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Don’t Let Bad Guests or Publicists Sabotage Your Podcast

Big Podcast Playbook - Grow Your Podcast. Build Your Audience.

Release Date: 08/16/2026

An NSFW Episode with My Wife (and a Social Media Lesson) show art An NSFW Episode with My Wife (and a Social Media Lesson)

Big Podcast Playbook - Grow Your Podcast. Build Your Audience.

Are you wasting time shouting into the social media void hoping someone will notice your podcast? Why it’s time to demand more for your efforts in this episode of Big Podcast Playbook ... Big Ideas in This Episode Social media: are you just being ignored? The “ignore line” ad and its twisted appeal Lusting for dopamine hits—podcasting vs. kinks Are you wasting devotion on ungrateful audiences? Reveal your secrets and get nothing in return? Demand more: don’t settle for podcast obscurity Build a real community, not a ghost town Why You Should Listen Why “being...

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Don't Let PR Agents Hijack Your Podcast show art Don't Let PR Agents Hijack Your Podcast

Big Podcast Playbook - Grow Your Podcast. Build Your Audience.

Should you let PR agents dictate your podcast interviews, or set your own boundaries for better conversations? David shares real talk and strategies for handling pushy PR people in this episode of Big Podcast Playbook ... Big Ideas in This Episode Outsmart pushy PR: reclaim your podcast power The admin trick PR pros use to control you Celebrity guests fly solo—ditch the handler myth Why outside eyes sabotage honest conversations Micromanaged interviews kill natural chemistry Draw your line: say "no" to PR calendar drama Be ruthless: protect your creative freedom Why You Should...

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Big Podcast Playbook - Grow Your Podcast. Build Your Audience.

How making 30 podcast episodes in 30 days can transform your skills, help you find your voice, and connect you with a supportive community in this episode of Big Podcast Playbook ... Big Ideas in This Episode Triple your skills: 30 episodes in 30 days The show you start is never the one you finish Skip perfection—discover what happens by showing up Unlock podcast growth through relentless experimentation Burnout or breakthrough? Find your voice under pressure Secret podcasts: why every pro needs one NaPodPoMo: the shortcut to dominate your niche Why You Should Listen The...

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Big Podcast Playbook - Grow Your Podcast. Build Your Audience.

Audacity 4 just dropped with some cool new features (and missing a couple old favorites), plus thoughts on bare-bones podcasting setups and advice for podcasters thinking about a switch in this episode of Big Podcast Playbook ... Big Ideas in This Episode Audacity 4: secret weapon for lazy editing Stretch time, cheat perfection—sound flawless, effortlessly 100 million users: are you missing out? Is your software sabotaging your podcast? Export drama: what Audacity 4 still won’t deliver Ditch your pricey DAW—free tools, pro results Why You Should Listen The brand-new...

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Big Podcast Playbook - Grow Your Podcast. Build Your Audience.

Perfection isn’t the goal. It's the real, imperfect moments that make podcasts matter, and why you should leave the flaws in your episodes in this episode of Big Podcast Playbook ... Big Ideas in This Episode Perfection kills the magic—embrace raw moments Your podcast’s flaws make listeners obsess Leave the breath in ... AI copies the real Chasing perfect? You’re missing gold on tape Record now ... your guest could die tomorrow National radio stumbles? Your mistakes build loyalty Paper rustles, dogs bark Why You Should Listen The dark secret behind why perfection is...

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Big Podcast Playbook - Grow Your Podcast. Build Your Audience.

When a legendary figure like Dolly Parton passes, joining the conversation quickly and authentically can set your podcast apart. How to do it and why it matters in this episode of Big Podcast Playbook ... Big Ideas in This Episode Jump on big events for instant attention Tiny podcasters: outspeed massive media giants How SiriusXM built a Dolly Parton radio overnight Get in the media club—skip the velvet rope Use other people's content—grow wildly, effortlessly Turn raw emotion into shareable podcast gold Why You Should Listen The under-the-radar “instant reaction” hack...

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Never Let a Guest Take Control of Your Podcast show art Never Let a Guest Take Control of Your Podcast

Big Podcast Playbook - Grow Your Podcast. Build Your Audience.

Find out why letting guests or their compliance departments approve your podcast edits is a no-go—and how to keep full control of your show in this episode of Big Podcast Playbook ... Big Ideas in This Episode Never let guests control your final edit Why compliance departments ruin your creative flow Guests demanding pre-approval? Show them the door Outsourcing trust destroys your authority How “talking points” secretly become a script The power move: produce for your audience, not your guest Jealously guard your mic—and your show’s soul Why You Should Listen The cold,...

