🎡💂🏼♂️🇬🇧What did we think of The Podcast Show? +35 podcast recommendations from people who were there🎡💂🏼♂️🇬🇧
🍭 👂This is not a normal issue of Podcast the Newsletter, back to the yoozh next week. 🌈 🤸♀️
Bonjour.
Today is Monday, May 26, 2025. I type this at the London airport on my way home from The Podcast Show London which was amazing, and since I didn’t have as much time to write I’m going to talk about that instead. THERE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS AT THE END!!! And I put a ❤️ by my favorites.
I gave a presentation with Arielle Nissenblatt and Shreya Sharma called Almost 100 Podcast Marketing Tips which was frantic and fun. We each had one minute to give one of our favorite tips, and then the other two had 20 seconds to either rebuttal or yes-and the tip. This format ended up kicking ass. We needed an hour!
The Podcast Show is beautiful, bright, full of life, and located in the heart of Islington which meant it was easy to meet people in pubs and go to cool restaurants and really feel like you’re in London. There is a cafe in the venue which serves as home to speakers—they can chill there, eat and drink, really get away. Before they speak they report there and are escorted to the stage by staff. I felt very cared for as a speaker. I LOVED Advice Lab. The whole conference could have been this.
I didn’t have time to attend too many sessions (I always had intention but on the way to things you bump into people, something I love doing more than anything.) My biggest takeaways:
Advertisers need to become more aware of how valuable a listener is. They buy they buy they buy! The current CPM model does not reflect this and needs to be fixed.
We need a more across-the-board, aligned way to track what a download really means, what we mean when we talk about listens and subscribers.
This conference had WAY LESS talk about YouTube, which is very different than other conferences I’ve attended and a huge relief. [But: Audio is not YouTube. They are different and need to be treated completely differently.]
This conference had WAY LESS talk about AI, which is very different than other conferences I’ve attended and a huge relief.
Things are growing fast outside the US and I’m excited to forge more friendships and partnerships with creators across the pond and beyond.
I also asked a few of my friends to share their takeaways about anything from the conference itself, something they learned, the food, the structure of the badges (one of the only things about the show I would improve is the structure of the badges.) I gave them very little instruction, so the answers are all over the place, which is more fun.
This was my first time overseas since I was born in Germany and immediately came to the states. So I loved being around other podcasters from around the world and getting out of the US bubble.
I think it was a great opportunity to bond with my American colleagues and friends as well as make new global colleagues and friends.
I really liked being the in National Gallery for the Amazon Wondery party. It felt so fancy!
I had a really long cab ride with Lauren which was nice because we got to talk a lot. Then I got dinner with her and Arielle, honestly a lot of tink media time which was great.
Also Ruth from Chalk and blade was so kind! —Ronald Young Jr., Weight For It
Tipalti handed out the best conference swag I've ever gotten: a multi-charging cable that my entire flight home and I shared to charge our phones via ancient USB-A ports.—Amanda McLoughlin, Multitude
I love how much meeting space there was and that there were quiet areas to get out of the way, but some of the walkways were too narrow on the third level.
The scheduling was hard to follow because there were overlapping sessions—I missed a lot of talks or left others early because I wanted to catch another one.
The badges were printed stickers and I was worried I would destroy mine with water.
I wish there was a way to sign up for the Advice Lab in the app instead of needing to go in person.
The area around the venue was great and there was so much good food to eat! 10/10—Anne Baird, Tink Media
Don’t judge your impact on likes or even replies. Someone might recognise you and want to thank you for the work you did. They might have never engaged online but did in person. Don’t assume you’re working in a vacuum because you didn’t get a ping online.
I regret having to leave so early on the Thursday as I had so many lovely people I wanted to talk more to!
This medium is what YOU decide it is — not anyone else, not even your audience. If you’re making video and audio and TikToks and a newsletter and it all just feels like your podcast, you’re right. If you’re making, as James Cridland expertly put it, “something for your ears to listen to while your eyes are busy” and video doesn’t feature into it, you’re right. Just keep making your thing. The only thing that distinguishes a Netflix TV show from a Netflix movie is what they decide to call it… and ultimately it doesn’t matter.
Keep those contacts and conversations going after the event. Being with people is what this show is about.
If you watched a good talk, go speak to the panelists afterwards. Even just to say thank you. They might be nervous or worried whether they’re done a good job, and they’ll appreciate you saying so.
