Empowering Podcasters Without Taking Creative Control

Are podcast "networks" holding creators back? Why does one company refuse the network label? And what is everyone missing about the business of podcast collectives? What if chasing the label of "network" is distracting podcasters from real, sustainable growth? Amanda McLoughlin began her journey on YouTube before moving into podcasting as the co-creator and co-host of "Spirits," a show blending mythology, folklore, and casual conversation in a unique and engaging format. Amanda founded Multitude in 2018, a podcast collective dedicated to supporting creators and fostering collaboration across innovative, creator-driven shows. Multitude rejects the traditional network model in favor of creator control, democratic structure, and long-term community building. Made up of podcasts united not just by format or subject matter, but by a shared ethos of curiosity, critical thinking, and genuine enthusiasm. Amanda's insights into collective operations, hands-off IP, and ad sales come from years of leading with relationships over hierarchy. She shares strategies for fostering creator autonomy, the pitfalls of public radio norms, and why prioritizing community over scale is the way forward. Listen for: 11:13 Early days of video blogging 19:34 Understanding podcast creators' needs 46:14 Podcast creative consultation process 31:31 Building Authentic Industry Relationships 23:40 Creating sustainable podcast episodes 37:34 Finding the right podcast partners 1:06:39 Personalized ad sales strategy CONNECT WITH GUEST: AMANDA MCLOUGHLIN, CEO | MULTITUDE Website | LinkedIn Amanda’s rec: Podcast Consider This for Comfort | Spirits: Mythology, Legends, & Folklore | This Guy Sucked | Tiny Matters Book Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good CONNECT WITH GREG WASSERMAN, HEAD OF RELATIONSHIPS FOR RSS.COM Website | LinkedIn Greg’s book rec: Return on Courage by Ryan Berman Systems, Sponsors, and Partners: Hosted with RSS.com Podcast Hosting Produced by Stories & Strategies Content Repurposed with Castmagic Podcast Project Management with Northflow Please share your thoughts and record a voice note for me using this link.