Company case study
Vertical Farming Podcast
A podcast that turned curiosity into a profitable venture
Vertical Farming Podcast: Founded by Harry Durant, the Vertical Farming Podcast dives into the world of vertical farming, offering insights and interviews with key figures in the industry. It came up on The Side Hustle Show in the episode "586: Monetize Your Curiosity: $80k in Revenue from a Part-Time Project" (aired November 16, 2023).
At a glance
| Podcast | The Side Hustle Show |
|---|---|
| Hosted by | Nick Loper |
| Episode | 586: Monetize Your Curiosity: $80k in Revenue from a Part-Time Project |
| Aired | November 16, 2023 |
| Revenue and traction | The podcast has generated $80,000 in revenue before even releasing an episode, securing a $9,000 sponsorship from a key player in the vertical farming space. |
| Category | Media |
Figures and claims are as told on the episode, summarized from the transcript. Check the date: they describe the company at the time it aired.
What the episode said
586: Monetize Your Curiosity: $80k in Revenue from a Part-Time Project · aired November 16, 2023 · hosted by Nick Loper
Why it works
The podcast leverages a well-defined niche with growing interest, strong SEO strategies, and the founder's existing skills in podcasting to attract high-profile guests and sponsors, even without a large audience initially.
Founding story
Harry Durant transitioned from podcasting as a side hustle to launching the Vertical Farming Podcast after discovering the concept of vertical farming through a book. He utilized his podcasting experience to create a show that featured influential voices in the industry, building credibility and a listener base from scratch.
The playbook
1. Identify Your Niche: Choose a niche that intrigues you and has a growing market, similar to how Harry chose vertical farming. Research the trends and challenges in that space. 2. Build a Content Strategy: Create a podcast format that highlights interviews with industry leaders. Plan episodes around their insights to attract listeners and sponsors. 3. Leverage SEO: Use clear and specific keywords in your podcast title and description to enhance discoverability, just like Harry used "Vertical Farming Podcast" to rank high on search engines. 4. Approach Potential Sponsors: Identify companies in your niche that may have marketing budgets to spend. Present them with a compelling sponsorship proposal even before your show launches. 5. Engage and Promote: Use social media and newsletters to promote your episodes and sponsors. Create a comprehensive media kit to make it easy for guests to share your podcast with their networks.
Also mentioned
Harry utilized tools like Airtable for managing contacts, Notion for organizing content, and SavvyCal for scheduling interviews. He built strong relationships with sponsors and guests by treating them with respect and delivering value, which helped foster a supportive community around the podcast.