Community Highlights: Meet Devin Smith of Podium Studios

Today we’d like to introduce you to Devin Smith.

Hi Devin, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was always into art and technology, and I have found that my entire career has blended the two. I got my start in graphic design (which I still do) in high school working for the family business. Dad did music production and at home we did album design and CD manufacturing. I went to design school after high school and learned how to do design professionally. But I ran out of loan money, so I dropped out and went for an industry job and landed one at an agency 9 months after, freelancing in-between.

I worked in advertising for about 9 years before going into software design and UX, then did product innovation strategy, and had stints at different companies doing combinations of the things I learned along the way. I started podcasting about my passion for customer experience design around 2019 and that started to lead me into wanting to do more podcast production.

Two and half years ago, I was talking with a friend and we had the idea to start Podium Studios, a podcast production agency. Today, Podium does podcasting, YouTube, social video, and design. We just moved into a new studio close to the Battery and it’s such a privilege.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Entrepreneurship has been a tough road. I started my journey as a self-employed consultant before becoming an entrepreneur, and it has been very tough. Though I started the business with friends, we had diverging views of where to take the business, and ultimately had to go different ways (we are all still really good friends, thankfully).

I’ve made all of the mistakes I consulted with businesses not to make: not understanding the target customer enough to market effectively, not marketing (funny for a guy with an advertising background), not having sales discipline, worrying too much about what people think, not having clear strategy, etc.

Ultimately I learned that it’s easier to make good decisions when you’re not desperate, but not being desperate requires you to ignore what you see or make enough revenue that what you see doesn’t scare the crap out of you. One is called faith (which I believe is necessary), the other is called success.

The Lord has been my rock through the journey of entrepreneurship more than at any other time in my life, because I have had to consciously depend on Him more than at any other point in my life.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Podium Studios is a content production agency focused on building personal brands for founders, execs, and business owners. We do that through video production, podcast production, content writing, and design. We love the intersection of art and business, and we believe the best way to connect with people on YouTube and social media is personal branding.

We help people get attention through monthly content strategy and production packages, as well as design. We have started podcasts from nothing, grown existing podcasts through content coaching and higher production standards, started YouTube channels, and even designed hand-crafted, story-focused, beautiful keynote decks for public speakers.

We are end-to-end, so we go from content strategy all the way through production, post-production, and publishing.

What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love that Atlanta has the combination of being a big city while simultaneously still having southern charm and hospitality.

The thing I dislike most about Atlanta is probably how if I’m in Marietta and something is in Decatur, it feels like a massive chore to get over there because of traffic. There might be something I want to buy, and if I find out I have to drive to Decatur, I just give up, haha.

Pricing:

• Full-on Content Marketing: $10,000/mo
• Podcast Production and Publishing: $3000-$5000/mo
• YouTube Production and Publishing: $3000-$5500/mo.
• Short-form Content Day: $2650
• Podcast/Livestream Session: $250/hr

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thepodium.studio
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/podiumatl
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podiumstudios/
• Twitter: https://www.x.com/podiumatl
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@podiumatl