic in a garden studio—to where I am now is incredibly fulfilling.
I love this quote by Winston Churchill: "Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm."
Bonus: Final Thoughts
At the end of this journey, I had a reflective conversation with my 80-year-old self. Here’s some advice I gave myself, through that lens:
Think in decades, not days. Consistency compounds. Play the long game.
Own your niche, stay adaptable. Stay rooted in your strengths, but evolve.
Hire well, then step back. Trust your team and focus on leadership.
Retention is everything. Great businesses are built on relationships.
Don’t undercharge for your experience. Price for value, not effort.
Protect your brand like it’s everything. Because it is.
Never stop marketing. Even when you’re busy.
Trust your instincts. That quiet inner voice is often right.
Reflect and enjoy. Celebrate the journey, not just the milestones.
Leave a legacy. Build something that outlives you.
What’s Next?
Just like after Episode 26, I’m taking a short break.
I’ll be running my 90 Day Video Business Transformation—working closely with a group of business owners to radically improve their businesses. I’m excited about the insights that will emerge from this and will be bringing some of them into Season 3 of the podcast.
While I’m away, I’ll be sharing some of the most popular episodes from the past six months. If you’ve missed any, now’s a good time to catch up or re-listen.
I’ll also be reflecting on what’s next—possibly evolving the format, structure, and style of the show. I don’t take your attention for granted. I want to continue showing up with intention, commitment, and care.
Thank you for being part of this journey.
Here’s to year two.
– Ryan
P.S. If you want help transforming your video production business, you can find out more about my coaching at ryanspanger.com/coaching.