Co-Hosting Agreements
Imagine Atlas, supporting the weight of the earth. This feeling is all too familiar when working with people who don’t fulfill their responsibilities.
When I hear from podcasters who are having difficulties with their co-host situations, my first question is always, "Did you have a written agreement?"
The answer is often no.
As the one running your podcast, it's crucial to communicate expectations with those whom you work with and establish a plan for decision-making and potential problems.
What I recommend you include in co-host and partnership agreements:
Clarification of terms: A written understanding of each partner's responsibilities and rights.
Legal protection: Safeguarding everyone in the event of disagreements or litigation.
Decision-making and control: Outlining processes and determining who has the authority to make decisions.
Additionally, financial arrangements and contingencies for when things go wrong should be addressed. While it might be uncomfortable to tackle these issues now, it's easier to handle them before disputes arise and emotions escalate.
The big idea here is that you need to get clear on what you want and make it so everybody is clear on what the deal is. Having something in writing is the only way to do this, since memories fade and people hear what they want to hear in conversations, not because they’re not listening, but because every person in any agreement has certain things they’re focused on and, because of this, often ignore other parts.