Finding wisdom today isn’t hard. Thanks to the internet, information is abundant. As a result, only one click stands between you and a wealth of knowledge.
Including business.
Podcasts are one of my favorite tools from the internet for self-education. And when it comes to learning business, there’s endless quality content.
The best business podcasts give a birds-eye view on widespread trends and practices. They also teach processes and protocols of profitable companies. Finally, they offer insights into the minds of the best entrepreneurs.
Below are 12 shows to sharpen your business saw. Whether you’re an ambitious founder or seasoned professional, give them a listen.
Behind the Numbers
We live in a data-driven world. As a result, making sense of it isn’t easy. But lucky for us, there are business podcasts like Behind the Numbers.
Host Marcus Johnson speaks with fellow eMarketer experts about all things digital. They also break down the newest trends in media and marketing. But above all else, this show distinguishes important data from the irrelevant.
Recommended Episode – The Charm of Social Stories
Summary: A discussion on the popularity of social media stories
- Average Show Length: About 20 minutes to 40 minutes
- Publishing Schedule: New episodes published daily on Monday to Friday
- Find the complete show archive of Behind the Numbers on Listen Notes.
Everybody Hates Marketers
Marketing is critical for any successful business. But it often suffers a poor reputation. Because of sleazy, two-faced tactics, many people are skeptics. There are, though, business podcasts that want to alter its perception.
Louis Grenier is one marketer who’s doing his part with a weekly show. In short, his business podcast educates listeners on ethical marketing tactics. Everybody Hates Marketers is for anyone “sick of shady, in-your-face marketing”.
Recommended Episode – How to Increase Organic Traffic: 7 No-Fluff Practical Methods
Summary: A content marketing expert explains growing site traffic with SEO.
- Average Show Length: About an hour
- Publishing Schedule: New episodes published every Tuesday
- Find the complete show archive of Everybody Hates Marketers on Listen Notes.
The Tropical MBA
Want to build a location-independent company? There are business podcasts you can listen to like The Tropical MBA. In short, it’s a show that features conversations with everyday entrepreneurs.
Two years into their own business journey, Dan Andrews and Ian Schoen started this show. Since then, the podcast has served two purposes. It’s become an outlet to share what they’ve learned. And, it’s also developed into a community for other like-minded entrepreneurs.
Recommended Episode – TMBA498: When Does an Artist Become an Entrepreneur?
Summary: An artist shares how she licenses her designs to companies like Target.
- Average Show Length: About 40 minutes to an hour
- Publishing Schedule: New episodes every Thursday
- Find the complete show archive of The Tropical MBA on Listen Notes.
The Side Hustle Show
Starting a business is often risky. The stakes, though, don’t need to be high. Beginning with a side hustle is one way to limit the downside.
Nick Loper hosts one of the longest-running business podcasts. Loper, who’s also an entrepreneur, speaks with fellow side hustlers about their business experiences. As a result, listeners learn how to scale part-time projects into full-time enterprises.
Recommended Episode – The Passive Income Service Business: Recurring Revenue for Freelancers
Summary: Learn how one man built a business by reselling existing products.
- Average Show Length: About 40 minutes to an hour
- Publishing Schedule: New episodes every Thursday
- Find the complete show archive of The Side Hustle Show on Listen Notes.
Side Hustle School
Side Hustle School also focuses on the value of a part-time business. Every day, host Chris Guillebeau delivers bite-size shows for listeners to digest. In short, each episode highlights stories of income-earning side gigs.
This business podcast showcases the why behind creating a side hustle. When you listen, you learn that such projects are small steps toward big life changes. You also find that side hustles are great outlets for creativity.
Recommended Episode – From Landscaper to Podcast Producer Earning $4K/Month
Summary: A Canadian gardener with a background in audio puts his production skills to use.
- Average Show Length: About 6 to 10 minutes
- Publishing Schedule: New episodes published daily
- Find the complete show archive of The Side Hustle Show on Listen Notes.
How I Built This
Ever wondered how the world’s most influential companies started? Then, listen to How I Built This. It’s one of many business podcasts that feature conversations with the world’s most prominent entrepreneurs. The difference is that it weaves details from innovators into compelling narratives.
Hosted by Guy Raz, HIBT teaches important entrepreneurial lessons. Listeners learn that winning businesses are the products of luck, talent, and hard work. Also, they discover that most businesses often begin as solutions to founders’ problems.
Recommended Episode – Patagonia: Yvon Chouinard
Summary: The Patagonia founder shares how he created his respected outdoor brand.
- Average Show Length: About an hour
- Publishing Schedule: New episodes published on Mondays
- Find the complete show archive of How I Built This on Listen Notes.
StartUp
Since its launch in 2014, StartUp has tinkered with its format. But at its core, this podcast investigates the inner workings of new businesses. In StartUp, listeners hear the raw emotions often involved with beginning something new.
