Building the Podcast Around a Clear Promise—Alan Katz | Ep 153

What happens when a former movie and TV producer discovers that podcasting gives him something Hollywood rarely could: creative freedom, ownership, and room to tell the full story?In this episode, I sit down with Alan Katz, founder of Costered and Touchstone Productions, to talk about his journey from making movies and TV shows to building a growing podcast company with multiple shows in the world. Alan shares how podcasting became the creative home he did not know he was looking for, why honest storytelling matters, and how a strong podcast promise can make a show easier to understand, promote, and grow.Tune in for an honest, practical conversation about storytelling, podcast growth, creative control, and what it really takes to build a podcast that people understand and want to come back to.Connect With Alan KatzWebsite:  https://thedonorpodcast.comIf My Podcast Story speaks to you, consider subscribing so you never miss an episode. And if you have a moment, leaving a review helps more people discover the stories shared here. Your support truly means a lot.There’s more to every story than what you hear on the episode. Join the My Podcast Story newsletter to receive thoughtful takeaways, episode extras, and personal notes that don’t make it into the show. It’s a quiet way to stay inspired between listens.Sign up here: https://mypodcaststory.com/joinChapters00:00 Opening Moment00:19 Introducing Alan Katz00:37 Alan Shares What His Podcast Company Is Building01:01 Launching John Kiriakou’s Dead Drop02:45 Why the Podcast Goes Deep Into a Spy’s Story05:03 Why Podcasting Allows a More Honest Storytelling Approach06:53 How the New Show Reached 12,000 to 15,000 Downloads08:11 Rushing the Podcast Into Production Before a Big Interview09:05 Using Audience Attention from Joe Rogan’s YouTube Comments10:52 Why Selling the Story Is Part of Telling the Story12:01 The Importance of Knowing Your Podcast’s Franchise14:07 How Costered and Touchstone Productions Started15:22 The Faith Theism Project and Alan’s First Podcasting Experience17:08 From Tales from the Crypt to Dads from the Crypt18:31 Turning a Difficult Movie Experience Into a Podcast20:14 Why Honesty Made How Not to Make a Movie Stand Out21:06 Creating The Donor and The Hall Closet21:36 My Podcast Story Newsletter Break21:59 Why Alan No Longer Wants to Make Movies or TV22:25 Growing to Nine Podcasts and More in Development24:25 Why Podcasting Is a Powerful Creative Medium26:05 The Freedom and Fear of a Blank Creative Page27:46 Alan’s One-Person Podcast Company28:39 Thinking About Podcast Networks and Bigger Opportunities29:43 Advice for Building a Nigerian Podcasting Industry31:10 Creating Diverse Content Under One Podcast Family32:48 The Challenge of Hiring the Right Podcast Team34:16 Scaling the Company and Staying Open to Investment36:13 How Alan Structures Podcast Partnerships38:03 Ownership, Production Budgets, and Profit Sharing40:59 Alan Encourages Wisdom’s Podcast Network Vision42:01 Where to Find Alan and Costered and Touchstone43:11 Final Thoughts