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Spotify just opened up a new stream of revenue for podcasters. That is, if theyre uploading video. What was once an audio-first medium, podcasting is now increasingly filmed and produced. That started on YouTube, which is now racking up one billion podcast viewers a month. While Spotify has hosted podcasts for a decade now, the company is suddenly racing to stay competitive, rolling out new features and monetization tools. That includes their Partner Program, which allows podcasters to earn money directly from the streams of premium subscribers, so long as theyre using a video aspect. We decided to focus on video because that’s where we see a lot of audiences and creators trending, says Jordan Newman, Spotifys senior director of content partnerships. We felt like it was something that we really wanted to encourage and incentivize our platform. To find out how podcasters feel about the apps video push, Fast Company spoke with creators on both sides of the aislethose who have embraced video, and those who have stayed audio-only. The cost-benefit analysis of video podcasting For many podcasters, the shift to video is a financial and logistical leap. Producing a high-quality video podcast requires more than just a microphoneit demands cameras, lighting, editing software, and often a dedicated set. That investment pays off for some, but for others, it adds a new layer of complexity to an already time-consuming medium. Chris Williamson knows this trade-off well. As the host of Modern Wisdom, one of Spotifys most popular self-improvement podcasts, hes built a reputation not just for insightful conversations with guests like Andrew Huberman and Steven Bartlett but also for stunning visual production. Yet Modern Wisdom wasnt always a cinematic experience. In its early days, the show was audio-only, with a basic equalizer graphic on YouTube. Fifty episodes in, Williamson started recording his Skype interviews. A hundred episodes later, he upgraded to professional-quality video. Now, he rents what he estimates is a quarter of a million dollars-worth of camera equipment for each shoot. So far, its paid off handsomely. Thanks to his polished, production-heavy style, advertisers flock to Modern Wisdom, and Spotifys expansion into video has further boosted his revenue. Once his full back catalog is uploaded, Williamson expects to earn as muchif not morefrom Spotify as he does from YouTube. I think we’ve kind of gained a reputation in the world of cinematography and production and making a very beautiful podcast, and that makes me feel good, Williamson says. It’s not just something that is legitimate in terms of its content, but also in terms of its delivery and its packaging. While most podcasters dont operate on Williamsons scale, video remains for all a big investment. Among the seven podcasters interviewed for this piece, nearly all cited increased costsboth financial and labor-relatedas a major consideration. For independent creators, these costs fall directly on their shoulders. For those backed by major podcast networks, the burden is often shared. Diallo Riddle and Blake LUXXURY Robin, co-hosts of the music podcast One Song, were caught off guard when their network, Hartbeat, insisted on a video format. (Riddle jokes that, if he had known, he would have demanded they pay for hair and makeup.) But they have come to see the move as a fortuitous one. By now, recording both has become the default, Robin says. Part of what podcasting is as a medium, Ive only learned as weve done it, is that parasocial relationship. Getting to know the people, I think it helps when you see them. The audio/video balancing act The biggest challenge? Making a show work seamlessly for both audiences. Some podcasts are visually stunning but incoherent in audio form; others treat video as an afterthought. The result is a growing divide in audience experiences. The hosts of Petty Crimes, which is also produced by Hartbeat, have been thinking about this drop-off in experience. Griff Stark-Ennis films in Los Angeles, where hes surrounded by cameras, making it easy to play into the visual aspect and sometimes forget the audio. Ceara Jane OSullivan, who records simultaneously in New York, positions herself as a check on that impulse. When we are reviewing episodes back, I always listen to the transcript audio-only, OSullivan says. You have to present your audio episode and present your video episode as if that is the assumed and correct audience. You never want anyone to feel like they’re being shorted or ignored in either medium. No matter the issuesscaling costs, getting camera-ready, or remembering the audio listenerall of these podcasters were happy with their video ventures. Theyve all seen the audience widening that video has allowed them, something that Spotifys Newman emphasized. Shows with video are growing faster than audio shows right now, he says. What becomes of the audio-only podcasters? Podcasting started as an audio-only mediumand many creators are sticking to that. In 2023, 32% of podcasters said they had no plans to record video, per the IndiePod Census. These creators are barred from that premium revenue stream on Spotify, though they still can earn money from ads. But video isnt the be all end all; after all, only 30% of audiences are actively watching their podcasts, per Cumulus Media. And some podcasters have other priorities. Video adds a layer of technical complication, says Perry Romanowski, co-host of The Beauty Brains. When I want to do a show, my partner and I hop on a zoom call and we record locally on both of our machines. Neither of us has to take showers and get gussied up. It’s just a lot easier. Others film some video, but dont upload it to Spotify. Gibson Johns films the interviews for his show Gabbing With Gib and uploads them to YouTube. But, to fashion these interviews into a podcast form, he records audio-only introductions and uploads the audio alone to Spotify. Im solid for now, he says. As far as I’m aware, there’s not a way on Spotify to upload a portion of your episode as a video. Still, Johns is happy with Spotifys creator experience; he earns the bulk of his money through their advertising. While Romanowski earns his money through Patreon, hes content with Spotify, too. Neither havent felt the encroachment of video hurting their business. Podcasters now are at an inflection point. They must choose: To film or not to film. That choice isnt just about preferenceits about costs, and adapting to an industry radically reformed by video.
