You Don't Need More Downloads — You Need This

John Corcoran is the Co-founder and CEO of Rise25, a company that connects B2B businesses with their ideal clients, referral partners, and strategic partners. He helps clients generate ROI through its done-for-you podcast service. Since 2012, John has hosted the Smart Business Revolution Podcast, interviewing hundreds of CEOs, founders, authors, and entrepreneurs, including Peter Diamandis, Adam Grant, Gary Vaynerchuk, and Marie Forleo. He is also a recovering attorney, an author, a former White House writer, and a speechwriter for the Governor of California. Over his career, John worked in Hollywood, the heart of Silicon Valley, and ran his boutique law firm in the San Francisco Bay Area, catering to small business owners and entrepreneurs. In this episode… Many business owners launch podcasts hoping to build an audience, gain visibility, or create a steady stream of content. But the real opportunity often comes from something less obvious — using the podcast as a structured way to build meaningful business relationships. What's the result when the goal is not more downloads, but better conversations? The answer is that podcasting becomes a business development tool built around access, trust, and intentional connection. Strategic podcasting expert John Corcoran explains that the strongest podcasts are not driven by downloads or celebrity guests, but by conversations with clients, referral partners, strategic partners, and people worth knowing. Rather than obsessing over vanity metrics, owners should identify the right people to invite and leverage each episode to deepen relationships while creating valuable content. John also points out that consistency, thoughtful follow-up, and getting support with production systems can keep owners focused on the conversations that actually move the business forward. In this episode of Owner's Profit Playbook, Pat Mancuso chats with John Corcoran, Co-founder and CEO of Rise25, about why owners need stronger relationships, not more downloads. John explains how to choose the right guests, use outreach strategically, and turn conversations into long-term business value. He also touches on the Dream 200 approach and how AI can support thought leadership and repurposed content without losing the human connection.