🚀 How a Kids' Podcast Sparked a Media Empire

Presented by Cozy Critters

👇 Gesture Toward the Solution

A podcast doesn’t need to solve everything. It just needs to point somewhere real. Somewhere worth going. Your job isn’t to bulldoze every question into an answer. It’s to make space. To offer a gesture, a direction, a spark.

Next time you write, edit, or record, resist the urge to wrap everything up with a neat bow. Instead, leave a door open. Gesture toward the solution—and let your listeners walk through it themselves.

🎙️ Signal Flow: Mindy Thomas

Industry game changers and valiant minds share their wisdom, adversities, and paths to innovation.

Mindy Thomas is the Chief Creative Tinkerer and Co-Founder of Tinkercast. With her co-host Guy Raz, she captivates young audiences with the award-winning, Wow in the World and Two What’s and a Wow podcasts. In addition to the podcasts, Mindy is the co-author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Wow in the World book series. She is also the Gracie Award-winning host of the Absolutely Mindy Show on SiriusXM’s Kids Place Live, where she has spent the last two decades entertaining kids and families across North America every weekday morning. Mindy's boundless creativity, coupled with her commitment to inspiring curiosity, continues to make her a beloved figure in the realm of children's entertainment.

I don't fit everything into a day. I have a long to-do list, and I never get it all done. I'm constantly stressed about it, but it's a good kind of stress because I love what I do.

Tinkercast grew out of a simple idea: create a kids’ media company built around curiosity and humor. It all started from a science news segment I did with Guy Raz on my SiriusXM show. We realized the stories that resonated most were about new discoveries and problem-solving—hopeful stories—and that became the seed for Wow in the World.

My radio show is 100% improvisation. I’m talking to real kids every morning. That keeps me sharp and grounded. The podcast is different. It’s scripted, polished. I love both. The radio keeps me connected to the audience; the podcast lets me craft something lasting.

I didn’t know I was a writer until I started Tinkercast. Years of improvisation had been training me to write without realizing it. Now, putting it on paper is just another way to keep playing.

Kids are naturally absurd and hilarious. They inspire our tone. We take risks with our comedy because kids get it. Like the kid who called in to tell us about mushrooms growing out of their kitchen floor. We couldn’t have written anything better.

When we create, we aim for shared experiences between kids and parents. 92% of our listeners listen together as a family. That's unheard of in kids’ media. It’s a huge part of how we write and produce.

One of the biggest challenges? The kids’ podcast industry is still small. We need more competition. More amazing shows. I want a world where kids’ and family content is taken as seriously as any other content.

Merchandising came later. We started with simple t-shirts and water bottles. Now we have a full toy line with Wondery, Thames & Kosmos, and Galactic Goliath Games. But we always stayed focused on the content first—the toys came from that, not the other way around.

When it comes to advertising, we’re really careful. Kids can tell when they're being sold to. Our ads are aimed at parents, and we separate the show and the ads clearly. It’s about maintaining trust.

The COPPA law doesn’t ban ads, it restricts collecting kids’ information. There's a lot of confusion about that. We respect the boundaries and still make sure our business model is sustainable.

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Used by Pediatric Sleep Consultants!

Sleep isn’t just a bedtime goal—it’s foundational to a child’s wellbeing. Research shows that quality sleep supports stronger memory, better emotional regulation, improved learning, and overall physical health.

Cozy Critters is proud to help kids around the world get the rest they need, especially those managing pain, neurodivergence, or nighttime anxiety.

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We never set out with a huge master plan. We just focused on making Wow in the World great. Over time, the books, the toys, the live shows, the travel programs…all those things grew out of the podcast.

To stay connected with our listeners, we invite kids to call in with their 'wows'—something they learned or experienced that amazed them. Hearing their voices reminds us why we do this.

Kids can sniff out pandering a mile away. We always create from the kid inside us, not from some adult idea of what kids should like. That’s the difference between a good kids’ podcast and a great one.

My first metric of success: Could I pay my bills? Now, it’s: Are we still having fun? Are we still challenging ourselves? Are we still connected to the audience? Those are the measures that matter.

Want to start a kids’ podcast? Just do it. You don’t need fancy gear. Start with passion. Start scrappy. But be realistic—it takes time to build something sustainable. Don’t expect it to pay your bills overnight.

Podcasting is the nucleus. It’s the center of everything we do—books, toys, memberships, live shows. The podcast fuels it all. That's the strategy: create great content first, then build from there.

🎙️ Podcast of the Week: How Did This Get Made?

If you've ever watched a truly terrible movie and thought, “How did this even happen?”, this is the podcast for you. In How Did This Get Made?, Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, and Jason Mantzoukas hilariously pick apart some of the best worst films ever made. It’s chaotic, brilliant, and weirdly cathartic—perfect for anyone who loves a good cinematic trainwreck.

🥾 How to Create an Ear-Grabbing Podcast Intro

First impressions matter. Captivate.fm provides a comprehensive guide on crafting compelling podcast intros and outros that hook listeners from the start and leave a lasting impression.

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