The Podcast Pioneer: 20 Years of Lessons in Creating, Teaching and Building Tools | #114: Colin Gray

Colin Gray is a podcaster, educator and founder behind two of the most trusted names in the audio space: ThePodcastHost.com, a go-to hub for podcast education, and Alitu.com, a podcast-making app designed to simplify every step of the process. With a background in higher education and a doctorate in online learning, Colin has spent the past 15 years helping creators share their voice, through tools, guides, speaking, and hands-on support. In this episode, you’ll hear how Colin discovered podcasting nearly two decades ago, long before it became mainstream. We explore what it’s like to support thousands of podcasters through his blog, software and courses, and how he stays creative while running businesses, raising a family and showing up with consistency. It’s an honest, thoughtful conversation with someone who’s built a career around making podcasting more human. Connect with Colin: http://colingray.link/ Timestamps: 00:00 – How to capture and repurpose ideas 01:17 – Colin’s intro and career background 01:54 – Discovering podcasting in 2006–2007 02:49 – From blogging to building Alitu 04:10 – What podcasting was like in the 2000s 05:35 – How podcasting has evolved (and will) 06:00 – Why AI won’t replace podcasting 07:36 – The power of human connection in audio 10:07 – How to repurpose podcasts for LinkedIn 11:17 – Using AI as a creative assistant 12:19 – Colin’s favourite podcasting and video tools 14:16 – Why he prefers manual clips over auto-tools 15:42 – What’s next for Alitu (AI features coming) 16:46 – Why most auto-clipping tools fail 18:43 – The surprising story behind the name “Alitu” 19:42 – Alitu’s robot logo and podcast assistant role 22:17 – Childhood dream: Becoming an astronaut 24:07 – How audience feedback shaped Alitu 25:01 – Using email lists to find content ideas 30:00 – A typical day in Colin’s life 33:09 – Why newsletters still matter 34:47 – Why LinkedIn is Colin’s top social platform 36:03 – How LinkedIn helps creators build brands 38:38 – Colin’s favourite podcasts to listen to 40:13 – What he loves most about podcasting 41:38 – Turning spontaneous ideas into frameworks 43:45 – Using AI to identify unique content angles 44:47 – The part of podcasting Colin dislikes most 47:18 – The “live recording” mindset for new podcasters 51:03 – Colin’s hobbies and life in the Scottish Highlands 52:35 – Book and board game recommendations 54:28 – Where to find Colin and Alitu 55:15 – Colin’s final advice: Keep it simple Connect with Tommen: X: https://x.com/TomasLoucky⁠⁠⁠ Stan: https://stan.store/Tommen LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomasloucky/⁠⁠ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisistommen/⁠⁠ More: FenPost: https://fenpost.com/ Links: https://linktr.ee/produced_by⁠⁠⁠ Newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://producednewsletter.substack.com/⁠ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ProducedByPodcast⁠⁠⁠/ Podcasting tools I recommend: JamX: https://jamx.ai/podcasters-offer?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=e02d48af-ef66-4e76-b804-c2e8d282a8bf Riverside: ⁠https://riverside.fm/?utm_campaign=campaign_2&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=rewardful&via=tomas-loucky Adobe Podcast: https://adobe.prf.hn/click/camref:1101l584tU/creativeref:1011l150787 FenPost: https://fenpost.com/?via=tomas Metricool: https://f.mtr.cool/HRJBZK Some links are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. If you find these tools helpful, using these links supports the show. Thank you!