May 18, 2024
If you’re like most of the small business owners I know, you just don’t have the time to take a course because, well, you just don’t have the time. It takes you weeks to read a book because you only get through three lines a night before passing out with the lights on. So how, oh pray tell, can a small biz owner learn valuable businessy things without taking up their precious work time? Podcasts, that’s how.
You can listen with your morning coffee, while you’re making lunch, when you drive and while you exercise. That’s the greatest thing about podcasts – you can listen as you go about your normal, mundane, daily tasks. There are thousands to choose from, and you can usually find one that will fit in the exact amount of time you’re doing your ‘stuff’ – whether that’s listening to 15 minutes of marketing tips while you prep dinner, or an hour-long interview during your evening walk.
Mixergy Startup Stories
Average podcast duration: 60min
There’s so much to be learned from fellow entrepreneurs, and Mixergy’s Andrew Warner chats to some of the most experienced business people out there. From e-commerce experts to brick and mortar startup pros, you’ll be inspired at what these company founders have accomplished, and motivated by the advice they offer.
Business Wars
Average podcast duration: 30min
Business is war, in many cases. Competition is fierce, especially for big brands, so how do you stand out from the other guys? In the Business Wars podcast, you’ll see big businesses go head to head – like Nintendo vs Sony, McDonald’s vs Burger King and Uber vs Lyft – and find out the real story of what drives these companies and their leaders, inventors, investors and executives.
The Marketing Companion
Average podcast duration: 40min
You can’t run a business without marketing of some shape or form, and if you don’t know where to start, The Marketing Companion might be the podcast for you. The hosts have over 50 years of marketing experience between them, and will give you informative, entertaining insights into the world of marketing and how it’s changing the world around us.
Entrepreneurs on Fire
Average podcast duration: 30min
With over 85 million downloads, we’re pretty sure this is one of the best podcasts out there for small business owners. Featuring loads of guest entrepreneurs, seriously good advice, practical tips and real-life stories (the good and the bad), Entrepreneurs on Fire is a must-add to your podcast library.
RISE Podcast
Average podcast duration: 45-60min
Hosted by NY Times bestselling author Rachel Hollis, the RISE podcast gives you valuable takeaways with every episode, from controlling your mindset during a pandemic, to building your business around social media. Always interesting and poignant, this podcast will help you develop both professionally and personally.
Entrepreneur Stories 4 Startup Inspiration
Average podcast duration: 60min
Small business owners need all the motivation, inspiration and actionable advice they can get, and you can get all three things in abundance with Entrepreneur Stories. Lots of informative CEO interviews, tips on growth and productivity and real-life stories, this podcast is a great listen for entrepreneurs, solopreneurs and small business owners.
Youpreneur
Average podcast duration: 15min
Definitely one of our favourite quick-listen podcasts, Youpreneur with Chris Ducker posts new content weekly, and is full of useful, practical tips and information for any budding entrepreneur. With an emphasis on building a personal brand, you can listen to everything from 10 Ways to Stay Productive and Motivated to 3 Ideas to Make Your Brand Stand Out.
Masters of Scale
Average podcast duration: 45min
LinkedIn co-founder and legendary Silicon Valley investor, Reid Hoffman, hosts this constantly updated podcast to bring inspiring stories of startups to the world. Each episode features experienced entrepreneurs talking about how they built their companies with hilariously honest stories about leadership, strategy, management, fundraising and the human journey.
Foundr Podcast
Average podcast duration: 45min
How do you get more customers? How do you scale your business? How do you start up? How did so-and-so get millions of customers and have such a massive impact on the world? Host Nathan Chan delves deep into these questions with his entrepreneur guests, and helps you get on your way to growing a successful business.
Business Unusual
Average podcast duration: 30min
This is a brand new podcast hosted by Claudia Winkleman in association with Vodafone Business, where each episode will feature one of the most disruptive business owners in the UK, telling stories of their success and how they grew their business. We can’t wait to watch this podcast grow!