Batavia business turns would-be podcasters' visions into reality

For anyone looking to start a new podcast, a Batavia business may be able to help get ideas off the ground and onto a national platform.

Batavia resident Richard Clark recently founded Area Code Audio, which helps aspiring podcasters craft their product and bring it to market.

Clark said his business can help anyone interested in making a podcast, from concept to execution, but his true goal is to help creators connect more deeply with the audiences they want to reach.

Podcasts are audio programs similar in form to radio broadcasts, but distributed to listeners in episodes which can be streamed or downloaded listened to at any time.

They can be accessed through several platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Spotify, Audible and YouTube.

Whether it's a national brand or an individual with just an idea, Area Code Audio provides clients with creative consulting, conceptual planning, production, sound engineering, editing, outreach marketing and any other assistance to bring their vision to publication, regardless of what stage it is in, Clark said.

Clark helped to launch over 20 podcasts at Area Code Network, which broke off from its parent company, Useful Group, on Aug. 1. He has been in the podcast business for almost a decade.

"I've always been an early adopter," Clark said. "I really enjoy exploring different mediums, and can get pretty excited about the potential in new mediums, so podcasting is one that just stuck."

While Clark is all about podcasts these days, he originally wanted to become a minister.

While in seminary school, Clark, an Alabama native, started his first podcast, Christ And Pop Culture, which turned into an online magazine.

After graduating from seminary, Clark said he took an editor position at Christianity Today magazine in Carol Stream, which was where his career in podcasting took off.

At Christianity Today, Clark worked with companies to create branded podcasts. He took a similar position at Useful Group in 2020, where he headed up the podcasting department. His work at Useful Group eventually led to the creation of Area Code Network, which consisted mainly of Christian podcasts, and ultimately to his new solo venture, Area Code Audio.

Now, Clark works mainly from his home studio in Batavia.

"What we're really focused on is creating something that is going to let them be themselves," he said. "What we're not trying to do is shoehorn people into our idea of what a good podcast is."

Clark's wife, Jennifer, is a social media manager, who helps him with marketing and advertising, but otherwise he runs the business on his own. Working with local clients in Batavia and around Kane County is a major goal for the new business, he said.

"We love Batavia, and we love the people here," Clark said. "The more involved I get in the community, the more I just really want to work for and with these people."

Clark said there are two main types of clients his business can help: those who are looking to start a new podcast but don't know how; and those who are already making a podcast but are looking for a way to make a deeper connection with their audience.

John Houghton is one of those podcasters that Clark helped.

Houghton created Holy Post Podcast, which is based in Wheaton, with the help of Area Code Network.

"Working with him was so encouraging because he didn't make me feel stupid," Houghton said. "He was so generous with literally educating me about the industry I was stepping into, which was more than he needed to do. There is a certain amount of specific industry expertise that is needed, but if you work with Area Code, you don't actually have to have that."