Please, introduce yourself and your business. (Tell us about your business)
Hi, I’m Pol Rodríguez Rius, a 43-year-old entrepreneur from Barcelona. Since 2010, I’ve been creating and growing digital businesses. I have a passion for learning by doing and particularly enjoy subscription-based models. I’m also a huge fan of podcasts and audio content.
Mumbler.io is a platform designed to help podcasters and content creators monetize their audio content.
It provides hosting, distributing and monetizing tools that allow creators to set up subscription models, manage their audience, and grow their revenue streams. Mumbler focuses on creating a sustainable income for podcasters by offering a user-friendly interface and robust features tailored to the needs of audio content producers.
How did you start your business?
Together with my partner José Carlos Cortizo, we launched Mumbler in 2021 when we noticed that early audio content creators were searching for effective ways to monetize their work.
Niche podcasts, often with small but highly qualified audiences, generally do not find advertising to be a reliable source of income.
Instead, other monetization methods like subscriptions and donations can be much more beneficial for these creators. Mumbler was created to streamline this process and make these options as accessible as possible.
We began by developing a fully bootstrapped MVP, funding the project ourselves until May 2023, when we successfully closed a crowd equity round valued at €155K.
How much revenue was your best year?
Our best year was 2023, with €34K in revenue. We are still working to reach the break-even point.
Additionally, we are proud to say that we are growing at a rate of over 100% year after year. This growth rate underscores the effectiveness of our platform and the increasing demand for monetization tools among audio content creators.
As we continue to innovate and improve our services, we are confident that we will not only reach our break-even point but also achieve significant profitability in the near future.
Our focus remains on supporting our creators, expanding our user base, and enhancing the overall user experience. By doing so, we aim to solidify Mumbler's position as a leading platform for audio content monetization.
When did you notice traction when building your business? The “Oh S**t!” moment, what did that feel like?
It’s not so much about traction as it is about real results with specific creators. We have creators who are earning more than €2,000 per month on Mumbler, and this fills us with pride.
These results demonstrate that our platform can truly be a valuable tool for many audio creators worldwide.
Seeing creators achieve such success confirms that our approach is working. It shows that by providing effective monetization options like subscriptions and donations, we are enabling creators to thrive financially.
This success is not just a milestone for Mumbler, but also a testament to the potential for niche content creators to build sustainable and profitable ventures.
These achievements inspire us to continue improving our platform and supporting even more creators in their journeys.
We believe that with the right tools and opportunities, audio content creators can reach their full potential, and we are committed to being a part of that growth.
What was your childhood like? Were you slinging candy on the playground?
I grew up in a middle-class family in a town called Molins de Rei, very close to Barcelona. My father is an architect and my mother is a teacher. I had a happy childhood living in a village house, and later I began my scientific studies in Barcelona.
After a few years, I realized that a scientific career didn't fulfill me, so I decided to venture into entrepreneurship on the Internet.
What has been your best marketing marketing channel?
My best marketing channel has undoubtedly been podcasting. It has allowed me to reach a high-quality audience and, most importantly, build numerous relationships with podcasters who are now investors, clients, and collaborators of Mumbler.io.
Podcasting has been instrumental in our growth, providing a platform to connect with like-minded individuals and create a strong network within the industry.
These connections have not only supported our business but also fostered a community that continually contributes to our success.
How many attempts at building something did you make before you found what you’re working on now? Did you always have an entrepreneurial drive?
I didn't always have a passion for entrepreneurship. In fact, physical businesses never really interested me. It wasn't until I discovered that you could start businesses online that I began my entrepreneurial journey.
I've launched numerous projects—some that didn't work out, others that had limited success, and a few that have been quite successful.
It's all about experimenting and iterating until you find viable business models. The process involves learning from failures and continuously adapting your approach to discover what works best.
What is your biggest overhead expense?
Our biggest overhead expense is technology development and maintenance. Ensuring our platform runs smoothly and offers the best user experience requires significant investment in IT and development resources.
What’s the most important skill you’ve learned?
The most important skill I’ve learned is adaptability. The ability to pivot and adjust strategies based on market feedback and changing conditions has been crucial to our success.
For instance, when we noticed certain features were not resonating with users, we quickly gathered feedback, analyzed the issues, and implemented necessary changes. This adaptability has allowed us to stay relevant and continuously improve our platform.
It has also taught me the importance of listening to our users and being flexible in our approach to problem-solving and innovation.
What do you spend the majority of your time doing, in a given week?
A large portion of my week is spent on strategic planning, product development, and marketing. This involves collaborating with my team, analyzing market trends, and continuously improving our platform.
Additionally, I spend significant time talking with partners and potential clients to understand their needs and explore opportunities for collaboration. This helps us tailor our services better and build strong relationships that drive the growth of Mumbler.io.
What do you know now that you wish you knew when first starting your business?
It's crucial to put your product in front of potential customers as soon as possible. It's easy to feel comfortable staying behind closed doors, working on your product in isolation, but you need to get out and start selling it early on.
This allows you to learn from real-world feedback and iterate on what you're creating. The sooner you engage with your market, the quicker you can refine your product to better meet customer needs and increase your chances of success.
What’s a big problem you’ve faced as a business owner and what were the emotions behind it?
One major challenge was dealing with initial negative feedback and slow traction. It was disheartening, but it taught me resilience and the importance of perseverance. Overcoming this hurdle was emotionally taxing but ultimately rewarding.
Entrepreneurship can be a rollercoaster; in a single day, you can feel on top of the world one moment and then question everything the next. This emotional volatility makes adaptability and mental toughness essential traits for any business owner.
What is your best advice for someone who feels completely stuck?
Start small and don’t wait for the perfect moment. Experiment, learn from your failures, and iterate. Focus on your expertise and find a niche where you can offer unique value.
Taking the first step is the most critical part. You can begin by offering services that leverage your skills and experience, which provides immediate value and feedback. Once you have a stable foundation, you can explore adding new business models and expanding your offerings.
Progress often comes from taking small, consistent steps rather than waiting for everything to be perfect.
Find more about Pol and Mumbler @
His website: https://mumbler.io/en/
and Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mumbler/