Don’t focus on outcomes — go for experiences and be open to them, however they turn up. —Mark Steadman
The audio industry is hungry for community and connection. Every one I talked to was eager to learn. I love the curiosity in this space! It’s been a minute since I felt it at a conference. —Shreya Sharma, Tink Media
This was my first Podcast Show London - being in Canada, I usually go to the Podcast Movement events in the fall, or the PodSummit event here in Calgary, Canada. But this year I came over to London, and loved the show! The vibe seemed a bit more lively, with a good mix of indie podcasters/creators to go with the usual big names/branded content, etc. I thought the tracks were really well put together and covered something for everyone, and the space made it easy to get where you wanted to be.
I also loved seeing Apple Podcasts up front and centre with their session - usually, the "big players" are behind closed doors and invite only, so seeing Apple being more public and sharing their continued support for the open RSS ecosystem was great.
Overall, a great show and I'm hoping to be back next year and beyond! —Danny Brown, Captivate
Networking over talks, video over AI, chilled vibes over big money. —Dan Page, Podspike
~sponsored~
The AllPaths Podcast from the nonprofit AllPaths Family Building brings connection, comfort, and hope. Tune in to hear unfiltered journeys to parenthood and powerful stories about trying to grow your family. We provide in-depth explorations of resources and options, and highlight ways you can advocate for access for all families. Find connection and support wherever you listen.
⭐️If you’d like to see an ad for your podcast here or in Podcast Marketing Magic, fill out this form. ⭐️
notes
⭐ ACCORDING TO ME the best podcasts of the year…so far. (My latest Lifehacker.)⭐ (Sorry for the big text, I am passionate about this not because of my writing but because of the shows I get to spotlight.)
✨Growing Your Podcast with the Perfect Ad Spend, my next Radio Bootcamp I’m doing with Shreya Sharma, is 6/03/2025. We have experience spending ad budgets for shows, we’ll tell you what is worth your money and what isn’t. Sign up here.
✨Tribeca is coming up June 4-15. Get your tickets here and if you go let me know so we can hang out.
✨As pert of Tribeca, Talia Augustidis is hosting an In the Dark performance Tuesday, June 10th at 5:30pm. More information and tickets here.
✨Ayo Oti alerted me to Empact Exchange, a new community space and submission hub for people creating mission-driven audio. Learn more by checking out the latest edition of Sounds Like Impact. Ayo is looking for folks to participate, so if you have a project that could use support or a skillset you'd like to offer, use this form to get started. Spread the word!
✨Arielle spotlighted Mental Health Rewritten in EarBuds.
👋q & a & q & a & q & a👋
Dominic Lawson
Dominic Lawson is an award-winning audio producer who has made his mark in the mental health space. He has won so many awards (24!) I am not even sure which to highlight. His podcast Black is America won one gold, two silvers, and one bronze at the 2023 Signal Awards. Dominic has also been nominated for The Ambies and Black Podcasting Awards. On May 14, he launched the new podcast Mental Health Rewritten.
Describe Mental Health Rewritten in ten words or less.
Reframing stigmatizing topics through storytelling and expert insight.
Which episode do you think rewrites the mental health narrative best?
The very first episode, which explores sex addiction. Sex is already a taboo topic, despite being a natural part of the human experience. But when paired with addiction, the shame and stigma often intensify. With this episode, we aim to humanize the disorder and emphasize that it is not a moral failing, but a mental health condition deserving of understanding and compassion.
If you could have one person in the world listen to an entire episode of your podcast, who would it be? And which episode?
I’m not sure it’s one specific person—it’s more of an archetype. I’d want the 18–22-year-old college student to hear it, especially those on the verge of turning professional—whether in sports or a traditional career. Later this season, we address the alarming rise in suicide among this group. In a culture that glorifies hustle and grind, the pressure to succeed—or simply to provide—can become overwhelming. Too often, suicide is seen as the only escape. This episode confronts that reality head-on, offering space for honest conversations and reminding listeners there’s another way.
What podcast would you love to guest on to keep this conversation going?
I would love to be on Mel Robbins or Jay Shetty’s podcast to keep this conversation going.
What’s one thing (or who is one person) who’s had an incomparable impact on your mental health? For good.
My wife Kenda Lawson has been my person. She is often there when I need to figure things out or when I feel a bit off. She is often there to bring me back to center.
What’s a mental health-related trend you’ve come across on social media that has taken you aback?
