Episode 78
Building a Media Brand that Doesn't Suck with Greg Jackson
Ever wondered why most academic research never leaves the ivory tower?
Sarah Holtan, PhD brings on Greg Jackson, host of “History That Doesn’t Suck,” to pull back the curtain on how he shifted from professor to one of podcasting’s biggest history voices. Most faculty might assume a side project will never become a business. Greg’s story proves otherwise and sparks a bigger question: What if academic expertise could truly reach the world (and not just five people at a conference)?
Could your classroom skills start a media brand or even change the way people learn?
Stick around as Greg Jackson unpacks the hard lessons, boundaries, and business realities behind his top-10 podcast and what that means for higher ed’s future.
Episode Highlights:
08:08 - I feel a burden with every single one because I know how many people are going to understand American history from me. And that is, it's truly a burden. It's pressure to, not that I didn't always do rigorous research, right? But it really, I feel it in a very heavy way.
17:35 - But for me, I think the success of HTDS is because I wasn't trying to get big. I wasn't trying to start a brand. I was and still am just so excited about my field, about the story of America and the importance of Americans knowing and understanding their story and understanding civics.
21:40 - And that's all part of what gave me the confidence to initially take that very terrifying step. I remember being so excited and terrified as I saw downloads, you know, creep up to like the hundreds per day. And that same feeling came again when it started hitting thousands per day and so on and so forth.
29:03 - If it takes off and you keep that faculty member on good terms, Well, great. You've got the affiliation, and the affiliation that comes via that professor simply being an extra university. You pull that faculty member into the university infrastructure. Well, now you've just overcomplicated everything. And now if that professor says something, you're a little more liable.
Sarah Holtan, PhD
Greg Jackson
