For the past few years, the world has been experiencing a podcast boom. Over the last year, that boom has become especially visible in Georgia – and it’s still growing.

We wanted to understand what it really takes to build a successful podcast. How do they attract sponsors? And most importantly – can a podcast become a sustainable business model?

To explore this, we spoke with several podcast creators: Gvantsa Veltauri (“Tsodnismokvare Podcast”), Sasha Katsman (“Katsman’s Podcast” & “Other Podcast”), and Levan Giorgadze (“Bubblehead Podcast”).

why Ppodcast?

At first glance, it seems paradoxical. We live in the era of 30-second videos – yet 1–2+ hour podcasts are booming. But perhaps it’s not a paradox at all.

When short-form content reduces depth to a minimum, it naturally increases demand for long-form depth. When everything is compressed into seconds, people begin to crave context, nuance, perspective.

Excess in one format creates a deficit in another. And that deficit is being filled.

Over the past two years, dozens of podcasts have appeared on Georgian YouTube (and we intentionally say YouTube, because for podcasts, it remains the primary platform). There has also been mockery – “everyone who saw a microphone started a podcast.”

But podcasts launched without purpose disappear quickly. Those built on strong foundations stay – and grow.

As Sasha Katsman told us, whenever you launch any product – including a podcast – you must answer three fundamental questions:

1. Who is this podcast for?

2. What need does this audience have?

3. What value does the podcast create for them?

Only after that comes the next question:

what actually works?

In social media, you have three seconds to capture attention. In podcasts, you don’t even get those three seconds if you’re not interesting.

Together with our respondents, we explored the key drivers of podcast success.

1. The Host

A host can be well-known – or completely unknown. A popular host with an existing audience will naturally attract viewers faster at the beginning. But long-term success requires more than fame.

Two of our respondents, Sasha Katsman and Levan Giorgadze, were known in business circles before launching their podcasts. However, their broader recognition came after the podcast.

As Sasha notes, reaching a new audience required a personal brand transformation:

“Businesses have stopped investing in people’s development. We live in an era where individuals take responsibility for their own growth. I started building a retail brand because I wanted to offer retail products. While I had strong recognition in business circles, I didn’t exist in the mass market. So I had two tasks: reflect my personal transformation in my brand, and simultaneously enter retail.”

The host is not just a presenter. They are the intellectual framework, the tone, the credibility.

2. The Guest

Famous guests bring their own audiences — and that helps. But if the topic is strong, the guest’s fame becomes secondary.

Sasha Katsman has hosted guests who had never spoken publicly before:

“In 30 years of entrepreneurship, I’ve realized one thing: many people have ideas, but very few have the ability to execute. There is no shortage of ideas – there is a shortage of execution. A person who has implemented their idea has something unique. Inviting them is about popularizing entrepreneurial thinking and learning from real experience. When viewers get a chance to learn from that level of practitioner, it’s powerful.”

Gvantsa Veltauri approaches guest selection differently – through expertise, not visibility:

“My podcast is different because I focus on the topic, not the person. Guests go through a strong filter. It’s a form of respect toward my audience – I want every topic to be discussed by a competent expert. I don’t position myself at the center. I want listeners to feel like they’re sitting with the guest – I’m simply their voice.”

Guest selection, therefore, is not about popularity. It’s about intellectual integrity.

3. The Topic

A well-chosen topic is one of the pillars of success. In the Bubblehead Podcast, there are often no guests at all — just dialogue between the hosts. In this case, the topic and the quality of conversation carry the episode.

Levan Giorgadze explains:

“Several things worked in our favor. Our corporate experience — I was CEO of Socar, my brother led Imedi L. When experienced professionals share their path, trust increases. The topics also matter — business books, money psychology, how to become wealthy — we started with subjects that attract everyone. Authenticity is crucial. You must practice speaking, learn how to create strong thumbnails, bring intrigue into titles. Instead of ‘This Is How Top Executives Behave,’ say ‘How Do Top Executives Behave?’ You also need to study YouTube analytics and constantly test.”

