Hi Reader!
October always seems to put me in planning mode 🎃 🍂
Maybe it’s the cooler weather, or maybe it’s knowing that another year is right around the corner, but I find myself thinking about what I want to build, improve, and do differently next year.
This week, that has meant plenty of behind-the-scenes work: troubleshooting software integrations, dealing with DNS verification, talking with CRM technical support, and revisiting several processes and platforms that need attention.
I also had lunch with a business owner this week who has been in business twice as long as I have and has completed transactions on a much larger scale. Yet, there we were, talking about what is working, what needs to change, and what the next chapter of business might look like.
It was a welcome reminder that, no matter how accomplished we become, there will always be something worth revisiting.
And that applies to our podcasts, too.
🎙️ When a Podcast Guest Hijacks Your Interview
Have you ever interviewed someone who simply would not stop talking? Or perhaps every answer somehow circled back to their book, service, or latest offer?
What about the guest who gives you two-sentence answers to questions that should inspire a thoughtful conversation?
In this week’s episode of Podcasting for Financial Professionals, I’m talking about how to handle difficult podcast guests without creating awkwardness or sacrificing the quality of your show.
We cover five common guest challenges, including rambling answers, excessive self-promotion, vague responses, disruptive audio, and guests who arrive without the recording equipment you specifically requested.
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What To Do When a Guest Hijacks Your Interview
Being a gracious host doesn't mean smiling through it, desperately hoping your editor can fix everything.
It's your show...Your rules.
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One of the most valuable skills you can develop as a host is the confidence to pause an interview, redirect the conversation, and resume recording naturally.
Sometimes that means politely interrupting. Sometimes it means asking a better follow-up question. And occasionally, it means rescheduling or deciding that an interview simply isn’t worth publishing.
I also walk through the practical steps I use to make those corrections easy for an editor to remove, so the finished conversation feels natural for your listener.
Your audience has trusted you with their attention, and protecting that experience is part of your responsibility as a host.
If you interview guests, this is one you’ll want to hear before your next recording.
→ Listen to Episode 126: How to Handle Difficult Podcast Guests
📊 What the Fastest-Growing Advisory Firms Are Doing Differently
I came across some interesting findings in Charles Schwab’s 2026 RIA Benchmarking Study, which gathered data from 1,236 registered investment advisory firms.
One finding I especially appreciated was that top-performing advisory firms are more likely to document their ideal client personas, client value propositions, marketing plans, and referral strategies.
And they’re paying attention to where new business originates.
According to the study, 85% of top-performing firms track the sources of prospect inquiries, compared with 71% of other firms.
That may sound like basic business management, but consider that 8/10 podcast hosts I speak to (whose shows I don't produce, BTW) say they have no idea whether their show is contributing to new business.
If you’re an advisor, CPA, or CFO using a podcast to support business development, consider whether your content reflects the same strategic discipline.
Does your podcast speak to a clearly defined prospective client? Can someone explain who you help and what distinguishes your expertise after listening to a few episodes? Do you have a way to identify which prospects listened to your show before reaching out?
There’s also an opportunity here to support referrals. Imagine giving a referral partner one thoughtfully selected episode that addresses the exact challenge their client is facing. That episode could help the prospect become familiar with your approach before an introduction ever happens.
A podcast can become a meaningful part of a documented referral and client acquisition strategy, provided you’ve intentionally designed it to serve that purpose.
If you’re planning next year’s marketing, this research is worth your attention.
→ Read Schwab’s 2026 RIA Benchmarking Study
🤖 Coming Next Week: Are You Showing Up in AI Search?
As someone who regularly encourages podcast hosts to remain curious, test their assumptions, and continue improving, I’m taking plenty of my own medicine lately. 💊
I’m learning more about how businesses get discovered through AI-powered search, how to use AI efficiently and responsibly, and how to simplify the growing collection of software and processes that support Podcast Abundance.
One question I’m particularly interested in is how AI is changing the way prospective clients find and evaluate professional expertise.
That’s exactly what we’ll explore in the upcoming episode of Podcasting for Financial Professionals... that goes live this Thursday.
If you’ve wondered whether ChatGPT and other AI search tools can find your business, what information they’re using, or how your existing content might influence those results, I think you’ll appreciate this conversation.
Keep an eye on my social channels and next week’s newsletter for the episode.
And while we’re talking about sharing useful information, would you forward this newsletter to one friend or colleague who would benefit from it?
Whether they’re already podcasting, considering launching a show, or trying to understand how AI discovery may affect their business, I’d love to help them think more strategically about their content.
✨ What Will You Refine Before 2027?
Between managing difficult interviews, studying what successful firms do differently, and exploring new technology, there’s a common theme running through my week: good businesses are continually being refined.
The same is true of a successful podcast.
Your messaging may need to change as your ideal client becomes more specific. Your episode structure may need adjusting as you learn what listeners respond to. Your recording and production processes should improve as your show matures.
And your listener-to-client pathway deserves attention long before you’re wondering why your audience isn’t taking action.
If October has you dreaming about what your business could accomplish next year, I’d encourage you to start working on your podcast strategy now.
Whether you’re considering a new show or have an existing podcast that needs stronger positioning, clearer messaging, or a more dependable production process, I’d love to explore what we could build together.
Through Podcast Abundance, I offer one-on-one podcast strategy and done-for-you production partnerships designed to help financial professionals turn their expertise into content that builds trust and supports meaningful business relationships.
→ Book a Discovery Call to Discuss Your 2027 Podcast Strategy
Here’s to continuing to learn, make thoughtful changes, and build something even better.
Cheers 🥂