This Saturday’s episode is a cozy, audio-only reminder that done is better than perfect. It was cold outside, I didn’t want to do my hair, and instead of forcing video, I hit record anyway and leaned into the beauty of audio podcasting. I’m Steph, your Pod Savvy Guide, and for work I’m a podcast producer, which gives me a big advantage because I get to see what actually works across the shows I produce professionally and my own personal podcasts. In this episode, I walk you through the 18 tools I use as a podcaster, most of them daily or weekly, to stay organized, save time, and keep five active podcasts running smoothly. From booking and automation to recording, editing, clipping, publishing, and social media, I share what’s truly effective behind the scenes. I probably nerded out a little too much, but if you love workflows, tools, and anything that makes podcasting easier and more sustainable, this episode will be right up your alley.

If podcast promotion feels overwhelming, this episode is for you. In this walkthrough, Pod Savvy Guide Steph breaks down her exact system for taking one podcast video file and turning it into content for Spotify, YouTube Shorts, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and LinkedIn without spending hours on it. You’ll learn how to pull clips in Riverside, resize them for different platforms, use Spotify’s built-in clip feature, and batch schedule everything so it’s done in under 15 minutes. This episode is all about systems, momentum, and making podcasting doable as a solo creator. Because your voice deserves to be heard and it shouldn’t feel complicated to get it out there.

With the new year here, it’s time for a little podcast housekeeping. In this episode, Pod Savvy Guide Steph walks you through the 10 things she personally reviews every January to make sure her podcasts are updated, organized, and ready for the year ahead. From refreshing your series description and cover art to checking links, guest booking workflows, tech tools, and social media consistency, this episode is all about clearing the clutter so you can focus on recording and sharing your voice. If you’ve been putting off the admin side of podcasting, this is your sign to knock it out and start the year feeling aligned and confident behind the mic.

This is my 1,000th podcast episode and it still feels surreal to say that out loud. I didn’t start podcasting with a goal, a strategy, or a plan to turn it into a career. I started because, in 2016, listening to podcasts just to get through my days while working on a remote island in Alaska. In this episode, I reflect on the full journey from that season to now the fears, pivots, unfinished episodes, broken RSS feeds, career shifts, and the people who believed in me along the way. More than anything, this is a reminder that you haven’t failed until you’ve given up trying, no one is paying as much attention as you think they are, and if podcasting brings you joy, your only job is to keep showing up.

Fear shows up in podcasting in sneaky ways not as “I’m scared,” but as “I don’t have time,” “I don’t know what to say,” or “I’ll start later.” In this episode of Pod Savvy Guide, Steph gets real about the fears that stop people from hitting record, from worrying about how you sound or look, to wondering what family, friends, or strangers might think, to the deeper fear of trying hard and being seen. She shares her own fears around live podcast events, posting clips online, putting paid offers out into the world, and pushing past the discomfort of marketing something she knows can help people. This episode isn’t about eliminating fear it’s about moving forward anyway. As Steph reminds us through a quote from Mark Twain, “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear not absence of fear.” If you’ve been sitting on a podcast idea, avoiding the next step, or feeling that pit in your stomach when you think about creating, this episode is your reminder that courage comes from action.

It’s 10:46 p.m., the phone battery is dead, the video didn’t save, and the pressure to be on camera suddenly feels exhausting which leads to the five predictions Steph shares in this episode of Pod Savvy Guide about podcasting in 2026. She breaks down why audio-only podcasts are still incredibly important, even as video dominates platforms like YouTube and Spotify, why small businesses and solo entrepreneurs are in the best position to stand out through podcasting, and why audiences are craving more real, honest content in an AI-heavy world. Steph also shares her hope for a return to conversations where people can agree to disagree, and why small, intimate live podcast events in backyards, community spaces, and local venues may become one of the most effective ways to connect and grow. This episode is a reminder that there isn’t one right way to podcast your voice, your experience, and hitting record still matter most.

Netflix just made a massive move into podcasting and it’s a signal every creator should be paying attention to. In this episode of Pod Savvy Guide, Steph breaks down Netflix’s new partnerships with Spotify and Barstool Sports, what it means for video podcasts coming to the platform in 2026, and why long-form content is officially mainstream. We talk about why Netflix is making room for podcasts alongside scripted and reality shows, how this move directly responds to YouTube’s dominance in podcast video, and what it reveals about where attention, trust, and connection are heading. Steph also zooms out to explain why podcasts fit so naturally into everyday life workouts, commutes, laundry, real routines and why creators don’t need to be “big” to benefit from this shift.

Women love podcasts they listen, share episodes, and talk about them with their friends but far fewer are actually hitting record. In this episode of Pod Savvy Guide, Steph breaks down the real gap between women who consume podcasts and women who create them, pulling from industry research and her own experience working with podcasters. She talks about the barriers that keep women stuck at the “someday” stage time, confidence, perfectionism, fear of being seen or heard and why so many women doubt that what they have to say matters, even when their ideas are powerful in conversation. Steph also shares the encouraging truth that women who do start podcasts are more likely to stick with them, and why accountability, consistency, and community matter more than expensive gear or having it all figured out. This episode is a reminder that if you’ve ever thought about starting a podcast, your voice is needed exactly as it is.