The Ryan Sullivan Show

Hosted by Ryan R. Sullivan

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200

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Aug 2026

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About the show

The Ryan Sullivan Show is an audio and video podcast dedicated to helping you start, launch, and grow your podcast and audience. Our guest episodes range from celebrities like Rob Dyrdek to HBO producers, business moguls, and content creators. Subscribe and follow on your favorite platform to catch our weekly episodes. To listen, watch and discover more, visit www.podcastprinciples.com

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60 recent

September 7, 202621 min

I Asked Rob Dyrdek How to Grow My Business [Throwback]

🎬 Ready to record your first video? Steal my free script and title ideas below. https://mailchi.mp/podcastprinciples.com/script A few years ago, I joined Rob Dyrdek on Build with Rob from the podcast studio in my parents’ garage. I thought we were going to talk about growing my podcast business. Instead, Rob challenged the way I thought about clients, scale, time, and what I actually wanted the business to do for my life. We talk about choosing quality over quantity, building a business that doesn’t depend entirely on you, and how Rob designed his career around freedom. I still come back to this conversation today, and I think you’ll get a lot out of it too. Episode Highlights: 0:00 - Revisiting my conversation with Rob Dyrdek 2:03 - Building a business from my parents’ garage 2:42 - The challenge of scaling creative services 6:07 - Quality clients over more clients 8:43 - Lessons for young entrepreneurs 10:26 - Building a business around your life 11:35 - How Rob turned television into an advantage 14:39 - Reducing 250 episodes to 4% of his time 16:25 - Defining your ideal life 17:29 - Avoiding shiny object syndrome 18:21 - Rob’s final advice __________________________________________________ 👉 RIA Marketing Plan: https://youtu.be/SpPmemMPhmo?si=2xoFUpCtRvdzp27j 👉 Start Your Podcast Today: https://calendly.com/podcastprinciples/discover 🎤 Podcast Links - https://linktr.ee/sullybop ▶️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sullybop/recent-activity/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sullybop/ ▶️ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sullybop

August 31, 20268 min

How to Build an Email List With a Podcast

🎬 Ready to record your first video? Steal my free script and title ideas below. https://mailchi.mp/podcastprinciples.com/script You don’t need millions of YouTube views to make money from YouTube. Our channel brings in roughly one new email subscriber every day. That may not sound impressive, but it adds up to nearly 400 new prospects every year from videos we’ve already created. Those people aren’t immediately pushed toward a discovery call. They join our email list, spend more time with our content, and raise their hands when they’re ready to work with us. Even if only 10 of those 400 subscribers became clients, the channel could generate an additional $25,000 a year with a pretty terrible conversion rate. That’s the real advantage of YouTube. A social media post gradually disappears from the feed, while a useful video can continue attracting views, subscribers, and customers without requiring more work. YouTube works for businesses when it’s treated like a long-term asset instead of a lottery ticket. Episode Highlights: 0:00 - Does YouTube actually work for businesses? 0:27 - How our channel adds 400 email subscribers a year 1:57 - Why an email list is still incredibly valuable 2:43 - The mistake we made with our YouTube calls to action 3:06 - Keeping prospects in your orbit 4:16 - Why patience matters when building an audience 4:44 - Letting potential customers raise their hands 5:31 - Moving our YouTube traffic toward the email list 5:46 - Why YouTube videos become more valuable over time 6:57 - YouTube is an asset, while social media is a liability __________________________________________________ 👉 RIA Marketing Plan: https://youtu.be/SpPmemMPhmo?si=2xoFUpCtRvdzp27j 👉 Start Your Podcast Today: https://calendly.com/podcastprinciples/discover 🎤 Podcast Links - https://linktr.ee/sullybop ▶️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sullybop/recent-activity/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sullybop/ ▶️ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sullybop

