I Left My 10-Year Career to Launch a Podcast—Here’s What Happened—Cody Johnston | Ep 18

In this episode of My Podcast Story, I sit down with Cody Johnston, a Canadian software engineer turned entrepreneur and podcast host behind The Weird Canadian. We trace his journey from a decade in full-stack development at Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation and FIS Global to quitting his job three months ago to launch a podcast exploring Canadian passions, progress, and problems. Cody shares how he experiments with formats (interviews, rant-style commentary), leverages AI tools for production and distribution, builds a small team, and plans monetization through grants, sponsors, Patreon, and his 3D-printing business. We also dive into his growth milestones (first 100k-view video), community-building tactics, content strategies for local media partnerships, newsletters, and advice for anyone starting a media brand or podcast. Throughout the conversation, I reflect on parallels with building a local media brand in Nigeria and highlight actionable takeaways for listeners ready to launch or scale their own shows.Check Cody Johnston BrandWebsite - https://theweirdcanadian.ca/Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@The_Weird_CanadianIf 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/joinIf the stories you hear on My Podcast Story bring you inspiration, clarity, or simply a moment of connection, consider supporting the podcast by buying me a coffee. Every contribution helps me continue sharing the journeys of podcasters from around the world.Support the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/wisdomhqWant to be a guest on My Podcast Story? Send Wisdom Okonkwo a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/mypodcaststoryChapters00:00:07 Introduction to The Weird Canadian00:02:59 The Journey Begins00:04:47 Behind the Podcast Creation00:06:05 Exploring Podcast Styles00:08:39 Building a Community00:11:15 Tools of the Trade00:14:36 Editing and Production00:17:10 Monetization Strategies00:20:05 Engaging with the Audience00:21:50 Social Media Management00:23:00 Partnerships and Local Media00:25:55 Navigating Canadian Media00:31:13 Future Plans and Growth00:37:09 Funding and Financial Strategies00:43:30 Vision for the Future00:52:03 Advice for Aspiring Podcasters00:53:57 Where to Find Cody00:54:36 Closing Thoughts on Podcasting