700+ Downloads in a Few Days: What Amy’s Substack Podcast Launch Taught Us
Most podcasters don’t quit because they have nothing to say.
They quit because the tech gets ridiculous, the strategy feels fuzzy, and they’re tired of trying to make social media act like a place for real connection.
Spoiler: it’s not.
That’s why Amy’s Substack podcast launch matters.
She didn’t launch with a giant audience.
She didn’t have a complicated funnel humming in the background.
She wasn’t dancing on Reels, begging the algorithm for mercy, or trying to decode which random word will get her shadow banned this week.
She launched with a clear message, a tender calling, and the courage to speak to the woman who needed her.
And within a few days?
700+ podcast downloads.
Yes. That is amazing.
But the better number?
30 subscribers.
Because downloads tell you someone listened.
Subscribers tell you someone leaned in.
And that is where the real story begins.
First, Let’s Be Clear: This Is Not a Magic Wand Story
I am not here to promise you that if you launch your podcast on Substack, you’ll get the exact same results Amy got.
Nope.
Every launch is different.
Your numbers will depend on your message, your audience, your consistency, your courage, your offer, your clarity, and whether you are willing to speak about the things your people actually need, not just the things that make you sound polished and professional.
Amy had to wrestle through that.
Her podcast is for Christian women healing after abortion.
That is not light content.
That is not “5 productivity hacks for your morning routine” content.
That is sacred, tender, emotionally loaded, deeply needed work.
And that’s exactly why Substack is working so well for her.
Substack Is Not Social Media With a Prettier Outfit
Amy came into Substack thinking it would be like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or whatever platform is currently demanding we sacrifice our sanity for engagement.
But that’s not what she found.
Her biggest surprise?
Substack does a lot of the heavy lifting.
Not because it magically creates your message for you.
It doesn’t.
You still have to know who you’re talking to.
You still have to be brave.
You still have to publish.
But Substack is built for connection in a way social platforms are not.
Amy’s ideal listener may not be posting publicly on Facebook:
“I had an abortion. I’m a Christian. I know God forgives me, but I’m struggling to forgive myself. How do I heal?”
That is not usually a public comment section conversation.
But on Substack?
A woman can quietly listen.
She can privately read.
She can subscribe without announcing her pain to the internet.
She can take one small step toward healing without needing to explain herself to everybody and their cousin Karen.
That matters.
Substack gives private pain a safer doorway into public healing.
For podcast hosts with sensitive, faith-driven, personal, or transformational work, this is huge.
The 700 Downloads Were Great. The 30 Subscribers Were Better.
Let’s talk numbers.
Amy released her prequel and first episode, and within days she had over 700 downloads.
She texted me something like:
“I don’t know if this is good or not.”
I nearly fell over.
Yes, Amy. It’s good.
For two early episodes, that averages roughly 350 downloads per episode.
The sexier number is 700.
The more strategic number is 30.
Because those 30 subscribers said:
· I want to hear more.
· This matters to me.
· I trust this enough to stay connected.
· I’m interested in what you’re building.
That is not vanity.
That is a relationship signal.
And if you’re using your podcast as part of your business, ministry, coaching practice, speaking platform, or thought leadership work, those relationship signals matter.
Downloads tell you someone heard you. Subscribers tell you they may want to walk with you.
That’s the difference.
The Tech Should Not Make You Question Your Calling
One of my favorite moments from the live call was when Amy talked about GoHighLevel.
Listen, GoHighLevel can be a beautiful tool.
If you have a team.
If you understand how it works.
If you enjoy tech puzzles and mild emotional suffering.
But if you are a newer entrepreneur trying to launch your message, your podcast, your offers, your email system, your checkout pages, and your will to live?
It can be a lot.
Amy said GoHighLevel made her feel overwhelmed. (same!)
Substack felt different.
It simplified the process.
Inside Substack, you can:
· publish podcast episodes
· send posts by email
· create a podcast page
· host subscriber-only content
· create paid tiers
· go live
· connect with readers and listeners
· share notes
· build a private podcast feed
· create simple pages
· generate share graphics
Is it perfect?
No.
Nothing is.
But it removes so much of the tech nonsense that keeps people stuck.
And here’s the truth:
If the tech is so complicated that it makes you question your calling, the tech is the problem.
Not you.
Branding Still Matters — Even When Substack Makes Things Easier
Now, before we get too goo-goo-ga-ga over Substack — which, yes, I currently am — let’s not skip the clarity work.
Amy and I worked hard on her branding.
Not because branding is about looking fancy.
It’s not.
Branding is about recognition.
It helps your right people understand:
· Is this for me?
· Can I trust this?
· Do I know what this person does?
· Do I want to keep listening?
· Do I want to subscribe?
Amy called it getting “branding goggles.” (I love this!)
Once her message and visuals got clearer, she could see everything through that lens.
