The Sound Off Podcast

After nearly 10 years, Todd Hancock is back. As only a select few may remember, Todd's last Sound Off appearance was on our second-ever episode. At the time, he had just been let go by CFOX in Vancouver, and was in the process of launching The Toddcast, his own podcast endeavor. With a great website and some excellent audio, there's no doubt he had about as strong of a start as one can possibly have... And now, a decade later, we're both still here. If you've ever wanted to make a living from your podcast, this is the episode for you. Todd goes into every detail that allowed him to build the 10-year legacy he has today: starting strong with a ready-made website and music focused content, the slow build to monetization through long-term local sponsors and a few big clients, his strategies for maintaining professional relationships, his constantly evolving social and video strategy, and even the digital tools he uses to simplify the nightmarish challenge of keeping your content on schedule. Even with 10-15 years of prior radio experience, he calls The Toddcast the highlight of his career. People with a passion and drive like Todd's are what makes this industry go 'round, and if you've got that same passion, Todd is the perfect guy to show you where to direct it. Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. All the things that went unsaid on the show. Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here. Thanks to the following organizations for supporting the show: Megatrax - Licensed Music for your radio station or podcast production company. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Let's go to Lagos! Tony Doe is one of the most thoughtful voices in Nigeria, and he's here to provide some excellent insights into the past, present and future of podcasting. As a former Nigerian radio broadcaster turned podcaster, Tony reflects on the lost intimacy of radio as studios chase visual appeal and social media reactions, and explains why he rejects the idea that video is the “next phase” of podcasting. He warns creators about building shows inside walled gardens like Spotify and YouTube, sharing personal and second-hand stories of lost control and opaque platform decisions. We speak quite a bit about one of Tony's most important personal projects, the Nigerian Podcast Index. Built by Tony and other Nigerian industry veterans, it's an independent public directory designed to document, preserve, and make discoverable every independent podcast created in Nigeria or by Nigerians. It's an incredible tool created to fill a critical gap in data, discovery, and monetization for African podcasters while navigating language barriers, infrastructure limits, and payment restrictions. He also introduces his own shows: His long-running Arsenal fan podcast, Up Gunners!, as well as Into the Podverse, a show about the innovation, challenges, and opportunities shaping African and global podcasting, which Sound Off fans might particularly enjoy and should definitely check out. If it piques your interest, make sure you also subscribe to the newsletter on Substack. Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. All the things that went unsaid on the show. Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here. Thanks to the following organizations for supporting the show: Megatrax - Licensed Music for your radio station or podcast production company. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I spoke with Andrea about her career in radio and her transition to voiceover. I met Andrea back in 2006 whe she was just fnishing up her tenure working promotions for Power 97 in Winnipeg. She went on to become a prominent figure in the Winnipeg and later Montreal and Toronto radio markets. She highlights her roles at Curve 94.3 (Remember that?) in Winnipeg, Virgin Radio, CTV, and iHeartRadio, and her shift to voiceover after being laid off in 2018. If you are going to listen to one valuable part about today's world, check out how she is handling AI and her business. She is thinking of the things that a lot of people have not considered for both radio and voiceover. In short: Protect Your Voice. We also discussed her involvement with CAVA, The Canadian Association of Voice Actors, and her recent move to Ottawa. CAVA is a non-profit, national organization formed by industry professionals who saw the need for a Canadian version of the U.S.-based National Association of Voice Actors (NAVA) - given that we have different laws and needs in Canada. If you are a voice actor in Canada - joining does not the cost a lot and the perks will literally pay for the membership. Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. All the things that went unsaid on the show. Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here. Thanks to the following organizations for supporting the show: Megatrax - Licensed Music for your radio station or podcast production company. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week's episode is about the artisanship and business of podcast editing with veteran editor Bryan Entzminger. Bryan shares how he began podcasting in 2014, inspired by John Lee Dumas’ formulaic approach to Entrepreneurs On Fire and how that era of entrepreneurship-focused shows shaped early podcasting. We unpack why many podcasts have naturally “run their course” after five or six years, how the pandemic boom has cooled, and why Bryan has deliberately avoided rebuilding a client roster too concentrated on a few shows. On the technical side, Bryan walks through his journey from GarageBand to Twisted Wave and finally to Hindenburg, which he still considers the most intuitive for voice-first production and detailed technical edits. He contrasts this with transcript-based tools like Descript, explaining why automated “de-umming” often destroys pacing, breath, and emotion, and still requires hours of cleanup by a human editor. Bryan also shares favorite repair tools (like DX Revive, Supertone Clear, and iZotope), his go-to MP3 specs and -16 LUFS target, and thoughts on Zoom audio, video podcast distribution via RSS, and experiments with platforms like Fountain, TrueFans, and his own testbed show, Bad Podcast Pitches. Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. All the things that went unsaid on the show. Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here. Thanks to the following organizations for supporting the show: Megatrax - Licensed Music for your radio station or podcast production company. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I reconnect with Buzz Knight to explore the evolution of Buzz’s podcasting journey and his growing audio network. Buzz traces the roots of his “Takin a Walk” podcast from its original in-person, outdoor concept—where he literally walked and talked with guests—through the practical challenges of weather and audio quality, to its current virtual format with a strong focus on music-centered storytelling. Leveraging his radio experience both on air and in programming, Buzz explains how classic broadcast skills—crafting narrative, building anticipation, and smart promotion—translate directly into podcasting. He describes his partnership with iHeart, crediting executive Julie Talbot for championing the show and helping amplify it across the company’s powerful marketing and sales infrastructure. Buzz also details the expansion of his network under Buzz Knight Media Productions, including “Music Saved Me” with Lynn Hoffman and its spin-off “Comedy Saved Me.” He talks about “Taking a Walk Nashville” with Sarah Harrelson as an embedded local host, citing Nashville’s unique creative energy and her drive, coachability, and self-starter mentality. Throughout, Buzz emphasizes the joy of music discovery—spotlighting independent artists and unexpected career pivots—and reflects on the significant but rewarding workload of running multiple shows. Looking ahead, he teases a new concept at the intersection of music and true crime, while stressing the need to grow thoughtfully rather than endlessly add more podcasts. Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. All the things that went unsaid on the show. Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here. Thanks to the following organizations for supporting the show: Megatrax - Licensed Music for your radio station or podcast production company. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.