If you have yet to hop onto the podcast bandwagon, it’s time to dive into the new, expanding world of audio education and entertainment. If you are new to podcasting, think of podcasts like Netflix for the radio, but for free. 112 million Americans have listened to podcasts, 67 million listen monthly, and 42 million weekly, according to a recent Edison Research study.
As host of the Personal Profitability Podcast and a heavy podcast listener myself, I am a huge fan of the medium. I regularly learn amazing tips, facts, and strategies to improve my business, and there is a virtually limitless opportunity to find useful podcasts for your niche or industry. If you are brand new to podcasts, learn how to get started here for free.
Some business and entrepreneurship podcasts stand out from the rest.
Here are some top business and finance podcasts to get started.
Startup
Startup tracks the founding of Gimlet Media, a podcasting company co-founded by NPR and This American Life veteran Alex Bloomberg. The Startup chronicles the successes and stumbles of Gimlet in the first season, and eventually starts tracking and sharing other business stories. This podcast was a huge hit, and got me more interested in podcasts myself.
Entrepreneur on Fire
Hugely successful entrepreneur John Lee Dumas (JLD) hosts Entrepreneur on Fire, or EOF. This daily show features interviews from successful entrepreneurs around the world. Learn the good, the bad, and the interesting of fascinating entrepreneurs. As JLD always asks, “are you ready to ignite?” If so, check out EOF.
Smart Passive Income
My pal Pat Flynn is the man behind two great podcasts, Smart Passive Income and Ask Pat. The SPI podcast comes out weekly and features interviews with guests who have an interesting and unique perspective to share for your business, while Ask Pat answers reader questions in shorter episodes five days per week. Every time I finish an episode of SPI, I have work to do to improve my business. If you want actionable advice, check out this great show.
Online Marketing Made Easy
Amy Porterfield hosts Online Marketing Made Easy, which is an appropriate title for her successful show. This show focuses on everything you need to grow your business online. From social media to websites to community building and interaction, if you want to grow online, you can’t go without Online Marketing Made Easy.
Side Hustle School
Chris Guillebeau hosts Side Hustle School. Chris is the prolific entrepreneur behind The Art of Non-Conformity, several books, and the annual World Domination Summit conference. This daily show offers short, fun stories of entrepreneurs who started their business while maintaining a full-time job. If you want to earn more or side hustle to self-employment, check out Side Hustle School.
The Tim Ferriss Show
The Four Hour Workweek author hosts The Tim Ferriss Show. With more than 150 million downloads, this show is an undisputable hit. Episodes feature longer form interviews and conversions, so be ready to block off some time for this show. What you learn, however, is usually well worth the time invested.
Personal Profitability Podcast
Self-promotion alert! I have run the Personal Profitability Podcast since January 2016. Most episodes contain an interview with a personal finance or entrepreneurship expert where we discuss topics ranging from optimizing your investments to quitting your job for self-employment. If you want to fix your finances or earn more, check out the Personal Profitability Podcast.
Stacking Benjamins
Winner of the 2017 Academy of Podcasters Award for the Best Business Podcast, Stacking Benjamins is an irreverent, hilarious show that brings in personal finance and entrepreneurship expertise and interviews. I was lucky enough to be a recent guest! Make sure to check out my interview, then subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app.
Planet Money
NPR’s Planet Money features episodes around 20-30 minutes long looking at interesting business or economic stories. Many shows feature topics that silently impact our lives and finances while others zero in on big news topics or political stories.
So Money
Money expert Farnoosh Torabi has been on virtually every major news network, and now hosts the So Money podcast. This is a must-listen for women looking to improve their financial situation, and a great listen for us men as well. From interviews to her own tips, So Money is a great personal finance podcast.
The Pitch
If you are looking to raise funds for your startup, you have to listen to The Pitch. Formerly an independent show, The Pitch recently joined the Gimlet Media family. This show features recordings of startup founders pitching their business to live venture capitalists. Listen to each pitch, its results, and how the company performed after pitching in this fun podcast.
Podcasts are the future of audio
NPR and many other radio stations share their shows as podcasts, and many new businesses focused on podcasts are seeing huge success, and for good reason. Podcasts are the future of audio. If you have yet to jump on board, welcome to the podcast family!
