Grow The Show Episode 237: How He Built a 7-Figure Podcast (In Only 5 Hours/Week) — John Lee Dumas

Date: September 23, 2025
Host: Kev Michael
Guest: John Lee Dumas (JLD), Founder of Entrepreneurs on Fire

Episode Overview

In this episode, Kev Michael sits down with John Lee Dumas, the trailblazer behind Entrepreneurs on Fire — one of the world’s most successful daily podcasts. JLD shares the blueprint behind his multi-million dollar podcasting business, including how he keeps it running on just five hours per week, why he’d do things differently if he started today, and what podcasters must do to succeed in a saturated market.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Building a 7-Figure Podcast in 5 Hours a Week

• Workflow & Team:

  • JLD runs his entire business in a single five-hour block each week by focusing on what only he can do (interviews), then relying on a team to handle editing, publishing, show notes, promotion, and more.
  • “I have one 5 hour block per week and I’m done.” (John Lee Dumas, 00:31)
  • It took years to build this system and team. Early years meant doing everything himself.

• The Journey to Efficiency:

  • JLD emphasizes the importance of “putting in the reps” — committing to the craft daily, improving gradually.
  • “I was a bad podcaster... I had to just put in the reps, wake up every day and work on my craft day in, day out.” (JLD, 01:41)

2. Then vs. Now: Changes in the Podcasting Landscape

• 2012 vs. Now:
  • Early days: Less competition but smaller audiences.
  • Today: Podcasting is mainstream—more opportunity, but also much more competition.
  • “If I was to hit the reset button and start over today, I would never launch Entrepreneurs on Fire. It’d be a complete different show.” (JLD, 01:03)
• Finding Your Edge in a Saturated Market:
  • Success is dictated by creating “the number one solution to a real problem.”
  • “95% of people cannot say yes to that. And that’s why they are failing and will fail.” (JLD, 03:48)

3. The Critical Power of Niching Down

• Category of One:
  • Don’t be a “pale, weak imitation.” Become the best (even if you’re the only) in a very specific niche.
  • “You need to have a big idea in this world and then discover the niche within that big idea that is not being fulfilled.” (JLD, 06:38)
• JLD’s Niche When Starting Out:
  • He was the first (and only) daily podcast interviewing top entrepreneurs, making him “the best and the worst” by default.
  • “I was providing the number one solution out of one solution.” (JLD, 07:11)
• Advice for Listeners:
  • If you can’t beat the top show in your niche on day one, niche down further.

4. Positioning Your Show: The “Category of One” Premise

• Adopting a Unique Angle:
  • Aim to make your show’s concept, audience, and delivery truly unique.
  • Echoes Grow The Show’s philosophy of the “Cat 1 premise”: “When it is truly unique, what your show does, who it does it for, and how it goes about doing it.” (Host paraphrasing, 08:36)
  • “Nobody wants a pale, weak imitation of somebody else. What people want is an authentic, true version of the content and the value that you’re providing...” (JLD, 09:29)

5. Longevity, Discipline, and the Entrepreneur’s Journey

• The Compound Returns of Consistency:
  • JLD has sustained his show (and business) for over a decade due to relentless consistency.
  • “That took 11 years to get to that point... It’s the initial waking up in the morning back in 2012 and being like, oh my God, I’m so bad at podcasting, but I’m gonna interview seven more people today and get a little bit better…” (JLD, 10:37)
• Branching Out Without Losing Focus:
  • He’s explored other ventures (books, courses, events) while maintaining his core show, thanks to systematization.

6. Systematizing Growth and Audience Retention

• Keeping the Audience Engaged:
  • JLD leverages multiple channels: email, social media, and network collaboration (HubSpot Podcast Network) for cross-promotion and reaching new listeners.
  • “Co-promotion is really cool to get involved in... If 1,000 people can hear about the show, maybe five, maybe 50 will give it a listen, and maybe two, maybe 30 will become subscribers.” (JLD, 13:19)
• Expect Cycles: Some listeners will drift away, while new ones arrive—it's about maintaining and expanding overall brand presence.

7. Audio vs. Video: Strategic Choices

• Video Content’s Pros & Cons:
  • Video is “fantastic” for reach—YouTube, LinkedIn, Insta, TikTok—but drains much more energy.
  • JLD stuck with audio to sustain a daily model and avoid burnout.
  • “Would I have been able to do 11 years... if I was doing a video podcast? Absolutely not. I would have burned out.” (JLD, 15:10)
  • For weekly (or less frequent) shows, he recommends video.
• Focus on “Reps” for Mastery:
  • It’s less about daily publishing than daily improvement: “Kobe Bryant didn’t practice basketball four days a month. People that became great at something got up every day and did it.” (JLD, 16:11)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Specializing and Owning a Category:
  • “People will beat a path to the door of the number one solution to a real problem that they have—and they will ignore all of the rest...” (JLD, 03:56)
• On Differentiation:
  • “Nobody wants a pale, weak imitation of Entrepreneurs on Fire, a watered down imitation of Grow The Show.” (JLD, 09:29)
• On Habit and Practice:
  • “You better be working at your craft every single day.” (JLD, 16:32)

Timed Breakdown of Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00 | JLD introduces the 5-hour podcasting workweek and his success | | 01:18 | Importance of “putting in the reps”—daily practice for mastery | | 03:17 | The pros and cons of starting now vs. a decade ago; differentiation becomes everything | | 05:12 | How to find out if your podcast is the true “number one solution” to a problem | | 06:38 | The need to niche down further if you can’t be the best from day one | | 07:11 | How JLD picked his initial niche—and what he’d do differently today | | 08:36 | Category of One: The unique “Cat 1 premise” philosophy | | 10:37 | Longevity: sustaining creativity and growth over a decade; systematizing the podcast operation| | 13:16 | How JLD systemizes growth, engages new and old audiences, and leverages network collaborations| | 14:50 | The big question: Should podcasters go to video? | | 16:02 | Reps vs. frequency: what aspiring podcasters can learn from Kobe Bryant |

Conclusion: Actionable Takeaways for Podcasters

• Relentlessly pursue mastery by “putting in the reps”—daily commitment to improvement.
• Differentiate: Be the number one solution to a real, urgent problem for a very specific audience.
• Niche down until you have no real competition—find your Category of One.
• Systematize and outsource what doesn’t require your unique touch, but do every job yourself first to learn.
• Embrace cross-promotion and network power to bring in new listeners and keep your audience warm.
• Don’t jump to video unless you have the bandwidth; focus on consistency and craft first.

For those hungry to scale a podcast efficiently and build a real business out of it, this episode delivers the mindset, strategy, and discipline required to get there.