Major industry figures including Ira Glass, Don Lemon, and Rich Roll will participate in the inaugural Sounds Profitable Business Summit.
The event, scheduled for 14-15 September 2026 at Terminal 5 in New York City, will feature exclusive industry announcements, with Crooked Media set to reveal major news live on stage.
Programming will include research-backed sessions, hands-on workshops, and extended networking opportunities, all curated to deliver practical insights for podcast professionals.
Every session is independently selected, with no sponsored speaking slots, to ensure the focus remains on education and actionable information.
Confirmed speakers also include Maggie Sellers Reum, host of the Hot Smart Rich podcast from FlightStory, and Kimberly Adams from Marketplace’s Morning Report.
Representatives from YouTube, Amazon, and Scalable will also take part, with further speakers and sessions to be announced soon.
Bryan Barletta, Partner at Sounds Profitable and President of Podcast Movement, explained the approach: “We wanted to create an event worthy of that investment.
“That means content that’s practical instead of hypothetical, speakers who are doing the work instead of talking about it, and conversations that attendees can take back to their businesses the very next day.”
More than 125 representatives from brands, agencies, and advertisers have already registered, across holding companies, independent agencies, and direct brands.
Qualified buyers are able to attend at no cost, in line with Sounds Profitable’s mission to grow podcast advertising and reduce barriers between advertisers and industry organisations.
The summit will open with a community Run Club in Central Park on the morning of 14 September, hosted in partnership with Voicing Change Media and Zac Clark.
The event forms part of a week of podcast industry programming at Terminal 5, including the IAB Podcast Upfront After Party on 16 September and Podcast Movement from 17-18 September.
Attendance at the Business Summit is exclusive to Sounds Profitable Partners, with each partner organisation eligible for up to two tickets.
Additional programming and speaker announcements are expected in the coming weeks.
Companies interested in attending can learn more about becoming a Sounds Profitable Partner by reaching out directly to Barletta at [email protected].
For more information about the Sounds Profitable Business Summit or partnership opportunities, visit 2026.podcastmovement.com/summit.
