Grow The Show - Episode 238: "Your Podcast Costs More Than You Think (Here's How Much)"

Host: Kev Michael
Date: September 30, 2025

Overview: Main Theme & Purpose

In this episode, Kev Michael delivers a reality check for entrepreneurs and business owners running podcasts that aren’t seeing meaningful growth. He argues that many significantly underestimate the real monetary cost of producing a podcast—especially the hidden time, labor, and opportunity costs. Kev guides listeners through a step-by-step exercise for calculating these expenses, making it clear that an idle, non-growing podcast can be a massive drain on business resources. The episode’s ultimate goal: empower podcasters to make informed, strategic decisions—either to fix their show's growth, get expert help, or stop investing in a venture that isn’t performing.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The “Invisible” Cost of Podcasting

[00:00–02:30]

• Kev opens by sharing a common misconception: most podcasters believe their show isn’t losing significant money if it’s not growing.
• He recounts a conversation with an entrepreneur at a mastermind event who claimed podcasting was a low-priority, inexpensive side project until confronted with the real tally.
• Quote:
  "You might think that your show isn't costing you that much. But with what I'm about to show you...the amount of money your podcast is secretly costing you is shocking." — Kev Michael [00:01]

2. Itemizing the Hard Costs

[03:00–06:00]

• Kev details every typical line-item:
  • Software:
    • Recording platforms (e.g., Riverside, $25/mo)
    • Hosting (e.g., Libsyn, Buzzsprout, $25/mo)
    • AI tools for promo (e.g., Opus, CapShow, ChatGPT, $50+/mo)
    • Average: $200–400/month on software alone
    • Audience poll backs this up.
• Production/Editing:
  • Many podcasters pay editors or agencies, sometimes up to $3,000/month for comprehensive services.
• Hidden labor costs:
  • Virtual assistants (often paid $5/hr but lack marketing acumen for podcast growth)
  • In-house employees—Kev cites a case where the executive assistant costs an additional $480/month.

Quote:
"A lot of entrepreneurs do this. For many entrepreneurs, it is a $5 per hour VA overseas, who they're expecting to just be able to do everything with their show and be a marketing pro and grow them an audience, which, if that's you, that person does not know how to do that. If they did, they would not be doing your dirty work for five bucks an hour." — Kev Michael [05:15]

3. The “Killer” Cost: Your Own Time

[07:00–10:00]

• Kev walks through a practical calculation of the podcaster's personal time investment:
  • Example: Entrepreneur earns $100,000/month, works 160 hours/month.
  • Implied hourly rate: $625.
  • If spending 20 hours/month on podcast → $12,500 value "spent," not accounted for elsewhere.
• Stresses the cumulative effect if entrepreneurs or solopreneurs are also doing editing and admin themselves.
• Memorable moment:
  The stunned reaction when listeners realize the actual number:

  "Do you know how much of your time in terms of dollars you are spending on the podcast? 625 times 20 is 12,500. $500. So now we're really getting up into the stratosphere." — Kev Michael [09:55]

4. Adding It All Up: True Cost vs. Opportunity Cost

[10:00–13:30]

• Adds up hard costs, labor, and time—often $15k–$20k/month for established businesses, conservatively.
• Points out the massive opportunity cost:
  • What if those 20 hours/month were spent on activities that directly generate revenue (sales calls, marketing, etc.)?
  • Suggests possible six-figure annual loss, even at lower business revenue levels.

Quote:
"If you took those 20 hours that you're spending on your podcast, that's not growing, and instead you spent 20 hours a month on Facebook ads or taking sales calls...your opportunity cost might be a hundred thousand dollars a month." — Kev Michael [10:45]

5. A Reality Check for Every Level

[13:30–15:45]

• Even for smaller operations doing $10k/month: adjusting the math shows $1,500/month or more lost, which is significant for solopreneurs.
• Those doing editing themselves may spend 80 hours/month, equating to $5,000/month in lost value.
• The central message: time is an entrepreneur’s most valuable resource.

6. Your Three Options: What To Do Next

[15:45–18:30]

• Option 1: Quit the podcast. Save all those hard and soft costs, reclaim your opportunity cost.
• Option 2: Get expert help—hire someone who knows how to actually grow a podcast. Kev notes many who invest in the right help eventually make back prior losses once their show grows and converts.
• Option 3: Do nothing—accept ongoing losses, stagnation, and wasted resources.
• Stark quote:

  "So if we multiply that by 12, guess how much he has lost? $194,160 gone, completely lost, paid out...in software fees, fees to contractors, VAs, agencies, employees, and yes, this entrepreneur's time." — Kev Michael [16:30]

7. Tough Love: Change Is Required

[18:30–19:03]

• Kev underscores this isn’t about “grinding” harder or luck.
• Success requires knowledge, strategy, or expert partnership. Simply “making more episodes” won’t suffice.
• There’s no shame in quitting a non-performing podcast; sometimes it’s the best option.

Quote:
"Just continuing to grind it out and lose money and lose time—it's not gonna magically fix itself. That is just a matter of how long are you willing to go in pain until you decide to give up." — Kev Michael [18:45]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On hidden costs:
  "What they forget to consider is that they are already spending time, money, and energy on the podcast. And until you actually add all of that up and assign a dollar amount to it, you really don't realize how much you're losing by spending time on a podcast that's not growing." — Kev Michael [03:00]
• On painful realization:
  "He said, damn, I didn't think of it that way." — anonymous entrepreneur, after seeing the cost breakdown [16:10]
• On urgent action:
  "You need to see this truth and make a decision. Because from here, you have three options..." — Kev Michael [15:45]

Important Timestamps for Segments

• Opening/Framing the Problem: [00:00–02:30]
• Practical Cost Breakdown (software, labor, editing): [03:00–06:00]
• Hidden Labor & Executive Time: [07:00–10:00]
• Calculating Your Hourly Value: [09:00–10:00]
• Opportunity Cost & Total Cost Calculations: [10:00–13:30]
• Smaller Business Breakdown: [13:30–15:45]
• Your Three Options: [15:45–18:30]
• Tough Love & Final Thoughts: [18:30–19:03]

Conclusion

Kev Michael leaves listeners with an urgent challenge: recognize the true cost of an underperforming podcast in both cash and opportunity. The three options—quit, get help, or do nothing—are the only real choices if you want your podcast to be a business asset. His message is clear, actionable, and grounded in tough love: take this seriously, make a strategic move, or stop bleeding time and money.

This summary was prepared for those seeking an actionable, honest assessment of podcasting’s real-world business impact, as well as guidance on what to do next.