When Jeff Akin launched the Starfleet Leadership Academy, his goal was simple but ambitious: use Star Trek to teach leadership. In each episode, Jeff dissects the decisions, behaviors, and dynamics within an episode of Star Trek, pulling out lessons applicable to real-world management and leadership challenges.
But while his podcast content was hitting its mark, the website behind it wasn’t.
The limits of a general-purpose website builder
Jeff initially built his website on Wix. While it offered templates and drag-and-drop tools, it wasn’t built for podcasters—and that quickly became a problem.
“My previous Wix website solution was very manual. I needed to add episodes myself if I wanted them to have the user experience I want for my listeners,” Jeff says.
Even basic updates like posting new episodes or sharing blog content became time-consuming. And more advanced features—such as mailing list integration, SEO tools, and listener communication—were too complex to configure without professional help.
“Despite having a WYSIWYG interface, I wouldn’t have been able to create my desired experience without some experience and knowledge in coding.”
Maintaining the site meant either investing his own time to learn the tools or paying someone else to handle technical upkeep.
Switching to Podpage: purpose-built for podcasters
In April 2021, Jeff migrated the Starfleet Leadership Academy site to Podpage. The difference was immediate.
“In less than 30 minutes, I had my Podpage page up and running,” Jeff says. “It interfaces seamlessly with my podcast host and integrates the additional information I want for my user experience without my intervention.”
Instead of spending hours uploading and formatting content, Podpage handled it automatically. New podcast episodes were added as they published, complete with show notes, audio players, and links.
“If I only used Podpage for podcast episodes, I could set it up and almost never have to use it again.”
But Jeff also wanted to share written content—leadership insights and commentary not covered in the podcast. With Podpage’s built-in blogging tools, he was able to do that easily.
Email growth, monetization, and listener value
With the basics handled, Jeff started using Podpage’s built-in tools to deepen listener engagement. Features like SEO optimization, email signup forms, and integrated monetization took just minutes to set up.
“Most recently I added a fillable PDF download for people who subscribe to my mailing list, and I was able to set that up in Podpage very quickly.”
That single addition helped turn casual listeners into subscribers, boosting newsletter signups and creating a clear incentive for engagement.
“My mailing list has grown by over 300% since moving to Podpage.”
It wasn’t just about growth—it was about sustainability. Jeff didn’t have to choose between a high-quality site and his limited time.
“My workflow and manual time spent managing my website has decreased dramatically.”
A better experience for both creator and audience
Before Podpage, Jeff’s time was split between content creation and technical management. Now, he spends that time on strategy, content, and audience connection.
“Often, when moving to an easier experience it is expected you will sacrifice an aspect of the solution. That simply isn’t the case,” Jeff says. “While my touch-time has fallen, my listeners enjoy an improved user experience as well. The best of both worlds!”
About the podcast
The Starfleet Leadership Academy is a leadership development podcast told through the lens of Star Trek. Starting in May 2020, Jeff Akin watches an episode of Star Trek, extracts leadership and management lessons from the episode, and shares them in an entertaining and relatable manner.
