Last weekend, I ran into someone who publishes a weekly show like I do. We talked about how our businesses are doing. When I told TLR had gained thousands of listeners, but that I was struggling to raise enough support to keep going, he winced.
“Yeah, been there,” he admitted. “How much longer can you keep going?”
I wrinkled my nose. “Just a few more months, I think.”
“How much of your work is funded?”
My shoulders dropped. “In a good month? Only half.”
He surprised me then. “Have you considered telling your audience that?”
I tilted my head. “Eh, no! That seems… A bit dramatic?”
“It’s the reality, though. Don’t wait until it’s too late.”
I couldn’t stop thinking about the conversation. It seemed like the absolute worst thing to do. I know a lot of people love this show and community. I didn’t want to cause anxiety about its future. But that guy I was talking to? He was right.
The show *is* struggling.
This is the reality. After 3.5 years of releasing weekly episodes and almost 1 million downloads, the show doesn’t raise enough funding to keep going. In a few months, I will no longer be able to work full-time on TLR. This will change the show, although I’m not quite sure yet in what way.
Things might have to change
Maybe I’ll have to reduce the frequency of the show and switch to 1 episode every 2 weeks. Maybe I’ll have to lower the sound design standards. Maybe I’ll have to set up a paywall for excerpts and extras after all. Maybe I’ll have to limit access to the community. I don’t know. All I know is that my current business model is not working.
One coffee a month makes the difference
It’s not a lost cause yet, though. If every weekly listener of the show would buy me *one* single coffee every month, the show would be fully funded. Unfortunately, right now, only a tiny minority of listeners gives back to TLR. These people are often very generous and they are the reason the show still exists today. (💜 Thank you!)
I’ll keep going for now
So now you know. I will keep giving my all to this podcast and its community in the coming months. But after the summer, quite a few things will have to change unless the funding picks up. I thought it was time to be honest and clear about that. No matter how difficult it is.
How you can help
If you’d like to help make sure this show can continue to entertain you, and many others around the world, please set up a recurring contribution today. You can cancel at any time and every single dollar makes a big difference.
Thank you.
Sigrid
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