Whether you have 10 or 1,000 podcast episodes, there is magic in knowing that your podcast is meant to evolve alongside you and your listeners. With over 1,300 episodes under his belt, Mark Struczewski, the host of the Mister Productivity podcast knows this to be true. He joins me this week to share the ups and downs of his 7.5-year podcasting journey, from his ambitious attempt to release an episode every day to the strategic cadence he has settled on today and the big lessons he learned along the way. This week, episode 179 of Listeners to Leads is about how to maintain a sustainable podcast with over 1,300 episodes!
Key Takeaways:
- There is no one right way to have a podcast; the cadence should be what works best for you and your audience.
- Scheduling and batching episodes are key to consistently providing your audience with valuable content and guests.
- Evaluate if your podcasting efforts are moving the needle forward in your business; if not, you may need to take a step back.
- Routinely audit your subscriptions and expenses, cutting out the things you don’t use or can’t afford.
How to Maintain a Sustainable Podcast with Over 1,300 Episodes with Mister Productivity, Mark Struczewski
If you think you’ve got a handle on productivity, just wait until you hear from Mark Struczewski, the host of the Mister Productivity podcast. With over 1,300 episodes under his belt, Mark has truly mastered the art of getting things done – and he’s here to share his hard-won lessons with us.
In our recent conversation, Mark opened up about the ups and downs of his 7.5-year podcasting journey, from his ambitious (but ultimately unsustainable) attempt to release an episode daily to the strategic cadence he’s settled on today. Along the way, he’s learned invaluable lessons about niching down, guest selection, and the importance of maintaining a keen eye on your bottom line.
Whether you’re a seasoned podcaster or just starting out, Mark’s insights are sure to inspire your own path to podcast productivity mastery.
Lesson #1: Know Yourself (and Your Limits)
When Mark first found inspiration to start a podcast back in 2017, it was from Gary Vaynerchuk’s proclamation that “the future is voice and audio.” Eager to dive in, Mark launched his show and, by 2021, came up with the ambitious goal of releasing a new episode every single day for a year.
“I didn’t realize that Gary Vaynerchuk had 15 people on his team so that he could do this,” Mark admits. “I was doing it for a while, but by June or July, I got really lazy with my guests. Anyone with a microphone that could talk could be on my show.”
The stress of maintaining that physically and mentally demanding pace eventually caught up with him, and by October, Mark knew he had to make a change. “I told my wife, I can’t do this anymore. The stress is too much. It was just me. No one else was helping me, and I was not working on my business.”
The key takeaway? Productivity is all about knowing yourself and your limits. Don’t try to emulate someone else’s process, no matter how successful they may be. Instead, take the time to figure out what cadence and workflow genuinely work for you – even if it means scaling back your initial ambitions.
Lesson #2: Be Selective with Your Guests (and Everything Else)
These days, Mark is much more selective about who he features on his show. “I’m really picky about who comes on my show now,” he shares. “I’m not going to make the mistake I made in the summer of 2021.”
That means no more last-minute bookings or guests who don’t quite fit his productivity-focused niche. Instead, Mark has implemented a 91-day booking policy, where he won’t accept guests more than three months out. He also does pre-interview calls to vet each potential guest and ensure they’re a good fit.
But Mark’s selectivity extends beyond just his podcast guests. He’s also taken a hard look at the various tools and subscriptions he’s paying for – and ruthlessly cut anything he’s not actively using.
“I have the highest speed internet. I paid a fortune for it, right? But when I got that, I was heavily into video. Well, my videos are much shorter now. So why am I paying all this money for high-speed internet?” Mark asks. “If I’m not using it, or if I’m only using 1% of it, why am I paying for it?”
The lesson here is to be intentional about everything you’re investing in – whether it’s podcast guests, software subscriptions, or even the basic infrastructure of your business. If it’s not directly contributing to your productivity and profitability, it’s time to cut it loose.
Lesson #3: Batch Recording is Your Friend
One of the ways Mark has been able to maintain his podcast’s productivity-focused cadence is by embracing the power of batch recording. Rather than scrambling to book and interview guests on a week-to-week basis, Mark has a backlog of content scheduled out through the end of the year.
This batch recording approach doesn’t just save Mark time and mental energy – it also gives him the flexibility to be selective about his guests. If someone cancels at the last minute, he has a buffer to fill that slot without disrupting his overall content calendar. “If someone cancels and I can’t fill it, it’s okay because I have episodes scheduled at least four weeks out on interviews,” he explains.
For Mark, this 91-day booking window is the sweet spot. It allows him to maintain a steady flow of new episodes without overcommitting himself or burning out. As an added bonus, it ensures that the content he’s putting out there is still fresh and relevant by the time it reaches his audience.
Lesson #4: Align Your Podcast with Your Business Goals
While Mark’s podcast has amassed an impressive 1,300+ episodes, he’s quick to point out that the show itself isn’t a direct revenue driver for his business. Instead, he sees it as a valuable branding and awareness tool.
“I don’t directly monetize my podcast. Instead, I get people to go to my website. For example, when I’m going to guess on your show, I get people to go to MisterProductivity.com, but I don’t monetize it,” he shares.
Rather than getting caught up in the vanity metrics of downloads and subscribers, Mark is laser-focused on using his podcast to funnel listeners back to his website, where he can then nurture those relationships and potentially convert them into paying coaching clients.
“This is called brand awareness. So people go, Oh, let me go to MisterProductivity.com and see what he’s all about. I wish they would just send me a million dollars to hear me on your show. That would be great, but that’s not reality,” he explains.
The lesson here is to always keep your business goals top of mind when it comes to your podcast. Don’t get distracted by the shiny objects of downloads and social media shares – instead, ruthlessly evaluate every aspect of your show to ensure it’s directly supporting your bottom line.
Lesson #5: Patience and Persistence are Key
Perhaps the most important lesson Mark has learned over the course of his 7.5-year podcasting journey is the importance of patience and persistence.
“This is a long game. If you want to start a podcast or a business, whatever it is, you have to be in it for the long game. There is no one magic thing you could do that is going to move the needle, and all of a sudden, POW, you’re the next Gary Vaynerchuk. It’s a long game,” he advises.
Too often, Mark sees new podcasters get discouraged when they don’t see immediate results. But building a successful show – let alone a successful business – is a marathon, not a sprint.
The key is to stay focused on the long-term vision, even when the short-term results feel slow or disappointing. Trust the process, continue to refine your approach, and most importantly, don’t give up.
As Mark puts it, “If you want to increase your chance of success, you gotta look and go. ‘Why am I paying all this money?’ Please do an audit on your subscriptions. I bet you you can probably cancel 50% of what you have.”
So there you have it – five powerful podcast productivity lessons from a podcasting pro. Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been in the game for years, Mark’s insights are sure to inspire you to approach your show (and your business) with a renewed sense of focus, intention, and strategic thinking.
Be sure to tune in to all the episodes to receive tons of practical tips on turning your podcast listeners into leads and to hear even more about the points outlined above.
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Learn more about Listeners to Leads at www.listenerstoleads.com
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