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When I was 35, a ruptured brain aneurysm nearly killed me. My husband and I had just moved to a new city, bought our first house, adopted a dog, and I had recently started my own business. Life was running at 100 miles an hour and I thought this is what hustling was supposed to feel like. Living my best life, right? Until I collapsed, unconscious, on my bathroom floor. I miraculously survived. Recovery wasn’t always easy due to my new cognitive deficits. However, the experience taught me about the power of empathy to heal and how clarity and decisive action especially when the stakes are high can be the most compassionate things someone can do to alleviate stress, confusion, and anxiety. From staff supporting my husband in those crucial first hours to my care team treating me as a personcalling me by name and letting me choose my meals for six weeksI felt seen, heard, and valued. Their kindness eased my stress and made a difficult time less isolating. According to a 2024 Businessolver State of Workplace Empathy Study, 37% of CEOs still believe empathy has no place in the workplace. This same study shows a marked increase in perceptions of workplaces being toxic. Clearly, we have a workplace conundrum that needs addressing. Engagement is down and mental health issues are up. Experts now cite loneliness as a health epidemic. It begs the question: Should empathy ever be put aside at work, or should we be doubling down on it? When we define empathy too narrowly, we overlook its power to build resilient, high-performing teams and boost engagement, collaboration, and innovation. Empathy means seeing, understanding, and, when appropriate, feeling anothers perspectivethen using that insight to act with compassion. Its a way to gather information, understand context, and take the next right step together. With this definition, it is safe to say that unless you are being physically or psychologically hurt, there are almost no circumstances where we should be putting empathy aside at work. Empathy at work includes practicing clarity, transparency, and decisiveness. Going back to my story Above all, I credit my surgeon and care team for practicing the often overlooked aspects of empathy: decisiveness, transparency, and clarity. Can you imagine if my surgeon stalled on a decision to give my family a chance to research, analyze, or familiarize themselves with what was going on? He shared the information, clearly explained the risks and upsides, and patiently answered their questions, but he made a firm decision to move forward because he kept his eye on the ultimate goal: Saving my life. This kind of decisive action was exactly what my disoriented and overwhelmed husband needed at that moment. It was truly empathetic. Harvard Business School professor highlights the importance of decisive action when he writes, A comprehensive study of compassion in the Clinical Psychology Review defines it as recognizing suffering, understanding it, and feeling empathy for the suffererbut also tolerating the uncomfortable feelings they and the suffering person are experiencing, and, crucially, acting to alleviate the suffering. Here are some ways that empathetic leaders can show up with greater decisiveness. Revisit your goal and purpose — often Leaders can often get caught up in the drama surrounding important decisions and lose sight of the goal. Create a way to clearly kick yourself in the pants as you make a decision: make your goal physically visible using a sticky note or by including it at the top of every discussion agenda. Read the mission out loud when you kick off meetings to reorient everyone to true north. Here are some tactics to try: Bake in goal-review processes: You can add goal statements to tracking paperwork, insist on reviewing the purpose at every major goalpost, or ask stakeholders to consider the overall goal any time they request a change or addition. Make goal-centricity a group endeavor: Ask your team members or colleagues to be accountability partners in remaining goal-focused. They can remind you, Which option aligns with the larger purpose? whenever they see you waffling. Practice transparency Theres no need to make all decisions in a secretive way and unveil them only when they are fully baked. Learn to be clearer quicker, and if possible, talk openly about the choices youre making and have made. Dont be afraid to say, I dont know, but lets find out together. A study published in the Journal of Communication Management reveals how transparent communication significantly influences employees’ trust in their organizations. Here are some tactics to try: Share your failures: Being human with your teams means theyll feel comfortable doing the same, which builds empathy in both directions. It also will slowly erode any anxiety you have about making bad or wrong decisions. Process with trusted colleagues: By allowing yourself to process with team members or other leaders verbally, you can reveal your thought processes and limiting factors. Solicit and synthesize input Practice soliciting input from others, but be clear that once a decision is made, naysayers will be asked to disagree but commit. At a certain point, weve all got to move forward together and still be committed to the mission. Focus on impact: While general feedback is important, if you want to be decisive by implementing input quickly, you need specifics. You can practice asking the feedback-giver to recommend one thing you could do that would make a difference to them Express enthusiasm for feedback: Ideally, soliciting input should be constant, not sporadic. Verbally reward and encourage feedback regularly. Start small: You can try a low-risk experiment, like asking everyone to vote for the location of the next off-site, department lunch. Leverage all that input to quickly make a call yourself, and practice communicating your decision back. Set a deadline In an article for Fast Company, psychotherapist Amy Morin recommends getting in the habit of setting deadlines for decisions that trip you up. If its a small decisionsay, picking a spot for a business lunchgive yourself a few hours. If its weightiera big investment or strategic pivotthink more in terms of days or weeks. Here are some tactics to try: Leverage tech: It may sound simple, but just putting a reminder in your phone or calendar can help you stay on track to make decisions in a timely manner. Schedule a decision review block each day: Consider setting aside thirty minutes or so each day to review and mull upcoming choices. This is also a good forcing mechanism for leaders who are overwhelmed by choices. Empathy isn’t just about listening and understandingit’s about acting decisively, transparently, and with clarity when it matters most so no ne is left anxious and scared in the dark. Leaders who embrace these qualities foster trust, reduce anxiety, and inspire collaboration, even during challenging times.
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E-Commerce
Starting today, thousands of changemakers and leaders will descend upon Austin for one of the biggest festivals and conferences of the year: South by Southwest (SXSW). Its the “level playing field” event where startups and Fortune 500 companies share the same stage to discuss the hottest topics and trends in film, tech, sustainability and travel, social good, and health and wellness. Its where brands unveil new products, relationships are formed, and celebrities premiere their films. However, despite its popularity as a must-attend event, you wont find SXSW in your Google Calendar app. You also wont find two other cultural events in March: Womens History Month or International Womens Day (March 8), which ironically the start of SXSW often falls on or around. This omission isnt due to a tech issue, either. Its part of the Big Tech companys attempt to get distance from what is now considered a dirty acronym: DEI. Last month, Google Calendar users noticed that cultural events and observances like Black History Month, Pride Month, and Jewish Heritage were no longer displayed on the app. And while the company claims that the changes were made in 2024, the recent response from users comes at a time when any and all changesquiet or loudtied to DEI are heavily scrutinized. In 2025, we have officially entered a DEI paradox where everyonefrom consumers to employees to global brandsare navigating major backlash and uncertainty of how exactly we can and should use words like diversity, equity, and inclusion. In 2020, hundreds of brands were proud to share their commitments and promises to do better. In 2025, many of the same brands not only removed these promises from their websites but some have even gone so far as to completely distance themselves from any mention of DEI. What a difference five years makes. Googles decision to remove cultural events like Black History Month and Womens History Month from its calendar app is just the latest example a major company failing to understand the true value of DEI. As we kick off SXSW, lets look back at where weve been but more importantly, where we still need to go. A Revolving Door of Diversity Officers and Changing Language In 2020, Google made the following commitments: improve representation of underrepresented groups in leadership by 30% and more than double the number of Black workers at non-senior levels by 2025. The next year, Google released its year-over-year hiring data with the following statement: “were expanding access to hiring opportunities for underrepresented groups in many parts of the world by centering racial equity across every part of our hiring processfor leaders, hiring managers, and all Googlers.” The Big Tech company didnt even make it to 2023 before it cut dedicated staff and downsized its DEI programs. Easy promises to make, easy promises to break. And Google is not alone. Just look at the “revolving door” of diversity officers that have clocked in and out of major businesses since 2020: Pinterest, Apple, Zoom, Airbnb, Netflix, and Disney. All of these companies hired dedicated leaders attached to big announcements and pledges and all these companies saw high rates of turnover and DEI departures. Now in 2025, its become even easier to dismantle the work and efforts. Google recently announced its plans to end hiring goals for representation and its former Chief Diversity Officer, Melonie Parker, is now VP, Googler Engagement. Google’s Belonging website now includes phrases like “innovative hiring” and “reflecting our users.” The shift in language is reflective of a greater issue that has surfaced in recent months: the “urgent” need to comply with federal policies and executive orders that have reversed previous efforts from the past 50 years to address discrimination and increase diversity and inclusion. This has set a dangerous tone and precedent for 2025 that the great work and efforts from the past 50 years should be seen as a setback instead of a success. This is untrue and unacceptable. What we need from DEI in 2025 According to the World Economic Forum, at the current rate of progress, it will take until 2158 to reach full gender parity. This years theme for International Womens Day is “accelerate action,” which is a call for urgency, inclusion, and transformative change. Imagine a world where instead of shining a spotlight on the critics, we shine a spotlight on the efforts and achievements that uplift and inspire women to strive for success without the restrictions of bias and discrimination. For companies, brands and leaders who are still committed to the work, here is how we accelerate action in 2025: Less Flash, More Substance: The foundation of DEI initiatives and programs goes beyond flashy titles, heritage months, and impressive speeches. Companies need to scale back and focus on important components like standardized hiring practices, recruitment from a wider talent pool, and regular pay-gap reviews for all employees. Learn from Mistakes, Dont Dwell On Them: Women are underrepresented at every level in technology according to data from recruitment company Anderson Frank. Women still only make up 25% of the tech workforce. DEI plays a big role here. Companies need to provide and prioritize inclusive training opportunities, address gender diversity policies, and bring in more female leaders to act as mentors. Make Room for a New DEI Framewrk: Its clear that an acronym has become too problematic. Lily Zheng, author, strategist, and outspoken advocate for DEI, recently shared that they hold DEI programs to the “highest standard of effectiveness” using a framework called FAIR, which stands for fairness, access, inclusion, and representation. Companies should consider this new framework as an opportunity for real change and progress. How can companies move beyond performative gestures to make a genuine impact? First lets answer the question and then lets get to work.
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E-Commerce
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