Knowing how to grow and monetize a podcast is the difference between building a life-changing business asset and becoming another pod fade statistic. In Episode 143 of The Profit Minds Podcast, Dr. Steven Kirch sits down with Nathan Gwilliam – serial entrepreneur, founder and CEO of PodUp, and the man who built digital platforms reaching 280 million monthly unique visitors. With 672 million global monthly podcast listeners in 2026 and podcast ad revenue hitting $4.46 billion, the opportunity has never been bigger. And Nathan has the exact blueprint to help you capture it.
In this episode, Dr. Kirch and Nathan Gwilliam break down exactly how to grow and monetize a podcast from scratch in 2026:
Nathan Gwilliam is a serial entrepreneur who has built and sold 3 digital ventures. His first venture was Adoption.com – the world’s leading adoption platform. He then built digital platforms reaching 280 million monthly unique visitors, 130 million social follows and 40 million monthly engagements. After spending $6 million over 6 years, he built PodUp – the all-in-one podcasting platform with 60 integrated tools, 18 AI-powered features and 11 monetization tools. He also runs Pod Allies, a done-for-you podcasting service that handles everything from guest booking to publishing and monetization.
Nathan introduces a powerful concept – tectonic shifts in business. Just as geological tectonic plates can create earthquakes or mountains, business tectonic shifts can destroy companies or propel them to dominance. Blockbuster ignored streaming. Yellow cabs ignored mobile apps. Sears ignored e-commerce. They all paid the price.
Podcasting is the tectonic shift happening right now. And the numbers prove it. There are 672 million monthly podcast listeners worldwide in 2026. Podcast ad revenue hit $4.46 billion in 2025. And 96% of people say they do not trust ads – but they DO trust voices they know and listen to regularly. Knowing how to grow and monetize a podcast puts you ahead of every competitor who is still buying ads nobody believes.
Nathan breaks down the complete step-by-step process for launching a successful podcast. First, find your technology – either cobble together 30 different tools at $2,000 per month, or use an all-in-one platform like PodUp that brings them all together for a fraction of the cost. Second, get simple equipment – a good microphone, good lighting and a professional recording studio. No expensive studio required. Third, book your guests and create your show notes. Fourth, record your episode. Fifth, repurpose into 15-20 pieces of content. Sixth, publish on your website first – own your list, own your land. Seventh, syndicate to 20+ platforms with one click. Eighth, market your show. Ninth, monetize.
As Nathan says – build your skyscraper on land you own. Your website and your email list are your most valuable assets. Not your Spotify followers. Not your Apple subscribers. Yours.
One of the most valuable insights in this episode is Nathan’s take on podcast monetization. Most podcasters think ads are the goal. Nathan says ads are the worst strategy for most podcasters. You need massive traffic to make ads work. Instead, he recommends being your own biggest advertiser. Build your own products. Create coaching programs. Launch membership sites. Develop courses. Sell consulting. These generate far more revenue per listener than third-party ads ever will.
A gardening podcaster with 250,000 followers promoted one affiliate product to his audience. He made over $1 million in just a few months. That is the real power of knowing how to grow and monetize a podcast the right way.
Get these FREE bonuses when you visit podup.com:
Free e-book + training video: 24 proven podcast monetization strategies
Free mini course: video + e-book with 30 podcast growth strategies
Free strategy call: Nathan personally builds your podcast growth and monetization plan – even if you never work with him!
👉 Grab Your Free Bonuses: podup.com
👉 Book Free Strategy Call: podallies.com
Dr. Steven Kirch is the creator of the Profit Minds™ Growth System, which helps entrepreneurs and professionals accelerate profits through productivity, scalable systems, and AI-powered business strategies.
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