Rachael Greening King
Rachael Greening King is Founder and CEO of Pod People. Follow her on Twitter here, follow Pod People on Twitter here.
Hi! Tell us what you do.
I run Pod People, a hybrid staffing agency for audio professionals & podcast production company. We 1) consult, 2) staff up and build teams for audio projects, 3) do full-service podcast production.
Who do you work with?
We work with anyone who wants to make a podcast and has budget for professional help. Sometimes it's an indie show who just needs help from a freelance Editor, staffing up a project for another podcast production company, or creating an entire show start to finish, like we've done for Twitter, Medium, Samsung NEXT, and Brit + Co/L'Oreal.
How did you get into podcasting?
I moved to Los Angeles years ago and had an awful commute. Music wasn't stimulating enough for the length of the journey, so I branched out beyond the few podcasts I already listened to (TAL, basically) and started devouring many, many more (Judge John Hodgman was an early favorite, as was Death Sex & Money and the first season of Startup). They saved me as I crawled slowly through the streets of LA for a couple hours a day, and would otherwise have gone insane.
Why did you start Pod People?
I was running my own PR firm a few years ago, and had a podcast of my own (The Shepod), so our PR clients started asking if we could help them make a branded podcast. I quickly realized there were a lot of companies who wanted to make a show but didn't know how to do it, and a lot of creative freelancer producers who were great at making audio, but don't necessarily love hunting down clients/projects and handling the business side of things. We're the marketplace and matchmaker that brings them together.
What do you think of the Trader Joe's podcast?
I LOVE the Trader Joe's podcast! I'm a TJs fanatic, so I find it sweet, informative, and delightfully cheesy (pun intended). I often use it as a reference for clients when developing a branded show for them.
Are there too many podcasts?
I can't help but laugh when people say this. There aren't even 1M yet! There are 23M YouTube channels alone. And sure, it might seem like there's a podcast for everything, but that doesn't mean they're GOOD. If you consider only quality podcast content, we're still just at the beginning—so many niches are still out there for the taking, if the right show comes along.
What is the biggest misunderstanding about podcasting?
That it's easy. (It IS easy to make a shit podcast. It's really, really hard to make a great one.)
Who do you wish had a podcast?
Andre the Giant, Robin Williams, Anthony Bourdain... (sensing an unfortunate trend here.)
What do you love about the podcast community?
Audio people are some of the best humans on the planet. They're creative, collaborative, curious, and kind. People who love finding—and sharing—a great story, are my favorite people.
How do you listen?
I'm hopelessly devoted to Overcast because of their lists and the UI. But once a year I try to play around with the contenders and see if anything can convince me to switch... not yet!
Who should reach out to Pod People?
Anyone who wants to make a podcast and has budget for professional help.
Thanks, Rachael!