Small business owners are always looking to gain any advantage they can get. Business podcasts are one of the easiest ways way to get tips and inspiration to help take your business to the next level. Podcasts are especially convenient for busy people with busy schedules or long commutes. Plus, hearing rather than reading the same information can sometimes be easier to retain.
We scoured through hundreds of podcasts to find the 10 best business podcasts you should be listening to in 2019.
Our picks for the top 10 Business Podcasts:
Podcast recommendations can be found all over the internet. While there are many small business podcasts to choose from, not all are created equal. In our search, we looked for podcasts that offer not only insights and advice from small business leaders, but also solutions to problems real business owners face every day. Since each podcast has its own niche, we wanted to offer a diverse list where each podcast has something different to offer.
Do you ever wonder how today’s biggest businesses, like Rent The Runway, WeWork, and Whole Foods, got their start? Hosted by Guy Raz, NPR’s How I Built This takes a deep dive behind the scenes with entrepreneurs and founders of game-changing businesses. Whether it’s through luck, skill, hard work, all of the above, or none of the above, How I Built This explores many topics including how professionals were able to get to where they are now.
Download This Episode: Power Rangers: Haim Saban
It’s highly likely most fans of the Power Rangers know little about their creator, Haim Saban. The self-professed “cartoon schlepper” tells Raz about fleeing to Tel Aviv at age 12 and how he inadvertently broke into entertainment by joining the army. Saban also reveals how the biggest hits in his life have been the result of rejection. “Every time I have an idea that people tell me not to do, I say, ‘Oops! I’m on to something!’”
Famous for writing the bestseller “The 4-Hour Workweek,” author Tim Ferriss makes the leap from the page to the podcast with The Tim Ferriss Show. In his book, Ferriss provided readers with tips and tricks for working less and living more. The podcast features Ferriss interviewing some of the world’s most talented influencers, from basketball player LeBron James to author Malcolm Gladwell, for a glimpse at everyday habits and hacks they use that led to success.
Download This Episode: #307: Karlie Kloss: Entrepreneur and Supermodel
Runway model status aside, Kloss is also the founder of Kode With Klossy, a summer coding camp for girls ages 13-18 years old. Her interview with Ferriss digs into how she got interested in coding and the habit that keeps her the most productive — meditation — and why it matters to stay mentally balanced while you work.
From Gimlet Media, StartUp Podcast calls itself, “a show about what it’s really like to start a business.” The podcast has become so popular with listeners that the first season was even adapted into a sitcom for ABC called Alex, Inc. So, what’s it about? This podcast follows entrepreneurs and their lives in a documentary format. Several episodes are multi-part episodes, including a two-part series on streaming video platform Twitch, that explores how companies navigate and pivot their businesses.
Download This Episode: Life After Startup
This 2017 episode is a follow-up on businesses and their founders, previously featured on StartUp including Bento, Dating Ring, and Saint Harridan. Where are these companies now? Find out by downloading and listening to this episode.
Part work, part party, 100% podcast with awesome business advice for entrepreneurs and side hustlers. Hosted by Jaclyn Johnson, CEO of Create & Cultivate, Work Party is a weekly podcast that reminds us entrepreneurship is about redefining the meaning of work on your own terms. Influencers like Sara Blakely and Kendra Scott join Johnson for episodes that highlight step-by-step advice for getting started in business. Everything from the greatness of failure to creating work environments that support working parents is discussed in Work Party.
Download This Episode: On Pitching Perfect with Barbara Corcoran
You may know her as one of the primary investors on ABC’s Shark Tank. Now, Corcoran joins Johnson to break down the art of the business pitch. Brand perception and reality is an entrepreneur’s most valuable asset, and Corcoran’s advice touches on asking questions like “how can you be more brilliant?” with your business’ brand strategy.
Most small business podcasts don’t produce new episodes on an (almost) daily basis. Host John Lee Dumas goes the extra mile with Entrepreneurs On Fire. When it comes to interviewing entrepreneurs about their business journey, this podcast has more than 1,700 interviews to date.