One trend that’s taken me aback is the casual and often incorrect use of certain clinical terms—particularly trauma, narcissism, and gaslighting. To be clear, raising awareness and calling things what they are is vital; it’s a crucial step toward healing and accessing help. But when these terms are overused or misused, they can do more harm than good. Misapplication not only dilutes their meaning but also risks undermining the legitimacy of mental and behavioral health as a whole. As we work to reduce stigma and promote real understanding, misuse of this language gives critics ammunition to dismiss the progress we’ve made.
Your work spans across many mental health topics. Which was particularly difficult for you to cover?
Many topics are difficult to cover, but the ones that challenge me most as a creator are those dealing with the aftermath of sexual assault—especially when it involves children. We address this in the current season, and it has tested me emotionally, ethically, and creatively.
The emotional toll is heavy. When survivors share their stories with me, I often feel a mix of shock, deep sadness, and at times, anger. I find myself asking, “How could someone do this to you?” Some details are shared only for context—not for air—and while I honor that trust, I can’t unhear what I’ve been told. Holding those unspoken truths is its own burden.
Then comes the responsibility of shaping the episode. What do I leave in? What must I leave out? How do I use sound design to convey the weight of what happened without recreating it in a way that disrespects the survivor or triggers the listener? Do I need additional disclaimers?
These are the questions I sit with—and they’re just the tip of the iceberg.
But at the end of the day the work is too important to not have out there. It’s the burden and sacrifice of the creative.
💎podcasts recommended to me at The Podcast Show💎
❤️Sabotage (Arielle Nissenblatt, Earbuds)
👂Have a Word (Hannah Southern, Lower Street)
❤️Half-Life (Talia Augustidis)
👂The Dirty Duchess series of British Scandal and the G. Gordan Liddy series on Behind the Bastards (Emma Conneely BBC)
❤️Tested (Emi Norris, Amazon)
👂Very Special Episodes (Ade Sherling, Hark)
👂Acquired (Mike Resnick, Sound Stack)
👂Campfire Radio Theater (Matthew McLean, The Podcast Host)
👂Office Hours Live (Jeremiah Tittle, Next Chapter)
❤️Vine: Six Seconds That Changed The World (Imran Ahmed, Greadpods)
❤️Insiders: The TV Podcast (Fiona Fraser, POW PR)
👂The Emerald (Charlie Garcia, Independent)
❤️Supercontext (Alison Florence Orr, Podcast Review)
❤️Who Broke the Internet?, Material Girls (Kattie Laur, Pod the North, Bumper, The Canardian)
❤️The “Snowball” series of Unravel (Ben Riskin, Room Tone)
👂The Girls Bathroom (Rhianna, Blueprint)
👂Call Her Daddy (Daisy, Blueprint)
👂My Therapist Ghosted Me (Becca Newson, Carver PR)
👂The Milkman of St. Gaff's (Em Berry, Pocket Casts)
👂Stuff You Should Know, Get Sleepy, Ridiculous History (Anne Baird’s mom Eileen)
👂La Casa Grande, Hyperfixed (Ana Ribera)
👂My First Million (Joe Tannorella, PodEngine)
👂Philosophize This! (Mira Pharaon, Wembley)
👂HIListically Speaking (Jeremie Mani, Podcasthon, Podcasthon)
👂The Futur with Chris Do (Ana Xavier, The Podcast Space)
👂Audio Branding (Jullian Androkae, Podvision)
❤️Broomgate (Amanda Cupido, Lead Podcasting)
👂The Daily (Natasha Miller, Bitter / Sweet)
👂In Jesus’ Name We Cult (Grace McIntosh, Audio Producer)
❤️Bitter / Sweet (Quinn Greenhaus, Audio Producer)
👂I love you!
~sponsored~
On Fixing Famous People, veteran reality television producers Dominick and Chris take listeners through the hottest celebrity scandals and Hollywood news in a hilarious way. Episodes start with a pop culture round-up for the week à la Wendy William’s Hot Topics, reporting on everything from Britney Spears dancing in her living room to Katy Perry and Gayle King “going to space” to Meghan’s reign as The Duchess of Smucker’s. Then, a hilarious guest joins to discuss the celebrity client of the week, who is often a star that’s in PR hot water. After an overview of their client’s career and public perception, Dom and Chris both pitch ideas to help them spin the negative press and come out on top. The catch: the guest decides the winner, so each episode ends in a Sophie’s Choice! There will be a special guest coming up so…
What a jam-packed newsletter! That format of your session sounds delightful and I really want to borrow it for future joint presentations.
So excited to see my recomendations in your newsletter!!!