Podcasts are booming and especially for entrepreneurs and business owners it is a way to continue to grow and develop our leadership, marketing and even sales skills while continuing to run our ventures. Business owners only have so much time to execute and complete the millions of things on our to-do list so any way that we can multi-task in an efficient way is a great opportunity. Podcasting is a good way to do that. While driving or walking the dog, podcasts offer a way to learn and grow while sometimes completing other tasks. We recently added a podcast to our blogging community and we wanted to hear from entrepreneurs some of their favorite business or entrepreneurial podcast.
#1 – Managing to Make a Difference
My favorite podcast on business is on the VoiceAmerica Channel called Managing to Make a Difference , hosted by my colleagues, Larry Sternberg and Kim Turnage. We know at Talent Plus how important the role and value of a manager is. In fact most people don't actually leave a job, they leave their manager. So you can have a highly talented employee that will not stay with an organization because they are reporting to a manager who is not as talented. Inspiring great leaders to also be great managers is part of what I love to do each day. This podcast, based off of the book, Managing to Make a Difference, is easily digestible, with stories, lessons and experiments shared with humor and real world experience. Let's face it, management is not for everyone and often people are thrown into management without a guidebook of how to manage. This podcast shares tools to manage better every day.
Thanks to Kimberly Rath, Talent Plus!
#2 – Entrepreneur on Fire – EOFire
Entrepreneur on Fire was one of the first podcasts that I listened to on a consistent basis but I think the most interesting thing about the podcast is the host himself. He's been able to take a medium and dominate it to build a brand. Stories always resonate with me the most and his ability to create a podcast interview every day and build a brand and community around it is inspirational. He's also created resources to help others launch their own podcasts.
Thanks to Gresham Harkless, Blue 16 Media!
#3 – Money For The Rest of Us
I'm Joanna the founder of Clean Affinity, a cleaning company based in Portland. I usually like to listen to David Stein, Money For The Rest of Us. I have no background in economics so his podcast explains stuff about the economy in general that might be basic for some people but very informative for people like me! Try the first podcast, it's only 25 min and will give you a good idea about the type of talk it is.
Thanks to Joanna Douglas, Clean Affinity Cleaning Service!
#4 – Impact Theory
Impact Theory, hosted by Tom Bilyeu, creator of Quest Nutrition (#2 on Inc 500's fastest growing private companies), is an incredible podcast that brings the powerful ideas and actionable techniques from the world's most impactful entrepreneurs in the world. Check it out. They also have spin-off podcasts like Relationship Theory that dive into how to mix marriage and business.
Thanks to Sarah Karger, CuffLinks.com!
#5 – DailyVee
My favorite must watch business/entrepreneurial podcast is a YouTube video podcast called DailyVee by Gary Vaynerchuk. I find Gary's daily drive, advice, hustle and business foresight absolutely inspiring. His advice has been paramount to helping my business grow.
Thanks to Peter Olesson, SEO Venator!
#6 – The Entrepreneurs
I love Monocle's podcast The Entrepreneurs. Most business podcasts focus on tactical tips and how-tos, but The Entrepreneurs focuses instead on the backstories of successful (and unsuccessful) business owners, and why they got into entrepreneurship in the first place. Many of the people and businesses they profile are accidental entrepreneurs, located in far-flung places, manufacturing unique products, or offering unusual services. This makes the show a more honest, exciting, and inspirational take than other podcasts.
Thanks to Chris Van Patten, Tomodomo!
#7 – These Are My People
These Are my People – Favorite Business Podcast: These Are My People podcast hosted by Smarthouse Creative, a marketing agency for creatives, is designed for artists and business entrepreneurs. The company interviews “creatives about how they connect with their audience in order to effectively build interest in their projects.” Topics include social media and marketing, as well as insights into the passions and projects of the featured guests.
Thanks to Ryan Ann Davis, Smarthouse Creative, LLC!
