Podcast Company Business Plan
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Below is a template to help you create each section of your Podcast Company business plan.
Executive Summary
Business Overview
Pocket Podcast is a startup podcast production company located in Austin, Texas. The company is founded by Jerry Harkson, who has experience in digital production and podcast technical support Now, with the expertise of podcast knowledge and business acumen, Jerry has determined he can confidently start and effectively grow a successful podcast company. He believes his experience of strategic growth, marketing skills, financial capabilities, and wide and deep knowledge of podcast production practices will provide everything needed for long-term growth and profitability.
Pocket Podcast will provide a comprehensive array of digital, technical, and podcast support services for a wide variety of clients. Pocket Podcast will be the premier podcast production company, providing services and products for each client while supporting the strategic goals of the company. Pocket Podcast will be the ultimate choice in Austin, Texas for clients to ensure that every need of the customer is fully and completely met.
Product Offering
The following are the services that Pocket Podcast will provide:
- Full-service podcast production
- Content creation and collaboration with podcast clients
- Podcast development with designated teams for support
- Content research and support in lifestyle, education, and politics
- Podcast distribution to national outlets
- Unique platform for client podcast management
- Client support and scheduling
- Streaming services and platforms
- Personalized client support as needed
Customer Focus
Pocket Podcast Company will target clients who are considering the creation and development of a high-quality, professional podcast series. Pocket Podcast will also target podcast creators who have targeted growth and revenue potential, yet require professional assistance to achieve those goals. Secondary targets will include potential podcast clients who are considering podcasting, but haven’t yet started the process. Also, potential clients within the content creation, original works, and related industries throughout the greater Texas area will be targeted.
Management Team
Pocket Podcast Company will be owned and operated by Jerry Harkson. Jerry holds a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Texas and was formerly the production director of a podcast business in Dallas, Texas for fifteen years. His expertise and engaging personality brought numerous clients into his former company and his reputation as a prolific and highly-talented director has become well-known in the industry. He will be the President of Pocket Podcast Company. He has recruited two podcast executives, Cory Banks and Angel Cruz, with whom he used to work, to join the new startup as executives within his company.
Cory Banks is an experienced digital manager who has executed the production process created by Jerry Harkson for over ten years. He holds a bachelor’s degree in digital production from the University of Texas and is joining the Pocket Podcast Company as a minority shareholder with Jerry Harkson. His title will be Digital Director and he will bring a large social media following with him to the company, as well as hundreds of podcast audience members who follow him.
Angel Cruz is an accountant who worked with Jerry Harkson for seven years for their former employer. Angel Cruz holds a master’s degree in finance from Texas State University. She will take on the role of the Financial Director of Pocket Podcast, overseeing all financial and accounting positions within the new company.
Success Factors
Pocket Podcast will be able to achieve success by offering the following competitive advantages:
- Friendly, knowledgeable, and highly-qualified team of Pocket Podcast
- Comprehensive menu of services, including digital podcast production, technical and full production support and scheduling.
- Unique client management platform, providing tracking and customer response rates
- Engagement with creative podcast producers and innovative talent
- High-quality, engaging audio production
- Pocket Podcast offers the best pricing in town. Their pricing structure is the most cost effective compared to the competition.
Download the Podcast Company business plan template (including a customizable financial model) to your computer here <–
Financial Highlights
Pocket Podcast is seeking $200,000 in debt financing to launch its podcast company. The funding will be dedicated toward securing the office space and purchasing office equipment and supplies. Funding will also be dedicated toward three months of overhead costs to include payroll of the staff, rent, and marketing costs for the social media ads and marketing costs. The breakout of the funding is below:
- Office space build-out: $20,000
- Office equipment, supplies, and materials: $10,000
- Three months of overhead expenses (payroll, rent, utilities): $150,000
- Marketing costs: $10,000
- Working capital: $10,000
The following graph outlines the financial projections for Pocket Podcast.
Company Overview
Who is the Pocket Podcast Company?
The Pocket Podcast Company is a newly established, full-service podcast production company in Austin, Texas. Pocket Podcast will be the most reliable, cost-effective, and efficient choice for podcast clients in Texas. Pocket Podcast will provide a comprehensive menu of podcast production and support services for any podcast client to utilize. Their full-service approach includes a comprehensive array of services and management options.
