Intro to Speakeasy Podcast Network
Speakeasy Podcast Network™ came on the scene in October of 2020 after over a year of development and construction. The goal of the Speakeasy Podcast Network is to unite businesses and hobbyists in an internal network of creators to help grow, educate, and entertain audiences.
We will continue to achieve this goal by growing our brick-and-mortar studios while simultaneously growing our Virtual Speakeasy brand. If you’re new to Speakeasy, I want to take this blog to give an overview of our history, where we are now, and what the next few years look to hold for our business.
The beginning
My name is Rob Johnson and I am the founder of Speakeasy Podcast Network. I started podcasting in 2013 after I was invited onto a show to discuss an article that I had written on philosophy and apologetics. I was hooked. A long-form medium that allowed people to interact freely without guardrails?
I was in.
I started a show called Apologetics 105 that talked about Christian philosophy and arguments around the existence of God. The show went on to gain over 50,000 downloads and lasted 45 episodes. During that show, I was invited to start another show on politics and finance as I was entering into the financial consultant space with my own business “RTM Solutions”. It was during this time I started thinking about creating a podcast network for businesses and hobbyists.
After I finished my MBA, I started Wayne Consulting Group (now Wayne Media Group). During the first year of that business, I had the opportunity to bring my podcast network idea to life: Speakeasy Podcast Network was born. We spent much of 2019 and 2020 planning and building the studio. On the success and proof-of-concept that we built in Louisville, we decided to open the Brighton Speakeasy which became HQ for Wayne Media Group. The Brighton Speakeasy opened on February 1, 2021, and it has been well received by the Brighton community.
That, my friends, is an abbreviated history. We’ve learned a lot, made a lot of mistakes, and have learned so much about podcasting in the context of local businesses and marketing road mapping. We are truly excited to see how Speakeasy continues to be a major factor in the marketing plans of small businesses.
Where we are now
Our core services are pre-production, show consultation, editing, distribution, and video. All of our podcasters are offered multi-angle video, shot with 4K cameras. All of our podcasters get a fully edited audio version of the podcast that is placed on Apple, Spotify, Google, and Podbean —our podcast hosting platform. We want businesses and hobbyists to show up, record, and carry on with their day—leaving the editing and distribution to us, so they can focus on what they’re best at.
We keep things simple, offering custom packages and a one-time onboarding fee that covers music licensing, cover art, consultation, and setup. We believe in a fully transparent process with a clear map and direction forward.
The biggest surprise I’ve had is how many of our podcasters have opted for social media services on top of their podcasting services. Because Speakeasy is owned by Wayne Media, my company that focuses on marketing for small businesses, we can produce great content at an affordable rate for our podcasters. This content helps them spread the word across social media about their podcast, guests, and topics—and it looks pretty great too!
Where we are going
To the top. It’s where we’re going. Non-stop, one way, express ticket to the top. That’s the goal. I want Speakeasy to be the largest podcast network in the country. Producing the most shows with the most downloads, and the best social media and podcast content. I want Speakeasy to be the conduit to help small businesses grow in an effective and a unique way. While we have nothing inked, the next three cities I want to see Speakeasy in are:
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Nashville, Tennessee
Columbus, Ohio
That is always subject to change, but I think these three locations would be gangbusters largely because of the growth we’re seeing in those cities.
Above everything, I want Speakeasy to continue to embody the same principles that has lead to our early success: treating our employees well. And as a byproduct, our clients will be treated well. People fuel the Speakeasy Podcast Network. Our engineers, our creatives, our salesforce—without the people at the core of the company, there would be a 0% chance of longevity.
That is where we started, where we are, and where we are going. Check out the website for more information. We’ll talk soon.
