I'm running a startup. We certainly do NOT need a podcast - we have a physical product, and since we're only 2 people, we don't have the time to produce a podcast, let alone the time to do a podcast <i>well</i>. We have a product to make, and customers to make it for. We're not even in tech - so there's very little content that I can utilize for more than one episode, or more than 20 minutes. I can tell my story, the company's value-prop, where we're at, and where we want to be in about 5 minutes tops. Probably less now that I think about it.<p>Honestly, I don't get why everyone is hopping on the podcast bandwagon. It makes no sense - just because someone has something interesting to say once doesn't mean they have something interesting to say every week going forward, especially if they aren't someone with a wealth of experience over multiple decades.<p>One of my neighbors produces a podcast for fun, and it's admittedly low budget and not his primary focus, he just enjoys it. I went on once to talk about my experience in AI, and I realized that I'm incredibly awkward on camera and can't often speak clearly enough to get a point across efficiently, so going on once and seeing myself fumble around spectacularly was definitely a learning experience, and probably good for me.<p>What freaked me out, though, is how people reacted to it. The episode probably had 20-30 views on YT or whatever platform he posted it on, but some of the responses, (both written and short-form video) were outright disgusting. This got me thinking - why do people care so much about what 2 random people are talking about, especially when those 2 people have no deep expertise on such a subject? Do people have nothing better to do with their time? Do people not have the ability to discern between a low-budget setup with 2 guys just talking about their experience versus someone who has spent decades in a particular industry or sector? And if they do, why react so strongly?<p>Seeking "engagement" is cancerous.