Why "Turn Lemons Into Lemonade" Found Its Voice Through Podcasting

We’re often asked by our listeners: Why did you choose to use a podcast to launch the "Turn Lemons Into Lemonade" brand?

In this article, I’d like to take a moment to explain our reasoning—both strategic and personal.

1. The Nature of Our Content:

"Turn Lemons Into Lemonade" focuses on business analysis, brand case studies, and social and market trends. These topics tend to be complex, layered, and rich in detail. They need time, context, and storytelling to be fully understood. Podcasting, as an audio-only medium, is especially well-suited to this kind of deep dive.

Unlike short videos that prioritize speed and visual impact, podcasts allow us to build narratives gradually. This helps listeners follow the whole spectrum of a business story or trend and truly grasp what’s at stake.

Poy and I make a point to use approachable language to make business ideas easier to understand. Podcasts let us share thoughtful, high-density content at a steady, digestible pace, which is exactly what’s needed for the kind of in-depth, coherent storytelling that our topics require.

2. Listener Behavior Matches Our Target Audience

Podcast listening habits align closely with the type of people we want to reach. Many of our listeners tune in during commutes or while doing everyday tasks. One listener once told us, “I listen to your podcast on my way to work, and again when I’m cooking dinner.” We’ve heard similar stories from others.

The beauty of audio is that it frees up your hands and eyes. People can absorb meaningful content while driving or walking. Unlike reading or watching videos, which demand undivided attention, podcasts fit seamlessly into the busy lives of working professionals.

Even more importantly, studies show that about 70% of podcast listeners are fully engaged while listening. That means even during passive moments, they’re deeply focused on the content. For our audience, including professionals and entrepreneurs who are eager to learn, this flexibility and depth of attention are a perfect match.

3. Podcasts as a Branding and Relationship-Building Tool

Podcasting also supports our long-term branding goals. It allows us to build both credibility and connection.

Poy and I both have extensive backgrounds in brand strategy and marketing, and podcasting gives us a platform to share insights consistently over time. Through our voices and conversations, we’re able to build trust and establish ourselves as subject experts, what some might call a “personal brand.”

Voice, more than text or even video, creates a sense of intimacy and authenticity. Marketing experts often point out that podcasts foster a feeling of companionship, especially over longer episodes. Only a few media allow you to hold someone’s attention for 30 to 60 minutes, week after week. That consistency helps strengthen relationships and deepen trust.

Over time, many of our listeners come to see us less as content creators and more like friends. They trust our perspectives, value our analysis, and look forward to spending time with us.

Additionally, the podcast format lends itself perfectly to knowledge-sharing. Each episode is like a mini business class - deep, structured, but conversational. We often hear feedback from listeners who say the show not only helps them stay informed, but also sharpens their own thinking. That’s exactly the kind of long-term, value-driven relationship we hope to build.

4. Why Podcasting Works Better Than Other Formats

Compared to video or written articles, podcasting is a more natural fit for the tone and pace of our show.

Take short videos, for example: they’re fast, visually stimulating, and great for grabbing attention. But they often lack depth. Complex business ideas can’t be fully explained in 30-second clips. Podcasting, on the other hand, doesn’t rely on flashy visuals. It relies on substance. We can spend 40 minutes thoughtfully unpacking one topic, which fits the nature of our content perfectly.

Audio also offers freedom. You don’t have to stare at a screen. You can listen while on the go, while doing chores, or even while relaxing. That creates a more relaxed, immersive listening environment - ideal for our thoughtful, slower-paced discussions.

As for articles, while writing can also be detailed, it lacks the emotional texture of voice. Our show uses humor, personality, and spontaneous dialogue - elements that don’t always come across on the page. In a podcast, tone, pauses, and even laughter convey energy and warmth, helping listeners connect with us on a human level.

Podcast production is also far more efficient than video. Poy and I live in different cities, but we can record remotely and publish new episodes every two weeks. If we were filming video content, the editing, filming, and visual presentation would slow us down and shift focus away from the ideas themselves. Podcasting lets us stay nimble while keeping the content front and center.

5. The Growth of Chinese Podcasting

The rapid growth of Chinese-language podcasts also helped shape our decision.

In recent years, the Chinese podcast ecosystem has been booming. As of 2023, there were over 220 million podcast listeners in China, and the number of shows has increased more than sixfold in just three years. What was once a niche medium is now gaining mainstream traction, especially among younger, urban audiences.

"Turn Lemons Into Lemonade" launched in early 2022, right at the start of this new wave. Platforms like Xiaoyuzhou made podcasting accessible and popular in China. We took advantage of this momentum by publishing across all major platforms - Xiaoyuzhou, Ximalaya, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more - allowing us to reach a diverse and growing audience.

Our unique angle (Chinese-language business analysis from a North American perspective) filled a niche that wasn’t being addressed at the time. As a result, the show quickly gained traction and today ranks in the top 5% of all podcasts globally on Listen Notes.

Of course, podcasting also comes with challenges. Monetization is slower, and the total audience size is still smaller than video. But we see these not as roadblocks, but as part of our long-game strategy.

Over 60% of podcast listeners fall between the ages of 24 and 40, exactly the demographic we aim to serve. And while short-form video dominates in terms of traffic, we intentionally chose not to chase viral fame. Instead, we committed to depth, consistency, and meaningful engagement. Podcasts reward that kind of approach.

It’s also worth noting: podcast listeners tend to be more loyal. Once they discover a show they like, they stick with it, and often recommend it to others. We’ve leaned into this strength by building listener communities on WeChat and LinkedIn to deepen connection and loyalty.

6. Our “Why”: Rediscovering Our Creative Freedom

Beyond all the market logic, platform benefits, and strategic alignment, there’s something more personal that guided our decision: a return to our creative roots.

Before launching this podcast, I helped build a large community for Chinese women. Although I eventually stepped away, I’ve never forgotten the part of that work I loved most - helping Chinese female entrepreneurs grow. That passion still drives me, and "Turn Lemons Into Lemonade" is a continuation of that mission.

Another reason podcasting appealed to me is that I’d been burned by chasing data.

Years ago, I ran a WeChat blog account. It started as something I loved, but as it grew, I found myself increasingly obsessed with data: follower counts, pageviews, likes. I became anxious, constantly checking performance, and eventually lost sight of why I started in the first place. I began writing to please algorithms, not myself.

So this time, I deliberately chose a medium that doesn’t show you the numbers.

Except for Xiaoyuzhou, platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon don’t display download counts. That might sound counterintuitive, especially in an era obsessed with metrics and reach. But for me, that invisibility was freeing.

It let me focus again on the content, not the performance. I didn’t have to worry about optimizing for clicks. I could say what I really wanted to say. That creative freedom brought peace, clarity, and a renewed sense of purpose.

Podcasting helped me return to my roots.

And voice became the bridge between our stories and the world.

7. Final Thoughts

Looking back, choosing podcasting as the medium for Turn Lemons Into Lemonade was absolutely the right decision.

It aligned with market trends, leveraged the strengths of audio - depth, intimacy, loyalty - and matched both our content style and our audience’s habits. Most importantly, it gave us the space to reconnect with our roots and mission, stay true to our voices, and grow something meaningful, one episode at a time.