Can You Make Money With a Podcast?: How This Girl Quit Her 9-5 Job to Do Just That

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Can you make money with a podcast? Absolutely! Here's how this girl quit her corporate job to start a successful podcast that makes money.

Can You Make Money With a Podcast?: How This Girl Quit Her 9-5 Job to Do Just That - The Financial Cookbook, LLC (1)

Today, we are joined by Gabby Ianniello, host and owner of the Corporate Quitter Podcast. Gabby quit her 9-5 job to pursue her dream of hosting a podcast that drives value to others. Now, she's here to share exactly how she did it and encourage you to start your own!

I imagine many of you have thought about your own business or having a side hustle. A podcast is a fantastic way to make money as a full-time job, generate extra income as a side hustle, or drive traffic to your website.

I actually met Gabby when she asked me to be a guest on her podcast. Since then, we've become friends and “business cheerleaders” for each other! Is that a thing? We're making it a thing! =)

Gabby's story is extremely inspiring so I figured many of you would love to hear about how she got to where she is today, especially since she did it so quickly and with no experience! She kindly agreed to an interview so that our readers could better understand what it takes to start a successful podcast that makes money!

Today, you will learn how much experience is needed to create a podcast along with how much money you'd need to start one (hint: it's less than $50), and the helpful resources/tools you'll need to start a podcast of your own!

You're going to love this interview!

This post is all about starting a podcast that makes money.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that as an Amazon affiliate, I may receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read my full disclosure for more information. This helps keep my website running is very appreciated. Thank you so much for your support!

Can You Make Money with a Podcast (with no experience)?

When interviewing Gabby about her money-making podcast, I tried to think of questions my readers would like answers to when starting their own podcasts. I put together a huge list of questions for Gabby that I know will be helpful for anyone wanting to start a podcast.

Today's interview is EXTREMELY detailed and will be super helpful for anyone wanting to start a podcast with no experience.

Let's dive in to the interview with Gabby Ianniello on how to start a podcast as a beginner!

Leaving the Corporate World to Start a Podcast: Interview with Gabby Ianniello

1. Tell our readers about your podcast.

Corporate Quitter is a podcast where entrepreneurs and side-hustlers from all different backgrounds share their stories and provide listeners with actionable steps to help them achieve their own goals!

2. What is your background?

Though I graduated in 2015 with a dual degree in General and Special Education, I left that profession behind shortly after graduating and job-hopped aggressively throughout my twenties.

Some of the various jobs and gigs I had included housekeeper, receptionist, teacher, real estate agent, graphic designer, website developer, customer relations & salesperson, HR/recruiting coordinator, corporate philanthropist, marketing associate, and executive assistant.

3. What did you do before you started your podcast?

As a way to find out if I even liked podcasting before fully committing, I was a guest on someone else’s show (and no, you don’t need to be an expert to do it!).

To find guest podcast opportunities, I searched through podcasting Facebook groups and Craigslist. In addition, I found opportunities to be a guest by using Matchmaker.fm and signing up for a free account.

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4. Did you have experience in journalism or reporting?

Actually, no!

The only two prerequisites to being an excellent podcast guest or host are being a great storyteller and being enthusiastic about what you’re talking about.

Listeners need to FEEL your excitement and passion through the audio since they can’t see you!

5. What inspired you to start a podcast?

I love talking to people!

I also wanted to start an online business, or at the least build a community, and felt that my ‘best angle’ (my personality) was better captured over audio or video instead of through a blog or photo.

In addition, it's estimated that in 2024, there will be 100 million podcast listeners in the US alone, so I knew there was a growing market for it that I could capitalize on.

6. How difficult was it to start?

Not nearly as difficult as I thought!

It’s actually not too hard to find good guests, which is what I was most nervous about. I also learned basic audio editing on my own and found that it isn’t too complicated.

In addition, I was able to figure out that promoting my podcast doesn’t require paid ads.

There's a lot that needs to come together, but once I broke it down into smaller chunks, it seemed much more manageable!

7. How long did it take you to launch it from the first day you started?

About a month!

