Podcast Spotlight: Jack Cady Wild Card

Last updated on January 10th, 2018

I’ve been fortunate enough to speak to a lot of podcasters. When the discussion of “well, why’d you get into podcasting” comes up, the vast majority say something along the lines of “there wasn’t anything like what I was envisioning, so I just made it myself.” There’s nothing wrong with this reason of course, it’s part of what makes the podcast landscape so diverse and niche podcasts can thrive. Jack, co-host of Jack Cady Wild Card, however, has a very sincere reason: it helped bring him and his wife closer.

The podcast premise is pretty straightforward, together Jack and his wife discuss topics associated with their relationship, communication, self improvement, and other recent events. Specific episodes have covered how to set and reach personal goals, anxiety within relationships, and financial planning in relationships.

Maybe what I admire most about Jack’s podcast is their listener-focused foundation. After speaking with Jack — and then listening to the podcast — it’s immediately evident they created this podcast with their listeners in mind. Each episode hovers around the 30-minute mark by design, their format is easily digestible, and they produce the podcast by seasons to ensure high quality.

I recently spoke with Jack about the podcast and the industry itself. Below is our full Q&A.

Discover Pods: How would you describe your podcast in a tweet?

Jack: A married couple talk about self improvement, communication skills, and anything else going on their minds.

DP: Why did you choose to podcast?

Jack: The length of the conversations would make for very long videos or blog posts. People will listen to a 30 minute pod before they watch a 30 minute video of a conversation.

DP: Has creating a podcast together brought a newfound closeness with you and your wife?

Jack: Yep! Making this show has forced us to have conversations we wouldn’t otherwise have had. As we discuss things like communication styles we learn more about each other and other people. People don’t all react the same way to the same situation, talking about things like social anxiety helps us see things from new perspectives. Working together on the show has been a new and challenging experience for us. There have been some growing pains between us, but they have brought us closer.

DP: How has the listener feedback been so far?

Jack: Thankfully it’s been positive. With shows like this it’s easy for hosts to talk in inside jokes

DP: Do you think we’ve reached “peak podcast”

Jack: Almost. Even as companies like NPR and ESPN are heavily expanding into podcasting, there is still room for smaller shows to find an audience. Huge shows like Serial aren’t pushing smaller podcasts down yet, I think they are still bringing new listeners to the medium.

DP: Anything else you’d like to add?

Jack: Our new season is launching soon!

DP: What are your top 5 favorite podcasts?

Jack:

1. Giant Bombcast/Beastcast
2. Fantasy Footballers
3. The Adventure Zone
4. I thought S Town was beautiful and tragic
5. You Look Nice Today – it’s long been dead, but it stays in my app just in case it ever comes back

DP: Where can listeners find you?

Jack: Everything we do can be found at jackcadywildcard.com and iTunes