5 Signs It's Time to Hire a Podcast Producer
You started your podcast with the best intentions.
You'd record thoughtful conversations, publish weekly, build your authority, turn listeners into clients, and rake in sponsorship bucks. Simple, right?
Then reality hit.
Editing takes hours. You've lost track of the hyperlinks for your show notes. You forgot to send your guest a reminder, and now your episodes are published late (again).
Somewhere between "just one more take" and "why does my audio sound like I'm in a wind tunnel," you're wondering: is this even sustainable?
I've coached dozens of coaches, educators, and business owners who reached this exact breaking point. After producing over 800 episodes, I can tell you: there's a specific moment when handling your own podcast production stops being scrappy and starts being unsustainable.
Here are five signs you've reached that moment.
Sign #1: You're Avoiding Recording Because You Dread Editing
What it looks like:
You have three amazing guest interviews lined up. Your content calendar is planned. But you keep pushing recording sessions back because you know what comes next: hours upon hours of editing, cleaning up audio, writing show notes, creating audiograms, and publishing.
The podcast that was supposed to energize your business now feels like a stressful second job.
Why this matters:
When editing becomes the bottleneck, your entire podcast suffers. Episodes get published late. You skip weeks. Your audience engagement drops. Instead of building your authority, your ideas are collecting dust in your "drafts" folder.
I've been there: editing at 1 am on a Sunday because I promised myself I'd publish Monday morning. It's exhausting.
The real cost:
Let's say your time is worth $200/hour (and if you're a coach or consultant, that's probably conservative). If you're spending 5 hours finishing each episode, that's $1,000 of your time per episode—or $4,000/month for a weekly show.
You could hire a professional producer for $1,000-1,500/month and get back those 20+ hours to work on your business instead of in the editing weeds.
You're ready for help when:
Recording sessions feel stressful instead of energizing
You're 2-3 episodes behind schedule
You're considering "taking a break" from your podcast
You dread weekends because instead of enjoying family time, you're editing…again
Sign #2: Your Podcast Sounds Rough, & You Want a Little Polish.
What it looks like:
You listen to other podcasts in your industry and think, "Why doesn't mine sound like that?"
The audio quality is inconsistent. Background noise creeps in. Your intro music cuts off awkwardly. Some episodes are too quiet, others are too loud. You know it doesn't sound professional, but you don't know how to fix it.
You've watched YouTube tutorials. You've bought editing software. But the learning curve is steep, and you still can't achieve that polished, professional sound.
Why this matters:
Your podcast represents your brand. When the audio quality is amateurish, listeners make assumptions about your entire business. If you can't master your own audio, how can you help them master their business/health/relationships?
Fair or not, people judge your professionalism by your audio quality.
One of my clients told me that before she hired a producer, she wasn’t even sharing her episodes with friends because she was embarrassed by the jarring, clunky AI cuts in her podcast.
What professional production actually includes:
Expert mixing and mastering (not just "making it louder")
Noise reduction without making you sound robotic
Consistent audio levels throughout the episode
Strategic editing that removes distractions but keeps personality
Professional intro/outro with proper music mixing
Loudness matching so your show sounds right on every platform
You're ready for help when:
Listeners mention audio quality issues
You're embarrassed to share episodes
You've tried "fixing" things and made them worse
You compare your show to competitors and cringe
Sign #3: You're Missing the Strategy Because You're Stuck in the Tactics
What it looks like:
You spend all your podcast time in editing mode. You're so focused on removing mouth clicks and balancing audio levels that you never step back to ask:
Is this content actually converting?
What topics resonate most with my ideal clients?
How can I structure episodes to lead to discovery calls?
What CTAs are working?
Should I be interviewing different guests?
You're executing tasks, but you've lost sight of strategy. Your podcast is busy work, not a growth engine.
Why this matters:
The difference between a hobby podcast and a business-building podcast isn't just production quality—it's whether you're thinking strategically or just checking boxes.
Professional producers don't just edit your audio. They help you:
Plan content that aligns with your business goals
Structure episodes to drive specific actions
Track what's working and optimize
Think strategically about growth
Make decisions based on data, not guesswork
What you're missing:
When you're stuck in production mode, you can't see the big picture:
Which episodes drive the most traffic?
What topics lead to discovery calls?
How can you repurpose content for maximum reach?
What's your content strategy for the next quarter?
You need space to think like a CEO, not an audio engineer.
You're ready for help when:
You're so busy producing that you can't plan strategically
You don't track what content converts
You publish reactively instead of strategically
You want your podcast to drive business goals, but don't have time to optimize
Sign #4: Your Podcast Isn't Growing (Because You Can't Keep Up with Promotion)
What it looks like:
You publish episodes, but you don't have time to:
Write compelling show notes that rank on Google
Create multiple social media posts per episode
Follow up with guests for cross-promotion
Engage with listeners in comments
Repurpose content into blog posts or newsletters
Submit to podcast directories
Pitch to other shows for guest appearances
Your download numbers have plateaued. You're publishing consistently (barely), but nobody's finding your show because you don't have time for the strategic marketing that actually grows an audience.
