Notes on conversation.
Essays about podcasting, talking to strangers, and the underrated craft of asking a real question.
How to start a podcast in 2026 (with no audience and no equipment)
The honest guide. Cut through the gear obsession and audience anxiety. Ten real conversations beat ten thousand subscribers you don't have yet.
7 min readpodcasting / starting30 conversation prompts that always work (and why)
The four question shapes that make any conversation alive. Plus 30 prompts you can use this weekend, ranked by how reliably they break through small talk.
9 min readconversation / promptsThe science of talking to strangers (and why it makes you happier)
Two studies, one Chicago train, a million wrong predictions. Why we systematically underestimate how good a conversation with a stranger will go — and what to do about it.
6 min readpsychology / strangersRecording vs streaming your podcast: which to choose for episode 1
The framework. Why this is the wrong question to start with, what the right one is, and the third option most podcasters miss until it's too late.
6 min readpodcasting / recordingHow matchmaking-style podcasting works (and why guests beat scripts)
The traditional podcast model has three fatal flaws. The matchmaking model fixes all three at the cost of one tradeoff most podcasters were happy to make.
6 min readpodcasting / model