In other words: Depth must be packaged strategically.

audience: the real asset

The success of any digital product is not measured only by scale – but by loyalty. For sponsors, audience quality matters more than vanity metrics.

Building community takes time and continuous interaction. All three podcasters actively respond to comments and messages, listen to feedback, and adapt.

We asked them to describe their audience not by metrics – but by psychographics.

Gvantsa Veltauri:
“What I offer sponsors is not just views – it’s my brilliant audience. Curious, thoughtful, growth-oriented people who listen to two-hour podcasts on serious topics. That’s the segment I offer to brands.”

Sasha Katsman:
“I look for people interested in depth. If someone wants depth, two hours isn’t too long. My audience consists of people searching for answers – those who moved from ‘I know’ to ‘I don’t know.’”

Levan Giorgadze:
“People interested in development, career, entrepreneurship, business – who value transformational, mentoring-style content.”

Audience is not traffic. Audience is alignment of values.

podcast as a business model?

A podcast may start as pure self-expression. But sustaining it long-term without financial structure is difficult. So what keeps it alive?

1. YouTube Monetization

We’ve discussed this before — Georgian-language monetization on YouTube is minimal, especially for podcasts. All respondents confirmed: monetization alone cannot sustain a podcast.

2. Sponsorship

Very few podcasts have sponsors from day one. Often, personal connections help. Without that, attracting a first sponsor may take over a year.

Gvantsa shares:

“I never started with financial ambition. It was an internal fire that needed expression. I never approached sponsors – they came to me. The first one appeared five months after launch – PSP – and we still collaborate. Many companies still don’t fully understand why they should invest in podcasts.”

Sasha sees a structural issue:

“Businesses don’t yet understand how podcast collaborations create value. Marketing has become utilitarian — focused on leads and sales. Brand storytelling is fading.

In a world of 3-second stories, being different is difficult. So I chose to create 2-hour conversations.

A guest on my podcast reveals dimensions of a brand that cannot be expressed on TikTok. A brand is an extension of a human being — that emotional bridge cannot be built elsewhere.”

 

Levan adds a pragmatic angle:

“All our sponsors came through proactive outreach. I approach businesses with tailored offers that solve real problems.

The most valuable asset I receive from my audience is time and attention. That attention is extremely valuable to brands.

My task is to connect brand value with audience attention — without betraying trust. That means I recommend products I genuinely use.”

Trust is the currency.

3. Integration of Own Products

A podcast can be a sales engine.

• Gvantsa runs seminars and workshops.

• Sasha sells audio courses.

• Bubblehead sells books.
  
  

The podcast becomes the top of a broader value ecosystem.

4. Personal Brand as Capital

Perhaps the most important. As Levan notes, through a podcast you build your authority within a niche. An hour-long episode allows listeners to experience not just ideas, but your thinking style, values, worldview.

Over time, this builds trust – and trust is the core capital of a personal brand. That capital transforms into consulting, courses, partnerships, invitations.

Therefore:

The main revenue often doesn’t come from the podcast – but from the ecosystem the podcast creates.

In that sense, a podcast is more an investment in reputation than a direct income channel. And reputational capital compounds.

in conclusion

Sasha Katsman put it directly:

“Podcasting isn’t yet a business. It’s a trend. Many won’t survive without sponsors. Eventually, only a few will remain — those who find their niche, their audience, and their sponsors.”

So who will survive?

• Those who build a niche — not just a show. General topics disappear in noise. Famous guests are a limited resource. Clear thematic positioning wins.

• Those who remain consistent. This is not a space of instant returns.

• Those who create and demonstrate value. First understand what you truly have — then approach sponsors with clarity about the audience you own.

Ultimately, a podcast has the potential to become a self-sustaining business model.

But only if it is treated as a business – not just as a channel.