Patreon's Stephanie Smellie on Turning Fans Into a Sustainable Business

Stephanie Smellie is Head of Business Development at Patreon. She has spent more than a decade at the intersection of entertainment, the creator economy, and emerging tech, with leadership roles at Sony, iHeartMedia, Spotify, and blockchain startup Dapper Labs before joining Patreon in 2024. At Patreon, she focuses on partnerships that expand tools and monetization opportunities for creators, with podcasts emerging as the platform’s highest‑earning content category. During our conversation, we cover why podcasters have become Patreon's highest-earning category, how to convert a free audience into paying members, and why owning your audience matters more than growing it.

You can find Stephanie on LinkedIn.

I’m on all the socials @JeffUmbro.

Looking for more actionable podcast strategies after today's episode?

Check out The Podglomerate's free resources:

The Ultimate Guide to Podcast Marketing: ⁠⁠https://podglomerate.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-podcast-marketing-in-2025/⁠⁠

How to Level Up Your Monetization Strategy: ⁠⁠https://podglomerate.com/how-to-level-up-your-podcast-monetization-strategy/⁠⁠

What is a Realistic Expectation when Monetizing Your Podcast: ⁠⁠https://podglomerate.com/realistic-podcast-monetization-expectations/⁠⁠

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