That matters because her message is too important to be buried under confusion.
Same for yours.
Your message can be powerful and still get ignored if the presentation confuses people.
Ouch.
But also true.
If your podcast cover, Substack name, tagline, colors, episode titles, and calls to action are all pulling in different directions, your listener has to work too hard.
And tired people do not subscribe.
They leave.
Not because your work isn’t valuable.
Because they couldn’t quickly understand why it mattered to them.
You Don’t Have to Move Your Podcast to Substack to Use Substack
This is important.
You do not have to move your entire podcast to Substack to benefit from Substack.
You can use Substack if:
· you haven’t launched your podcast yet
· you already have a podcast somewhere else
· you want to move your podcast to Substack
· you do not want to move your podcast
· you quietly abandoned your podcast and want to revive it
· you want to relaunch with a clearer message
· you want a better way to connect with listeners
· you want to add a paid layer to your existing show
Substack can host your podcast.
But it can also support your podcast.
That distinction matters.
You can use it as the place where your listeners become subscribers, where your content has a longer shelf life, where your written posts and audio work together, and where your audience can actually talk back to you like real humans.
Wild concept, I know.
Paid Tiers Are Less Scary Than You Think
Amy assumed she might need to be on Substack for a year before creating paid tiers.
Then she got inside the platform and realized:
“Oh. This is not as hard as I thought.”
Exactly.
Substack makes it very simple to create:
· monthly subscriptions
· annual subscriptions
· founding member offers
· private podcast feeds
· subscriber-only posts
· paid resource libraries
· coaching access
· live event access
· bonus content
Now, quick practical note.
Substack is free to use.
Their business model is simple: when people subscribe to your paid tiers, Substack takes 10%, plus Stripe fees. (at the time of this recording)
That’s how they get paid.
If you sell something outside of Substack, a coaching package, consult, audit, course, or workshop through your own checkout, that does not go through Substack’s paid subscription system.
So no, you do not have to run your entire business through paid tiers.
But you can use paid tiers strategically.
Check out my tiers for my initial launch. I chose the Annual Promo and then something special for “Founding” subscribers.
Paid tiers are not just about charging for content. They are about creating a deeper space for the people who want more access, support, and accountability.
That could be powerful for your podcast.
Very powerful.
“Do It Messy” Is Still the Move
During the live, my camera acted up.
Amy was in her car.
I was sharing screens and clicking around like a woman determined to win a fight with technology in public.
Very glamorous.
Very on brand, actually.
And that was part of the point.
You do not need a perfect studio.
You do not need a flawless launch.
You do not need to have every detail figured out before you start.
You need a clear message.
You need a real person you’re serving.
You need a next right step.
You need to publish.
Messy action beats polished procrastination. Every time. Annoying, but true.
And yes, I know. We all want it to be perfect.
But perfect is often just fear wearing lip gloss.
Start.
Then refine.
Every Podcast Episode Needs Two Things
Here’s one of my non-negotiables:
Every episode needs:
1. A business purpose
2. A listener win
Not one or the other.
Both.
Your business purpose answers:
Why does this episode make sense for my business, offer, message, or body of work?
Your listener win answers:
What does my listener walk away with that helps them think, feel, believe, or do something differently?
This applies to:
· solo episodes
· interviews
· live episodes
· private podcast episodes
· paid subscriber episodes
· guest appearances
· launch content
Your podcast is not a random content bucket.
Please do not treat it like one.
Your podcast is not a community bulletin board. Every episode needs to earn its spot.
Cheeky? Yes.
Correct? Also yes.
Be Careful With Guest Episodes
Someone asked how to secure guests for your podcast.
My first answer?
Don’t have too many.
Because your podcast is your space.
Your message.
Your voice.
Your trust with your listener.
Guests can be wonderful. But every guest should make strategic sense.
Before inviting someone on, ask:
· Why this guest?
· Why now?
· What is the listener win?
· What is the business purpose?
· Do our audiences overlap in a meaningful way?
· Does this guest’s message support the direction of my show?
· Do I trust how they communicate?
· Will this conversation deepen the listener’s trust?
And please have a pre-call.
Always.
A pre-call helps you know if the chemistry is there before you hit record.
Because if the chemistry is weird, the episode will be weird.
And your listener will know.
Guests can strengthen your show, but they should not hijack the reason your listener came to you in the first place.
Monetization Is Not Sleazy. It’s Stewardship.
Now let’s talk about the thing people get weird about.
Money.
I cannot tell you how many podcasters say:
“I want to monetize someday, but that’s not really my main concern.”
My response?
Why not?
If your podcast supports your business, ministry, coaching, speaking, book, services, or movement, why would monetization be an afterthought?
Amy admitted she struggled with this too.
Because her work is ministry.
It’s healing work.
It’s deeply personal.
