How a $50 Microphone Became a Media Company, with Wil Slickers

A $50 microphone off Amazon was never supposed to become a business. It was supposed to scratch an itch. Instead it turned into 450+ episodes, a 47-show podcast network, and an acquisition by the biggest name in travel media. Wil Slickers didn't set out to build a media company — he stumbled into one, and then had to decide what to do when it took over his life.In this episode of Minute by MÎNUT, Nils Mattisson, CEO of Minut, sits down with Wil Slickers, founder of Hospitality.FM — the hospitality-and-travel podcast network acquired by Skift in 2025, where Wil now serves as Director of Audio & Video Strategy. Before all that, Wil was a hotel manager who co-founded a boutique vacation rental management company in Seattle and started a show called Slick Talk with a cheap mic and a lot of curiosity.Together they get into why quality beats quantity in B2B content, how creators became "slaves to the algorithm," the "Red Bull" media model that every company is chasing, and the burnout, camping trip, and single LinkedIn DM that led to Wil's exit. It's an honest look at building an audience, knowing when to let go, and what actually lasts when AI floods every feed.▶ Listen on Apple, Spotify, or visit https://minut.com★ WHAT YOU'LL LEARN ★▸ How a $50 Amazon microphone accidentally turned into a real media business▸ Why sponsorship money — not a business plan — was the true "light bulb moment"▸ How the media side quietly became the main business while property management became the side project▸ Why quality beats quantity in B2B content (and why 300 people in a room can be worth more than 300,000 views)▸ The danger of becoming a "slave to the algorithm" and creating for platforms instead of your audience▸ Why you should stop siloing content and build an ecosystem — a "content machine" instead of one channel▸ The "Red Bull" media model, and when founder-led content is the wrong call▸ How Minut moved into guest-safety content — and why some stories need more than a paid ad▸ The real story behind the Skift acquisition: a LinkedIn DM, a year of "dating," and a camping trip▸ What Wil would do differently if he started again (hint: slow down)★ CHAPTERS ★00:00 Cold open: a $50 mic and an accidental media company01:01 Welcome to Minute by MÎNUT01:28 Meet Wil Slickers: from hotel manager to podcast network02:23 The $50 Amazon microphone that started it all04:35 When sponsorship money became the wake-up call06:31 Quitting the hotel job in December 201907:16 Falling into short-term rentals — and starting a PM company09:06 When the media quietly became the real business10:06 Good Morning Hospitality and building a 47-show network11:52 The unexpected surprise: everyone stumbled in14:05 Lowering the barriers to entrepreneurship17:34 How media changed: from Skype audio to video-first19:32 B2B content and becoming a slave to the algorithm22:04 Quality over quantity: the 300-person room25:18 Don't silo your content — build an ecosystem26:45 Founder-led content and the "Red Bull" media model29:02 Why Minut moved into guest-safety content32:45 Building trust through people, not brands34:00 The exited-founder club and the next five years of media34:24 Why the future of media is in-person37:10 How the Skift acquisition actually happened39:14 Burnout, a camping trip, and deciding to sell41:59 What he'd do differently: slow down44:41 No more startups — enjoying corporate life for now44:52 The craziest story: running two companies at Christmas46:23 Wrap-up