Stop Trying to Please Everyone With Your Show

In this episode of Podjunction, Sadaf Beynon sits down with Neal Veglio, founder of Podknows Podcasting and host of Podcasting Insights, who brings over 25 years of audio experience from the radio industry into the podcasting world. Neal shares his journey from being a maverick radio presenter who loved creating drama and characters on air, to becoming a podcast strategist who guarantees results for his clients. The conversation explores Neal's unique approach to character development, where he helps podcasters lean into their quirks and authentic personalities rather than hiding them. Neal challenges conventional podcasting wisdom throughout the discussion, arguing that trying to please everyone actually pleases nobody, and that true impact comes from being brave enough to take a stance - even if it means some people won't like you. He emphasises that successful podcasting requires strategic thinking, proper audience targeting, and the courage to say what needs to be said, rather than staying in the safe centre line that most business podcasters occupy.

3 Key Actionable Takeaways

1. Develop Your Authentic Character, Don't Hide Your Quirks Neal's approach to character development involves finding what makes you uniquely you - including the embarrassing or quirky traits you might want to hide. Whether it's going off on tangents, having unusual interests, or being particularly scatty, these authentic elements are what make you relatable and memorable to your audience. Instead of editing these out, lean into them and make them part of your show's identity. Your listeners will connect with your humanity far more than a polished, generic presentation.

2. Be Willing to Alienate Half Your Audience True podcast impact comes from having the courage to take a stance and say what needs to be said, even if you know some people won't like it. Neal emphasises that if you're trying to please everyone, you'll make zero impact on anybody. Accept that 50% of first-time listeners might hate your show - but the other 50% will absolutely love it and become loyal followers. This qualification and disqualification process is essential for building a genuinely engaged audience rather than a passive one.

3. Niche Down Three Times, Then Niche Again Most business podcasts fail because they try to cover everything for everyone, resulting in shows that sound like "30,000 other shows." Neal advocates for extreme niching - not just picking a topic like "business advice," but drilling down to specifics like who you serve, what unique approach you take, and what particular problem you solve. His example of a basket-weaving podcast getting 3,000 downloads in the first month by focusing on a specific type of material and technique proves that there's an audience for even the most niche topics.

Resources

Podjunction Ecosystem:

• Podjunction Home: https://podjunction.com/
• Sadaf's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sadafbeynon/