Jerry Harkson will be able to manage and direct the staff of Pocket Podcast. He will manage staff members who he has recruited from his former position and has built trust and accountability with each of those new staff members. The team of professionals are highly qualified and experienced in talent acquisition, podcast production and client management. Pocket Podcast removes all headaches and issues of the podcast production and ensures all issues are taken care of expeditiously while delivering the best customer service.
Pocket Podcast Company History
The Pocket Podcast Company is a newly established, full-service podcast company in Austin, Texas. The company was started by Jerry Harkson in 2023 to offer podcast management and technical expertise to clients who use podcasts as a business endeavor. Jerry Harkson developed a unique platform that tracks and maintains client podcasts. This provides a service that no other podcast company does and ensures a higher level of support for the podcaster.
In late 2023, Jerry Harkson brought employees into the company, including Cory Banks as the Digital Directo, and Angel Cruz as the Financial Director. Both were former co-workers with Jerry Harkson at their place of employment.
Since incorporation, Pocket Podcast has achieved the following milestones:
- Registered Pocket Podcast, LLC to transact business in the state of Texas
- Has a contract in place for a 10,000 square foot office at one of the midtown buildings
- Reached out to numerous contacts to include Pocket Podcast in referrals
- Began recruiting a staff of three and five office personnel to work at Pocket Podcast
Pocket Podcast Services
The following will be the services Pocket Podcast will provide:
- Full-service podcast production
- Content creation and collaboration with podcast clients
- Podcast development with designated teams for support
- Content research and support in lifestyle, education, and politics
- Podcast distribution to national outlets
- Unique platform for client podcast management
- Client support and scheduling
- Streaming services and platforms
- Personalized client support as needed
Industry Analysis
The podcast industry is expected to grow over the next five years to over $15 billion.
The growth will be driven by the growth of podcast revenue, currently at a rate of thirty percent annually. The growth will also be driven by the increased use of smartphones, better and more reliable internet connectivity, and the convenience found by consumers in selecting podcasts at their own leisure.
Costs will likely be reduced as smartphone pricing continues to drop for mid-market consumers. Costs will also be reduced by the lowered pricing for internet connectivity as it becomes more available worldwide. Improved internet connectivity will also lower prices for podcast companies, offering lower costs for production tools and equipment needs.
Download the Podcast Company business plan template (including a customizable financial model) to your computer here <–
Customer Analysis
Demographic Profile of Target Market
Pocket Podcast will target current and potential podcasters in Texas and surrounding regions. They will target podcasters who have a growing audience of 500+ audience listeners. They will also target small podcast originators who introduce new topic categories amid surging interest indicators. They will target those who are developing their podcast businesses.
The precise demographics for Pocket Podcast are:
| Total | Percent | |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,680,988 | 100% |
| Male | 838,675 | 49.9% |
| Female | 842,313 | 50.1% |
| 20 to 24 years | 114,872 | 6.8% |
| 25 to 34 years | 273,588 | 16.3% |
| 35 to 44 years | 235,946 | 14.0% |
| 45 to 54 years | 210,256 | 12.5% |
| 55 to 59 years | 105,057 | 6.2% |
| 60 to 64 years | 87,484 | 5.2% |
| 65 to 74 years | 116,878 | 7.0% |
| 75 to 84 years | 52,524 | 3.1% |
Customer Segmentation
Pocket Podcast will primarily target the following customer profiles:
- Podcasters with growing audiences in Texas
- Podcasters who require production and management services
- Podcasters who have 500+ audience listeners
- Podcasters who introduce original topic categories
- Potential podcasters seeking content creation and production
Competitive Analysis
Direct and Indirect Competitors
Pocket Podcast will face competition from other companies with similar business profiles. A description of each competitor company is below.
The Originals Company
The Originals was established in 2019 in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Tommy Thompson, a content creator with ten years of content creation experience. The Originals includes ten content creators in full-time employment and three content creator specialists who provide a specific focus content as needed. The Originals has a clearly-defined scope of business: content creation for educational uses. This includes content for podcasters to use in K-12 schools, colleges, and universities. Original content is created by assignment of client schools and is developed by a team of content creators who are employees of The Originals.
The target market of The Originals is the online and in-person community of educational facilities, both private and public, throughout the US. The Originals company offers cultural, political, and societal commentary as requested within the educational content that is provided to each client.
