Hello Audio

Hello Audio is a software-as-a-service private podcasting platform that converts content creators' existing material — course video lessons, coaching call replays, trainings, event and summit recordings, lead magnets, newsletters and PDFs — into private podcast feeds. Listeners subscribe with a unique link and play the content in whatever podcast app they already use, without a proprietary app, logins or manual MP3 downloads. Private feeds are hidden from public podcast directories and accessible only to those holding their unique link; the platform can also host public podcasts.

The product includes automatic video-to-audio conversion (mp3, m4a, mp4, m4v, mov, avi, wav) with bulk upload, an "Audio Inbox" that receives recordings automatically, listener signup pages, listener management and tagging, one-click listener access, analytics including a "Super Listener Score", an embeddable player, transcripts, and audio remastering powered by Dolby.io. Feed types include instant-release, date-based, dripped and expiring feeds. What the company calls "Listener Relationship Management" covers personalized feeds keyed to listener behavior and contact details, dynamic pre- and post-roll content, and automated actions triggered by events such as feed activation or listening to a specific episode. Integrations include Zapier steps and triggers, Stripe Connect and direct integrations with email services, CRMs and course platforms; the company states the platform is independent of any particular course platform (e.g. Kajabi, MemberVault, Thinkific).

Support and education resources include a knowledge base covering getting started, feed setup, distribution, listener management, analytics, integrations and an AI feature, chat support, an affiliate program, a Facebook community group, a "Hello Audio 101" onboarding private podcast, and a monthly call held on the second Wednesday of each month covering product updates and private podcast strategy.

Founding story

Founder Lindsay Padilla developed the idea after years working in education and the online course space, focused on why students fail to finish courses; she concluded the delivery medium was a key cause. After taking an audio-delivered course and seeing members of a membership community ask for content in podcast form, she identified the absence of a SaaS product serving that need. She pitched the concept to her husband, who researched it and agreed to build it. Before the product existed, the pair raised $30,000 by selling lifetime memberships via Facebook and used the proceeds to begin development. An early partnership with another podcasting-industry founder produced a beta version, but the partner departed and took the code, forcing a restart; the founders then raised a further $100,000 using the same pre-sale approach. The product was subsequently rebuilt, with roughly 250 lifetime users serving as beta testers, and monthly subscriptions opened in November 2020.

Business model

Self-serve SaaS subscription. Paid tiers are offered monthly or annually (annual billing discounted 20%): Starter at $17/month or $14/month billed annually (1 private feed, 1 public feed), Pro at $47/month or $39/month billed annually (3 private feeds), and Powerhouse at $97/month or $81/month billed annually (unlimited private feeds, 2 public feeds, dynamic content, automated actions, custom branding colors, Zapier triggers). All plans include unlimited episodes and listeners. A Hello Audio AI add-on costs $5 per month with 200 minutes allotted monthly, and additional Dolby.io audio remastering credits are sold à la carte in bundles of 5 for $15. Entry is through a 7-day free trial with no credit card required that includes Powerhouse features, with a 30-day refund policy and no long-term contracts.

Recurring monthly and annual subscription fees per plan tier, plus paid add-ons (AI assistant subscription and à la carte audio remastering credit bundles).

Traction

The company states that over 70% of new users launch their first audio feed in less than 24 hours and that most creators see 3-4x higher completion rates versus video-only content. In an interview, the founder said the product was built from scratch in the preceding summer with about 250 lifetime-deal users acting as beta testers, that monthly subscriptions opened in November 2020, that the business was growing 20% month over month, and that it had reached roughly $7,000 in monthly recurring revenue, described as just under $100,000 ARR at that time. Published customer outcomes include a 90% completion rate on a three-week bootcamp (Jade Jemma) and a 400% increase in student success rates (Jaclyn Mellone).