The #1 Trap That Kills Podcasts Before They Start

Most podcasts don’t fail because you’re “not good on camera.”
They fail because you skip the foundation and chase the glitz first.
In this episode, I break down the #1 trap that kills podcasts before they start—and how to build real momentum the right way.

2) What You’ll Learn / Highlights (3–7 bullets)
Why “fake it till you make it” leads to wasted money and stalled growth
The difference between vanity metrics (followers/downloads) vs. real progress
How to avoid talking to the wrong audience/avatar without realizing it
The “roots before reach” framework: competence, receipts, character, consistency
Why perfectionism and over-refining kills momentum (you can’t steer a parked car)
How to think in growth stages (seed → sprout → stability → fruit)
The real focus in launch season: proof of concept + building a tribe

3) Chapters (timestamps)
00:00 Intro — The trap that kills podcasts early
01:00 Foundation story (trash in the footings)
02:00 Why people quit at 3–6 months
03:00 Avatar mistakes + scattered messaging
04:10 The subconscious “wrong person” problem
06:15 Fake-it culture vs. building something real
10:00 Fast-track traps: engagement pools + bought followers
13:50 Fake downloads + click farms
16:40 Roots before reach (core principle)
20:00 Why “build it and they will come” fails
23:20 Build your tribe + network = net worth
27:00 The messy beginning (piano reps)
30:45 All tree/no roots vs. all roots/no tree
33:10 Stop obsessing over gear, logos, studio
37:50 Action beats perfection (steer a parked car)
40:45 The real roots: competence + receipts + character + consistency
43:20 Growth psychology (seed → sprout → fruit)
46:15 Visibility reveals what’s already there
47:50 One action to take today (define who you help)