Book A Podcast Host Strategy Call

Hi, I'm Zach, and I've been hosting podcasts for about seven years and my main show, The Zach Show, for the last five.

I've talked to people like Mark Normand, Wyclef Jean, Jess Glynne, Andy Weir, and FINNEAS, but don't let that fool you.

Talking to “big guests” is not some mystical achievement.

It's much easier than you think to get in contact with famous people so don't let other hosts with fancy guest lists fool you into buying their overpriced container of secret podcast wisdom, including me. Especially if they're trying to sell you something with a name like "Elite Podcast Course" or "10 steps to 10k Downloads."

Some of my most downloaded conversations have been with strangers I met while traveling abroad and some of my biggest flops have been chats with celebs. Welcome to the Wild West of Podcasting, where nothing makes sense, chemistry beats clout, and no one has any idea what will take off next (although they'll try to sell you an expensive course that says they do).

I'm not selling a course, and if I ever do, consider me cooked.

Because the truth is, “expert frameworks” almost ruined podcasting for me.

Every big-name host had a rule: Open your episodes like this. Ask questions exactly like that. Follow the formula.

I bought into it. Hard.

I built myself a perfectly structured hosting cage: polished, rigid, lifeless.

My instincts dulled. My curiosity shrank. I sounded like everyone except myself.

It wasn’t until I tore all that shiny, useless scaffolding down that I finally became a decent host, not a well-trained imitator, not an algorithmic interviewer, but someone who could follow the moment instead of fear it.

I don’t want other hosts going through the same suffocating “expert baptism” I did.

Partly because I’m not an expert, and more importantly, because I don’t believe in advice.

Advice in the sense of, This is what worked for me, and by a combination of hard work, good timing, and mostly luck, my podcast blew up and now I tell every up-and-coming host this is the way to the promised land!

Listening to "advice" like this from a host like this is a creativity killer.

The formula that works for me will almost certainly not work for you, and if my show "blows up" to the top of the Spotify Charts, it will mostly be not because of me.

Don't get me wrong, I work insanely hard at this and grind my podcast brain to the bone every waking hour I can, but that in no way guarantees me any success. I put out the best episodes I can with the resources I have, and how it performs is out of my control.

So, fuck advice.

Some of my best conversations are buried on YouTube with a few hundred views. Some of my weakest have blown past 100k. Step inside the sick, glorious world of podcasting, where quality doesn’t equal viral and viral doesn’t equal good.

I’m not here to give advice or hand you commandments. What I will do is offer to rent you my podcast brain for 45 minutes for $300.

Bring your hosting problems, your stuck moments, your ideas, your doubts, and we’ll break them open together. Not teacher/student. Just two hosts sharpening the craft in real time.

Why 45 minutes?

Because anyone who’s worked an office 9–5 knows the truth: What takes an hour can almost always be done in 45. And most of my calls hit that mark naturally anyway.

Why $300?

Because that’s what it takes for me to pause work on my own show and give you my full attention, and I value that time fiercely. If you’re booking a call, you get all of me for three focused quarters of an hour. No multitasking. No half-presence. No bullshit.

Just us, in the weeds, figuring out your podcast together.

Here are some topics (but not limited to) that would make for a good strategy call:

  • You want help shaping episode flow: strong openings, smooth pivots, no mid-episode drift

  • You feel like you haven’t found your voice yet, and you want to

  • You want to ask better questions, not just more questions

  • You rely on notes but hate sounding scripted, you want presence and structure

  • You want guests to open up more because you’re ready to listen deeper

  • Your curiosity is evolving, and rebranding scares you

  • Your guest research feels thin and surface-level

  • You only record once or twice a month, so how do you stretch one episode into daily content?

  • You want to break past canned, rehearsed guest responses and get to the real stuff

  • You want to feel more comfortable before you press record, for your guest, and you

  • Silence makes you sweat, and you want to sit in it without panic

  • You want to redirect guest conversations without feeling rude

  • You want to use Chat-GPT as a tool for research/questions, but not rely on it completely

  • You’re running a one-person operation and terrified your recorder/camera will die mid-sentence

  • You feel guest breakthroughs happening, but you rush past them instead of letting them breathe

And here are some topics (not limited to) that would be a waste of both of our time and your money:

  • Can you write my guest questions for me? (No, and even if I did, they wouldn't be good. Those have to come from you. I'm happy to help with the structure of an episode, but writing from scratch is the host’s job, which is you)

  • I’m starting a podcast, what gear do I need? (You can pay me $300, or you can watch one of the thousands of free, great podcast setup guides on YouTube. Go with option two.)

  • Relationship/life advice, and other things not related to podcasting (I'm not qualified to charge for these things, so please seek a true friend's ear or the help of a professional in that field)

  • How do I get to 10k downloads? How do I go viral? (Years of hard work, a lot of time, and a ton of luck. It's not sexy and doesn't sell overpriced courses, but it's true. If you're in this for the downloads/views, you'll burn out, quickly)

  • Can I be a guest on your show? (No)

  • What should I name my podcast? (A top show was literally called ‘Cumtown.’ Your guess is as good as mine.)

  • Can you teach me how to edit? (The only reason I learned to edit was because, at the time, I couldn't afford to outsource most of my episodes. Unless you have a booming business or are the recipient of a trust fund, take advantage of one of the many free and useful audio/video editing tutorials on YouTube. Learning how to throw together a decent episode in Premiere or master a solid MP3 in Audacity is slow, painful, and worth it. It will serve you later, even when you can afford a producer)

Now that we're clear, and if you still want to book a call, let's do it. I'm excited to speak with you. That tells me we’re two people serious about the craft of podcast hosting, not leveraging shortcuts for clout.

Here’s what you get on a call with me:

• 45 minutes of my full, undivided attention

• My podcast brain, bathed in 7+ years of hosting that took me from 30 downloads to thousands per week (and all the ups & downs along the way), at your total disposal

• A post-call breakdown document with clear, actionable takeaways

• Raw Riverside audio + video from the session

What you don’t get is guaranteed growth.

If I knew how to reliably turn 1,000 downloads into 5,000 a week, I’d be charging a lot more money. No one can promise that, and anyone who does is lying to you.

What I can give you is perspective, patterns, clarity, and a sparring partner who genuinely cares about helping you become a better, freer, more confident host.

I occasionally share short reels from calls on socials for promotional and content purposes, but never the full session. The full call stays between us.

If you’re ready, the booking link is below.

I’m looking forward to meeting you and playing a small but meaningful role in your journey as a host.

Talk soon,

Zach