Penbury Consulting
Everyone – be they a company, individual or organization – seems to have a podcast today. To rise above the cacophony, your program must have the right strategy, the right format and especially the right host. Too often, programs feel rushed or not thought out. In many cases, a weak host undermines the best-laid plans.
A successful podcast needs the right foundation:
- A clear, concise strategy that will serve as your north star
- A unique, memorable voice that sets your program apart
- Compelling insights that intrigue and energize your audience
- And above all, an engaging host.
The host makes or breaks your program. They are your throughline, the constant for listeners on each program. If the host is not up to the task, people will stop listening, no matter how great your guests or topics are. After all, they can probably find that on another program.
Penbury Consulting will help you in each step of your journey to develop a program that rises above the crowded and growing field. We offer more than 40 years of experience in interviewing and storytelling. We have hosted and produced programs for global companies, interviewed top newsmakers and thought leaders, and now we apply that expertise to your goals.
Penbury Consulting will help you:
- Design the right strategy for maximum impact
- Create the most compelling storylines to spotlight your message
- Identify the right format (or formats) for presenting your story
- Determine and develop the best host for your program.
We can provide an experienced host or offer training for you and your team to lead your podcast. Either way, we want to ensure your programs achieve your goals and rise above the competition. That competition is not just others in your field of expertise. You are fighting for your audience’s time and attention against podcasts across the entire spectrum of topics – sports, entertainment, history, politics, hobbies, literature, etc.
Scott L. Smith
President and Chief Podcasting Officer
Scott L. Smith can trace his podcasting journey back more than 40 years. Wait, you’re thinking, that’s impossible; podcasting is nowhere near that old.
Take away the technology and good podcasting comes down to two basic building blocks: Storytelling and conversation. Scott began honing both skills in high school as a reporter for his town newspaper in Fairfield, Connecticut.
Since then, his career led him through newspapers, radio, video, webinars and podcasting across Washington, D.C., Claremont, New Hampshire and various points across Connecticut, not to mention individual assignments in the United States and Europe.
Now, he wants to help companies, individuals and organizations take full advantage of podcasting as the founder and chief podcasting officer of Penbury Consulting.
“I used to be told to downplay my age and experience on my resume and in job searches,” Scott says. “Now, I realize that the breadth and depth of my career are my superpower. I want to share my extensive background in storytelling and interviewing to help others create successful programs.”
Scott starts Penbury Consulting after 26½ years at Gartner, the global information technology and business consultancy. Scott built a wide-ranging skillset at Gartner, spanning audio and video programs, webinars and podcasting. He helped to create and for more than three years hosted the company’s lead podcast, Gartner ThinkCast. He also became the lead moderator for Gartner’s prospect-facing webinars.
“I started at Gartner writing for an audio newsmagazine that meant to explain IT to business leaders,” Scott says. “We mailed the program to subscribers each month on cassettes. By the time I left, I was leading efforts in media that did not exist when I joined the company. The key for me is always being open to new ideas and technologies, but in the end, it comes back to those age-old building blocks of storytelling and interviewing.”
Scott has interviewed hundreds of top thought leaders and newsmakers over his career. He has talked with sports Hall of Famers (including Ted Williams, Bobby Orr, Bog Gibson and Art Monk), presidential candidates (such as the Rev. Jesse Jackson and U.S. senators George McGovern and Joseph Lieberman), musicians like Weird Al Yankovic, former NATO Supreme Commander Admiral James Stravridis, former U.S. Secretary for the Air Force Deborah Lee James and Netflix co-founder Marc Randloph.
“I’ve covered too many topics to count – from baseball and horseshoes, to business and technology, to hobbies such as memorabilia collecting and model trains,” he says. “I learned early in my career that it’s not the topic that draws people in, it’s the story. Everything has a story if you take the time to look for it.”
Now, Scott wants to help you make your story stand out in an ever-widening field of podcasts.
“A good podcast is more than just having a conversation,” he says. “With the right planning and training, people and organizations can take full advantage of this medium with endless possibilities. I want to help them gain that advantage with Penbury Consulting.”
Find Your Voice
Penbury Consulting wants to ensure your podcast or webinar stands out above a very crowded field. Contact us to find the right hosting or host training resources for you and to learn more about our pricing options.