#8 – Indie Business Podcast
Indie Business Podcast is my favorite for many reasons. When Donna Maria speaks, I listen. The reason? She is about as authentic as any teacher and mentor can be. She cares deeply about the topics she picks and it shows. I find her approach to business more about the people and the professionalism and less about the salesy attitude that many have.
Thanks to Roberta Perry, Scrubz Body Scrub, Inc.!
#9 – Sales Landscape and Startup Selling: Talking Sales
I run a Sales & Marketing consulting firm. Businesses especially Startups are facing a humungous task of generating early revenue to stay afloat in the market. Hence, they need most effective Sales strategies to gain more customers and create repeat revenue opportunities. To help business gain the edge, I need to be on top of the current trends and events in Sales Landscape and Startup Selling: Talking Sales podcast By Scott Sambucci help me do that. Podcast is focused on trending events and strategies in sales landscape and how businesses can be more productive in generating revenue and overcome the competition. Podcast touches every aspect of business from Capital Raising to Onboarding, Hiring and Onboarding, Content Selling to Customer Success Stories, it covers all. I am happy to recommend it to my fellow entrepreneur who are looking to be ahead in the game with most proven strategies and tools.
Thanks to Amit Sharma, Dishah Strategic Solutions!
#10 – SaaStr Podcast
I’m in the world of SaaS, so not shockingly, the SaaStr Podcast is my favorite. The show brings on thought leaders in the SaaS space – either the CEO or someone who heads a key area of a SaaS business. The show is usually hosted by Harry Stebbings (who also hosts the 20 minute VC podcast) and sometimes Jason Lemkin, who in my opinion is the most insightful person in SaaS today. Between the two of their networks, I think they have their pick of the litter in terms of who you would want to interview on a show to cover a concept in SaaS. And because of Jason's expertise, they know what the most important concepts are to cover. I've almost listened to all 90 or so podcasts, and when I finish, there is a decent chance I'm just going to start over at the beginning.
Thanks to Steven Benson, Badger Maps!
#11 – $100 MBA
My absolute favorite podcast is called $100 MBA. They give practical advice for small business owners and entrepreneurs regardless of industry. It is a street smart podcast with different guests that give their stories on how they made it in the world of business. The podcast has daily 10 minute business lessons, and is hosted by Omar Zenhom with his no nonsense approach.
Thanks to Kamil Faizi, LegalShield Business Solutions!
#12 – EconTalk
My Favorite Business Podcast — EconTalk: Every Monday, EconTalk provides ~1 hour of discussion on analytics, research methods, or how people respond to incentives. As a technology entrepreneur my business is data. With users in 71 countries, running my business requires using analytics and setting up the right incentives to produce the desired results. EconTalk provides me with weekly insights, alerts me to potential biases and perverse incentives, and helps me understand today’s business environment. My favorite episode is with Nassim Taleb on Antifragility.
Thanks to Grant Stanley, Bric!
#13 – The Built On Purpose
The Built On Purpose podcast is all about building great organizations that achieve missions that matter. Show is hosted by Brian Mohr, co-founder and Managing Partner of Y Scouts. I love the show because each guest has something to offer in terms of helping people like myself become a better leader.
Thanks to Brett Farmiloe, Markitors!
#14 – Side Hustle School
I am a co-founder of GreenPal which has been described as Uber for Lawn Mowing. My favorite business podcast is the Side Hustle School. Chris Guillebeau tells the story about company's that have started out as a side hustle, talks about their journeys, and the work it took to be successful. Chris is not only partial to startups but also individuals who have had success with their personal business hustle.
Thank you to Gene Caballero, Your Green Pal!
#15 – Startup Podcast & Tim Ferris Podcast
My favorite business podcast is the Startup Podcast. I love it because it provides incredibly interesting insights into how other startups run, hire, grow, and more. I also love the Tim Ferris podcast. It's great for opening up your mind to new ideas and unique ways of thinking, which can apply to running a business in many different instances.
Thanks to Brandon Doyle, Wallaroo Media!
