Creative Funding for Podcasters 💰
Danielle Desir Corbett on her podcasting journey & newsletter Grants for Creators
Hello Besties,
WOWOWOW, WHAT AN EPIC 48-HOURS AT PODCAST MOVEMENT!
I had a blast and learned a lot. I met podcast promo queen Lauren Passell in person and hung out with my Pleasure Podcasts fam. My favorite part was being immersed in the podcasting community, meeting new people, and connecting with internet friends IRL. I also got several game-changing takeaways about SEO (use the Alphabet Soup Method), video (do it yesterday!), and more. I left feeling so recharged and energized about my next steps. I’m going to share more details about what I learned in future editions.
Thank you to Fatima Zaidi and Alison Osborne for inviting me to moderate the Fact vs. Fiction panel with some podcast legends, including James Cridland of Podnews (check out his recent Podcast Bestie Q&A)!
Now without further ado… For this week's Q&A, I invited Danielle Desir Corbett to fill us in on how she's helping podcasters and creators hack creative funding opportunities.
You host The Thought Card Podcast. What's the show's premise, and how did you get started podcasting?
DDC: After listening to podcasts for several years, I started podcasting in 2018 because I wanted to connect more deeply with readers from my blog. I figured that since I can talk faster than I write, I would be able to share content more quickly.
With over 100 episodes, The Thought Card is an affordable luxury travel and personal finance podcast empowering financially savvy travelers to travel more, build wealth, and live on their terms. We cover everything from budgeting to investing, entrepreneurship, homeownership, how to save money on summer travel, and things to do at my favorite travel destinations.
What’s a good episode to start with for someone new to your show?
DDC: How To Define Your Travel Style is one of my most popular episodes. In this episode, I share how understanding your likes, dislikes, interests, and values can directly impact what you spend money on while traveling. Knowing your travel style will help with travel planning and ensure your spending aligns with what you care about most.
How I Became A Financially Savvy Traveler is an episode worth checking out if you want to learn more about me. I share my journey to finding creative ways to travel to over 27 countries, despite having student loan debt and wanting to purchase a house.
I saw your tweet about how you decided to record only solo podcast episodes this year, and so far, you’re loving it — it’s tapping into why you started the show. I’m curious to hear more about this.
DDC: Among other things, I started my podcast to build a name for myself and share my thoughts on travel and personal finance with the world, but for years I shied away from that by conducting guest interviews.
That all changed when I discovered I was expecting my first child in 2021. This big life event meant I would no longer have the time to accommodate others’ schedules, so I went back to basics.
Guest interviews are advantageous when you want to talk with people you admire or want to learn from, and it’s a great way to grow your network and develop friendships. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve learned a lot from my guests, but I’ve found that staying consistent right now is a lot easier when I can work on my own. Recording solo episodes means exclusively working around my schedule and discussing topics most important to me.
Over the last few months, I've recorded some of my best content on the podcast to date. For the time being, publishing solo episodes feels right, and my audience enjoys it.
You have a Podcast Planner for sale on your website. What's your number one tip for planning and promoting your podcast?
DDC: Keep a running list of topics you'd like to discuss on your podcast. When inspiration strikes, add to this list and reference it often. This way, you'll never run out of ideas. To organize and streamline your production, access my podcast planner here. The planner includes episode planning templates, a social media promo checklist, Fall and Winter-themed Canva templates, newsletter swipe files, and more. We release a new version every year.
My biggest tip for promoting your podcast is to write clear and compelling episode titles. 💡
Episode titles are your first impression, and it's the first thing listeners will look at to determine if they want to listen to an episode or not. So, lead with value, and tell them what they can expect.
Prioritize clarity over cleverness, and give listeners a compelling reason to spend time with you.
You founded WOC Podcasters, dedicated to connecting women of color with the resources and opportunities to launch, grow, and monetize their podcasts. How can folks get involved, both WOC podcasters and allies who have resources and opportunities to offer?
DDC: WOC Podcasters (Women of Color) is an inclusive podcasting community for Women of Color audio creators and professionals. We invite you to join us!
In addition to our blog and private community, we host a directory of Women of Color service providers, from editors and producers to cover art designers.
For those with resources and opportunities to share, we are always happy to post on our opportunities board or inside our community.
We also host monthly fireside chats with guest experts. We are always on the lookout for guest speakers. Please email wocpodcasters@gmail.com with any ideas you may have.
You launched your Grants for Creators Substack in January. What inspired this project?
DDC: After applying for several funding opportunities, I won a few grants to co-produce an audio docuseries in 2020. Winning my first grant as a creative inspired me to take applying more seriously.
After finding so many grants and not having an outlet to share them publicly, I created Grants For Creators, a biweekly newsletter curating grants and other funding opportunities for US creatives and small business owners.
Since launching, we’ve shared hundreds of awards. Subscribers have won over $25,000!
Give us a taste of the types of funding opportunities that are available to podcasters and audio creators.
DDC: Over the last year, I’ve seen many different types of funding opportunities, specifically for podcasters. Some offer no strings attached grant funds, which you don’t have to pay back, while others provide training and mentorship.
I keep an updated list of funding opportunities for podcasters and audio creators.
What’s your best advice for how to monetize your show in general as an indie podcaster?
DDC: Be open to trial and error and invest in learning when you need additional support to achieve your goals.
Over the last four years, I tried monetizing my podcast in many different ways, including Buy Me a Coffee, a membership, a private podcast feed, and hosting paid workshops. None of those worked for me. It wasn't until I leaned into sponsorships did I find a lot of success.
Investing in coaching and a brand deals course helped improve my pitching and negotiating skills. Now sponsorships are the primary way I monetize my podcast. I love partnering with brands that my audience will find helpful.
Anything else you’d like to add?
DDC: For those who value personalized advice and are looking to grow and monetize their podcasts, I specialize in long-term growth strategies like podcast guest appearances, search engine optimization, and creating sustainable income streams. Learn more about my podcast marketing coaching program.
Thank you, Danielle!
➡️ Stay up to date with Danielle on Instagram and Twitter.
➡️ Make sure to listen to The Thought Card Podcast on your favorite podcast player.
➡️ And subscribe to Grants for Creators for the latest on grants and more paid opportunities!
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So… ROLL CALL! 🗣
What was YOUR biggest Podcast Movement takeaway? Could be from attending in-person, online, or via Twitter.
Follow me @courtneykocak on Twitter and Instagram. For more, check out my website courtneykocak.com.
Thank you for having me! I look forward to seeing more podcasters tap into alternative income streams like grants!