The Gatekeeping Problem in Podcasting (with Dave Campbell)

Who gets to be a podcaster — and who quietly gets told they don’t belong?

In this episode of Monetize This!, David talks with Dave Campbell, a Canadian podcaster behind nine shows and the creator of The How to Podcast Series, about the growing gap between podcasting as a creative medium and podcasting as a gated, guru-driven industry.

They dig into how “best practices” turn into gatekeeping, why monetization is treated as a credibility test, and how most podcasters are being excluded by advice that assumes everyone wants the same goals.

This is a conversation for hobbyists, indie creators, and anyone who’s ever felt pressure to optimize, scale, or quit.

Notable Idea

“Stay small enough, long enough, and you’ll be big enough soon enough.”

About the Guest

Dave Campbell is a Canadian podcaster and producer behind nine shows, including The How to Podcast Series. His work focuses on pushing back against rigid podcasting advice, highlighting diverse creator paths, and keeping podcasting open, accessible, and human.

About the Show

Monetize This! is a lighthearted, contrarian podcast that pokes fun at podcasting gurus, advice culture, and the pressure to optimize everything. It’s a space for creators who want permission to make the show they actually want to make.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit monetizethispodcast.substack.com