Entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial journey podcasts
Running a business is hardly a small feat. Every minute of the day brings new decisions to make and sometimes even fires to put out. Naturally, amazing things happen too, and I admit that it sometimes helps to hear how other entrepreneurs cope with their challenges and celebrate success.
Below, you’ll find shows that focus on the entrepreneurial journey and offer inspiration for running your business.
#1. How I Built This
How I Built This features 1-hour long interviews with leading entrepreneurs. Guy Raz discusses their guests’ journeys and how they got their companies to where they are now.
If you get inspired by honest accounts of struggle and success from other business people, this show is definitely for you.
Recommended episode:
How I Built Resilience with Brian Chesky of Airbnb, a candid discussion about the effect of Covid-19 on the business, and how Airbnb began recovering from the blow of the lockdown.
#2. Entrepreneurs on Fire
As the name might suggest, Entrepreneurs on Fire delivers regular interviews with ultra-successful entrepreneurs to offer you advice on getting the business where you want it to be. The host, John Lee Dumas, and his guests, share advice on everything from structuring your business and increasing organic traffic to optimizing pricing strategies.
It’s worth noting that the show focuses on running online and lifestyle businesses, and the majority of the advice is geared towards such business ventures.
Recommended episode:
The Energy Connection: Creating the Life and Business You Love with Christy Whitman.
#3. RogueStartups
(Disclaimer: I co-host this show.)
Rogue Startups follows two bootstrapped startup founders on their journey to grow their business. Through candid weekly episodes, you hear Dave Rodenbaugh and myself (plus occasional guests) discussing our successes and challenges with sales, marketing, and product development, and our plans and strategies for taking our companies further.
Recommended episode:
Coping Best We Can, where we discuss the uncertainty when it comes to the state of the world around the Covid pandemic, as well as the economy and the future of our businesses.
#4. BusinessWars
Running a business is as much about managing the company as it is about dealing with the competition, isn’t it? And the Business Wars podcast focuses on such conflicts specifically, discussing various aspects of rivalry between the major brands in the world. You’ll hear case studies about dating app wars, Uber vs. Lyft, Blockbuster vs. Netflix, and more.
Recommended episode:
There are too many amazing episodes to recommend just one. But if I were to pick an episode to start with, it’d be the Cola Space Race. Yes, it’s as insane as the name suggests.
#5. Mind Your Business
The Mind Your Business Podcast is a weekly show that aims to keep you and your business headed in the right direction. The host, James Wedmore, and a wide range of guests offer advice on nurturing a strong business mindset and an attitude that’ll get you further than your average hustle.
Recommended episode:
The Mind-Body Approach to Conquering FEAR with Mark Visser.
Marketing and sales podcasts
Of everything that’s involved in running a successful business, two core elements affect your success the most: marketing and sales. But let’s face it, you need to stay inspired to make each work. So, below, you’ll find shows that aim to demystify marketing and sales, and show you how to achieve greater success with each.
This podcast is hosted by Ben Jabbawy, the Founder & CEO of Privy, where he provides daily content for ecommerce marketers looking to grow their online sales. Ecommerce Marketing School also features guests from a variety of ecommerce backgrounds willing to share their best tips for growing sales, store traffic, social media following, and much more. Whether you’ve been in the ecommerce game for years or just recently launched your online store, Ecommerce Marketing School has quick tips and insights for all levels of marketers and store owners.
Recommended episode:
3 types of automated emails that’ll make your brand money while you sleep
#7. Online Marketing Made Easy
If you’re wondering how to start marketing your products online, grow an email list, or sell more of your products, this show is for you. In each episode, Amy Porterfield, a leading marketing strategist, and her guests take listeners on a journey of discovery. You’ll learn about new marketing strategies and tactics that you can start implementing in your business practically right away.
Recommended episode:
How to Stop Playing Small with Brit Barron, is an engrossing discussion about leaving your comfort zone and being who you are truly meant to be.
#8. Perpetual Traffic
Are you struggling to generate leads? Spending too much on paid advertising without getting any significant ROI? Well, then, Perpetual Traffic is a must-listen. In the weekly episodes, the show hosts, Ralph Burns and Amanda Powell discuss various strategies for generating leads through paid advertising through Google Ads, social media advertising, and a whole slew of other channels.
Recommended episode(s):
Watch Molly Build an Entire Traffic System from Scratch (part one/part two.) A fascinating look at the process of building up a brand new ad account from scratch, the best ad strategies, and how to lay a foundation for growing the traffic further.
#9. Marketing School
This daily show gives you access to an incredible experience of two absolute marketing veterans, Neil Patel and Eric Siu. Every day, Neil and Eric discuss their favorite marketing strategies. The hosts discuss everything from content marketing and SEO copywriting, paid advertising, and podcast marketing to conversion rate optimization and more, offering actionable advice to help you implement them in your business.
Recommended episode:
Why SEO is still our #1 marketing strategy.