#16 – StartUp
One of my favorite business podcasts is StartUp from Gimlet Media. The StartUp episodes focus on telling the honest, behind-the-scenes stories of entrepreneurs who are building or struggling to save their businesses. The transparency with which the stories are shared allows listeners to be inspired, gain from lessons learned, and feel less isolated in their struggles knowing others have faced the same challenges. The hosts are authentic and engaging, bringing out the best in their subjects. Highly recommended!
Thanks to Irene Koehler!
#17 – The GaryVee Audio Experience
My favorite business podcast is The GaryVee Audio Experience by Gary Vaynerchuck. Gary is my daily dose of motivation. He is brilliant, I have learned more from Gary than I ever did in school. Listening to Gary is what helped me take the leap and just start doing. My name is Mirayma Lopez, I am the owner of Moon Maiden Media. I create logos, banners, videos, images, blog posts, social media posts etc. for Zero-Waste-living.com, Peppersprayinfo.com and Riseofchrist.com as well as Moon Maiden Media. I run all aspects of these websites including their social media profiles.
Thanks to Mirayma Lopez, Moon Maiden Media!
#18 – Entrepreneur On Fire (EOFire)
My name is RJ Connell, and Entrepreneur On Fire (EOFire) has to be my number one choice! When you’re just starting out as an entrepreneur you often lack that community of business-minded people, and it’s even harder to find and connect with a mentor. EOFire interviews a different guest every day, exposing entrepreneurs to the challenges and hardships of starting and running a business, allowing us to learn from the mistakes and successes of people that we may never have been able to contact ourselves. In addition, many of the guests also leave their e-mail addresses which also opens up doors for connections and mentorships. I believe all entrepreneurs should have EOFire as one of the podcasts on their rotation, and take advantage of every opportunity to reach out and learn from the successful people who have come before us.
Thanks to RJ Connell, The Freedom 2 Choose!
#19 – Behind the Brilliance
One of my favorite business podcasts is Lisa Nicole Bell's Behind the Brilliance. Each week, she has a conversation with inspiring people, from venture capitalists to writers to entrepreneurs. Lisa Nicole is engaging and fun without trying too hard and her guests – while being very successful, high achievers – are still relatable and interesting. The majority of her guests are women, which I find very encouraging.
Thanks to Beth Bridges, The Networking Motivator!
#20 – Marketing School
I listen to quite a few business podcasts, but my favorite one is Marketing School produced by Eric Siu and Neil Patel. What's unique about this one is that it's a daily podcast, even on weekends. Each podcast is 10 minutes or less and these two amazing marketers tackle topics like SEO, linkbuilding, content marketing, and social media. The authors discuss their favorite digital marketing tools and services that they use in their own businesses – tools that make life easier for entrepreneurs. Because each episode is short, I'm able to listen on the way to work, and I learn something nearly every day. I've successfully implemented quite a few of the tips provided on the podcast in my own business with great success. Definitely worth checking out!
Thanks to Danielle Kunkle, Boomer Benefits!
#21 – Noah Kagan Presents
An excellent business podcast for startups and any business that wants to grow is Noah Kagan Presents by Noah Kagan. As the 30th Facebook employee, former head of marketing at Mint.com and founder of Sumo.com, Noah has the background to deliver great business advice. Through his entertaining and laid-back style, Noah delivers executable ideas on how to grow your business through interviews with successful entrepreneurs, case studies and more.
Thanks to Charlie Riley, Lawley Insurance!
#22 – How I Built This by NPR
My favorite podcast is called How I Built This by NPR. I love the depth of creativity and willingness to try new things. My favorite episode is Joe Gebbia, founder of Airbnb. Every great thing comes from taking initiative and Joe Gebbia walks you through his journey of how his life presented him with opportunities. In this case, Joe not only went with the flow but also took solid logical steps and hustled to take advantage of the opportunities presented to him. I truly enjoyed his story telling, and could almost visualize how he managed to pull it off. He takes you through the journey and carries you through every step that took him to the next.
Thanks to Adnan Raja, Atlantic.Net!