Download This Episode: 330: Deborah Sweeney: Advocate for business owners and entrepreneurs
How could we not share our CEO’s episode? Thousands of entrepreneurs incorporate their businesses. However, not everyone understands what it means to incorporate or form an LLC for a startup. Deborah reveals why so many entrepreneurs hesitate before incorporating a business and the story behind how she purchased MyCorporation.
From startup to established company, Marketing School welcomes entrepreneurs at all stages in business. Hosted by Neil Patel and Eric Siu, the duo teach listeners valuable marketing tips in every episode. Think your business knows it all? That’s probably not true, and that’s a good thing. In 10 minutes or less, Patel and Siu offer actionable advice on everything from dwell time to secret Instagram weapons.
Download This Episode: You Have To Do This in 2019 if You Want to Dominate Google | Ep. #883.
This episode is only six minutes long, entrepreneurs. We won’t spoil it any further than going past the title.
Many small business owners don’t aspire to be famous or run billion-dollar corporations. They just want to operate a business that stays close to home and allows them to fulfill their passions. Enter Small Business War Stories. Hosted by Proven CEO Pablo Fuentes, this podcast goes cross-country to uncover the soulful stories behind how America’s small businesses got their start.
Download This Episode: Durango Soda Company: Creating an Impact with Craft Soda in Durango, Colorado
Ever wonder how soda is made? Co-founder Dan Aggeler shares how a rising demand for craft products led him to begin making and selling craft soda, and how their soda company uses pure cane sugar to stand out from giants like Coca-Cola and Pepsi.
On the flip side of the coin, some entrepreneurs do dream of taking their businesses from zero to a gazillion. LinkedIn Co-Founder Reid Hoffman hosts Masters of Scale, a podcast where true masters of scaled businesses, including Shake Shack, ClassPass, and Fiat, are interviewed — with a case study twist. Every episode features Hoffman testing out a different theory as to how these businesses, and their founders, became so successful.
Download This Episode: Arianna Huffington: What great founders do at night.
In this episode, Hoffman’s theory is that founders pushing themselves too far inevitably run on empty. As such, they position themselves as a liability to virtually everyone. Huffington, Co-Founder of The Huffington Post and author of the bestselling business book “The Sleep Revolution: Transforming Your Life, One Night at a Time” discusses how burnout led her to change her entire life. Beyond her own life, Huffington saw so many entrepreneurs eating, sleeping, and breathing work without time for sleep in between. She began studying sleep and its role in work-life balance to figure out when and how individuals can recharge.
Founded in 2013, Bowery Capital is an early stage venture capital fund that believes in next generation software. So much so that they’re dedicated to investing in the best software businesses. The Bowery Capital Startup Sales Podcast acts as a blueprint to startups working on early revenue generation, with tips and advice for growth.
Download This Episode: Tips to Build a 30-60-90 Day Plan for Sales Leaders with Matt Gahr
Most startups have a 30-60-90 day growth plan. This outlines what they plan to accomplish in the next 30, 60, and 90 days in business. Gahr addresses the structure and objectives for these plans, and how, by the end of the 90 day period, the process should move from your head to your heart.
As we wind up our top 10, we look back at how businesses begin, scale, and grow. What we do not want to forget is the sense of purpose comes with entrepreneurship. Oprah Winfrey’s SuperSoul Conversations is a podcast that wants us to connect with the world around us. Episodes each week cover topics from stillness to vulnerability, reminding us to give ourselves the gift of time as we go about our lives.
Download This Episode: Daniel Goleman: Emotional Intelligence 101
Traditional intelligence is based on IQ. Emotional intelligence, or EQ, emphasizes interpersonal relationships and empathy. Increasingly, EQ is shifting what it defines to be smart. Author and psychologist Daniel Goleman joins Oprah to chat about his book on emotional intelligence and how IQ can tell you what you can do — but EQ tells you how you can do it.
Listening to small business podcasts is a quick and easy way to spark new ideas for your business. There are hundreds more to choose from aside from this list. Did we miss your favorite? Add it into the comments below to share it with your fellow entrepreneurs!
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Honored with the feature...thanks!!
Thanks for featuring us! We at Small Business War Stories love meeting small business people face to face to get their stories. Here's to the next 12k miles!
You're welcome, Pablo! Excited to see where the journey takes you next!