But then she said something powerful:
If she gives everything away forever, someone is still paying.
Her family pays.
Her time pays.
Her energy pays.
Her sustainability pays.
That is the part we need to stop pretending isn’t real.
If your work is free forever, someone is still paying. It might be your family, your health, your time, or your ability to keep going.
For Christian entrepreneurs especially, this matters.
Making money from meaningful work does not automatically make you greedy.
It can make you sustainable.
It can make you more available.
It can help the work continue.
Mission and money are not enemies. A well-supported mission can last longer.
There. I said it.
And I’ll say it again if needed.
Your Calls to Action Can Be Simple
Amy already has several clear calls to action.
For example:
· download the first five chapters of her book
· inquire about having her speak
· book a discovery call for coaching
· subscribe on Substack
· eventually join a paid tier or private community
Notice what is not happening here.
She is not throwing 47 links at people and hoping one of them works.
A good podcast CTA should feel like the next right step.
Not a hostage negotiation.
Your CTAs can have different levels:
Easy CTA
Subscribe. Download. Reply. Read. Listen.
Relationship CTA
Send a message. Join a live. Attend a roundtable. Ask a question.
Sales CTA
Book a call. Join the membership. Buy the offer. Become a paid subscriber.
The key is to match the CTA to the episode.
Do not just slap the same awkward sales pitch on everything.
Your listener can feel that.
Notes Don’t Have to Drain the Life Out of You
Amy also had a very normal reaction when I told her to post more Substack Notes.
She basically said:
“I don’t know if I have three things to say every day.”
Fair.
But then we took something she had already created and broke it into smaller pieces.
That’s the move.
You do not need to reinvent your brain every day.
Your Notes can come from:
· your latest episode
· a quote from your guest
· a question from a listener
· a client conversation
· a belief you want to repeat
· a behind-the-scenes lesson
· a mistake you made
· a line from your book
· a call to action
· a story from your life
Most podcasters don’t have a content shortage.
They have a sorting problem.
You have plenty to say.
You just need a simple way to turn your message into repeatable, useful, bite-sized content.
That’s what we work on inside the Studio.
The Real Gift: Human Connection
The live call reminded me why I’m so excited about Substack.
People were commenting.
Asking questions.
Encouraging Amy.
Sharing podcast links.
Talking about branding, tech, guesting, monetization, and content.
It felt human.
That should not feel revolutionary, but here we are.
Amy said it best:
People want to be seen.
Not targeted.
Not tracked.
Not shoved through a cold funnel.
Seen.
Known.
Invited.
Substack has a different culture, and I want us to protect it.
No “drop lemon in the comments if you want my secret lemonade stand system.”
Please, for the love of lemonade traders out there.
We can do better.
Substack feels like being invited into a meaningful conversation.
That’s why I’m here.
That’s why I moved my focus here.
That’s why I created the Substack Podcast Studio.
Why the Substack Podcast Studio Exists
The Substack Podcast Studio is for podcasters, future podcasters, and business owners who want to use audio to build trust, serve their people, and grow their business without making everything harder than it needs to be.
Inside, we’re working on things like:
· setting up your Substack presence
· launching your podcast on Substack
· moving your podcast if that makes sense
· using Substack alongside your existing podcast
· creating paid tiers
· planning strategic episodes
· writing stronger podcast hooks
· using Notes without burning out
· creating clear calls to action
· building trust with listeners
· monetizing without feeling gross
· using private podcast feeds
· getting feedback and support
And in June, we have a full launch month happening.
We’re covering:
· Substack 101
· monthly roundtable
· live walkthrough of the Ultimate Substack Podcast Guide for Beginners
· managing podcast content and ideas
· Q&A
· private podcast support
· replays
Plus, founding members get extra support.
Because I want you to build this with clarity, not chaos.
If You’ve Been Waiting, Here’s My Question
If you know your podcast matters…
If you know your message is needed…
If you know you’re tired of duct-taping together a dozen tools and calling it “simple”…
If you know social media is not giving you the depth of connection you actually want…
Then maybe it’s time to try something different.
Not someday.
Now.
Because committed people pay for speed.
And no, that does not mean rushing.
It means not wasting six months trying to figure out what someone else can help you see in six minutes.
The Studio is not for people who want to collect more ideas.
It is for people who are ready to build, test, simplify, publish, and keep going.
If that’s you, come join us.
Join the Substack Podcast Studio.
Bring your podcast.
Bring your questions.
Bring your messy draft.
Bring your “I think God is calling me to this, but I’m also mildly terrified” energy.
We can work with that.
That’s usually where the good stuff starts.
xoxoxoxo jen
Thank you Patrick LaRose, Susie Lonsberry, Deronda | The Joy Ambassador, Ana Murby, Joy Oladele, and many others for tuning into my live video with The Worthy Womb · Amy Dial!