Why this matters:
If your podcast isn't growing, it's not building your business. You're creating content in a vacuum. Your amazing insights are reaching the same 50 people every week instead of expanding your reach to hundreds or thousands of potential clients.
Professional podcast producers don't just edit audio—they create promotional assets, optimize for SEO, and implement growth strategies while you focus on content.
What you get with professional production:
SEO-optimized show notes that rank on Google
Audiograms and video clips ready for social media
Strategic episode publishing (timing, platforms, directories)
Transcripts for accessibility and SEO
Email newsletter drafts for audience nurturing
Analytics tracking so you know what's working
You're ready for help when:
You publish but rarely promote
Download numbers have been flat for 3+ months
You have great content but no growth strategy
You're too exhausted after editing to do any marketing
Sign #5: Your Podcast Is Your Primary Lead Generation Tool (But It's Not Being Treated Like One)
What it looks like:
If you keep podcasting, you may find that most of your discovery calls come from podcast listeners. You’ll know you’ve leveled up when your best clients find you through your show, and strangers tell you constantly, "I feel like I know you from the podcast!"
Your podcast is your most powerful marketing asset. It's working.
But you're treating it like a hobby. DIY editing. Inconsistent publishing. No strategic content planning. No professional promotion. You're leaving money on the table because you're not investing in the asset that's actually converting.
Why this matters:
If your podcast generates 3-4 clients per year at $10,000+ lifetime value each, that's $30-40K in revenue directly attributed to your show. Yet you're trying to "save money" by doing everything yourself.
Would you DIY your website if it were your primary lead source? Would you write your own sales page with no copywriting experience? Would you build your own funnel with no technical skills?
Probably not. So why are you DIYing the marketing channel that's actually converting?
You're ready for help when:
Your podcast directly generates leads/revenue
You track conversions back to your show
Listeners specifically mention your podcast in discovery calls
You know your podcast works — you just need it to work better
What Professional Podcast Production Actually Looks Like
Here's what actually changes when my clients stop trying to do everything themselves:
Week 1-2 (Onboarding):
Strategy session to clarify your podcast goals
Technical setup and workflow optimization
Recording best practices (you'll sound better before we even edit)
Content calendar planning
Ongoing (Per Episode):
You record the conversation (30-75 minutes)
You send me the raw audio
I edit, mix, master, and polish it
I update the episode art for each episode
I write SEO-optimized show notes
I create promotional audiograms
I publish to all platforms
I send you social media captions
You approve and promote
Your time commitment:
30-75 minutes recording
15 minutes reviewing/approving
Total: ~1 hour per episode
Everything else? Handled.
Three Questions to Ask Yourself
Before you decide whether it's time to hire help, honestly answer these three questions:
1. Is my podcast a strategic business asset or a hobby?
If it's a hobby, DIY is fine. If it's generating leads, building authority, and growing your business, it deserves professional treatment.
2. What's my time actually worth?
Do the math: what's your hourly rate? (If you bill clients, you already know. If not, divide your annual revenue by 2,000 working hours.) Multiply by hours you spend on podcast production. Is that number bigger than the cost of hiring help?
3. What would I do with 20+ extra hours per month?
More client work? Course creation? Speaking opportunities? Strategic planning? If you could generate more than $1,000-1,500 in value from that time, hiring help pays for itself.
Ready to Get Your Time (and Your Podcast) Back?
If you recognized yourself in two or more of these signs, it's time to stop white-knuckling your podcast production and start treating your show like the business asset it is.
You have three options:
Option 1: Keep doing it yourself
Continue spending 20+ hours/month on production
Keep struggling with audio quality
Watch your podcast plateau
Miss revenue-generating opportunities while you're in editing mode
Option 2: Hire a budget editor
Pay $50-200 per episode for basic editing
Still handle show notes, publishing, promotion yourself
No strategic support or growth planning
Audio quality may improve, but nothing else changes
Option 3: Partner with a professional podcast producer
Reclaim 18+ hours per month for client work
Professional audio quality that builds trust
Strategic growth support (not just editing)
Consistent publishing without the stress
SEO-optimized content that attracts new listeners
Promotional assets for social media
If Option 3 sounds like what you need, let's talk.
Book a free 20-minute strategy call. We'll talk about:
Where your podcast is now
Where you want it to go
Whether we're a good fit
What level of support makes sense for your goals
No pressure, no pitch—just an honest conversation about whether professional podcast production is right for you (and if I'm the right producer for your show).
Your podcast deserves to be as good as your expertise. Let's make that happen.
About the Author
Bree Luck is the founder of Awkward Sage Media and has produced over 800 podcast episodes for coaches, educators, and mission-driven business owners. She believes your expertise deserves to be heard without you losing your weekends to audio editing.