The first season focuses on Gimlet Media, which produces the show. Host and Gimlet CEO Alex Blumberg chronicled the company’s start as it unfolded. In addition to its first year, StartUp’s following seasons are similarly documentary-style podcasting at its best.
Recommended Episode – Friendster 1: The Rise and Friendster 2: The Fall
Summary: Before Facebook and Instagram, there was Friendster. This two-part episode examines this pioneer of social media.
- Average Show Length: About 30 to 40 minutes
- Publishing Schedule: Seasonal show with new episodes released on Fridays
- Find the complete show archive of StartUp on Listen Notes.
The Tim Ferriss Show
What are the habits, routines, and tactics of world-class performers? That’s a question that Tim Ferriss strives to answer in one of the top-rated business podcasts. As a result of tuning in, you gain introspective ideas from leaders, innovators, and everyone in between.
Ferriss has made a name for himself by being a human guinea pig. Above all, he’s most known for simplifying complex tasks into their core components. Ferriss details his approach in several best-selling books, including The 4-Hour Workweek.
Recommended Episode – Ray Dalio, The Steve Jobs of Investing
Summary: Ferriss talks with the founder of Bridgewater Associates. This investment management firm handles about $150 billion worth of private equity.
- Average Show Length: About one to two hours
- Publishing Schedule: One to two episodes published every week. Release days may vary.
- Find the complete show archive of The Tim Ferriss Show on Listen Notes.
Noah Kagan Presents
Moving from idea to action is one of the biggest hurdles in business. Few people online understand going from zero to one better than Noah Kagan. He’s an entrepreneur who also was one of Facebook’s first 30 employees.
In his business podcast, listeners learn stress-tested strategies for starting their own ventures. For example, episodes feature conversations with top performers from different industries. Other times, they also feature Kagan’s own insights. No matter what stage of business you’re in, it’s a worthwhile listen.
Recommended Episode – How Nomadic Matt Grew a Travel Blog to 15 Million Visitors
Summary: An interview with Matt Kepenes, who grew his travel blog while working a day job
- Average Show Length: Anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour
- Publishing Schedule: New episodes released every week on Tuesday as well as Thursday
- Find the complete show archive of Noah Kagan Presents on Listen Notes.
The North Star Podcast With David Perell
It’s not easy to find a fulfilling path in work. In The North Star Podcast, David Perell investigates how people with thriving careers and ventures have found theirs. Discussions with guests often center around stories, habits, and ideas that drive their motivations.
Perell is also a huge advocate of writing online, calling it “the fastest way to accelerate your career.” As a result, he often touches on the subject of writing with his guests. They talk about how the written word has benefited them over the long haul.
Recommended Episode – Jason Stein: Sports Meets Media
Summary: Perrell speaks with Jason Stein, a media and advertising veteran. Stein is the founder of Laundry Service, an agency that has worked with brands like Beats By Dre. Since then, he’s become a general partner at Steins, an investment management company. They discuss direct to consumer commerce as well as the future of marketing.
- Average Show Length: About an hour to an hour and a half
- Publishing Schedule: New episodes published every two weeks on Mondays
- Find the complete show archive of The North Star Podcast on Listen Notes.
Famous Failures with Ozan Varol
There’s no escaping failure. But when it happens, there are two choices you can make: stay down or get back up. In Famous Failures, host Ozan Varol spotlights those who’ve chosen to do the latter.
This business podcast isn’t about glorifying failure. In fact, Varol points out the difference between carelessness and effort. The show also makes clear that success doesn’t happen overnight. Above all else, listeners learn that gifted talents have struggles, too.
Recommended Episode – Sarah Robb O’Hagan: Fired from Virgin & Laid off by Atari to then be Named One of the Most Creative People in Business
Summary: O’Hagan speaks about her “canyon of career despair” after these two companies let her go.
- Average Show Length: About 40 minutes
- Publishing Schedule: New episodes published, twice a month, on Tuesdays
- Find the complete show archive of Famous Failures with Ozan Varol on Listen Notes.
AskPat Podcast 2.0
Go inside a coaching session conducted by an experienced entrepreneur. That’s the essence of this business podcast by Pat Flynn. As a result of his help, entrepreneurs find solutions to their own business challenges.
After the 2008 recession, Flynn became an entrepreneur out of necessity. His first venture was a niche website that helped architectural professionals. While traffic to it grew, he created a resource that he sold with success to visitors. Since then, he’s educated others about building their own businesses.
Recommended Episode – AP 1018: Why Didn’t Our First Launch Go Well?
Summary: Pat coaches two business owners who failed with their first product launch.
- Average Show Length: About 30 minutes
- Publishing Schedule: New episodes released every Thursday
Find the complete show archive of AskPat Podcast 2.0 on Listen Notes.
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