Podcaster
A practical business plan template for launching as a podcaster. All figures are pre-filled realistic estimates — replace them with your own numbers using the Prévio spreadsheet.
Executive Summary (Template)
Replace brackets with your details.
[Name] launches as a podcaster serving [target audience].
Mission: [one-line promise].
Year-1 objective: $13 450 revenue, break-even in month 8.
Model: [main revenue type] + [secondary stream].
Key differentiator: [why you, why now].
Market Snapshot
Podcasting ad spend exceeds $2B/year in the US alone (estimation). CPMs range $18–$25 for host-read ads; shows with 5k+ downloads/episode can attract sponsors. Most profitable indie podcasts combine sponsorship, premium feeds and services/products.
Offer & Pricing
- Host-read ads: $20 CPM (~$100 per 5k downloads)
- Premium feed: $5–$8/month
- Services/consulting sold to the same audience
Marketing Plan (3 Channels)
Three acquisition channels, started in this order:
1. Guest swaps and cross-promotion with peer shows
2. Audiograms/clips on LinkedIn, X, Instagram
3. SEO show notes pages per episode
3-Year Forecast
| Month | M1 | M2 | M3 | M4 | M5 | M6 | M7 | M8 | M9 | M10 | M11 | M12 | Y1 |
| Revenue | 0 | 100 | 250 | 450 | 700 | 950 | 1 200 | 1 450 | 1 700 | 1 950 | 2 200 | 2 500 | 13 450 |
| Fixed costs | 450 | 450 | 450 | 450 | 450 | 450 | 450 | 450 | 450 | 450 | 450 | 450 | 5 400 |
| Variable costs | 0 | 15 | 38 | 68 | 105 | 142 | 180 | 218 | 255 | 292 | 330 | 375 | 2 018 |
| Net result | -450 | -365 | -238 | -68 | 145 | 358 | 570 | 782 | 995 | 1 208 | 1 420 | 1 675 | 6 032 |
| Cumulative | -450 | -815 | -1 053 | -1 121 | -976 | -618 | -48 | 734 | 1 729 | 2 937 | 4 357 | 6 032 | — |
| Year | Revenue | Costs | Net Result |
| Year 1 | $13 450 | $7 418 | $6 032 |
| Year 2 | $38 000 | $11 370 | $26 630 |
| Year 3 | $62 000 | $15 253 | $46 747 |
Break-even Analysis
Break-even is reached in month 8, when cumulative profit turns positive.
- Fixed costs: $450/month · Variable costs: 15% of revenue
- Contribution margin per euro/dollar of revenue: 85%
- Break-even revenue: $529/month ≈ $529 monthly revenue
- Reached in month 5 in the model below.
Risks & Mitigations
- Client concentration — No client should exceed 30% of revenue; keep prospecting even when busy.
- Price race to the bottom — Compete on specialization and outcomes, never on hourly discounting.
- Income volatility — Hold 3 months of fixed costs in reserve; push retainers/subscriptions.
- Burnout / capacity ceiling — Productize offers and raise prices instead of adding hours.
- Platform dependency — Never let one platform exceed ~50% of lead flow; build an email list.
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Figures marked “estimation” are indicative market estimates, not audited data. This document is a planning template, not financial advice.