De LeCourt is a communications studio that helps universities, research centers, and mission-driven organizations share their expertise through clear, human-centered storytelling.

We specialize in audio-first communications—a strategy that begins with sound. That means creating podcasts, narrated reports, and other voice-driven media that can later expand into articles, videos, and social content. Starting with audio captures authentic conversation and emotion, then turns it into multimedia storytelling that builds trust, strengthens thought leadership, and amplifies institutional impact.

Audio does what no other medium can: it fits seamlessly into people’s lives. Listeners can engage while commuting, exercising, walking, cooking, or doing dishes—moments when people are looking at other things. Audio is the only medium built for multitasking. 

It’s also one of the most trust-driven and time-rich formats available. The average listening session lasts 30-40 minutes, which means that topics can be explored in depth. Audio builds intimacy through voice, tone, and pacing. It’s human!  And in a world saturated with fast, scrollable content, that makes it uniquely powerful for both credibility and influence.

No. While audio is our cornerstone, we’re a full-service communications and storytelling partner. We’ve spent more than a decade helping organizations translate complex ideas into content that travels — across written, visual, and digital formats. 

We bring this broader background to every audio project. So even when the finished product is a podcast, it’s supported by strong narrative structure, research translation, and multi-platform strategy to ensure your story connects wherever your audience encounters it.

Emphatically yes…when it’s done strategically. A well-produced audio series becomes an evergreen storytelling engine, one that continues working for you long after release. It deepens trust with your audiences, strengthens relationships with funders, and builds visibility for your ideas in a way few other formats can.

Because audio captures attention for longer—often 30 to 40 minutes at a time—it allows for the kind of depth, reflection, and emotional connection that create genuine understanding. The result isn’t just content; it’s durable credibility. Most of our clients find that a single podcast project yields dozens of spin-off materials and meaningful conversations, generating relationship-building value long after the last episode airs.

Audio lets donors and stakeholders hear the impact of their giving. A limited-series podcast can be positioned as a storytelling campaign, giving funders on-air recognition (“This series made possible by …”) and aligning them with meaningful, human stories.

Funders increasingly expect grant recipients to show research-promotion and public-engagement outcomes. An audio series meets that need by demonstrating reach, transparency, and real-world impact; often with metrics and audience data that are easy to share.

Bingeable podcasts create emotional momentum. They offer narrative arcs, authentic voices, and intellectual payoff… which equates to a sense of “I learned something meaningful.” Shareable podcasts deliver moments worth quoting: strong soundbites, surprise insights, or reframed ideas that listeners want to pass along. We design stories that reward deep listening and travel naturally across platforms.

With audio! Events generate incredible conversations that often disappear once the room empties. We use audio storytelling to capture and amplify those moments.

Before an event, we can produce short pre-event episodes or interviews that introduce the themes and speakers—giving funders and participants something to share. During the event, we can record on-site conversations, panels, or live episodes. Afterward, we turn that material into a mini-series or highlight episode that keeps your event circulating online long after it ends.

This approach turns your event from a one-time gathering into a long-tail storytelling asset that continues to build visibility, attract funders, and grow community engagement over time.

You absolutely could. The barrier to entry for podcasting is low now, but that’s also why the space is noisier than ever. As it’s become easier to start a podcast, it’s become much harder to make one that actually stands out, sustains attention, and drives influence. Unless you’re already a celebrity, how you do it matters more than ever.

That’s where we come in. We bring story architecture, sound design, and strategy together to help you build something worth people’s time. We move past surface-level interviews to craft narrative flow, emotional payoff, and credibility. Our team thinks about every layer—from how an episode sounds to how it travels—so your investment reaches the right people and actually changes how they think or act.

Most of our clients arrive after realizing that producing a podcast is easy; producing one that creates lasting influence is harder than they imagined.

No. You don’t need a home studio or even a good mic. Most of our recordings are done virtually, and we use professional audio cleanup to deliver broadcast-quality sound. For Utah-based clients, we offer in-person recording; for others, we travel as needed to capture on-site conversations and sound. Either way, we manage all production logistics, from remote setup to final export.

