The Wolf Den

Mignon “Grammar Girl” Fogarty joins Lex on the Wolf Den. The two talk about Mignon’s staggering 13 years in podcasting, and how she grew one show into the thriving Quick and Dirty Tips network. They also nerd out on language.

Renay Richardson chats with Lex from across the pond, detailing her experiences working for several audio production companies (but not the BBC!) — and how it led her to found Broccoli Content. With a goal of tackling the lack of opportunities for minority talent both in front and behind the mic, Renay shares insights on how the entire industry can better embrace diversity. Then, the two talk about company consolidation and whether mergers and acquisitions in the podcast world are ultimately good or bad for podcasters. This episode is brought to you by On Deck Capital (www.ondeck.com/WOLFDEN).

Danielle Kramer, Senior Producer of Exactly Right Network joins Lex on The Wolf Den. The two discuss the network’s formation, and which aspects of My Favorite Murder its original shows hope to maintain. Danielle also discusses what led her to the podcasting, including time at NerdMelt and JASH. Plus, what exactly makes a good podcast translate to television?

Lex speaks with ESPN'S Jody Avirgan, but he has a little help: He's joined by Harrison Goldberg and Brody Pontarelli from Grace Church High School. The three ask Jody about the process of turning popular documentary series 30 for 30 into an audio format. Lex and Jody also give Harrison and Brody pointers on launching their own sports podcast, With Further Review.

It's time for a holiday extravaganza! In this very special Wolf Den, Lex is joined by twelve guests from Stitcher’s New York office to talk about the Shows We're Jealous Of. Featuring Jenny Barish, Andy Slater, David Murray, Will Carey, Jared O’Connell, Harry Huggins, Abigail Keel, Kelsey Butterworth, Julie Booth, The Reverend John DeLore, Christy Mirabal, Bill Irwin and Harry Nelson. And, in a Christmas miracle, a brand new jingle by Casey Holford and the Stitcher Choir.

Martina Castro, CEO of globally-minded podcast production company Adonde Media, joins Lex on the Wolf Den. Martina tells Lex about the formation of Adonde Media, and its recent projects like El Chapo and Duolingo. Martina and Lex discuss the many opportunities available for non-English-language podcasting Finally, the two give recommendations for podcasts parents and kids can listen to and enjoy together. This episode is brought to you by Warby Parker (www.warbyparker.com/wolfden).

Stitcher CEO Erik Diehn returns to join Lex on The Wolf Den. Erik gives updates of Midroll and Stitcher’s recent “brand rotation,” and how it affects the company’s strategy going forward. Then, Erik outlines how the the recent acquisition of Triton Digital will help bring Stitcher closer to the goal of being the “best place in the world for podcasting.” Finally, the two discuss the inherent challenges and benefits to the growing trend of bilingual podcasts. This episode is brought to you by Warby Parker (www.warbyparker.com/wolfden).

Berry Sykes of PodcastsInColor joins Lex on the Wolf Den. Berry and Lex discuss Berry’s journey from podcast superfan to creator of the largest directory of podcasts by and for people of color. Berry also gives her unique perspective on what podcast apps (including Stitcher) can do to better promote diversity for listeners. The two also discuss if gaming Apple's podcast charts is worth the money.

Chris Kelly and Pat Kelly —from the aptly named podcast creative studio Kelly & Kelly and CBC’s This Is That — join Lex on the Wolf Den. Chris and Pat discuss This Is That’s upcoming tour, and inadvertently tricking listeners into thinking their satiric stories were true. The three also talk about Kelly & Kelly’s new fake true crime “This Sounds Serious,” and the importance of striking the correct tone with satire. This episode is brought to you by Podchaser.

Stitcher’s own Dan Osit, Korri Kolesa, and Drew Welborn join Lex on The Wolf Den. The three tell Lex how they each came to work at Stitcher, and how their jobs have evolved. Later, the group gives its predictions for the future of the industry, and address the recent Stitcher/Midroll rebrand.

Ben Ratner, video producer at StarTalk, joins Lex on the Wolf Den. Ben and Lex discuss Ben’s job experiences, including how an appearance on late night television led to a coveted internship. Ben also gives his unique perspective as both an audio and video producer, with advice on how video can help any podcast. Also, Lex shares an anecdote about ranch dressing and Neil DeGrasse Tyson.

Grant Rutter, podcast producer at NBC Entertainment, joins Lex on the Wolf Den. The two discuss Grant’s journey through the ranks at NBC and how it led him to be their fist full-time podcast producer. Grant also details the production of The Good Place Podcast and its inspirations, as well as the the challenge of making an entertaining podcast that’s more than just an advertisement.

This week’s Wolf Den is two guests for the price of one, as Lex speaks with two entrepreneurs in the field podcasting. First, Lex talks with Dan Franks, co-founder of Podcast Movement, the first ever dedicated podcast convention. They discuss the history of the convention, from its Kickstarter origins to its 5th year with over 2000 attendees. Then, stick around as Lex interviews the young co-founder and CEO Bradley Davis all about the unlikely origins of the of new podcast directory startup Podchaser, which he calls the IMDb of podcasts.

Marco Arment, developer of podcast app Overcast, joins Lex on the Wolf Den. Lex and Marco discuss pretty much everything going on in podcasting today. The two debate the technical complications of dynamic ad insertion and how it affects both podcasters and podcast apps. The two also discuss Marco’s history with Midroll in its early days, and theorize what might happen if Apple ever exited the podcast space. This episode is brought to you by The MarTech Podcast.

Harry Nelson, studio manager and producer at Earwolf New York, joins Lex on the Wolf Den. The two discuss the history of The Wolf Den, and how the show evolved over the past seven(!) years on the network. Harry also explains how a post on Reddit got him his job at Earwolf, and finally asks Lex what exactly his job is here at Midroll. This episode is brought to you by Clockwise.io (www.clockwise.io).

Jay Soderberg, VP of Content at Voxnest — the parent company to Spreaker and BlogTalkRadio — joins Lex on the Wolf Den. The two discuss "Pod Vader's" long career at ESPN Radio, Voxnest’s mission to provide monetization for growing podcasts, and the recent S-Town lawsuit’s possible impact on podcasting. Plus a Star Wars theory that will blow your mind. This episode is brought to you by Clockwise.io (www.clockwise.io).

Jake Hurwitz, Amir Blumenfeld, and Marty Michael, co-founders of the HeadGum podcast network, join Lex on the Wolf Den. The four talk about how HeadGum came to be, and reveal the topic so controversial it almost tore the group apart. Jake and Amir also give their thoughts on how podcasting has affected their careers and comedy in general, and the viability of a million-dollar podcast deal.

Stuart Last, Chief Operating Officer at Audioboom, joins Lex on the Wolf Den. Stuart discusses Audioboom’s failed “reverse takeover” of Triton Digital and the effect it’s had on the company. They also discuss the difficulties of building a creative content company at the same time as an in-house ad sales operation, and the results of the second annual IAB podcast revenue study.

Peter Vincer from the podcast platform and network Castbox joins Lex on The Wolf Den. The two discuss how Victor wound up working in audio, the benefits and growing pains of producing original content, as well as the future of programmatic advertising.

Jason Snell from the Incomparable podcast network joins Lex on The Wolf Den. The two discuss Jason’s path to podcasting full time, the practical advantages of streaming episodes live, as well as the pros and cons of more companies making podcasts. This episode is brought to you by Pretty Litter (www.prettylitter.com code: wolfden).