When Matt Brown first hit record on a small podcast in Johannesburg nearly a decade ago, he had no idea that his conversations would one day reach millions around the world. What started as an experiment has grown into The Matt Brown Show, a globally ranked business podcast with an audience spanning more than 100 countries.

The rise of the show reflects a wider shift in how entrepreneurs, executives, and everyday audiences consume business storytelling. Where once traditional trade publications dominated, today digital-first platforms are shaping the narrative of entrepreneurship, leadership, and innovation.

From Local Beginnings to Global Reach

Launched in 2015, The Matt Brown Show was born out of a simple idea: capture real conversations with the people building the businesses that shape our world. In those early days, the guest list was local — founders, technologists, and entrepreneurs from Brown’s home country, South Africa.

But the premise resonated. Soon, the show was attracting international guests and global listeners. By the time Brown relocated to the United States, the platform had already cemented its reputation as a trusted stage for candid business insights.

Since then, the growth has been exponential. Today, the show has hosted more than 1,000 interviews with industry leaders, from New York Times bestselling authors to Navy SEALs, Olympians, billionaires, and the CEOs of some of the world’s most valuable companies.

The audience has scaled alongside the guest list. The show now reaches listeners in 112 countries and has generated more than three million downloads to date.

A Platform for Leaders and Learners

What sets The Matt Brown Show apart is not just the scale but the tone. Brown’s approach is less about rehearsed talking points and more about authentic conversation.

Guests are encouraged to share not only their wins but also their struggles, a philosophy captured in the show’s popular “Secrets of Fail” series, which explores the hidden setbacks behind successful companies.

This authenticity resonates with audiences hungry for more than just highlight reels. For entrepreneurs navigating their own challenges, hearing how others have overcome adversity is often more valuable than a polished success story.

“Too often, we see only the final scene of someone’s success,” Brown has said. “The setbacks, the doubts, the tough calls — those are the parts of the story that people can truly learn from.”

From Podcast to Global Platform

What began as an audio series has evolved into a broader media platform. Every interview is turned into an arsenal of evergreen content — articles, clips, social features, and PR placements that extend the reach of each story far beyond the initial recording.

That cross-platform distribution has amplified its influence. A single series can generate thousands of hours of watch time, equivalent to months of C-suite attention across multiple markets. By blending podcasting with digital media, The Matt Brown Show has become more than a show, it is a content engine that compounds over time.

The Broader Impact

For listeners, the show provides insight and inspiration. For guests, it offers a stage to reach a global audience of entrepreneurs, investors, and decision-makers. And for the business media landscape, it underscores the changing ways authority and influence are built in the digital era.

In a world where trust is currency, The Matt Brown Show has become a trusted conduit. Its mix of accessibility, credibility, and reach illustrates how media entrepreneurship can rival — and often outpace — traditional channels in shaping business narratives.

Looking Ahead

Brown’s journey from a small studio in Johannesburg to one of the world’s most downloaded business podcasts is emblematic of what’s possible in the age of democratized media. With over 1,000 interviews in the archive and millions of downloads logged, the show is not slowing down.

The next chapter will see the platform continue to evolve as a media partner for events, brands, and leaders seeking to connect with audiences in more authentic ways. But at its core, the formula remains the same: conversations that inform, inspire, and build trust.

For Matt Brown, the mission has always been simple: “to make business stories impossible to ignore.” Judging by the global rise of The Matt Brown Show, it is a mission well underway.