Yes, and you should! Well-produced audio storytelling is increasingly recognized across communications and media award programs, including the Anthem Awards, CASE Awards, Signal Awards, and other sector-specific honors like the Utah Business Marketing and Communications Awards.

Award-winning podcasts not only boost institutional visibility and credibility but also attract new audiences through the prestige of those platforms. We can help identify the right categories, prepare entries, and craft submission language that aligns with each award’s criteria.

Yes! While our foundation is audio-first, we can capture or repurpose video alongside your audio production — whether that’s short promotional clips, filmed interviews, or full documentary-style storytelling. Video complements audio by giving funders and audiences another entry point to the story.

Either approach works, it just depends on what feels most authentic to your project. We can provide experienced hosts and narrators from our team, team members as the voices of the series.

We can also explore AI-assisted narration that uses cloned or synthetic versions of approved voices as an emerging option for accessibility and scalability. We’ll always discuss the ethical and creative considerations of that route before proceeding.

In every case, our goal is the same: to make sure the voice behind your story feels credible, engaging, and true to you.

Measurement in audio is both art and analysis. And, it’s something we do with our clients, not just for them.

We collaborate to surface both quantitative and qualitative signals of impact. On the data side, we track listener completion rates, repeat engagement, and traffic patterns across owned channels. But the most meaningful insights often come from the field: when a funder references an episode in conversation, when a policymaker quotes a story, or when internal teams start using podcast language in their own work.

Together, we look for evidence of influence—the subtle, relational markers that show a story is being heard, shared, and shaping real-world decisions.

The return depends on your goals, but for most of our clients, success shows up in the relationships that follow—renewed funding, stronger engagement with policymakers or researchers, and new invitations to speak, publish, or collaborate. Podcasts also tend to spark coverage and recognition that written reports rarely do, extending the life of your ideas in unexpected ways.

At its core, audio is a relationship-driven investment. It builds credibility, visibility, and trust that compound over time.

Podcasts are moving from side projects to core communications infrastructure. As funders and audiences seek authenticity over advertising, institutions that invest in high-quality audio storytelling are shaping the next wave of thought leadership—where ideas travel through voice, not just visuals.

Our team blends journalistic storytelling, research translation, and communications strategy—and that combination sets us apart. We work with seasoned journalists who have written for reputable outlets like New York Magazine and have gone on to become published authors in their respective beats.

While we cover a wide range of topics, we bring especially deep experience in education, health, life sciences, and law. Our background includes collaborations with Harvard, Southern Methodist University, the University of Utah, Genentech, and other leading research and policy institutions.

We know how to handle complexity, sensitivity, and credibility while producing award-caliber content that moves people, and missions, forward.

We offer a few structured ways to work together, depending on where you are in your communications journey.

Our Audio-First Sprint is a focused engagement that helps you clarify your story, audience, and strategy before you record a single word. If you already have written reports or white papers, the Narrated Report Package turns them into high-trust, listen-anywhere experiences that showcase impact and reach.

For deeper storytelling, our Limited-Series Podcasts offer documentary-style production that captures your organization’s ideas and impact through authentic voices. And for teams ready to make audio part of their long-term strategy, our Extended Partnership provides ongoing production support, content planning, and analytics—essentially a built-in communications arm without adding headcount.

Every engagement includes editorial, strategic, and technical support from concept through delivery, so you’re never left wondering what comes next.

Budgets always depend on scope, format, and goals—but we’ll be straight with you. We hate when websites dodge the money question, so here are some honest ballparks to start.

Our limited-series productions typically range from $25,000–$60,000, depending on complexity and number of episodes. That includes full-service strategy, story development, recording, editing, sound design, and promotional assets. Many clients also add a promotion package—around $10,000–$13,000—for things like landing pages, social content, and media kits for funders and partners.

For simpler or ongoing formats, pricing is usually much lower. Interview-based or internal podcasts often start around $8,000–$15,000 for strategy, setup, and launch, with ongoing retainers beginning near $5,000 per month. If you’re handling some of the work in-house, we’ll adjust.

Our philosophy is simple: we price for impact, not overhead to deliver agency-caliber storytelling with the agility and focus of a boutique studio.