#14 – Words of Rizdom – Building the World's Largest Trading Podcast with Riz Iqbal

If you're looking to record virtual podcasts, live streams and other content in the best possible quality, try @Riverside for free here: https://creators.riverside.com/TheContentBusiness(Use code: CONTENT15 for 15% off any plan)ABOUT THE EPISODE:In this episode of The Content Business, Ash & Kane sit down with Riz, founder and host of Words of Rizdom, to unpack how he built the world's largest trading podcast from nothing.Riz shares how he spent over £40,000 before making a penny, why he puts almost all revenue straight back into production, and how a focus on quality, risk-taking, and verified guests has grown his operation to a team of 35 to 40 people across multiple channels.The conversation covers growing a niche podcast without famous guests, why going verified changed everything, building long-term sponsorship deals in a high-risk industry, and why passion beats monetisation as a starting point.KEY TAKEAWAYS:Reinvesting revenue back into the business is what keeps you relevant long termOnly interviewing verified traders built audience trust and opened doors to professional-level guestsNiche podcasts can achieve real reach without famous guests if the packaging and hooks are rightHis first sponsorship money went straight into a tour, which is where the growth flywheel startedBuilding new channels from the same formula and team beats starting from scratchLong-term sponsorship relationships outperform short-term deals even when the upfront number is lowerPassion is the only thing that carries you through low view counts and early failureHooks and packaging matter as much as the quality of the content itselfFree education monetised through sponsorship and traffic is where the whole industry is headingYou have to trust your team and let go if you want to scaleBEST MOMENTS:"I lost over 100,000 pounds.""We've pretty much invested everything back in.""I'm still to this day not bore watch. I've not got, like, a fancy car or anything.""Hooks are probably one of the most important things.""Getting someone's attention is hard and you have to get it within a second.""We don't sell anything, or we monetize through the sponsorships and the traffic.""The more you can give before you take, the more you can take.""You have to be willing to take risks. A lot of people struggle to take risks, which is why most people don't succeed.""When you have that passion, you get through those low view moments, you get through those hardships."LINKS:Riz: https://www.youtube.com/@wordsofrizdom Website: https://www.podpartnerships.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecontentbusinesspod Email: [email protected] THE HOSTS:Hosted by Ashley Morris and Kane Baron, founders of UAE-based content sponsorship agency: Pod Partnerships.They've worked with thousands of creators and hundreds of brands, helping both household names and fast-growing startups turn podcast, YouTube, and influencer advertising into a core part of their media strategy.Alongside this, Ashley and Kane have trained over 10,000 podcasters since 2020, going on to directly mentor hundreds of creators to plan, launch, grow, and monetise independent podcasts.