Lemonada Media

Lemonada Media is an audio-first media company that operates as a podcast network. The company was established in 2019 by co-founders Jessica Cordova Kramer, who serves as CEO, and Stephanie Wittels Wachs, the Chief Creative Officer. Their partnership was born from a shared personal tragedy; both women lost their brothers to opioid overdoses. This experience directly inspired their first podcast, "Last Day," which explores the opioid crisis through a personal and narrative-driven lens. Cordova Kramer brought her experience as an executive producer for "Pod Save the People" and a background as a Wall Street lawyer, while Wittels Wachs, an author, theater director, and voice actress, contributed her creative and storytelling expertise.

The company's business model centers on producing and distributing a wide array of original and partner podcasts, with revenue generated through advertising, sponsorships, and a premium subscription service, Lemonada Premium. They create custom partnerships with brands and non-profits, offering host-read ads, custom content integrations, and multi-channel marketing. The network has demonstrated significant financial growth, with reported revenue increasing from $1.5 million in 2020 to nearly $5 million in 2021. The company has secured substantial funding, including an $8 million Series A round in January 2022, to fuel its expansion. In May 2025, it was announced that Swedish podcast company PodX Group acquired a majority stake in Lemonada Media, a move intended to support international expansion while allowing Lemonada to operate under its existing leadership.

Lemonada's content strategy is to present an unfiltered version of the human experience, tackling difficult subjects with compassion and humor under the mission to "make life suck less." The network has a diverse slate of over 50 original shows, including award-winning titles like "Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus," which Apple named the 2023 Podcast of the Year, "Believe Her," and "BEING Trans." A key differentiator for the company is its creation of the "Audio Reality™" genre through its BEING Studios division, which merges the unscripted nature of reality television with podcasting. The network has also expanded its brand into publishing with Lemonada Books, a co-development partnership with Simon & Schuster.

Keywords: podcast network, audio-first media, Jessica Cordova Kramer, Stephanie Wittels Wachs, Last Day podcast, Wiser Than Me, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Audio Reality, BEING Studios, podcast advertising, podcast subscription, media funding, PodX Group, digital media, narrative podcasts, true crime podcasts, celebrity podcasts, Simon & Schuster, Lemonada Books, women-led company