Exceptional Podcast Productions
The Exceptional Podcast business was formed in Tucson, Arizona in 2020 by Sandy Marks for the purpose of building distribution and marketing revenue on behalf of podcaster clients. Sandy brings to her company a background in social media marketing and has a decade of experience with content creation, blogging, vlogging and associated forms of marketing for podcasters. She formerly worked as the Distribution Manager for a citywide company dedicated to building local and regional revenue for podcast clients. The business has expanded with the addition of three employees hired in 2022 to oversee and manage accounts with major revenue-producing collaborations with affiliated companies.
Happy2Happy Company
The Happy2Happy podcast company was formed in 2019 by Teresa and Sandy Taylor. After five years as content creators and podcast presenters, the sisters determined there was an audience to be found in children ages 5-10 who would like to watch podcasts featuring the newest toys and the features those toys offer. Happy2Happy has grown to include seven employees who manage client relationships with major toy manufacturers. Prior to market distribution, the Happy2Happy Company podcasters present the first look at new toys, the features they carry and suggest retailers who can provide the toys to the children.
The model for Happy2Happy Company has been so successful, with revenues rapidly growing and long-term growth in the near future, Teresa and Sandy Taylor are now replicating their model by starting a podcast production company focused on the 11-14 year-old consumer audience. Anticipated revenues will come from such companies as trending apparel, shoes, foods/snacks and other items common to all within these age groups.
Download the Podcast Company business plan template (including a customizable financial model) to your computer here <–
Competitive Advantage
Pocket Podcast will be able to offer the following advantages over their competition:
- Friendly, knowledgeable, and highly-qualified team of Pocket Podcast
- Comprehensive menu of services, including digital podcast production, technical and full production support and scheduling
- Unique client management platform, providing tracking and customer response rates
- Engagement with creative podcast producers and innovative talent
- High-quality, engaging audio production
- Pocket Podcast offers the best pricing in town. Their pricing structure is the most cost effective compared to the competition.
Marketing Plan
Brand & Value Proposition
Pocket Podcast will offer the unique value proposition to its clientele:
- Unique, wholly-owned client management platform, providing tracking and customer response rates.
- High-quality, engaging audio production
- Engagement with creative podcast producers and innovative talent
- Comprehensive menu of services, including digital podcast production, technical and full production support and scheduling
Promotions Strategy
The promotions strategy for Pocket Podcast is as follows:
Word of Mouth/Referrals
Jerry Harkson has built up an extensive list of contacts over the years by providing exceptional service and expertise to former podcasting clients. The contacts and clients will follow him to his new company and help spread the word of Pocket Podcast.
Professional Associations and Networking
In addition to creating word of mouth referrals by contacting former clients, Jerry Harkson, Cory Banks and Angel Cruz will join regional and national associations that trade within the podcasting industry. They will take an active role in each and network throughout to both influence others and collaborate in joint projects, as well as gain industry knowledge and keep up with the latest podcasting trends.
Social Media Marketing
There will be a heavy expenditure of the advertising budget for client podcasts, with an emphasis and style that suits each target audience of podcasters and potential podcasters. Facebook, GoogleAds, and other commercial digital marketplaces will be utilized to spread the word of the Pocket Podcast Company.
Website/SEO Marketing
Pocket Podcast will utilize their website, however, the website will direct potential podcast clients to the “insider” array of services offered. Also, the scope of the unique platform offered to clients will be revealed in a way that conforms to every need of the podcaster client. The website will be well organized and informative, but it will serve primarily to move the potential client to the next step, which is a ZOOM meeting with one of the senior management team. This ensures the potential client will receive all the information suited to their particular audience, format, and podcast style. The website will also list their contact information and offer two recommendations from well-known podcasters. The website will engage in SEO marketing tactics so that anytime someone types in the Google or Bing search engine “podcast company” or “podcast company near me,” Pocket Podcast will be listed at the top of the search results.
Pricing
The pricing of Pocket Podcast will be moderate and on par with competitors so customers feel they receive excellent value when purchasing their services.
Operations Plan
The following will be the operations plan for Pocket Podcast.
Operation Functions:
- Jerry Harkson will be the owner and President of the company. He will oversee all staff and manage client relations. Jerry has spent the past year recruiting the following staff:
- Cory Banks will be the Distribution Director, overseeing the priority aspects of every client account in meeting and growing their audience.