#23 – The Zip
I listen to dozens of marketing podcasts and my favorite one is called The Zip. Why is it the best in my opinion ? Because so many marketing podcast cover the same topics however The Zip dives into local search engine optimization and local public relations strategy. How do you get your local dentist office to rank number one in Google? If you are a plumber how do you get the local paper to cover you? The Zip is the only podcast that I have come across that dives into the strategies and interviews practitioners in local search engine optimization and local public relations and for that reason it is my favorite because it is the most effective marketing podcast I have found.
Thanks to Bryan Clayton, GreenPal!
#24 – More Time More Profit Podcast by Grant Merriel and Adam John
My favorite business podcast is More Time More Profit Podcast by Grant Merriel and Adam John. Each episode genuinely delves deeper into some of the most important topics within the realm of entrepreneurship and marketing. Most of the discussions are focused on providing actionable advice, including useful insights from
their expert guests on each episode as well.
Thanks to Jason Acidre, Xight Interactive!
#25 – The Entrepreneur Way
My Favorite Podcast is The Entrepreneur Way by Neil Ball. I like that it takes the everyday entrepreneur who faces real obstacles and dissects what each of them learned from their experiences. It’s real and has so many different lessons to be learned. The motivation of each podcast is to explore what actually caused each entrepreneur to be successful. It’s not giving you some template self-promotion, but rather it actually deals with real companies and real people.
Thanks to Dan Roberge, Maintenance Care!
#26 – Marketing Made Easy podcast by Amy Porterfield
My favorite business podcast is the Marketing Made Easy podcast by Amy Porterfield. She has a gift for breaking complex online and social media processes and techniques into simple, bite-sized bits. She backs her podcasts up with fantastic show notes and implementable worksheets, which you can download on the spot. She's made my entry into the online business world better (and much easier).
Thanks to Colleen Kochannek, Scrappy Frontier!
#27 – This Week In Startups' by Jason Calacanis
I have a few favorite business podcasts, but one that stands out is ‘This Week In Startups' by Jason Calacanis. Having recently gone through the LAUNCH Incubator in San Francisco, I had the opportunity to get to know Jason personally. I really like how he goes deep and has experience as an investor and entrepreneur. He's not afraid to ask tough questions and I'm also not annoyed by his voice, which is always a plus.
Thanks to Jesse Lakes, Geniuslink!
#28 – Mixergy
My name is Eric Anthony, and I'm the Founder of StreamingObserver.com, where we report on streaming news and offer tips for streaming and cord-cutting. I really like Mixergy. It features successful entrepreneurs and gives good easily applicable tips. I find myself making a lot of my business decisions based off of what I've heard in this podcast. It's good stuff.
Thanks to Eric Anthony, StreamingObserver.com!
#29 – The Side Hustle Show
My favorite business podcast is The Side Hustle Show by Nick Loper. Each week Nick interviews entrepreneurs that have built incredible business by leveraging social media and today's technology. As a newer entrepreneur myself, the information in each episode is invaluable. I love how Nick drills down into each entrepreneur's business to find out what really makes it tick and then helps provide actionable items for his listeners. One of my favorite episodes is #142 with Rosemarie Groner and how she used Pinterest to drive 400,000 page views a month to her site. Using the the tactics she described has personally helped me increase my social media presence.
Thanks to Joe Sterf, Average Joe Finance!
#30 – Masters of Scale
One of the best NEW business/entrepreneurial podcasts I've found is Masters of Scale with Reid Hoffman. It reminds me of something I'd hear on NPR because of the flow, sound effects and amount of information packed into each episode. It features top business minds like Mark Zuckerburg, Google's Eric Schmidt, etc.. and each episode I've listened has equipped me with several takeaways that I'm able to turn around and quickly implement in our organization. I've found that some podcasts are very dry and drawn out, the flow of this and the guests have kept me coming back for more.
Thanks to Nick McGowan, Woyster Media, Inc!
