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How Do You Keep a Podcast Consistent Without Burning Out?

Every podcaster hits this wall sooner or later: you want every episode to land, but you don’t want to spend hours scripting or editing yourself into the ground. So how do you keep it consistent, valuable, and – let’s be honest – fun?

That’s exactly what I got into with Mike Montague, founder of Avenue9 and host of the Human-First AI Marketing Podcast. Mike’s been around the block more than a few times. He started back in the radio days, rode the wave into internet radio, built massive company shows with millions of downloads, and still finds time to do passion projects just for fun.

The man knows how to stick with it.

Iron Man, Not Terminator

Mike has this great way of explaining his approach to AI. Instead of the “Terminator” model (robots running wild), he leans on the “Iron Man” version – human in the middle, wrapped in tech, using AI as backup.

That’s how he runs Avenue9. He helps businesses turn one good conversation into a whole lot of content – blog posts, newsletters, graphics, clips – the stuff most of us groan about doing. The key is the human voice stays front and center. AI just fills in the gaps.

The Podcast Is the Engine

For Mike, the podcast isn’t just a fun side project. It’s the thing that keeps his whole marketing machine running.

One guest conversation = a new LinkedIn post, a blog, an email, and a fresh podcast episode. That also means he’s never sitting there thinking, “Ugh, what do I post this week?” There’s always something useful coming out of those interviews.

And bonus: he gets to learn directly from other experts in AI and marketing, which makes his own work sharper.

Tentpoles, Not Scripts

Here’s the advice I think every podcaster should steal: Mike sets up three “tentpoles” for every show.

He doesn’t script the whole thing, but he knows what three big ideas he wants to hit. As long as those get covered, the episode works – even if the conversation wanders.

On his fun side project (Playful Humans), his tentpoles were as simple as: crack a joke, learn about the guest, play a game. It worked because he stuck with it.

It’s repeatable, it’s simple, and it’s why he’s still podcasting decades later while others burn out after six episodes.

Say It Again (And Again)

Mike’s last bit of wisdom really stuck with me: just when you feel like you’re sick of saying something, that’s when your audience is finally starting to hear it.

Consistency – not constant reinvention – is what builds trust and makes your podcast work long-term.

Ready for the Next Level?