The Shift: Startup offers studio time for video podcasts

The big picture: Podcast listenership continues to trend up at a modest pace, according to a recent report from Edison Research.

How it works: Anyone with a podcast idea can book recording time, starting around $80. A package with audio and video recording, editing, custom intros and a social-media teaser is just over $300, but that's with an annual membership.

• The space includes five studios with different configurations — pre-lit and with screens for presentations or branding.
• The company can place the final product on Apple, Google, YouTube or other platforms and help creators with search engine optimization, which could lead to sponsorships, Howerton told Worth.

The target turn time from production to final product is 48 hours, he said.

Fun fact: The studio's not just for business. A mom booked a post-spring break session with herself and the kids so they could recap a week of unique adventures together — a sort of new-age home movie.

Context: Howerton is a serial entrepreneur. He launched "Get Out" magazine focused on outdoor content in the early 2000s, and a creative/design agency WhyteSpyder in 2010.

• He's still the chief growth officer with WhyteSpyder, which evolved into a technology and e-commerce company and sold in 2021. It's now owned by Flywheel Digital.

The bottom line: The company is bootstrapped by Howerton and he's not looking for investment just yet.

• He plans to scale the studio concept into larger metro markets — think Tulsa, Little Rock and beyond — soon, he told Worth.

📺 The Shift is a regular feature to catch up quick on what's happening in Arkansas' economy and entrepreneurial ecosystem.