The Case of Paige Konkitera: When a Podcast Guest Pitch Crosses the Line

Introduction: The Rise (and Fall) of the Podcast Guest Pitch

Podcasting has exploded — and with it, the demand for guest appearances. Today, podcast guest pitches are a daily reality for hosts like me. Some are excellent. Many are not.But recently, I encountered something different: a podcast guest pitch so questionable that it deserves a closer look — not just for what it said, but for what it revealed about the state of AI, authenticity, and marketing ethics in 2025.

This is the case of Paige Konkitera — a name that, as it turns out, might not even be real.

The Suspicious Podcast Guest Pitch

The emails arrived in April 2025. They praised one of our analyses, proposed an exciting guest, and promised an audience of over one million followers, guaranteed podcast growth, and even cross-promotion.

At first glance, the podcast guest pitch looked professional. But there were warning signs:

• The language was overly polished — almost too perfect.

• No LinkedIn profile, website, or verifiable background for "Paige Konkitera."

• The topics and structure matched known AI-generated outreach templates.

• The sender offered review incentives (Apple Podcasts and Spotify) — a red flag for authenticity.

Quick research confirmed it: Paige Konkitera appeared to be an AI-generated or heavily automated identity, used for mass-pitching podcast hosts.

Some analytics tools showed "with 95%+ certainty:

👉 "Paige Konkitera" is not a real person, or at least not genuinely acting individually. It’s almost certainly either:

• a fictional AI-generated persona created by a mass outreach platform or agency,

• or a generic alias used for automated podcast guest pitching, possibly even attached to a burner email address."

How We Responded to the AI Podcast Guest Pitch

Instead of ignoring the outreach, we treated it professionally. We replied by explaining our editorial standards, presenting clear sponsored content options, and inviting serious applications through a structured process.

However, patterns quickly emerged:

• In April alone, we received at least two different pitches from "Paige Konkitera."

• We noticed similar pitches from at least half a dozen so-called agencies, all following identical scripts.

• When a "yes" was not given immediately, identical follow-up emails were sent — offering to "leave a review" as a "thank you" if the guest was accepted.

  
  

We tested this once: unsurprisingly, the promised reviews never appeared.

Mass spamming podcasters with AI-generated identities is not just inefficient — it's deceptive. And it wastes everyone’s time. It also damages the names of their clients.

Why This Matters for Podcast Guest Pitches

At its best, a good podcast guest pitch is about authentic value exchange:

• A guest shares insights, expertise, or inspiration.

• A podcast offers a platform, credibility, and an engaged audience.

When AI is used to fabricate personas, mass-email templates, and false incentives, it breaks that trust — and damages the very ecosystem it seeks to exploit.

Authenticity is the currency of the podcasting world.Faking a guest pitch erodes that trust.

Protecting Our Time (and Our Platform)

Given the growing volume of AI-generated podcast guest pitches, we have made a decision at Startuprad.io:

• We will now have a standard reply for all mass, templated outreach.

• If the pattern matches a scripted, non-authentic pitch, we will mark the email as spam and move on immediately.

Our focus will remain where it belongs: On real entrepreneurs, real investors, and real innovators, sharing authentic stories that shape the future.

Final Thoughts: The Future of the Podcast Guest Pitch

Podcast guest pitching is not going away. But the quality of pitches will increasingly separate the valuable conversations from the noise.

AI can be a powerful tool — when used transparently and ethically. But when it crosses into the creation of fake people and deceptive offers, it undermines the very communities it tries to access.

At Startuprad.io, we choose real people, real conversations, and real value. And we encourage all serious guests — and serious agencies — to do the same.

Because in a world flooded with fake pitches, authenticity wins.

About the Author:

Jörn “Joe” Menninger is the founder and host of Startuprad.io -- one of Europe’s top startup podcasts that scored as a global Top 20 Podcast in Entrepreneurship.

He’s been featured in Forbes, Tech.eu, Geektime, and more for his insights into startups, venture capital, and innovation. With over 15 years of experience in management consulting, digital strategy, and startup scouting, Joe works at the intersection of tech, entrepreneurship, and business transformation—helping founders, investors, and corporates turn bold ideas into real-world impact.

Follow his work at Startuprad.io or connect with him on LinkedIn.

This article was written with the assitance of ai.