Podcast Coach vs. Mentor: When to Hire Each (and Why It Matters!)

We podcasters are a visionary, optimistic and savvy bunch.

We’re always looking to grow our reach and our audiences, taking our game to the next level.

A great way to achieve that is to engage with our communities – their feedback and input can be invaluable.

Yet, sometimes we need more nuanced support to help us launch and grow our podcasts.

That's where a skilled guide can make a difference. Someone who understands the landscape and can keep you focused on what you want to achieve.

As a podcast coach and producer, I often see experts struggle when they step behind the mic. One of my clients (let's call her Sarah), an Executive Coach, was one of them.

Her first episodes sounded polished but flat. In her coaching work, long pauses and reflective questions helped clients open up. On a podcast, they stalled the conversation. She didn't need new content ideas. She needed hosting skills. That's coaching work.

We reviewed her recordings, identified the moments where the energy dropped, and ran mock interviews to practise pacing, bridge statements, and well-timed interruption. With a few sessions, Sarah shifted from being a strong private listener to an engaging conversationalist behind the mic.

Months later, after her show began attracting clients and sponsor interest, she faced a different challenge. She needed to choose a way to monetise the show without harming her coaching brand. This wasn't about performance. It was a long-term strategic decision. That's mentoring work.

I stepped away from technique and offered perspective. I shared examples from other coaches, what had worked for them, and why. With that context, Sarah chose a combination of a single high-value sponsor and a small, exclusive masterclass.

The contrast was clear. Coaching helped her improve how she hosted. Mentoring helped her decide what direction to take.

Most podcasters need both at different stages of their journey.

If you want to know how to find the right kind of expert to boost your podcast, read on...

What Is an Expert?

An expert is an expert is an expert, right?

Wrong.

There are a lot of people out there offering ‘expert’ support to podcasters. Whether they call themselves coaches, mentors, or consultants, they’re all offering positive results. But many of them don’t have either the specialist knowledge or the lived experience. In other words, they’re not experts, and the best you can expect is generic, high-level, non-specific suggestions.

Just because someone seems to know more than you doesn’t make them an expert. And it doesn’t make them the right person to guide your podcast to better things.

Choosing wisely from the different types of expertise on offer is critical to achieving the results you want. When you know which expert to choose, at the right time, you will get a better return on your investment.

There are many types of ‘experts’ out there. In the podcasting space in 2025, the biggest confusion is the difference between a coach and a mentor (they’re not interchangeable!), so let’s focus on that.

We’ll leave consultants alone for now, as their skills are widely varied and often distinct, and they tend to be more useful to bigger businesses and those that have been podcasting for some time. Who knows, maybe that’s an article for another time?

Key Differences Between a Podcast Coach & Mentor

A podcast mentor is almost certainly a podcaster (or experienced ex-podcaster). 

The answers they can offer you are based on their own lived experience. They’ve ‘been there and done that’ and now you get to benefit from the lessons they’ve already learned. 

A coach, on the other hand, has a system, a process. Instead of simply answering questions, they use their process and experience to guide you to your own answers to your specific issues; your own route to your individual goals.

Here's a breakdown:

To boil it down: 

A mentor is like a satnav. They’ll show you a direct route to where you want to go. 

A coach gives you a map, showing many possible routes, and they help you find the best one for you.

As to which is right for you – mentor or coach – that depends on your circumstances, the state of your podcast, and what specific goals you want to achieve.

Mentor or Coach: Which Is the Best Option? 

If you need answers to specific challenges, or some quick wisdom based on experience, a mentor can be a good bet. 

Mentors offer you guidance, ideas, and knowledge based on their own achievements (and failures!) If their way is your way, if their goal is your goal, they can get you there quickly and confidently.

On the other hand, if you’re heading into more ‘unknown’ territory, the coaching process can help you find your own, personalised answers. And once you’ve learned it, you can use that same model to bootstrap yourself through future challenges.

Through a process of reflection, a coach can help you go deeper – helping you define your core ‘why’, your motivations, and purpose. They can help you discover your own, unique podcast brand identity and help you decide on the next best steps to take.

And if, for some reason, you don’t achieve what you’re aiming for, a coach can help you understand why not and work through what alternative actions you can try.

A mentor will teach you how to succeed. A coach can help you consider what you’re doing and why, and then find the best route to success.

Which is best depends on what you need.

Once you know what you need, how do you find the best person to hire?

Finding the Right Podcast Mentor or Coach for You

Whoever you hire, it's always important to check their credentials, experience, and qualifications. Here’s a starting point:

• How long have they been in business? – Longer isn’t necessarily better; it’s also about what results they’ve had. Ask about both.
• How many folks have they worked with (and for how long), and what testimonials or references can they offer? – Ideally, you’d speak to a few previous clients before you work with them. However, be aware that client confidentiality may be a factor – they can only give you names of people who’ve said they’re happy to talk to you.
• What qualifies them to be an ‘expert’? – For example, do they belong to any professional bodies? For mentors, that’s probably the professional association for their discipline or field of expertise. For coaches, it might be the Association for Coaching, International Coaching Federation, or the European Mentoring and Coaching Council, for example. Most professional bodies require their members to have appropriate insurance and follow a certain code of ethics, which also adds a bit of reassurance.
• What supervision, mentoring, or coaching do they themselves receive to keep themselves sharp? – What do they do to keep their own game professional? Look out for continual (accredited) professional development and whether or not they get any supervision (i.e., by another professional). Do they have their own coach and mentor? If not, why not?

These are all good, objective criteria. But the subjective stuff is important too.

When you meet them or have your first conversation, do they feel like a good fit for you and what you want to achieve? Listen to how they talk about podcasting, their experiences, and how they’ve mentored or coached others. Ask yourself, does this sound like someone I want to work with?

Whichever you go for, imagine your final session with your ‘expert’ and ask yourself, what will I be saying that shows that our work together has been a success? This will help you keep the end in mind and get clear on what you’re aiming for, and who you might need to get there.

Podcast Coach or Podcast Mentor: The Right Choice for You

Both coaches and mentors can help you make better progress than you would on your own. A mentor shares experience you can learn from. A coach helps you explore your own thinking and move with purpose. The right choice depends on what you need at this moment in your podcasting life.

Once you know what you need, choose a person who feels like a good fit. Look at their experience, ask questions, and pay attention to how they approach the work. If it doesn't feel right, keep looking.

The right guide can sharpen your ideas, strengthen your skills, and help you reach the goals you care about most.

Rob Lawrence is a British audio producer with more than fifteen years of experience in podcasting. He has coached and mentored many new producers and creators, guiding them as they developed the skills and confidence to launch their own shows. He hosts several podcasts, including his long-running show Inspirational Creatives, which began in 2014. You can learn more at www.roblawrence.co

A big thanks to our friend Rob for putting this guest post together for us! We also run our own coaching and mentorship opportunities inside the Podcraft Academy, and would love to work with you in there!