What happens when a podcast network is built around storytelling as the organizing principle—not just as a buzzword or content strategy? That’s the lens this conversation explores: how prioritizing story and narrative coherence over ad inventory or content volume shapes not only production, but the listener’s entire experience. Joining to discuss, Jeremy Westphal explains why approaching everything—from show selection to advertising to surveys—with a story-first mindset creates a distinct identity and audience relationship.
Jeremy Westphal draws on hands-on experience from building audio projects at major brands like Comedy Central and Nickelodeon to now running a 30+ show network, GZM, focused on original scripted fiction for kids, families, and young adults. With more than a decade of operational roles across production, ad sales, and partnerships, he brings unique perspective on how a podcast network can balance original storytelling with business realities.
**Listen For:**
09:29 Creating Podcasts
13:41 Understanding Media Business Models
18:09 Challenges of original content creation
25:49 Understanding the audience demographics
29:33 Improving audience experience
32:57 Reaching your podcast audience
38:14 Importance of network and scale
48:52 Independent scripted productions success
50:24 The evolution of podcast production
01:00:00 Licensing books for podcasts
01:07:41 Building an Authentic Audience
01:11:37 Producing and sustaining a podcast
**CONNECT WITH GUEST: JEREMY WESTPHAL, DIRECTOR OF PARTNERSHIPS AT GZM SHOWS**
Website | LinkedIn | Podcast
**Podcast rec:** Sherlock & Co*. |* Earth Rangers
**Book rec:** Dragonships series by Scott Reintgen
**CONNECT WITH GREG WASSERMAN,** **HEAD OF RELATIONSHIPS FOR** RSS.COM
Website | LinkedIn
**Systems, Sponsors, and Partners:**
Hosted with RSS.com Podcast Hosting
Produced by Stories & Strategies
Content Repurposed with Castmagic
Podcast Project Management with Northflow
