Hey Podcast Paycheck Community,
I am excited to introduce you to our very first guest, Greg Wasserman, Head of Relationships at RSS.com.
Greg has been in the media & podcast world for years.
He has worked across ad sales, listening platforms, AI tools, sponsorship, affiliate deals, you name it.
Now he is helping podcasters at RSS.com figure out how to actually make money.
We had a long conversation on the Podcast Paycheck show, but I want to share 3 big takeaways for you here.
If you are an aspiring, new, or seasoned podcaster who wants to monetize, you will want to pay attention to these.
After you read this, you can listen to the full episode to go deeper.
1. What monetization strategy at RSS.com works better than most people expect?
Greg shared that RSS.com launched a tool called PAID in mid 2025.
It lets podcasters run pre roll, mid roll, & post roll ads with as little as 10 downloads a month.
Most platforms want you at thousands of downloads before they even talk to you.
RSS.com said no, let us start at 10.
Why does that matter
Because the hardest mental block is
“I will never get to 1,000 downloads”
“I will never get to 10,000 downloads”
“I guess I am not ready to monetize”
Greg’s point
You can start getting paid almost immediately.
You flip a switch, the ads run, RSS.com handles the back end, & you keep 70 percent of the revenue.
It is not about getting rich off 10 downloads.
It is about feeling like this can be real from the very beginning.
That shift matters.
2. What is 1 common mistake that stops podcasters from monetizing sooner
Greg said the biggest mistake is simple
They think they need big download numbers before they can make any money.
Everyone hears
“You need 20,000 downloads a month”
“You are not ready for sponsors yet”
“Come back when you have a bigger audience”
So they wait.
They keep grinding.
They delay monetization for months or years.
Greg pushed back hard on that.
He said you can monetize day 1 with:
Affiliate programs for the tools you already use
Your hosting platform
Your recording tool
Your AI or repurposing tools
Anything you genuinely use in your workflow
Most podcasters forget something important
Your listeners often want to start their own podcast too.
They are looking at you as a guide.
So imagine you say something as simple as
“This show is hosted on RSS.com
If you want to start your own podcast I highly recommend it
The link is in the show notes”
Now every time someone signs up through your link, you earn affiliate revenue.
Greg also explained the difference between the 2:
PAID ads
Ads that automatically run before, during, or after your show
You flip a switch inside RSS.com
You get paid on impressionsAffiliate links
You promote a specific product or platform
You share a unique link or code
You get paid when people actually buy or sign up
You can use both.
Even with a tiny audience.
Btw, CodeADX is a platform Greg mentioned for getting advertisers.
3. What are successful podcasters doing differently to create consistent income
Greg sees the back end of a lot of shows.
The ones who are making consistent money do not rely on just 1 tactic.
They stack multiple streams.
They might use
PAID ads on RSS.com
Affiliate links across their tools
A newsletter that drives people to those links
Paid subscriptions on Apple or Patreon
Live events or workshops
Merch with platforms like Fourthwall
High ticket services that are fueled by the relationships from the show
The key mindset
They do not treat podcasting as a hobby on the side of their business.
They treat podcasting as a core engine of their business.
Greg also hammered 1 idea that I love
Use podcasting as a relationship engine.
Instead of obsessing over downloads, ask
“Who am I building a relationship with by doing this show”
If you have 50 episodes where you bring on potential partners, clients, or collaborators
you can make more money from those relationships
than from any ad read CPM.
That is the real game.
Want more from Greg
We covered a lot more in the full episode, including
How to think like a marketer when you pitch sponsors
A smart way to use affiliates to get a sponsor’s attention
Why everyone should have a podcast if they know their why
How podcasting builds skills, confidence, & legacy
You can listen to the full conversation with Greg Wasserman, Head of Relationships at RSS.com, on the Podcast Paycheck podcast.
Your next step
If this was helpful, do me a favor
Share this with 1 person who wants to monetize or start a podcast
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Come build this community with me.
Cha chiiing
Elvin
