So you have a podcast – but how can you turn it into a business?
That’s exactly what Michelle Akhidenor was testing when she found her answer in the inverse.
Making podcasts for businesses!
Not just any businesses though.
Through running her own BIPOC and female-led podcast – “PEERS”, it only made sense that her agency would focus on developing credibility and trust for progressive companies through podcasts.
So she founded The PEERS Project, where she’s produced chart-topping podcasts across diverse industries, including recruitment/HR (Indeed), retirement (Estia Health), energy (AGL) and Fortune 500 tech giants (Alibaba).
This landed her in both the @Forbes 30U30 and @B&T 30U30, which recognises trailblazers who dare to be different in the realm of media and advertising.
But after bringing this podcast agency model to the US, which has a market that’s “50 times bigger”, Michelle realised she needed to niche down much more “just to get meetings”.
So first she focused solely on tech, but found out even that wasn’t niche enough. A year of experimentation later, she landed on venture capital firms.
Why? Because she found that:
[1] One in ten VC firms have a podcast already,
[2] VC firms are the most engaged segment of tech in podcasting, &
[3] The US has thousands of VC firms, with hundreds in New York alone.
It was the clear choice.
Michelle explained how she’s tackling this enormous opportunity today and delved into all the dreams and challenges leading up to it.
This episode is a must listen for anyone who wants to positively impact the world through business.
Enjoy :)
— — —
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction to the Episode
00:02 Meet Michelle Akhidenor
01:43 Michelle's Early Career and BCSS
03:51 Discovering a Passion for Marketing
05:14 The Love for Languages
07:17 Cultural Immersion and Business Lessons
11:00 Diverse Career Path
13:33 Starting the Peers Podcast
19:01 Challenges and Triumphs in Podcasting
28:17 The Journey to Sponsorship
31:21 Persistence Pays Off: Landing the Shopify Deal
34:48 The Importance of Representation in Media
37:55 From Podcasting to Business: The Journey
41:53 Navigating the US Market: Lessons Learned
50:02 Quick Fire Questions and Personal Insights
54:35 Final Thoughts and Contact Information
— — —
You can connect with Michelle here:
* https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleakhidenor/
* https://www.instagram.com/michakhidenor/?hl=en
You can check out The Peers Project here:
* https://www.instagram.com/thepeersproject/?hl=en