About Paying Guests (And Why I Don’t Right Now)

I’ve actually wrestled pretty hard with the question of whether to pay guests or not. It didn’t feel right to just say “no pay” without thinking it through.

Here’s where I landed:
Most podcasts don’t pay guests. Guest spots are usually about sharing your work, story, or art with a new audience, not a paid gig. Even a lot of big shows with big names don’t pay; in some cases guests are paying to be on certain podcasts, which feels more predatory to me than what I’m doing. I’m building this from scratch, on my own dime, in a home studio. There’s real time, equipment, and editing going into each episode, and right now that’s where the “investment” is happening.

So for now:
Guest spots are unpaid. Your “payment” is: Exposure on YouTube, podcast platforms, and socials. Long-form content that actually shows who you are, not just a 15-second clip. A ready-to-share asset you can post on your own channels. Down the road, if the show starts making consistent money, I’d love to explore paying guests, covering costs, or at least doing more intentional “mahalo” in return. If that happens, it will be clearly stated and written into updated agreements.

If unpaid doesn’t sit right with you, that’s totally okay. No hard feelings. Your boundaries are valid.