RS354: The State Of Podcasting Heading Into 2026

RS354: The State Of Podcasting Heading Into 2026

Author: RogueStartups November 26, 2025 Duration: 41:22
Craig is back! Today, he welcomes fellow podcaster Colin Gray back to the podcast. They dive into the ever-evolving world of podcasting, reflecting on how much the landscape has shifted over the last decade and what people are craving now more than ever: genuine human connection. From the tug-of-war between YouTube and podcast growth, to what it really means to build an AI-first product, they explore the trends shaping creators, customers, and the platforms that connect them. Highlights from Craig and Colin’s conversation: How podcasting has changed over the last 10 years  The more we’re pulled toward AI, the more we crave genuine connection Is it easier to grow a YouTube channel or a podcast? Content integration and becoming a centralized hub Spotify’s role in the evolution of podcasting Monetization: ads, donations, subscriptions, and more Balancing and prioritizing feature requests How AI is shaping customer expectations How to make your product AI-first Resources and Links from This Episode: The Podcast Host: https://www.thepodcasthost.com/  Colin on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/colinmcgray?originalSubdomain=uk  beehiiv: https://www.beehiiv.com/  Kit: https://kit.com/ Creator Hooks: https://creatorhooks.com/  Castos Free Tools: castos.com/tools Email me: podcast@roguestartups.com Find me on Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt If you feel like Rogue Startups has benefited you, and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes.  Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Feel free to reach out to me: Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt LinkedIn: Craig Hewitt Email: podcast@roguestartups.com 

Behind every new company is a story, and Rogue Startups digs into the real ones-the messy, uncertain, and exhilarating paths founders actually walk. This isn't about polished success tales; it's a candid look at the day-to-day grind of building a business from the ground up. You'll hear directly from entrepreneurs in the thick of it, along with seasoned experts who specialize in the crucial engines of growth: sales, marketing, and product development. Conversations focus on practical tactics, particularly around scaling productized services and SaaS offerings, exploring the real "how" behind their growth hacking strategies. The value of this podcast lies in that shared experience-hearing how others navigate the very obstacles you might be staring down, and learning what moves actually led to a win. It’s for anyone who prefers the unvarnished truth of entrepreneurship over theory, offering a sense of camaraderie and a toolbox of ideas drawn from the front lines. Tune in for authentic dialogue that skips the fluff and gets straight to the challenges and victories of building something new.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

Rogue Startups
Podcast Episodes
RS347: How to Rank Any Brand In AI Results [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:34
This week on Rogue Startups, Craig chats with Mike Buckbee from Knowatoa about how AI is changing the game for brands. With tools like ChatGPT taking over the way we search and discover businesses, Mike breaks down what…
RS346: What 11 Years in SaaS Really Looks Like [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:49
In this episode of the podcast, Craig sits down with longtime entrepreneur Colin Bartlett, cofounder of StatusGator, to explore what it really takes to build, and sustain, a SaaS business over the long haul. With more th…
RS345: The State Of Search 2025 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:27
- LLMs.txt article: https://www.quoleady.com/llm-txt-files/ - Craig's YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@thecraighewitt
RS344: 12 Years to Overnight Success with Amar Ghose [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:27
What does it really take to lead a company for over a decade—and still be growing? In this episode, Craig chats with Amar Ghose, founder and longtime CEO of ZenMaid, about the challenges, lessons, and evolution that come…
A Caffeine Infused Diatribe [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:59
Hello, remember me? Sorry that it's been 6 weeks, but I'm back. In this episode I talk through what I've been up to recently, what's going on with Castos, with myself personally, and things I'm learning growing the busin…
RS342: SaaS Survival Mode - AI, Niches & Navigating Chaos [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:12
In this episode of Rogue Startups, Craig chats with Jesse Hanley, marketer, self-taught developer, and founder of Bento, a powerful email marketing platform for modern teams. With today’s economy in flux and global event…
RS341: Microconf 2025 Recap [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:48
Craig recaps his biggest takeaways from MicroConf 2025, reflecting on lessons in positioning, lead generation, conference ROI, and the power of going all in on what’s working. From tactical marketing insights to personal…
RS340: Is AI Killing SaaS w/ Tim Schumacher [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:00
In this episode of Rogue Startups, Craig sits down with founder and entrepreneur Tim Schumacher to discuss his insights on AI, the future of SaaS, and what makes a company successful. In 2001, Tim co-founded Sedo.com, th…
RS339: AI Skeptic, or Believer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:49
In today’s episode, Craig chats with Anthony Eden from DNSimple about how they use AI in their businesses and their personal lives. As early skeptics of AI, they do a deep dive into what made them change their minds, wha…
RS338:  Balancing Your Use of AI with Aaron Francis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:12
Ever wonder what's happening behind the scenes when your dev team says they're "leveraging AI"? As a non-technical founder, you don't need to understand every line of code, but knowing how AI is actually being used in yo…