I got matched with my guest this week, Richard Wilmore, through Podmatch, and within the first few minutes of recording I knew this was going to be one of those conversations where I forget I’m supposed to be asking questions because I’m too busy nodding along.
Richard runs Make Your Day Richer, a podcast production studio based in the Charlotte, North Carolina area, and his story is proof that the path to doing creative work full time rarely looks like a straight line.
From Bedroom Talk Shows to a Real Studio
Richard told me he was 12 years old when he saw The Rosie O’Donnell Show for the first time and thought the whole production felt magical. He built his own version of it in his bedroom, complete with lights from Spencer’s Gifts and pretend musical guests, all while making sure his family never caught him doing it.
I felt that one deeply. I wanted to be a radio DJ growing up, and I used to sit and mouth my own imaginary intros to songs, terrified anyone would hear me. There’s something about that early instinct toward media and storytelling that a lot of us in this industry share, even if we didn’t know at the time it would turn into a career.
The Long Way Around to Full-Time Production
Richard studied theater at UW Milwaukee, dabbled in local television, and eventually converted a basement into a home studio where he filmed friends and musicians with cameras that didn’t even have real microphones. He taught himself editing software because he wanted to figure it out, not because anyone told him to.
For years, podcasting stayed the side thing he didn’t really tell people about. Then he left a job he thought he’d have for the rest of his life, and without a backup plan, he realized production was what he had been doing the entire time in one form or another. That’s what he’s done full time for the last couple of years.
How He Serves His Clients
What stood out to me most is how similar our approaches are, even though we built our businesses independently. Richard designs custom sets for every client who comes into his studio, films and edits their content, and helps them get booked as guests on other shows to extend their reach even further. His philosophy is simple: people have something to say, and they shouldn’t have to know how to make it happen in order to say it.
Why “Everyone Already Has a Podcast” Doesn’t Hold Up
We also talked about one of the most common objections people raise before starting a show, that everyone else already has one. Richard’s answer stuck with me. The barrier to entry is low, so a lot of people start, but most don’t last, and burnout is real. What survives is perspective, not saturation. Musicians still record covers of songs that already exist because the voice behind it makes it different every time. Your podcast works the same way.
Your First Episodes Are Supposed to Feel Bad
In the episode I shared a story about a new client who recorded her first two episodes and hated them. My response was that you don’t walk into the gym and pick up a 50 pound weight on day one. You start with the fives and you build from there. If you don’t cringe a little at your early episodes, you’re probably not growing. Richard has also worked with clients who doubt themselves in the process and agreed with my sentiments, no one starts perfect. You need to flex the muscles and grow into your skills.
If you want to hear the full conversation, including Richard’s take on set design, celebrating wins instead of chasing a moving goalpost, and the new podcast planning journal he just published, the full episode is up now.
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