Podcast as Ownable Seed
A podcast is the one thing you can create, publish, own, and transform into everything else.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~ongoing to results
- Steps
- 4
- Confidence
- 80%
Podcast as Ownable Seed captures why Vinnie shifted from TV to podcasting: for the first time in the creative world you can create something, publish it, and retain ownership that is transferable. Unlike TV — a highway with rails, speed limits, and deadlines — a podcast has no rules and can grow out in 360 directions. It's the ultimate seed: the same thing he'd make as a casting tape or sizzle to sell a show, except it's ownable and can turn into TV series, films, books, classes, ebooks, lectures, collaborations, and product lines. He believes everyone should have a podcast precisely because of this ownable, malleable, transformable nature.
Origin
Vinnie formed this belief leaving MTV in 2007 as more screens fragmented TV's cultural impact, then realising over two-plus years of podcasting that the medium finally let creators own transferable IP the way TV never allowed.
Core principles
- 01For the first time creators can create something, publish it, and retain transferable ownership.
- 02A podcast is a seed that can grow into TV, film, books, courses, ebooks, lectures, and product lines.
- 03There is nothing more malleable than a podcast — no rules on length or cadence.
- 04A podcast is like a casting tape or sizzle you use to sell a show, except you own it.
- 05You grow out in 360 directions rather than being forced forward on a fixed track.
How to run it
- 1
Reframe the podcast as ownable IP
See your podcast as something you create, publish, and retain transferable ownership of — not a disposable episode.
- 2
Seed the conversations you want
Use the podcast to plant the topics and conversations you want to be known for, from your own brand.
- 3
Exploit its malleability
Design freely knowing there are no rules — two minutes or 45, daily or weekly — and grow out in 360 directions.
Pro tip Nothing is more malleable than a podcast; there are no rules.
- 4
Transform it into other assets
Turn the podcast into TV series, films, books, classes, ebooks, lectures, collaborations, and product lines while retaining ownership.
Pro tip Treat each episode like a sellable sizzle you actually own.
In the wild
Vinnie treats podcasting as the seed of a larger media operation. His own podcast seeded a 30-minute TV show distributed by Bespoke TV on DirecTV in Thursday prime time, alongside the audio version available everywhere.
→ One ownable podcast conversation grew out into a prime-time TV distribution deal while he retained his own media.
Common mistakes
Staying for-hire instead of owning
Celebrities and creators historically got a paycheck but didn't own what they showed up for; not owning your media forfeits the transferable IP a podcast now makes possible.
Is it for you?
Best for
Anyone who wants to own their media and turn one conversation into many transferable assets.
Not ideal for
People who don't want to own or control their own narrative and are happy being for-hire.
From the transcript
“there's never been a moment in america where we can create something publish it and retain ownership of it and that ownership is transferable”
“podcasting is literally like what i would do with a casting tape or a production sizzle when i'm trying to sell a show except it's…”
From the episode
Vinnie Potestivo: How To Shine
Vinnie Potestivo