Rebel in the Space: A Hero’s Journey in Podcasting with Corner Alliance

When we first hopped onto a call with Alan Pentz, we knew within a very short space of time, that we were onto something. Alan was funny and irreverent, while being super switched on and speaking with authority on the Entrepreneur space, management, American dynamism, and beyond. He spoke of personal brand growth and of becoming a thought leader - all of which we knew, we’d nail at a record pace.

You can build a podcast through great content, fantastic engagement, and amazing guests - what is trickier is developing the host into a top-tier level host. Thankfully, we knew through Alan’s different way of thinking and his outlook on big systems - being a rebel and trying to stand out from the establishment, that we’d achieve this and more.

When we’re launching a podcast, we want to unpack the ‘edge’ - something that drives discussion and makes it not only stand out but leads to people recommending it to other people based on one unique thing. In our podcast's maiden journey with Alan, we knew through delving into the busy world of AI, we had an opportunity to deliver unparalleled insights that would help us stand out from the crowd.

Alan’s vision was to add content by combining elements of popular AI topics with his own unique perspective and incorporate aspects of working within Government organisations.

This would be achieved by specifically taking new and developing AI stories, combining them with government oversight, collaboration, and regulation topics, and processing them through Alan’s unique lens, keeping him as the dual focus of the podcast along with unique AI and government topics.

AI, Government, and the Future

Daily chart positions, 20 September 2023

Every one of these was a new entry on the day

Country	Tech News	News
Nigeria	#15	#163
United Kingdom	#19	-
United States	#29	-

Source: Podstatus podcast chart tracking

The Launch

The launch was a hit, with significant highlights:

• Approximately 1.7K downloads in January 2024, the show's best month
• Impressive initial rankings within the "Tech News" category (29th in the US and 19th in the UK)

We meticulously curated guest lists, gradually escalating the profile of interviewees. This strategy culminated in featuring significant figures from the Department of Defense, aligning perfectly with Corner Alliance's business focus.

The goal was to spotlight Corner Alliance's and Alan's work with the US government in AI regulation, enhancing visibility and credibility. This podcast achieved that by interviewing key figures in government AI, drawing attention to Corner Alliance's impactful federal programs in areas like cybersecurity and public safety.

Since its inception, ‘AI, Government, and the Future’ has achieved more than 18K downloads (including YouTube views).

The New Venture

After the successful launch of ‘AI, Government, and the Future’ we had a sneaking suspicion, that Alan wouldn’t be content with dominating in the AI podcast space alone.

We had a new venture up our sleeves: ‘The Small Business Mentor Podcast’, where we chart the course through the formidable "Black Holes" of business - those revenue milestones that often ensnare ambitious entrepreneurs.

This podcast would help demystify the leaps from $1M to $30M in revenue with insights from those who’ve navigated these treacherous waters. Designed for business leaders aiming to break past ‘ceilings’ or professionalize their growing venture.

This podcast diverged from Alan's business focus, aiming instead to cement his reputation as a mentor in the small business community. Built around his active Twitter presence, it seeks to establish a network of like-minded entrepreneurs.

The first show's download figures (1.7K downloads in January 2024) and its high-profile initial guests were notable achievements. Tailoring a new model around Alan's Twitter interactions, we ensured guest warmth and readiness. Leveraging his existing connections, we launched with notable figures, setting a strong foundation for the podcast's success.

‘The Small Business Mentor Podcast’ had an outstanding launch, recording 1.5K downloads in its debut month, despite a mid-month start. This launch has been one of our most successful to date. Who knows what the future holds for Alan Pentz in podcasting?