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Big Podcast Playbook - Grow Your Podcast. Build Your Audience.

Struggling with flat podcast growth? David Hooper reveals why Instagram clips and guest swaps aren't moving the needle ... and the music industry secret that will ... in this episode of Big Podcast Playbook ... Big Ideas in This Episode The boy band secret to podcast growth nobody uses Why Instagram and TikTok clips rarely convert listeners Most podcasters are just replaceable “pretty faces”—break out Borrowed audiences: why guest swaps won’t save you Listeners want their edge ... don’t expect them to share your show Harness envy: make fans want your exclusive...

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Don’t Let Bad Guests or Publicists Sabotage Your Podcast show art Don’t Let Bad Guests or Publicists Sabotage Your Podcast

Big Podcast Playbook - Grow Your Podcast. Build Your Audience.

What happens when a guest tries to do a podcast interview entirely via email, and why you should always stay in control of your show in this episode of Big Podcast Playbook ... Big Ideas in This Episode The guest who tried to do a podcast interview via email Publicists “spray and pray” guests—are you just content fodder? You are the gatekeeper, never cede podcast control One bad guest can ruin your show’s credibility Why ditching demanding guests boosts your status Churn and burn guests? Why quality trumps quantity Publicists need you more than you need them Why You Should...

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How to Handle Demanding Guests and Pushy Publicists show art How to Handle Demanding Guests and Pushy Publicists

Big Podcast Playbook - Grow Your Podcast. Build Your Audience.

What do you do when big name guests and their publicists try to script your show and control the narrative? Why you should stay in charge and how to handle it in this episode of Big Podcast Playbook ... Big Ideas in This Episode Secret scripts: when guests control your questions Are you running the show ... or is your guest? Publicists gone wild: relentless follow-ups exposed Podcast credibility destroyed by letting others script How big name guests risk your authenticity “Softball questions” ruin your listener’s trust Guard your mic: publicists crave the power Why You Should...

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More Episodes

What happens when a guest tries to do a podcast interview entirely via email, and why you should always stay in control of your show in this episode of Big Podcast Playbook ...

Big Ideas in This Episode

  • The guest who tried to do a podcast interview via email
  • Publicists “spray and pray” guests—are you just content fodder?
  • You are the gatekeeper, never cede podcast control
  • One bad guest can ruin your show’s credibility
  • Why ditching demanding guests boosts your status
  • Churn and burn guests? Why quality trumps quantity
  • Publicists need you more than you need them

Why You Should Listen

  • The lazy podcaster’s hack for cutting useless guests—without losing a wink of sleep
  • The secret way to make overrated publicists beg for YOUR attention
  • How to slap down guest demands before they hijack your precious mic time
  • Why reading interview answers over email is podcasting’s quickest death sentence
  • The envious truth: Most podcasters let publicists walk all over them ... here’s how to flip the script
  • How to wield total control over your show ... even if you’re buried under 30 guests a week
  • The cunning “spray and pray” tactic bad publicists use to fill your inbox (and the one response that makes them disappear)
  • The deadly sin that kills podcast quality ... are you guilty of trading quality for quantity?
  • Simple tricks to spot an AI-generated pitch (before you embarrass yourself with a soulless guest)
  • The ultimate power play: Why a single “no” to a publicist can make your show irresistible
  • How to turn the tables so your podcast is a forbidden fruit every guest lusts after
  • The obvious (but ignored) reason more is not better (and how one bad interview poisons your reputation)
  • The greedy publicist’s favorite manipulation ... and the sentence that makes them crumble
  • The glutton’s guide to harvesting endless high-quality guests while tossing the rest in the trash
  • Want publicists to serve up their best guests on a silver platter? Here’s the secret handshake they don’t want you to know

Episode Timestamps

  • [00:01] The publicist trick that left me stunned ... and what podcasters need to watch out for
  • [00:21] The wild reality of booking 30 guests a week and the surprising challenges that come with it
  • [01:19] Why some publicists “spray and pray” and how AI-generated pitches may be slipping into your inbox
  • [01:50] An outrageous guest request: conducting a radio interview entirely… via email?!
  • [02:48] Why doing interviews by email is not just old-fashioned, but makes zero sense in podcasting today
  • [04:08] The “churn and burn” myth: Why having more guests could actually hurt your show
  • [05:06] The only thing better than more guests: David Hooper’s secret for building a must-listen podcast

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