- Angel Cruz will be the Financial Director, providing all client accounting, tax payments, and monthly financial reporting.
- Cherry Alberts will be the Social Media Marketing Manager who will provide all marketing for Pocket Podcast and each client it serves.
- Alison Carter will be the Editorial Manager, overseeing the content creators for each client.
Download the Podcast Company business plan template (including a customizable financial model) to your computer here <–
Milestones:
Pocket Podcast will have the following milestones completed in the next six months.
- 5/1/202X – Finalize contract to lease office space
- 5/15/202X – Finalize personnel and staff employment contracts for Pocket Podcast
- 6/1/202X – Finalize contracts for Pocket Podcast clients
- 6/15/202X – Begin networking at industry events
- 6/22/202X – Begin moving into Pocket Podcast office
- 7/1/202X – Pocket Podcast opens its doors for business
Management Team
The Pocket Podcast Company will be owned and operated by Jerry Harkson. Jerry holds a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Texas and was formerly the production director of a podcast business in Dallas, Texas for fifteen years. His expertise and engaging personality brought numerous clients into his former company and his reputation as a prolific and highly-talented director has become well-known in the industry. He will be the President of the Pocket Podcast Company. He has recruited two podcast executives, Cory Banks and Angel Cruz, with whom he used to work, to join the new startup as executives within his company.
Cory Banks is an experienced digital manager who has executed the production process created by Jerry Harkson for over ten years. He holds a bachelor’s degree in digital production from the University of Texas and is joining the Pocket Podcast Company as a minority shareholder with Jerry Harkson. His title will be Digital Director and he will bring a large social media following with him to the company, as well as hundreds of podcast audience members who follow his own podcast.
Angel Cruz is an accountant who worked with Jerry Harkson for seven years for their former employer. Angel Cruz holds a master’s degree in finance from Texas State University. She will take on the role of the Financial Director of Pocket Podcast, overseeing all financial and accounting positions within the new company.
Financial Plan
Key Revenue & Costs
The revenue drivers for Pocket Podcast are the fees they will charge to clients for their services.
The cost drivers will be the overhead costs required in order to staff Pocket Podcast. The expenses will be the payroll cost, rent, utilities, office supplies, and marketing materials.
Funding Requirements and Use of Funds
Pocket Podcast is seeking $200,000 in debt financing to launch its podcast company. The funding will be dedicated toward securing the office space and purchasing office equipment and supplies. Funding will also be dedicated toward three months of overhead costs to include payroll of the staff, rent, and marketing costs for the social media ads and marketing costs. The breakout of the funding is below:
- Office space build-out: $20,000
- Office equipment, supplies, and materials: $10,000
- Three months of overhead expenses (payroll, rent, utilities): $150,000
- Marketing costs: $10,000
- Working capital: $10,000
Download the Podcast Company business plan template (including a customizable financial model) to your computer here <–
Key Assumptions
The following outlines the key assumptions required in order to achieve the revenue and cost numbers in the financials and in order to pay off the startup business loan.
- Number of clients Per Month: 30
- Average revenue per Month: $150,000
- Office Lease per Year: $100,000
Financial Projections
Income Statement
| FY 1 | FY 2 | FY 3 | FY 4 | FY 5 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenues | ||||||
| Total Revenues | $360,000 | $793,728 | $875,006 | $964,606 | $1,063,382 | |
| Expenses & Costs | ||||||
| Cost of goods sold | $64,800 | $142,871 | $157,501 | $173,629 | $191,409 | |
| Lease | $50,000 | $51,250 | $52,531 | $53,845 | $55,191 | |
| Marketing | $10,000 | $8,000 | $8,000 | $8,000 | $8,000 | |
| Salaries | $157,015 | $214,030 | $235,968 | $247,766 | $260,155 | |
| Initial expenditure | $10,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
| Total Expenses & Costs | $291,815 | $416,151 | $454,000 | $483,240 | $514,754 | |
| EBITDA | $68,185 | $377,577 | $421,005 | $481,366 | $548,628 | |
| Depreciation | $27,160 | $27,160 | $27,160 | $27,160 | $27,160 | |
| EBIT | $41,025 | $350,417 | $393,845 | $454,206 | $521,468 | |
| Interest | $23,462 | $20,529 | $17,596 | $14,664 | $11,731 | |
| PRETAX INCOME | $17,563 | $329,888 | $376,249 | $439,543 | $509,737 | |
| Net Operating Loss | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