August 24, 20266 min

Brand vs. Performance Marketing: How to Get CAC to $0 ft. Charlie Parker CMO

🎬 Ready to record your first video? Steal my free script and title ideas below. https://mailchi.mp/podcastprinciples.com/script Most companies will do anything to lower their customer acquisition cost. They’ll launch more ads, chase more inquiries and throw money at new platforms, usually without stopping to ask whether they’re attracting the right people in the first place. Charlie Parker is the CMO of Keiser University, where he manages an advertising budget roughly 10 times more valuable than my life. And unlike most people talking about marketing online, Charlie is actually doing this work at scale. His approach starts with a simple idea: inquiries are not a meaningful metric. What matters is attracting real people who belong in your ecosystem and are likely to stay with you downstream. Charlie explains how he studies years of customer data, reverse engineers the demographics and locations of the people who actually convert, tests organic content before spending money and uses platforms like YouTube, Google, Reddit and AI search to build a more efficient acquisition system. It doesn’t happen overnight. But when brand, data and authentic content start working together, customer acquisition costs can get surprisingly close to zero. Episode Highlights: 0:00 - Getting customer acquisition costs close to zero 1:13 - How brand influences major decisions 2:25 - Why inquiries are not a meaningful metric 3:01 - Reverse engineering customer data 3:57 - SEO, AI search and authentic content 4:48 - Wrapping up with Charlie 5:17 - Episode wrap-up __________________________________________________ 👉 RIA Marketing Plan: https://youtu.be/SpPmemMPhmo?si=2xoFUpCtRvdzp27j 👉 Start Your Podcast Today: https://calendly.com/podcastprinciples/discover 🎤 Podcast Links - https://linktr.ee/sullybop ▶️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sullybop/recent-activity/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sullybop/ ▶️ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sullybop

August 17, 202610 min

How to Use a Podcast to Get Clients (Not Just Downloads)

🎬 Ready to record your first video? Steal my free script and title ideas below. https://mailchi.mp/podcastprinciples.com/script Most business podcasts fail because they’re built like vanity projects, not paths to revenue. In this episode, I break down how to create “money episodes” your prospects actually want to hear, structure your content before recording, and promote every episode with enough energy to get people interested. I also explain why client interviews are one of the strongest forms of content you can create, even if you’re convinced your clients won’t participate. If your podcast is supposed to generate business, it’s time to stop chasing downloads and start making content that attracts the right people, builds trust, and creates clients. Episode Highlights: 0:00 - Why most business podcasts fail 1:46 - Creating money episodes 2:08 - Three types of revenue-generating content 2:58 - Structuring your podcast before recording 3:39 - Why relentless promotion matters 4:47 - How to promote an episode properly 5:55 - Turn client interviews into powerful content 7:40 - Build a podcast that supports your life 8:37 - Take action today __________________________________________________ 👉 RIA Marketing Plan: https://youtu.be/SpPmemMPhmo?si=2xoFUpCtRvdzp27j 👉 Start Your Podcast Today: https://calendly.com/podcastprinciples/discover 🎤 Podcast Links - https://linktr.ee/sullybop ▶️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sullybop/recent-activity/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sullybop/ ▶️ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sullybop

August 10, 202645 min

Podcast Sponsorships Are a Trap, Do This Instead: Courtney Reimer asks M

🎬 Ready to record your first video? Steal my free script and title ideas below. https://mailchi.mp/podcastprinciples.com/script Sponsorships are the holy grail for creators. A nirvana, a veritable heaven on earth where you are paid handsomely for doing basically nothing. Unfortunately, the reality is far different from how it’s painted by influencers. Which brings us to the question: How do you actually make money from a podcast? I joined Courtney to talk through four ways to monetize your show: We get into sponsorships, affiliate deals, paid communities, selling your own products or services, and the simple math that tells you whether your podcast is actually paying off. Episode Highlights: 0:00 - The truth about podcast sponsorships 1:45 - Can a small podcast attract sponsors? 6:10 - Turning affiliate deals into brand partnerships 8:06 - Four ways to monetize your podcast 12:20 - Paid communities and subscriptions 16:21 - Making money from older episodes 19:23 - Using your podcast to grow your business 23:57 - Should you start a podcast if it feels like work? 29:20 - Building a sponsorship package 32:36 - How many downloads do sponsors want? 38:42 - Is your podcast actually paying off? 43:05 - Common monetization mistakes 46:16 - Episode wrap-up __________________________________________________ 👉 RIA Marketing Plan: https://youtu.be/SpPmemMPhmo?si=2xoFUpCtRvdzp27j 👉 Start Your Podcast Today: https://calendly.com/podcastprinciples/discover 🎤 Podcast Links - https://linktr.ee/sullybop ▶️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sullybop/recent-activity/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sullybop/ ▶️ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sullybop

