Have you ever woken up in the morning, made a pot of fresh coffee, got on the treadmill or bike, and turned on your favorite podcast? You might have thought, “This is great, I should start listening to one of these.”
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Yes, you are not alone. Podcasts are becoming more popular. Pew Research reported in September 2025:
Just over half of U.S. adults (54 percent) say they have listened to a podcast in the past 12 months, up slightly from the first time they were asked in 2022 (49 percent). Young people are far more likely to listen to podcasts, with 67% of 18-29 year olds saying they have listened to a podcast in the past 12 months, nearly double the proportion of over 65s (33%).
Many real estate agents with a wide and engaged audience want to start a podcast to help with their marketing efforts and showcase their expertise. Are you having trouble starting a podcast? According to a Forbes survey, 90% can’t get past episode 3, and of the 10% that survive, 90% can’t get past episode 20.
As someone who started my own podcast, built an audience, and published over 100 episodes, I can confidently say that podcasting isn’t easy, and I’m not shocked that such statistics exist.
How to ensure your podcast gets past the first 3 episodes
Ready to start your podcast and keep it growing? Here are five podcasting questions to ask and tips to follow that have helped build Bricks & Risk into a catalog of over 100 episodes.
Step 1: Why do you want to start a podcast?
Don’t say something stupid like, “I’ve always wanted to start a podcast.” Please tell me why you really want to do it. Marketing content? Grow your business? Help others?
Please be honest here. Having a purpose for your show will guide you through the details. Commitment and consistency may sound easy, but they are necessary.
When Sean Mooney and I started the Bricks & Risk podcast, we had three reasons.
Grow your business Build more relationships Help others and give back
After over two years of shooting, we’ve seen benefits for all three reasons.
Tip: Think about why you want to start a podcast. If your reason has a purpose and helps your business grow, you’re off to a good start.
Step 2: DIY or professional studio?
This is important, but often overlooked upfront, as it gives you an idea of the time and effort it takes to start and continually grow a podcast.
Trust me, it’s hard work.
Bricks & Risk provided top-notch equipment and production expertise, delivered a finished product, and we began shooting in their studio.
Look, I have no problem with the DIY approach. In fact, I believe it might be a good option to consider once your audience is established. But to begin with, shooting in a studio has only advantages and reliability. Our customers value our products highly, and we value that as well.
When it comes to content, some of the best conversation starters are about local Philadelphians building businesses and the lessons they learned along the way. All I can say is that interviewing Ryan Serhant early on is still one of our best records.
Tip: There’s one word that explains why studio photography is better than DIY: time. Although the cost is higher, the time saved is invaluable. If you’re serious about building an audience for your podcast, that’s the best way to go.
Step 3: How often will you release episodes?
One of the biggest mistakes others make is not following the rhythm. So if you want to have a real show, your viewers need to know how often they can watch new content. In other words, if you want your audience to come back again and again, they need to be able to trust you.
If you don’t have much time, consider going monthly. Do it every week if you have time.
Bricks & Risk has a weekly program that I haven’t missed since 2024, but I’ve come close to missing it a few times. Weekly provides more social content and helps you generate more business.
Tip: When you start filming content, build a content database (aka bank content) before releasing a single episode. That way you’ll always stay ahead of the curve. A lot of things happen in life, and it’s easy to miss filming or releasing an episode. If every month, record/produce at least 3 episodes. Record/produce at least 12 episodes every week. You’ll thank me later.
Step 4: Who is your audience?
More specifically, who do you want to talk to and why?
This is very important. Because if you don’t know who your audience is, what are you going to say? When you understand your audience, ideas flow like water and you have so many things to say that you don’t even know what to say.
The more episodes you have, the more business and relationships you have, and the more value you get from your podcast, the less you’ll want to quit it.
Plus, it’s a lot of fun.
Tip: Return to your purpose and you’ll know who your audience will be. Is it for consumers? Is it suitable for industry? There are no right or wrong answers. Follow your gut.
Step 5: Start filming your content and stop overthinking it.
One of the main reasons people shy away from content creation is fear of embarrassment. It’s completely natural and normal. My advice: If you’re serious about starting a podcast, you need to find a way to blow past that nonsense.
Podcasts are all about the people in charge. The more you do it, the better you get. We all stink at first.
Content not only builds an audience, but also builds confidence, which leads to endless social media posts and stories. This builds trust with your audience and attracts more business.
Tip: If you hate cameras or your voice, don’t worry. Film some test episodes and ask others what they think. Then practice, practice, practice. Remember that reps can help boost your confidence.
Where do we go from here?
My advice is to take one step at a time. You don’t have to figure everything out in a day or a week. Spend weeks or months planning the whole thing and understanding what you’re working on and why.
Building the Bricks & Risk podcast brand has not only brought business to both of us, but it has also helped us build relationships that never would have happened without it…and we’ve built a community and inspired others in the process.
Tim Garrity is a real estate agent, founder of the Tim Garrity team, and an associate broker at Real. Connect with Tim on Instagram and LinkedIn.