| Use of Net Operating Loss | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
| Taxable Income | $17,563 | $329,888 | $376,249 | $439,543 | $509,737 | |
| Income Tax Expense | $6,147 | $115,461 | $131,687 | $153,840 | $178,408 | |
| NET INCOME | $11,416 | $214,427 | $244,562 | $285,703 | $331,329 |
Balance Sheet
| FY 1 | FY 2 | FY 3 | FY 4 | FY 5 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASSETS | ||||||
| Cash | $154,257 | $348,760 | $573,195 | $838,550 | $1,149,286 | |
| Accounts receivable | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
| Inventory | $30,000 | $33,072 | $36,459 | $40,192 | $44,308 | |
| Total Current Assets | $184,257 | $381,832 | $609,654 | $878,742 | $1,193,594 | |
| Fixed assets | $180,950 | $180,950 | $180,950 | $180,950 | $180,950 | |
| Depreciation | $27,160 | $54,320 | $81,480 | $108,640 | $135,800 | |
| Net fixed assets | $153,790 | $126,630 | $99,470 | $72,310 | $45,150 | |
| TOTAL ASSETS | $338,047 | $508,462 | $709,124 | $951,052 | $1,238,744 | |
| LIABILITIES & EQUITY | ||||||
| Debt | $315,831 | $270,713 | $225,594 | $180,475 | $135,356 | |
| Accounts payable | $10,800 | $11,906 | $13,125 | $14,469 | $15,951 | |
| Total Liability | $326,631 | $282,618 | $238,719 | $194,944 | $151,307 | |
| Share Capital | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
| Retained earnings | $11,416 | $225,843 | $470,405 | $756,108 | $1,087,437 | |
| Total Equity | $11,416 | $225,843 | $470,405 | $756,108 | $1,087,437 | |
| TOTAL LIABILITIES & EQUITY | $338,047 | $508,462 | $709,124 | $951,052 | $1,238,744 |
Cash Flow Statement
| FY 1 | FY 2 | FY 3 | FY 4 | FY 5 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CASH FLOW FROM OPERATIONS | ||||||
| Net Income (Loss) | $11,416 | $214,427 | $244,562 | $285,703 | $331,329 | |
| Change in working capital | ($19,200) | ($1,966) | ($2,167) | ($2,389) | ($2,634) | |
| Depreciation | $27,160 | $27,160 | $27,160 | $27,160 | $27,160 | |
| Net Cash Flow from Operations | $19,376 | $239,621 | $269,554 | $310,473 | $355,855 | |
| CASH FLOW FROM INVESTMENTS | ||||||
| Investment | ($180,950) | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
| Net Cash Flow from Investments | ($180,950) | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
| CASH FLOW FROM FINANCING | ||||||
| Cash from equity | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
| Cash from debt | $315,831 | ($45,119) | ($45,119) | ($45,119) | ($45,119) | |
| Net Cash Flow from Financing | $315,831 | ($45,119) | ($45,119) | ($45,119) | ($45,119) | |
| Net Cash Flow | $154,257 | $194,502 | $224,436 | $265,355 | $310,736 | |
| Cash at Beginning of Period | $0 | $154,257 | $348,760 | $573,195 | $838,550 | |
| Cash at End of Period | $154,257 | $348,760 | $573,195 | $838,550 | $1,149,286 |
Podcast Company Business Plan FAQs
What Is a Podcast Company Business Plan?
A podcast company business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your podcast company business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.
You can easily complete your Podcast Company business plan using our Podcast Company Business Plan Template here.
What are the Main Types of Podcast Companies?
There are a number of different kinds of podcast companies, some examples include: Interview podcast, Conversational podcast, and Storytelling/Investigative podcast.
How Do You Get Funding for Your Podcast Company Business Plan?
Podcast companies are often funded through small business loans. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are also popular forms of funding.
What are the Steps To Start a Podcast Company?
Starting a podcast company can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.
1. Develop A Podcast Company Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed podcast company business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include potential market size and target customers, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast.
2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your podcast company. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your podcast company is in compliance with local laws.
3. Register Your Podcast Company - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your podcast company with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws.
4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your podcast company, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms.
5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations.
6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events.
7. Acquire Necessary Podcast Company Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your podcast company, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation.
8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your podcast company. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising.