Nayeema Raza (Smart Girl Dumb Questions) on the Manosphere, How to Launch a Podcast (and Whether You Should)

 Everyone has a podcast. So, where is the whitespace and what does it really take to break through? 

Sammi sits down with Nayeema Raza, host of Smart Girl Dumb Questions and former The New York Times journalist, for a conversation on the modern media landscape, the podcast boom, and what they tell people who are thinking about starting a podcast. Sammi and Nayeema break down what it really takes to launch a podcast—and share exactly how much they’re making from theirs.

Sammi and Nayeema also get into the bigger shift happening across media: why podcasting is becoming the new “TV” and why creators today need to think more like founders than talent. Plus, they unpack the rise of controversial content ecosystems like the “manosphere,” what it teaches about audience-building (even if you hate it), and where the line between journalism and creators is headed.

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Here’s What Sammi Covers with Nayeema:

00:00 Have We “Made It” In Podcasting?

03:45 Social Vs. Podcast Growth

06:52 Why Everyone Has A Podcast

07:09 The Intimacy And Power Of Podcasting

08:00 The Rise Of The Manosphere

12:41 What Controversial Creators Get Right

17:12 “Is It A Scam?” Rapid-Fire

21:20 The Real Work Behind Podcasting

26:09 Is Podcasting Saturated?

28:38 Why Most Podcasts Fail

31:53 Is Podcasting Overhyped?

33:00 How Much Money Podcasts Actually Make

35:00 Building A Studio And Betting On Yourself

36:08 The Hidden ROI Of Podcasting

41:00 Journalism Vs. Creators

47:00 The Scariest Part Of Starting A Podcast

54:00 How To Break Through

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