Starting a podcast in Ireland
Starting a podcast in Ireland? Here's what nobody tells you.
If you're thinking about starting a podcast, you probably already know what you'd talk about. The hesitation isn't usually the idea. It's the fear of investing real time into something that doesn't go anywhere, or not knowing how to do it well enough to make it worth doing at all.
Both of those fears are reasonable. And both of them are solvable before you record a single episode.
I'm Bren Russell. I've worked on hundreds of podcasts and I see the patterns clearly now: which shows go nowhere and which actually build an audience. I'm going to share the biggest thing most people miss before they start.
The step most people miss before they start a podcast
Most podcasts are built around the wrong thing.
Most people think of a podcast as a series of interviews. The best podcasts I've worked on see it as a library of resources. That one shift changes everything: how you name your episodes, how you write your descriptions, how you open each one, and whether a stranger presses play or scrolls past.
A series of interviews follows a predictable format with a vague sell. Language like "Series 1," "hello everyone" and "welcome back" already makes a new listener feel like they've arrived late to something. The show is front and centre. The guest is front and centre. The listener is an afterthought.
A library of resources works the opposite way. You pick up the tool most useful to you today. Every episode makes a clear promise to a specific person. The listener is front and centre from the first sentence. You're not asking them to trust you over time, you're telling them immediately that you already understand them.
One asks the listener to do the work. One does the work for them. A podcast should never ask the listener to figure out the value themselves. That's exactly what language like "I've got a great episode today," "today I have a fascinating guest," or "this one is very insightful" does. It sounds like enthusiasm. It's actually the host outsourcing the value judgement to the listener. Fascinating to whom? Insightful about what? The listener shouldn't have to answer that. You should.
Hear the difference
Asking the listener to do the work
"Welcome back to the show everyone. Today I'm joined by Sarah, who has been building her business for fifteen years. We talk about her journey, what she's learned along the way and some great insights for anyone in the entrepreneurial space. I hope you enjoy it."
"Sarah, how did you get started with the business?"
Doing the work for them
"If you're an Irish founder who's been putting off raising your prices because you're not sure the market will pay more, this episode is for you. In the next thirty minutes you'll hear exactly how one person doubled their rates without losing a single client."
"Sarah, a lot of people in your position know they're undercharging but can't bring themselves to change it. What finally made you raise your rates?"
One of these opens on the host. One opens on the listener. The podcast that grows is almost always the one that decided, before episode one, who it was actually for. You have to make a clear promise to a clear person so they know immediately they've found the right show. You have to let them know you understand them before you ask them to listen.
The rest
The nuts and bolts
Once you know what your show is and who it's for, the rest is execution. Still important, still worth getting right, but not where most podcasts fail.
Format and structure
Solo, interview or a mix? Short or long? Weekly or fortnightly? These decisions follow from knowing your audience, not from guessing what sounds right.
Recording and production
Done properly it protects your reputation from episode one. Done poorly it costs you listeners you'll never get back. First impressions in podcasting are permanent.
Launch and distribution
Getting onto every platform, show artwork, RSS setup, launch strategy. How your show is described in the first week shapes how the algorithm treats it for months.
"He went above and beyond the original outline. He showed us the kind of additional value he could add without us asking."
Why work with a producer
When you know too much to hear what a stranger hears
The hardest part of the library-versus-interview shift isn't understanding it. It's applying it to your own show when you're the expert. The more you know about a subject, the harder it is to hear your own content the way a first-time listener would. That's where having another person matters most.
I help you figure out what your show is really about, who it's genuinely for, and what a stranger needs to hear in the first thirty seconds to know they're in the right place. When you're that close to a topic, that clarity is hard to find alone. It's what I do before a single episode goes out.
Shaping the show
What's the promise? Who's the specific person? What do they need to hear immediately to know this is for them? These are the questions that separate a show people return to from one they try once. I work through all of this with you before you record anything.
Audio and video from day one
Shows that launch with video grow significantly faster than audio-only. Building it in from the start is far easier than retrofitting it six months later when you've already built a workflow around audio alone.
The technical side, handled
Editing, mastering, hosting, RSS management, distribution across every platform, show notes and scheduling. You record. Everything else is taken care of. No logins to manage, no platforms to figure out, no files to chase.
What this costs
Honest pricing for Irish podcasters
Production costs vary depending on what you need. A fully managed episode, audio editing, video production, show notes, distribution and strategy, runs differently to audio-only editing. The most important thing is matching the spend to where you actually are.
If you're just starting out, there's no reason to jump straight to a premium package. Keep it simple for your first 15 to 20 episodes. Make the process repeatable, learn what works, and upgrade once things settle. Spending big before you know what your show is costs you twice.
Starting out
Simple audio production, clean and consistent. Enough to sound professional without building infrastructure you're not ready to use yet. The goal is getting the show made, not getting it perfect before it exists.
Ready to grow
Full audio and video production, show notes, YouTube strategy, thumbnail design and distribution. For podcasters who know the show has legs and want to build audience properly from here.
Not sure which level is right for where you are? Get an instant quote based on exactly what you need.
Get an instant quote
The First 10 Podcast
"Bren's attention to detail and understanding of the podcast landscape has meant that my podcast listenership is growing month on month. Podlad is the best investment in marketing I make each month."
Conor McCarthy
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