James Burtt, Pivot Productions Group

James Burtt, founder of the newly launched Pivot Productions Group, shares his vision for transforming the podcasting landscape by helping celebrity talent maximize their earning potential through IP ownership rather than traditional pay-per-session models. Drawing inspiration from successful sports personalities like Peter Crouch and Gary Lineker's ventures, Burtt discusses the untapped opportunities in celebrity podcasting, the growing trend of premium content behind paywalls, and the importance of building genuine communities around shows rather than relying solely on traditional advertising revenue. The conversation explores how podcasting is evolving from a "second class digital citizen" to a legitimate business platform, with Burtt offering candid insights about the challenges of launching new productions with high-profile talent while remaining optimistic about the industry's growth potential—noting that with only a quarter of people listening weekly, there's still tremendous room for expansion and great content to find its audience.