Business
Episode Summary:
If your podcast feels like a grind with no payoff, the problem may not be the podcast — it may be you. In this episode, Kaleb reflects on the top lessons from his first 36 episodes and 12 clarity calls with podcasters at various stages of their journey. The conclusion? Most podcasters aren’t struggling with creativity or content. They’re drowning in disorganized lives and broken systems.
From stories of burnout, cramming, and stalled growth, to the hard truth that effort without structure leads to exhaustion, this episode unpacks why systems are the secret ingredient to sustainable podcasting. Kaleb shares vulnerable moments from his piano school years, challenges you to take ownership of your creative process, and introduces the mindset shift that’s driving the format for Season 3.
This is an episode about taking responsibility, finding joy, and building something that lasts. If you’re serious about podcasting, it’s time to get serious about your systems.
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Key Points & Highlights:
• The Real Pain: Burnout, lack of clarity, inconsistent workflow, and stalled monetization are symptoms of missing or broken systems.
• The Piano Room Story: A metaphor for the grind of creativity without structure — and what happens when you finally build a system that supports growth.
• Internal vs. External Systems: It’s not enough to organize your podcast. You have to align your life around it too.
• The Myth of Hustle: Cramming doesn’t work. Systems do — but only if they’re designed to serve your life, not dominate it.
• Hard Truth: You can’t blame your system if you’re the one who built it.
• Sustainability Requires Joy: If your system doesn’t allow for joy, it’s not sustainable.
• The Power of Subtraction: Sometimes building a better system starts with cutting things out.
• Why Season 3 Is Changing: Instead of speaking to podcasters, Kaleb is now learning from them — especially those who’ve reached 100 episodes.
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Notable Quotes:
“If your podcast feels like a grind with no payoff, it’s not the system — it’s your system. You built it. Own it.”
“Sustainability without joy isn’t sustainable. Full stop.”
“The most important KPI in your podcasting journey? Joy.”
“There’s no shortcut to the road to 100 episodes. Just systems that support the climb.”
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⏱️ Episode Timestamps:
00:00 — The Practice Room Story
04:30 — Why This Episode Matters
06:00 — Part 1: The Pain Is Real
14:40 — Challenging the Lie: “It’s Not You”
17:30 — Part 2: Building What Lasts
20:50 — A Personal Example: When Systems Fail
24:20 — The Joy KPI
25:45 — The Law of Subtraction
27:12 — Part 3: 3 Lessons from 36 Episodes
32:40 — Introducing Season 3: The Road to 100
34:34 — Final Takeaway: Own Your Results
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Call to Action (CTA)
What’s one system or routine you can build this week that will make podcasting easier, more joyful, or more consistent over the next 100 days?
Share your answer inside our Facebook community and join others building sustainable, meaningful shows.
Join the Community
(https://www.facebook.com/groups/thepodcastersjourney)
Let’s stop cramming and start compounding.
If this episode resonated with you, I would love to hear about it in the group! We grow better together.
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Optional Links & Resources:
Website: https://www.podcastbuilders.co/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaleb.stock/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kalebstock/
Audio-Only Podcast Feed: https://bit.ly/3XGRmte
Leave a Voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/The_Podcasters_Journey