HOW TO HIRE A PODCAST MANAGER AND OUTSOURCE YOUR PRODUCTION
what to know before you get help with YOUR PODCAST
The podcast was supposed to amplify the work. Instead it became another thing eating up Tuesday afternoons.
I help progressive women podcasters who have something worth saying and not enough hours to say it well. I fix that, because their shows need to exist.
Whether you’re launching from scratch or handing off an existing show, here’s what to know before you hire someone else to handle the editing, production, and everything that keeps the show moving.
What's the difference between a podcast editor and a podcast manager?
A podcast manager is your production partner. They can handle everything from editing and mixing to show notes, transcripts, promotional assets, scheduling, and distribution, so that all you have to do is record.
A good podcast manager also thinks strategically about your show — staying current on industry changes, flagging what’s working, and helping you make smart decisions about content and growth.
A podcast editor handles one thing: your audio. They clean it up, cut the filler, balance the levels, and send it back.
If you just want to hand off editing, a podcast editor will do. If you want to hand off the entire production side of your podcast so you can focus on your real work, you need a podcast manager.
what podcast tasks do you want to outsource?
Do you want full-service management where all you do is write and record? Or do you want to retain some tasks, like writing your own show notes, and outsource the rest?
Before you start talking to podcast managers, decide what you actually want to hand off. Maybe that’s:
- things you don’t know how to do (like technical setup, SEO, platform submission)
- things you don’t want to do (maybe editing, writing show notes, creating graphics)
- things you don’t have time to do (perhaps all of the above, because you’re a professional, not a podcast producer)
how much does podcast management cost?
Podcast management services are an investment. Packages range widely — from $500/month for basic editing to $2,000+ for full guest booking and marketing support, and podcast launch help ranges from $1,200–$3,500+. It all depends on the scope of what’s included.
If that feels like a lot, think about what it’s actually costing you to do it yourself. How many hours per episode are you spending on editing, show notes, and uploading? What could you do with those hours instead? For most professionals, like some podcasters I spoke with recently, the math on outsourcing is clear:
Don’t make the mistake of choosing the cheapest option available. You’re paying for expertise, reliability, and a production partner who understands what your show is actually trying to do.
A cheap manager who delivers inconsistent work, misses deadlines, or doesn’t understand your niche will cost you more in the long run than a well-priced manager who gets it right from the start.
One more thing worth knowing is that while AI has changed some processes in the podcasting industry, it has not made episode production significantly faster. A thoughtful podcast manager is still doing skilled, time-intensive work.
What are the key questions to ask a potential podcast manager?
A discovery call is your chance to vet a potential podcast manager just as much as it’s their chance to learn about you. Come prepared with questions like:
- What does your process look like, from when I record to when the episode goes live?
- What do you need from me, and when?
- How do you handle revisions?
- Have you worked with podcasters in my field or with my type of content before?
- What does communication look like week-to-week?
- How do you prefer to work?
- What happens if I need to skip a month or take a break?
A good podcast manager will have clear, confident answers. If they’re vague about their process or can’t articulate what working with them actually looks like, that’s a red flag.
Finally, if you're launching a new podcast...
Is your podcast ready for help?
You don’t need to have everything figured out before you get help. But you do need a clear-enough vision that you can articulate:
- who the podcast is for
- what gap it fills in your space
- what you want it to do for your work
- what makes your perspective worth listening to
If you can answer those questions, you’re ready-enough for help — and having a strategic partner from the beginning to help you figure out the rest is smarter than trying to DIY it only to need help fixing things later.
Before you start having conversations with podcast managers, you’ll also need to nail down the basics they’ll need to know to quote you accurately and build a workflow that works for you:
- how many episodes you plan to publish per month (this directly affects what a manager will charge and how they’ll structure your workflow)
- how long your episodes will typically run (longer episodes take more editing time)
- what format your show will have — solo, interview, co-hosted conversation, a mix? (each has different production demands)
Know that your mission deserves a partner who actually cares about it
Whoever you hire will not just be writing in your voice for show notes and promotional materials — they’ll be handling your ideas, your message, and your public presence.
I exclusively support progressive women podcasters, because:
- women’s voices are still criminally underrepresented in podcasting, and I want to help change that
- I want to see more podcasts that are advancing social justice, supporting nonprofit missions, or sharing progressive ideas that the world needs to hear
Fit matters. I understand the work my clients are doing because I spent more than a decade in progressive communications — as a one-person comms team at a nonprofit, a journalist, a graphic designer, and an editor — doing the hard, unglamorous work of telling stories that mattered, that could build trust and move people to show up, donate, vote, or pay attention.
If you’re doing that work, I want to hear from you.
How I can help you with your podcast
Ready to find the right fit?
I support progressive, mission-driven women to launch and sustain audio-first podcasts — the researcher who has been sitting on a podcast about housing policy for two years because she doesn’t have time to learn Descript, the nonprofit director whose board keeps asking why the work isn’t getting more visibility, the journalist who has the stories and the sources but zero patience for promotion. They get professional production, a partner who keeps them accountable, and the mental freedom to focus on advancing the community conversation, dismantling the narrative, or getting the story told.
I work with a small number of clients at a time, and I choose them carefully. If you’ve been sitting on a show that needs to exist, let’s talk.
I’m not just a podcast manager.
I’m your partner in the rebellion.
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