#31 – How I Built This by NPR
The only easy thing about owning a business is the inevitable scramble it takes to get people on board. NPR’s podcast, “How I Built This,” hosted by Guy Raz offers incredible stories from company founders and CEOs from Airbnb, Lyft, Five Guys, Spanx, and so many more, each offering a bit of inspiration to those on the verge of success. Unlike some other business podcasts, Raz speaks to these big names like they are actual people, obtaining relatable insight into growing and expanding a variety of companies. Even better, during the breaks, How I Built This uses their platform to advertise small businesses and amplify their following. So on top of the podcast’s riveting tone, it maintains respect for business as a whole, and support for those still trying to make it to the top.
Thanks to Chad Littlefield, We!™
#32 – This Week In Startups
This Week In Startups with Jason Calacanis is a must-listen for anyone in the tech/startup world. Jason has been an entrepreneur, angel investor, and tech journalist for many, many years. He’s had his share of successes and failures, and has become acquainted with nearly every major figure in the startup world. He’s a polarizing figure — some people admire him and some find his schtick a little tired. But everyone agrees that he books amazing guests on his show — entrepreneurs, investors, and journalists. He describes the show as his own secret selfish plan to learn from great people and get a line on good investments for himself. Whether or not that’s true is irrelevant, because the listener gets nearly the same benefits. Jason is a good presenter and interviewer (and he even reads his own on-air ads); you can hear genuine passion and enthusiasm in his voice during each show. He loves this stuff and his energy is contagious.
Thanks to Alex Mann, ClickTime!
#33 – Sales Evangelist Podcast by Donald Kelly
I was recently on The Sales Evangelist Podcast, which is for sales professionals, and I really liked it. The host, Donald Kelly, leads a podcast that is very fun to listen to. The information featured on his podcast is not only entertaining but also incredibly useful.
Thanks to Stephanie Chung!
#34 – Call to Action
As a marketing professional, my favorite blog to listen to is Call to Action. The name itself stood out to me when I first found this podcast because as marketing people, our main is to get our customers to act. I found this podcast at time where I was struggling in my marketing career. My ideas seemed unoriginal, and I was looking for help anywhere I could find it. Then one day a friend outside of work suggested that I listen to this podcast. After the first time, I was immediately hooked. Call to Action made me realize that marketing professional struggle to stay creative on a daily basis. I was able to listen to the stories of other marketing managers and thought leaders who had great ideas for campaigns, data analysis, content writing, and so much more. I now listen to this podcast every Wednesday to hear to the latest marketing news and tips to see if there is anything that I am able to apply in my job.
Thanks to Eric Bowen, BroadbandSearch.net!
#35 – The Ted Radio Hour Business
Neuron-firing business connections : The Ted Radio Hour Business is very much about getting new ideas and inspiration – about thinking about something you didn’t think about just before. And while ‘How I Built This’ and ‘The James Altucher Show’ are compulsory listening for any budding entrepreneur, the podcast that really gets me going is The TED Radio Hour. Where your regular business podcast may get you on track to achieving product-market fit or securing seed funding, TED Radio Hour will take you from virality and decision-making into finding meaning in your work and figuring out what it means to be a human being. It was on TED Radio Hour I listened to ‘Brand Over Brain’ – about how our minds are manipulated into paying much more for brand names even if the quality we get is sometimes poorer. A fact that now fuels our quality-over-brand approach at Waremakers today. And it is on TED Radio Hour that lots of weird and wonderful ideas will clash into the neurons in your brain and create something new from nothing. Make mental connections that weren't there before. And if your mind is subconsciously looking for them – which it probably is if you are reading this – those new connections will sow new business seeds for you. Especially recommended while out on your morning run. The physical exertion somehow dulls all the background noise in your mind and opens it up to some fresh neuron-firing.
Thanks to Anders Ojgaard, Waremakers!
#36 – Emotional Grit Podcast
I am the Founder of The Wellness Mercantile which is a print and digital magazine celebrating women in the wellness industry and movement towards collective consciousness. I recently launched an e-commerce site and listen to many podcasts for tips from other female entrepreneurs. My favorite podcast is Dr. Neeta Bushuan's Revolutionary Leadership Podcast.
Thanks to Erica Joy Dunn, The Wellness Mercantile!