#10. Marketing Over Coffee
During this show, the hosts really discuss marketing over cups of coffee. Each week, the hosts—John J. Wall and Christopher S. Penn—meet up in a local coffee shop to chat about what’s new in marketing, what new marketing strategies or ideas they’ve had or heard of, and more. The show also features guests sharing their take on what’s new or working well in marketing today.
Recommended episode:
On Leadership with Simon Sinek, featuring a chat with the author of the well-known and revered business book, “Start with Why.”
These days, it’s impossible to ignore social media when marketing a business. And this show from Buffer is perfect to learn and master social media marketing, whether you are new to it or have been using social channels to promote a business for some time already.
Learn more:
Recommended episode:
Brand Secrets for Standing out in a Crowded World, a fantastic look at building a brand, connecting with an audience online, and cut through the noise.
(Disclaimer: I host this show as well.)
Podcasting has become one of the biggest and fastest-growing strategies for building an audience and promoting a business. In this show, I discuss everything podcast-related, including how to start a podcast show, attract an audience, and grow your following.
Recommended episode:
How to Get Featured in Apple Podcasts with Bobby Temps.
#13. The Brutal Truth About Sales and Selling
I may be presumptuous here, but I suppose that selling isn’t too high on your list of favorite things to do in business. The Brutal Truth About Sales and Selling is a show that demystifies sales and shows hacks to close more deals. Although the show’s aimed at sales reps, there is plenty of amazing advice that could help any business owner.
Recommended episode:
How to Win Deals When You Are Viewed as a Commodity, a problem many business owners face, after all.
The last marketing-related podcast on my list focuses on delivering actionable advice from some of the leading marketers. If you’re looking for real-life marketing advice and actionable insights you could start implementing in your business, this show has plenty of both.
Recommended episode:
How to Motivate Buyers in the Age of Infinite Media with Matthew Sweazy.
#15. The FWD: Thinking Show
It’s a podcast dedicated to sharing innovative marketing strategies from the most successful marketing minds in the world. From copywriting to email design, conversion optimization, and everything in between, they uncover the tactics and strategies that enable small businesses and entrepreneurs to accomplish more with marketing. The FWD: Thinking Show is brought to you by the team at AWeber, the powerfully-simple email marketing solution that helps small businesses build their audiences and grow their businesses.
Recommended episode:
What Do Email Design and Legos Have in Common?
Productivity podcasts
How long is your to-do list, typically? And how many items are you able to cross off each day? If the answer doesn’t satisfy you, don’t fret—these amazing podcasts will help get your productivity back on track!
Delivered by Francesco D’Alessio (the guy behind a widely popular YouTube channel, Keep Productive), the Tools They Use podcast delivers weekly interviews with professionals about their productivity hacks, routines, and tools.
Recommended episode:
The Todoist CEO’s morning routine and app habits, an insightful look at the productivity routine of the man behind one of the most popular productivity apps.
#17. Beyond the Todo List
This is another show packed with practical tips and information about taming your to-do list and, well, getting all that stuff on it done. Tune in, and you’ll get plenty of advice on how to cross more items off that list and do the work that matters.
Recommended episode:
Mike Sturm on the Meaning of Productivity, a good starting point if you’re interested in figuring out how to be more productive.
#18. KwikBrain
Hosted by a brain and memory trainer, Jim Kwik, KwikBrain delivers fun and insightful advice into increasing your mental performance, reading faster, remembering more, and basically, supercharging your brain.
Recommended episode:
Building Mental Toughness with Joe De Sena about building and developing mental resilience.
#19. The Goal Digger Podcast
This show, hosted by Jenna Kutcher, delivers regular tips, strategies, and hacks to excel in your business and achieve your dream life. Start listening, and soon you’ll discover plenty of productivity and business hacks, and hear inspirational stories to help you propel your business and career forward.
Recommended episode:
The Secret to Selling with Certainty in Uncertain Times
Personal wellness and well-being podcasts
Running a business can put a severe strain on your body and mind. Unfortunately, the stress you’re regularly experiencing can cause burnout and lead to serious health problems. So, as the last category on the list, I decided to feature shows that can help you manage stress, overcome mental fatigue, and better manage your well-being.
#20. Happier
Hosted by Gretchen Rubin, the best-selling author of The Happiness Project, the show brings advice on happiness and building good habits to live a fulfilling life.
Recommended episode:
A Lesson Learned from the End of Life: Make Time for People Who Matter the Most
#21. RISE
RISE is a show featuring candid conversations with entrepreneurs and business leaders about business, entrepreneurship, and pursuing opportunities.
Recommended episode:
Seven Things that Are Helping Me Go Through the Hard Season.
#22. The Happiness Lab
Finally, Happiness Lab takes a more scientific approach to happiness. Hosted by Dr. Laurie Santos, and based on the psychology course she teaches at Yale, the show helps you take a new look at happiness through the lens of the latest scientific research on the matter.
Recommended episode:
For Whom the Alarm Clock Tolls, a must-listen if you regularly find yourself running out of time to do everything you’ve wanted to do.