I started full-force on my own podcast around the end of March 2021 and I launched it with 6 starting episodes by May 1st, 2021.

8. What steps did you take to start your podcast?

Aside from the tangible things like purchasing a headset, buying a domain name, and spreading the word with friends and family, the first 4 steps were:

Determed my “why”.
Decided on my topic.
Named the show.
Identified the structure of my show.

Determed My “Why”

I had to determine exactly why I wanted to launch a podcast. This is very important for anyone wanting to get into this arena.

Although it would be my show, the show is actually all about my listeners, not me.

Therefore, I needed to ask myself: “why do you want to start a podcast?” To drive traffic to your business? Share a message that’s important to you? Start a new hobby for fun? Or do you want to try something new or challenging?

Your “why” will likely change over time!

Decided on My Topic

For anyone wanting to start a podcast, before you jump the gun, you’ll want to ask yourself a series of questions to make sure the topic is not only exciting for you but that you can do it long term.

When deciding on a topic, I had to ask myself the following questions:

What are you passionate about?
Is there something you can talk about for hours?
What are you drawn to?
Are there podcasts you already listen to?
What kinds of content are you yourself looking for?
Is there a problem can your show solve?
What are you already skilled at?
What do you enjoy teaching others about?

If you're thinking of starting a podcast, I highly recommend you ask yourself these questions to find the best niche for you.

Decided on a Name

Deciding on a name takes time, mainly because a good name (or bad name) can have a serious effect on your success.

Yes, a podcast name can make or break your show… but it also shouldn’t be the reason you don’t push forward with your podcasting journey.

I utilized some brainstorming tactics that worked for me when I was deciding on a name.

For those of you looking to start your own podcast, you will want to pick a show name that people will remember. Think about specific keywords that your ideal listeners would be emotionally connected to.

It may help to also use Google, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Pinterest to help you see what names are taken or get inspiration for potential names of your own.

Identified My Podcast Structure

There are 3 ways you can run your show:

9. How much did it cost you to start your podcast?

Contrary to what most believe, it doesn’t cost a lot to start a podcast. When I started, it cost around $50 which consisted of a Logitech Headset ($20) and a domain name for my podcast ($10/yr).

I spend much more now because I upgraded a lot of my helpful tool resources (Calendly and Canva). I also hired a Virtual Assistant and an Audio Editor.

10. How much (on average) does it cost each month to run a podcast?

The cost of running a podcast will totally depend on how much time you have, your skillset, and what you’re willing to pay for.

Some things I don’t necessarily need, but I want them because it makes my process easier and gives me more time to do what I do best – record, network, and work with clients 1-on-1. (Time is money, right?)

When I started my podcast, it cost maybe like $30/mo to run! It’s so inexpensive! Now, the average spend is about $700-800/mo.

Canva Pro ($12/mo)
- I chose to upgrade my subscription because it has amazing features for creating content and collaborating with my team.
Zoom Pro ($12/mo)
- Necessary upgrade for more than 2 attendees (you’ll get capped at 40 minutes on the free version)
LeadPages ($25/mo)
- I use this to host my website, landing pages, lead magnets, and my own version of ‘linktree’.
Dropbox Pro ($12/mo)
- Necessary for my Audio Editor and I to collaborate and share audio files without storage issues.
Calendly Pro ($10/mo)
- I conduct calls that fall under different categories and schedules, so it was necessary for me to upgrade.
Staff ($500-700/mo)
- This will vary depending on what’s going on in business, but Upwork allows me to set a cap on what their hours are so I can stick to a budget. It’s necessary for me to have an Audio Editor so that I can clearly communicate to my listeners (bad audio = undesirable podcast). My Virtual Assistant isn’t a ‘necessary expense’ but it helps me not spend as much time doing things that aren’t in my zone of genius or money generating activities.

11. How do you drive people to your podcast?

Mostly social media (all accounts), but also word of mouth.

I will occasionally contribute as a guest on others’ shows to cross-promote and leverage podcast-focused Facebook groups!

