How to Grow a Podcast Using Experiments w/ Whitney Archibald

What if the secret to growing your podcast wasn't doing more, but experimenting more? In this episode, I'm chatting with my friend Whitney, the queen of experiments herself, about how an experimental mindset can completely transform the way you podcast. From hiring contractors and rethinking email strategy to rerunning archive episodes and ditching bonus content, we're sharing the real experiments we're currently trying (and what we've learned from the ones that didn't quite pan out).Meet the ExpertWhitney is the host of The Family Lab, a podcast where she literally experiments with her family to figure out what works in parenting and home life. She brings that same curious, low-pressure approach to podcasting, which makes her one of my absolute favorite people to think out loud with about sustainable podcasting strategies.Topics Discussed in This EpisodeWhitney's experience hiring her first contractor to help launch a video podcastHow delegating podcast tasks (and thinking of it as an experiment) takes the pressure offMy experiment with splitting weekly emails into two focused sendsGrowing a small but mighty email list and actually making money from itUsing Threads as a surprisingly fun way to grow a podcast audienceWhy "reliability" might matter more than "consistency" in podcastingWhat Whitney is doing with her podcast archive to build out a self-reliance seriesMy experiment with skipping bonus episodes between seasons, and what I'm learningKey TakeawaysCalling something an experiment completely changes how you relate to it…especially when it doesn't go perfectly. It takes the failure personally out of the equation and turns your analytics into data rather than a verdict on your worth as a podcaster.You don't need a massive email list to support podcast growth or sell your offers. Starting small (even with 7 subscribers!) and staying consistent is what builds momentum over time.Outsourcing doesn't have to be all-or-nothing. Whitney and I both talked about the ongoing process of figuring out what to hand off and what to keep and how that balance shifts as skills and needs evolve.Reliability over consistency is a reframe worth considering. Your listeners want to be able to count on you to come back and show up with quality, not necessarily on a rigid weekly schedule.Timestamps(00:00) Welcome(00:31) Introducing Whitney and her experimental approach to podcasting(01:25) Whitney's experience hiring contractors and going video(05:53) My email list experiment: splitting sends and growing sustainably(09:38) Using Threads to grow a podcast audience without social media stress(11:58) Benefits of podcast experiments(15:59) The Open Lab experiment: building community one listener at a time(20:09) Some of our current podcast experiments(27:14) Reliability vs. consistency in podcasting (and parenting!)Links & ResourcesWhitney's podcast, The Family LabPinterest VIP Setup offerFriendly Podcast Guide on ThreadsThe Family Lab on Instagram