He Started Podcasting at 50 and Reached 1.4 Million Downloads— Corwin Johnson | Ep 172

Corwin Johnson gave himself an unusual present for his 50th birthday: he started a podcast. The original plan was to build it alongside a group of friends. But when it was finally time to start, the others dropped off and Corwin had to decide whether the vision was important enough to pursue alone. He kept going. We also talk about learning how to interview people without being intimidated by their credentials, becoming a better listener, bringing your own personality and energy into every conversation, and using podcasting as a way to build relationships rather than simply collect episodes. Corwin also opens up about the sacrifices behind building a show while working a full-time job and raising a family, the importance of having support at home, and why pursuing a vision also means learning how to balance the people who matter most. Join the My Podcast Story Newsletter Get real podcasting stories, lessons, ideas, and behind-the-scenes insights from hosts building shows across different industries. https://mypodcaststory.com/join Connect with Corwin Johnson Podcast: The CJ Moneyways Show Website: https://cjmoneyway.com Chapters 00:00 Consistency Is the Biggest Podcast Growth Strategy 01:58 Welcome to My Podcast Story 02:17 Meet Corwin Johnson 02:38 Starting a Podcast on His 50th Birthday 03:01 What The CJ Moneyways Show Is About 03:58 Building a Platform Around Resilience and Real Stories 04:38 Why Corwin Wanted to Give Everyday People a Voice 05:27 From Writing Books to Starting a Podcast 05:46 The Earliest Struggle Behind the Show 06:00 When Everyone Else Dropped Out 07:09 Building the Podcast Alone 07:29 What Running an Independent Podcast Really Takes 09:23 The Hidden Work Behind Every Episode 09:52 How PodMatch Helped Corwin Keep Going 10:28 Joining Believe Network 11:19 When the Podcast Network Opportunity Arrived 11:44 What Joining a Network Changed 12:13 Reaching 1.4 Million Downloads Through the Network 12:26 How the Podcast Created New Connections 13:16 What the Show Looked Like Before Joining the Network 13:20 Turning Down Eight Sponsorship Opportunities 13:58 Why Money Isn't the Only Reason to Podcast 14:30 What Actually Grew The CJ Moneyways Show 15:12 Why Corwin Says Consistency Is Everything 15:51 Discovering the Podcast Was Ranking Globally 16:58 Building a Podcast Without a Team 17:20 Getting 1% Better Every Day 17:48 Why You Shouldn't Get Caught Up in Views 18:15 When Listeners and Guests Start Finding You 19:30 How Podcasting Changed Corwin Personally 20:15 Interviewing CEOs, Doctors, and Accomplished Guests 20:26 Learning Not to Be Intimidated 21:01 Bringing Your Own Energy Into an Interview 21:37 Know Your Lane as a Podcast Host 22:00 Staying Authentic Behind the Microphone 23:03 Why Great Podcast Hosts Have to Listen 23:18 Going Beyond the Guest's Book or Business 24:39 Listening Closely Enough to Connect the Story 25:26 How Podcast Conversations Can Uncover Buried Stories 26:33 The Sacrifices Behind Building a Podcast 27:21 Balancing Podcasting, Marriage, Family, and Work 28:47 Making Space for the People Supporting Your Vision 30:39 When Your Family Starts Seeing What You're Building 31:29 Building a Podcast While Working a Full-Time Job 33:06 Teaching Your Children Through Your Work Ethic 35:05 The Feedback and Opportunities Corwin Gets From Guests 37:29 What's Next for Corwin Johnson 37:49 Writing Locked In and Mic'd Up 38:29 Keeping Different Ideas in Different “Pockets” 39:30 Expanding Into CJ Moneyway Entertainment 39:58 Networking Through Every Podcast Conversation 40:27 Putting More Tools in the Toolbox 40:50 Where to Find The CJ Moneyways Show