August 3, 202620 min

The "Marble Lobby" Effect: Why Your Podcast Isn't Getting Clients

🎬 Ready to record your first video? Steal my free script and title ideas below. https://mailchi.mp/podcastprinciples.com/script A podcast can support your business, but only when it connects to a larger marketing strategy. In this episode, I sit down with Mat Passy from Suite Recordings to explain how businesses can turn podcast and video content into real opportunities. We talk about choosing between short-form and long-form content, building a schedule you can actually maintain, and connecting every episode to your sales process. We also break down the difference between marketing and brand building, how content influences buyers even when they never mention it, and why real human expertise matters even more as AI-generated content becomes increasingly common. You’ll also hear where AI can genuinely improve content production, where human judgment is still essential, and the right way to think about the ROI of a business podcast. 📌 Jump In Here: 0:00 - Turning a podcast into business revenue 0:58 - Short-form versus long-form content 2:02 - Building a sustainable content schedule 3:24 - Using content for awareness and conversion 3:51 - Connecting your podcast to your marketing strategy 5:28 - How a small audience can still produce clients 6:41 - Is podcasting marketing or branding? 8:24 - Using content to stand out from competitors 9:48 - The podcast as your company’s marble lobby 10:50 - Why real human content matters in the AI era 13:55 - Where AI belongs in content production 15:28 - Why AI cannot replace human judgment 16:53 - Common questions from business owners 17:47 - How to think about podcast ROI 19:22 - Episode wrap-up __________________________________________________ 👉 RIA Marketing Plan: https://youtu.be/SpPmemMPhmo?si=2xoFUpCtRvdzp27j 👉 Start Your Podcast Today: https://calendly.com/podcastprinciples/discover 🎤 Podcast Links - https://linktr.ee/sullybop ▶️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sullybop/recent-activity/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sullybop/ ▶️ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sullybop

July 27, 20267 min

Financial Advisor Marketing: Why Generic Advice Doesn’t Attract Clients

🎬 Ready to record your first video? Steal my free script and title ideas below. https://mailchi.mp/podcastprinciples.com/script I’m 27 years old. I don’t have a job, a 401(k), an IRA, or a traditional retirement plan, but I own a business worth more than $500,000. My financial needs are completely different from those of the average 27-year-old, and that is exactly why generic financial advisor marketing doesn’t work. In this episode, I break down why advisors need to go beyond choosing a niche and understand the specific person they want to reach. A 27-year-old business owner and a 65-year-old business owner may be in the same niche, but they have very different problems. If you want to attract more of the right clients, start by creating one video that speaks directly to what they are dealing with today. Download Script Science below for more than 20 video title ideas that have already worked for financial advisors. 📌 Jump In Here: 0:00 - Why traditional financial advice doesn’t fit everyone 1:30 - Financial advisors versus financial entertainers 2:54 - The nuances that change someone’s financial needs 3:38 - Why specialized advisors stay fully booked 4:15 - Two different paths for financial advisors 4:54 - Why your niche also needs a specific persona 5:19 - How to attract the clients you actually want 5:57 - Start your marketing with one video 6:31 - Get 20+ proven video ideas with Script Science 7:17 - Grow your firm through YouTube and podcasting __________________________________________________ 👉 RIA Marketing Plan: https://youtu.be/SpPmemMPhmo?si=2xoFUpCtRvdzp27j 👉 Start Your Podcast Today: https://calendly.com/podcastprinciples/discover 🎤 Podcast Links - https://linktr.ee/sullybop ▶️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sullybop/recent-activity/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sullybop/ ▶️ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sullybop

