By Josh Pies & C47 Films · Updated October 2026
Start with the audience, purpose, format, and a production rhythm your team can maintain.
Define the job of the show
Before naming the podcast, identify who it should serve and what useful conversation you can consistently offer. A customer education show, an industry interview series, and an internal leadership podcast have different needs. Choose a primary purpose so production decisions have a reference point.
Pick a format you can repeat
Decide who hosts, whether you need guests, typical episode length, and the role of video. Write a simple episode outline: opening, central question, supporting discussion, and closing. Test the format in a pilot before making a long publishing commitment.
Plan responsibilities as carefully as topics
Someone needs to invite guests, prepare the host, organize recording, approve edits, and publish. Put names against those tasks. Outsourced production still needs a client contact who can make decisions and move approvals along.
Build a small buffer
Where appropriate, record multiple episodes in a session. A buffer helps absorb an illness, cancellation, or busy week. Start with a realistic frequency and protect quality before adding more episodes.
Agree on what success looks like
Use goals you can evaluate: delivery consistency, useful audience feedback, relevant guest relationships, and content your team uses. If you track leads, record where they came from rather than assuming every sale was caused by the show.