<h3><strong>How do you make money from podcasting when listeners are skipping ads?</strong></h3><p>Sam Sethi has spent his career at the intersection of tech and media, from Microsoft and Netscape to co-founding TechCrunch. Now, as CEO of True Fans and co-host of Podcast Weekly Review, he’s focused on one thing: building direct relationships between creators and audiences.</p><p>For Sam, the future of podcasting isn’t built on ads. It’s built on fans.</p><blockquote>“The word of the year is parasocial… it’s a one way deep relationship that fans have with creators.”</blockquote><p>In this episode, Sam breaks down why subscription models are gaining momentum, why downloads are no longer a reliable metric, and how podcasting is shifting toward direct monetization through community, access, and multi-platform experiences.</p><p><br></p><h3><strong>In this episode:</strong></h3><ul><li>Why subscription models are overtaking ad-based podcast revenue</li><li>The “death of the download” and what should replace it</li><li>How parasocial relationships translate into monetization</li><li>Why listeners are actively avoiding ads</li><li>The shift from platform dependency to creator-owned ecosystems</li><li>How real-time consumption data changes measurement</li><li>Why micropayments haven’t scaled yet but still matter</li><li>The role of curiosity in building long-term success</li></ul><p><br></p><h3><strong>Episode Moments:</strong></h3><p>(01:46) Where the money in podcasting is shifting</p><p>(03:17) Subscription vs advertising models</p><p>(06:13) Why listeners skip ads</p><p>(10:02) The role of trust in host-read ads</p><p>(17:20) From radio to podcast workflows</p><p>(19:27) How top shows identify high-performing clips</p><p>(24:37) The “death of the download”</p><p>(32:22) Building True Fans and creator ecosystems</p><p>(34:12) Real-time listening data explained</p><p>(43:39) Micropayments and creator monetization</p><p>(45:12) Curiosity as a competitive advantage</p><p>(59:29) What’s next for podcasting</p><h3><br></h3><h3><strong>About Sam Sethi</strong></h3><p>Sam Sethi is the CEO of True Fans, a platform focused on direct-to-fan podcast monetization and engagement. He is also co-host of Podcast Weekly Review alongside James Cridland. With a background spanning Microsoft, Netscape, and TechCrunch, Sam brings a product and infrastructure perspective to the future of podcasting, focused on subscriptions, data, and creator-led revenue models.</p><p>Find Sam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samsethi </p><p><br></p><h3><strong>Some Additional PodBiz Buzz</strong></h3><blockquote>“Complexity is fail. Simplicity is scale.”</blockquote><blockquote>“You just need a thousand true fans… and you have a business.”</blockquote><blockquote>“I think people have switched from wanting advertising driven podcasting… to accepting subscription paid, ad free platforms.”&nbsp;</blockquote><p><br></p><p><strong>PodBiz is the podcast about the business of podcasting.</strong> Hosted by industry veterans Norma Jean Belenky and John Kiernan, the show features conversations with creators, executives, and platform leaders to answer one question: <strong>Where’s the money in podcasting?</strong></p><p>Each episode dives into monetization strategy, adtech, branded content, IP development, and audience growth. Guests include leaders from Acast, Captivate, Crooked Media, Buzzsprout, True Native Media, Podfest, and more.</p><p>Learn more: njbmedia.co | thepodhouseproductions.com</p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>