Protecting Small Podcasts: Networks for Indie Voices, Not Profit

What happens when a podcast network is built around support instead of scale?Becky Mollenkamp created the Feminist Podcast Collective in 2024 after growing frustrated with how often podcasting rewards visibility, monetization, and industry status over community, accessibility, and overlooked voices. Instead of waiting for traditional networks to create space for different creators, she built a membership-based network centered on collaboration, shared values, and long-term sustainability.From flexible membership dues based on financial circumstances to a values-alignment application process, Becky’s approach challenges many of the assumptions behind how podcast networks traditionally operate. The network has already grown to more than 50 member shows, prioritizing support and equity over aggressive growth or advertising pressure.The conversation explores what it takes to build a mission-driven podcast network, the tension between sustainability and monetization, and why Becky believes independent creators deserve communities designed around mutual support rather than competition. For podcasters questioning whether success must always be measured by downloads, ad revenue, or scale, Becky offers a very different vision for what a network can be.Listen For:00:00 Membership Pricing and Values09:38 Intersectional Feminism Goals19:52 Promoting Member Shows20:48 A Unique Podcast Model30:13 Resource Library Overview37:41 Managing a Community43:33 Member Retention51:20 Celebrity Fatigue in Podcasting59:53 Balancing Growth and SustainabilityCONNECT WITH GUEST: BECKY MOLLENKAMP, FEMINIST BUSINESS COACHLinkedIn | Website | Podcast | ThreadsPodcast rec: Off the Grid Book rec: Liberate Your Business by Becky MollenkampCONNECT WITH GREG WASSERMAN, HEAD OF RELATIONSHIPS FOR RSS.COMWebsite | LinkedInGreg’s book rec: Return on Courage by Ryan BermanSystems, Sponsors, and Partners:Hosted with RSS.com Podcast HostingProduced by Stories & StrategiesContent Repurposed with CastmagicPodcast Project Management with Northflow