The short answer
Mark Steadman reveals how he took a podcast hosting platform from a passion project to an acquisition-ready business by fixing pricing, systemising operations, and understanding what buyers actually look for.
Key takeaways
- How Mark learned a very important lesson from a very big (and easy-to-make) mistake
- How to balance passion and good business sense to create a sustainable business model
- How starting a podcast is similar to starting a business: What to do, but also what NOT to do
- The deciding factors around when and why to exit your business
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43 minAbout this episode
In this episode, we meet with Mark Steadman, a pioneer of the podcast industry.
Mark’s serious about podcasts, and his passion for the industry and for his fellow podcasters took him on an incredible, decade long journey of discovery. After creating, in his words, “the world’s most technically advanced podcast that no one listened to,” Mark decided to change lanes and begin his own hosting platform.
Dive deeper into how he discovered his competitive edge in the market, as well as some of the big mistakes he made along the way.
Not only will you learn the fundamentals of how to set up a great podcast for your business (we’re taking those tips to heart, Mark), but you’ll also learn how he turned a passion project into the perfect acquisition for every party involved, all within six years.
His biggest takeaway: Don’t do it alone!
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About Mark Steadman
Mark Steadman is a podcast nerd, a stickler, and a fan. Mark made his first piece of on-demand radio in 2004 and started his first RSS-based podcast in 2008.
He has spent over a decade building tools, producing educational resources, and helping new and emerging podcasters start their show and reach more people.
In 2016, Mark started Podiant, a podcast hosting, analytics, and distribution company. In the spring of 2021, he sold that company to Castos.
Mark is now focused on helping creative, purposeful people use their voice to create a positive change in the world through his company, Origin Podcast Services.
Connect with Mark Steadman
About the show
Buy Grow Sell is hosted by Simon Bedard, founder and managing director of Exit Advisory Group, a boutique mergers and acquisitions advisory firm that helps Australian business owners value, prepare for and navigate a sale. Every conversation draws on real deals and the patterns behind them.
