Bob Knorpp: What 17 Years of Podcasting Teaches You

In this episode of The Unfolding Thought Podcast, Eric Pratum speaks with Bob Knorpp, consultant, speaker, and longtime host of The Beancast, one of the earliest and longest-running marketing podcasts. Bob brings a sharp perspective on how podcasting, advertising, and marketing have evolved over the last two decades—and what hasn’t changed.

Bob shares his journey from agency life to running a consultancy and hosting a podcast that has endured since 2008. He explains why format and consistency matter more than chasing trends, why authenticity always beats adtech gimmicks, and why we should think differently about metrics—shifting from scale to influence, from quick wins to long-term impact.

We also explore mental models behind podcasting and marketing: why executives misunderstand podcasts as a “numbers game,” how creators can navigate between art and business, and what it really means to build an audience today.

Topics Explored:

• Bob’s journey from agency CEO to podcast host and consultant
• Why The Beancast has endured with minimal format changes since 2008
• The tension between scale, influence, and long-term success in podcasting
• Why authentic host-read ads outperform pixel-driven dynamic ads
• The trap of executives demanding short-term ROI from long-form mediums
• How audience commitment differs between podcasts and social media
• Mental models: how marketers and business leaders frame (and often misframe) the value of podcasts

Links:

• Visit Bob’s website: https://www.thebeancast.com
• Connect with Bob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/knorpp/