July 20, 20267 min

YouTube Shorts for Financial Advisors: How to Turn Views Into Clients

🎬 Ready to record your first video? Steal my free script and title ideas below. https://mailchi.mp/podcastprinciples.com/script Getting thousands of YouTube views is great, but views alone won’t grow your financial advisory business. In this video, I break down the full funnel I would use to turn YouTube Shorts into long-form viewers, email subscribers, webinar attendees, and eventually qualified calls. You’ll learn why subscriber count matters less than you think, how frequently to publish Shorts, and why selling too early usually doesn’t work. 📌 Jump In Here: 0:00 - How financial advisors are getting thousands of views 0:33 - Creating consistent YouTube Shorts 1:17 - Why subscribers are a vanity metric 1:46 - Views alone won’t make you money 2:16 - Moving viewers to long-form content 2:34 - Using a lead magnet to qualify prospects 3:39 - Building a step-by-step content funnel 4:23 - The complete YouTube funnel for financial advisors 5:08 - Why people watch “boring” financial content 5:31 - Episode wrap-up __________________________________________________ 👉 RIA Marketing Plan: https://youtu.be/SpPmemMPhmo?si=2xoFUpCtRvdzp27j 👉 Start Your Podcast Today: https://calendly.com/podcastprinciples/discover 🎤 Podcast Links - https://linktr.ee/sullybop ▶️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sullybop/recent-activity/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sullybop/ ▶️ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sullybop

July 13, 20267 min

Podcast Marketing for Financial Advisors: How to Sell Life Insurance With Content

🎬 Ready to record your first video? Steal my free script and title ideas below. https://mailchi.mp/podcastprinciples.com/script I helped generate over $1 million in life insurance sales using nothing more than a podcast and a YouTube channel. There was no complicated funnel, viral strategy, or constant shift toward whatever marketing trend was working that month. The strategy was much simpler, create useful content consistently, make it evergreen, and give it enough time to compound. In this episode, I break down the exact approach we used across more than 200 episodes, including why boring strategies often work best in financial services, how we built a content plan that stayed relevant for years, and the title framework that helped attract the right listeners. I also explain the B2 system - beliefs and behaviors - and how you can use it to create stronger podcast and YouTube titles for financial services content. 📌 Jump In Here: 0:00 - How a podcast generated over $1 million in sales 0:20 - Why most marketing advice does not work for financial services 1:22 - Why boring strategies are often the best strategies 2:19 - Creating evergreen financial content 3:03 - Building a long-term podcast strategy 3:59 - The biggest mistake people make with titles 4:32 - The B2 title framework 5:40 - How beliefs influence behavior 6:23 - The complete strategy recap 6:47 - Download the title examples 7:16 - Episode wrap-up __________________________________________________ 👉 RIA Marketing Plan: https://youtu.be/SpPmemMPhmo?si=2xoFUpCtRvdzp27j 👉 Start Your Podcast Today: https://calendly.com/podcastprinciples/discover 🎤 Podcast Links - https://linktr.ee/sullybop ▶️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sullybop/recent-activity/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sullybop/ ▶️ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sullybop

July 6, 20268 min

Stop Being Nervous On Camera (for good) — 3 Simple Methods to Get Out of Your Head, Stay Natural, and Record Effortlessly

🎬 Ready to record your first video? Steal my free script and title ideas below. https://mailchi.mp/podcastprinciples.com/script Feeling nervous, awkward, or unnatural on camera is completely normal. Nobody starts out perfectly comfortable recording podcasts, YouTube videos, or social content. The goal is not to perform. It is to get out of your own head and focus on the person on the other side. In this video, I’m breaking down a few simple ways to calm your anxiety, stop worrying about how you look or sound, and make recording feel more natural. You’ll also learn how to let your guest carry more of the conversation and how to use better episode ideas so you are not stuck wondering what to say. 📌 Jump In Here: 0:00 - Why nobody feels natural on camera at first 0:52 - How anxiety gets in the way before you record 1:32 - Make the episode about the viewer or guest 3:14 - Why people are not judging you as much as you think 4:30 - Let your guest do the work 5:12 - How to stay focused during virtual recordings 6:26 - What to do when you do not know what to say 6:49 - Using Script Science for podcast and video ideas 7:46 - Your prospects are already listening to podcasts __________________________________________________ 👉 RIA Marketing Plan: https://youtu.be/SpPmemMPhmo?si=2xoFUpCtRvdzp27j 👉 Start Your Podcast Today: https://calendly.com/podcastprinciples/discover 🎤 Podcast Links - https://linktr.ee/sullybop ▶️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sullybop/recent-activity/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sullybop/ ▶️ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sullybop