Podcast Summary: Grow The Show – Episode 239

Title: How She Hit 1 Million Podcast Downloads in 90 Days
Host: Kev Michael
Guest: Nicole Holloman (Co-host of "Fantasy Fangirls")
Date: October 7, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Kev Michael interviews Nicole Holloman, who, alongside her sister Lexi, launched "Fantasy Fangirls"—a podcast that achieved over 1 million downloads within its first 90 days. Nicole shares in detail how her team’s strategic premise, relentless content creation, and viral social media campaigns transformed their show from an idea into a cultural phenomenon. Nicole offers practical insights and actionable advice tailored to podcasters seeking explosive growth and true audience engagement.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. From Struggling Podcast to Viral Sensation

• Nicole’s first podcast, “Life Coach Baker,” lacked clarity and discoverability, with listeners often confused by the title and premise.
  • “Is it life coaching for Bakers?” (02:17)
• She joined "Grow The Show" and refocused on fundamental podcasting skills—particularly premise and positioning.
  • Nicole rebranded to “Imperfect Success,” targeting high achievers and learning to summarize her podcast in a clear 10-word statement.
  • “Going back to the basics with grow the show… was probably one of the smartest things I've ever done.” (04:35)

2. The Origin of "Fantasy Fangirls"

• The idea was sparked by Nicole’s obsession with a popular fantasy romance novel series, which she eagerly discussed with her sister Lexi.
  • “We started exchanging, I kid you not, probably 50 to 100 texts a day about these books.” (06:06)
• Lexi suggested starting a podcast, and after some hesitation, Nicole agreed.
• The show’s unique angle: ultra-deep, chapter-by-chapter analysis of popular fantasy novels—a format new to podcasting.

3. Preparation and Production: Outworking Everyone

• Nicole and Lexi dedicate 8–12 hours to outlining each episode, scouring fan theories and Reddit/TikTok rabbit holes for insights.
  • Recording: 3–4 hours per episode.
  • Editing: Up to 16 hours for some episodes.
  • "This is not for the faint of heart. And a lot of people don't have, you know, 40 hours a week to devote to this." (10:35)
• The intensity and depth of the content sets the show apart.

4. Nailing the Podcast Premise

• Lessons from earlier mistakes (unclear premise, mismatched title) led to an ironclad, easily marketable premise.
  • The intro slogan: "Where two sisters dive deep into beloved fantasy lore..." (12:10)
• Extreme clarity in branding/artwork to avoid confusion and attract the target audience instantly.

5. Harnessing Social Media and “BookTok”

• The team capitalized on BookTok—the TikTok community around books—by posting teaser clips even before launch. They went viral before their first episode went live.
  • “We started posting [clips] on TikTok…We went viral. Not even on day one. It was day negative one.” (07:31)
• Key strategy: Posting 3–5 times per day on both TikTok and Instagram, pulling 15–25 highly-edited clips per episode, plus memes and news-style updates.
  • “We do not hold back. … We make it a party." (17:43)
• Platform crossover: Viral Instagram memes led followers to discover and subscribe to the podcast.

6. Unique Value Proposition: Category-of-One

• The deep-dive format filled a gap in an otherwise crowded niche.
  • “You guys made a show that doesn't exist. It is literally the only one on the planet that talks about these books in this way.” – Kev Michael (16:46)
• The sisterly banter and laughter became a distinct draw; funny moments outperformed serious analysis on social.

7. Community Building and Monetization

• Launched Patreon early, at the request of fans, with tremendous uptake (nearly 1,000 patrons within weeks).
• Prioritized nurturing the Patreon community with exclusive events like trivia nights, merch, and live interaction.
  • “When we launch new merch, they are the ones who immediately sign up for it. ... We want to make sure that they know how much we love and appreciate them every single day.” (27:45)
• Developed Discord channels and used moderators from the fanbase.

8. Expanding Beyond Audio: YouTube and Multiplatform Monetization

• Early YouTube adoption—thanks to video editing in Descript—brought substantial additional reach and revenue.
  • “People would say they'd rather watch the show...And I'm really, really glad we did.” (22:45)

9. Scaling Up: Signing with a Network and Talent Agency

• After rapid viral success, signed with top talent agency William Morris Endeavor.
• Selected a podcast network (Q Code) that fit their pace, style, and audience, with favorable revenue splits and cross-promotional possibilities.
• “Having someone who could basically help us build the plane while we're still flying it in the air was deeply important.” (32:21)

10. Unexpected Outcomes: Micro-Celebrity and Fan Interaction

• Attended a book launch and were recognized repeatedly by fans, even stopped in public for photos.
  • “We heard someone be like, the fantasy fangirls are here. They just heard Lexi's laugh, and that was it.” (29:23)
• The surreal experience of signing books and being treated as celebrities within their niche.

11. Advice for Podcasters

• Clarify the Premise: Invest time in getting extremely clear about what your show is—and ensure everything (title, artwork, messaging) reflects that.
  • “Go back to the drawing board with a clear mind...and do the nitty, gritty, dirty work.” (34:32)
• Leverage Social Media: Don’t underestimate its power to drive podcast traffic. Adapt and post consistently, especially where your target audience hangs out.
• Create Unique Value: Find a content approach that literally doesn’t exist yet—or serves your audience in a radically new way.
• Work Ethic: Viral moments are backed by huge investments of time, effort, and continuous learning.
• Build Community: Engage deeply, nurture fans, and consider direct support platforms (e.g., Patreon, Discord).
• Plan for Sustainability: Seek help, delegate, hire as you grow.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Premise Clarity:
  “It was probably one of the smartest things I've ever done, was going back to the basics with grow the show.” – Nicole, (04:38)

• On Going Viral Pre-Launch:
  “We went viral not even on day one. It was day negative one.” – Nicole, (07:31)

• On Hard Work:
  “It is quickly becoming a full time job … it is not for the faint of heart.” – Nicole, (10:34)

• On Strategic Uniqueness:
  “It's literally the only [podcast] on the planet that talks about these books in this way.” – Kev, (16:46)

• On Social Media Reluctance:
  “I was not about high amounts of social media beforehand … But those are not worth sleeping on.” – Nicole, (25:33)

• On Micro-Celebrity:
  “We heard someone be like, the fantasy fangirls are here. They just heard Lexi’s laugh, and that was it.” – Nicole, (29:24)

• On What She’d Tell Her Past Self:
  “Go back to the drawing board with a clear mind...” – Nicole, (34:32)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:56 – Nicole’s origins and struggles with her first podcast
• 05:24 – Inspiration and creation story of “Fantasy Fangirls”
• 09:41 – Weekly workflow and time commitment for deep-dive episodes
• 13:33 – TikTok and BookTok strategies for audience growth
• 16:46 – The power of being a unique show in your category
• 17:38 – Ultra-high frequency posting on TikTok and Instagram
• 21:35 – Monetization and platform expansion: Patreon, Discord, YouTube
• 29:06 – The wild and unexpected experience of fan recognition
• 32:21 – Choosing and signing with the right network and agency
• 34:28 – Nicole’s advice to her past self (and to aspiring podcasters)

Conclusion

Nicole’s journey exemplifies what’s possible with absolute clarity, relentless execution, and deep audience connection. Her story offers a blueprint—from premise to production to viral social media—for podcasters ready to put in the work and create true fans. The episode is a must-listen for any creator ready to move their show beyond a hobby and into explosive, sustainable growth.