12. How did you grow your social media?

It’s so cliche, but being my authentic self… which is a bulldog New Yorker with no filter who drops F-Bombs (LOL, sorry mom).

I did the 30-day Instagram Reels challenge and it forced me to become super comfortable with being in front of the camera and helped me learn how to be a better storyteller. I learned how to accurately convey who I truly was along with my story.

You’re not going to know what your best ‘angle’ is until you start experimenting – I’m still figuring mine out!

13. What was your biggest challenge when launching your podcast?

My biggest challenge was proving to everyone around me that I was serious about my podcast and it wasn’t just a ‘cute’ little hobby.

After about 3 months of me showing up every freakin’ day by sharing behind the scenes, vocalizing my struggles, celebrating my wins, and failing forward through messy action, people started paying attention.

Now, 6 months into this, I’ve gained a ton of respect from those around me, and those who’ve been unsupportive have been (very loving and gently) released from my life.

14. How long have you been podcasting?

I’ve been running my own show for about 6 months (May 2021), but I was a guest on my first show a year ago (August 2020)

15. What's the typical amount of time it takes a podcast to be successful?

This is totally dependent on how much energy you put into it.

I’ve seen great success in my show in as little as 6 months because I work on it every day and really care about it (people pick up on that!).

If you take your show seriously, put TLC into it, and are always coming from a place of providing value, whether it’s through your interviews or community engagement, your show WILL succeed in time.

16. How do you determine success in your podcast?

This is totally dependent on what YOU, the host, deem is successful. Success, for you, may be based on monetization, a large audience, a small group of devoted super-fans, or may just be for fun!

My version of success is a combination of the above and making an impact… but this will change over time.

When I first started, success to me was just launching it and saying I did it.

It was for fun and to help grow my online presence, not about money.

Now, my version of success is creating a value-based, impact-driven community through the Corporate Quitter Podcast which I can monetize through multiple offerings that are congruent with my values.

17. How has your podcast grown?

Since my show launched on May 1st, 2021, we’ve reached over 6,000 downloads, averaging 600 downloads per week.

We have listeners in 50 countries and 700+ cities!

We’ve also grown our social media following from zero to over 10k across our social platforms!

18. How do you monetize your podcast?

Mostly through the digital products and consulting sessions I offer.

I’m also in the middle of launching the Corporate Quitter Club which is a monthly membership!

The really fun thing about podcasting is that you can monetize it in SO many ways that don’t require ads (podcasting myth).

19. What is your biggest piece of advice to someone that wants to start their own podcast?

Just get started.

For a while, I mulled over the idea of having my own show but felt so derailed by all my internal objections and limiting beliefs I held near and dear.

Your confidence in your show, abilities, messaging, etc. will come. I promise.

“Courage first, and confidence will follow!” – Gabby Ianniello

20. Do you have a favorite podcast tool you can share with our readers?

SO many!

Matchmaker.fm is by far my favorite! This is where I look for opportunities to be a guest on other shows and look for guests for my own show.

It really helped me lift my podcast off the ground in the beginning and I still source some of my guests through there.

I also love RedCircle (free, podcast hosting platform), Canva (online design tool), Calendly (scheduling tool), Audacity (free, beginner audio editing tool), and Premiumbeat.com (royalty-free music for intro and outro).

21. What book would you recommend to others looking to start their podcasting entrepreneur journey?

Though not podcast specific, I highly recommend Virtual Freedom by Chris Ducker! It follows the model of Tim Ferris’ 4-Hour Work Week and will shift your mindset around ‘doing it all.’

If you’re looking to fast-track your podcast launch with ease, email me for 1:1 consulting!

22. How can our readers listen to your podcast and connect with you?

They can find my show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! Readers can connect with me on TikTok or Instagram using the handle @shelikestogab or email me at thecorporatequitter@gmail.com.

Social Media Handles for Corporate Quitter

TikTok: @shelikestogab

Instagram: @shelikestogab

LinkedIn: Gabby Ianniello

Visit www.corporatequitter.com for more information about the show and guests, and to learn more about the products Gabby offers and the Corporate Quitter Club!