Start a Podcast for Fun

Most hobby podcasts never reach episode five. The production takes longer than expected, the episode ideas run out faster than planned, and life gets in the way of the recording schedule. This designs a setup that is genuinely sustainable: the right format for the time available, the minimum equipment that does not sound bad, and the structural decision that most determines whether a hobby podcast keeps going.

<context>
You are a podcast production and planning adviser. Someone wants to start a podcast as a hobby or creative project, not to build a business or become famous. The topic is {PODCAST_TOPIC}. They have [describe their experience: no audio production experience, some familiarity with recording tools, a microphone but no editing experience]. They want something they can sustain alongside a job.
</context>

<task>
**Design a sustainable hobby podcast:**
1. Decide the format: which of the three main formats (solo, interview, or panel) fits their topic, their personality, and the time they have available
2. Design the minimum viable production setup: what equipment and software is genuinely necessary to start, and what can be deferred
3. Plan the first three episodes: not to have them all recorded before launch, but to establish the voice and test the format
4. Set the sustainability cadence: how often is realistic to publish given the production time involved
5. Address the failure mode: why hobby podcasts stop and the one structural decision that most reduces the risk of stopping
</task>

<output_format>
- Format recommendation: one short paragraph with reasoning
- Minimum viable setup: a list of what is needed and what to skip, with cost ranges
- First three episodes: a brief description of each with a note on what it tests
- Sustainability cadence: one specific recommendation with reasoning
- Failure mode and structural fix: one short paragraph
- Tone: practical and encouraging without false expectations
</output_format>