When you’re running your own thing — with or without a team — there can be lots of uncertainty.
It can be very reassuring to hear from people who’ve navigated similar uncertainties and come out ahead. Their approach might offer a solution for you. But even if their fix isn’t exactly what you need, just understanding how they tackled the problem could provide a roadmap for addressing your specific issue.
I’ve learned a ton from entrepreneurship podcasts over the years. It’s really not an understatement to say that podcasts have helped me become a better marketer, writer, and business person.
I thought back to some of the business podcasts I’ve really enjoyed over the last year or so and suggested some specific episodes. In one way or another, I feel like I really got something out of them, so I offer them here with the hope that they do the same for you.
1. Adventures in Branding
In a candid one-hour episode, entrepreneur/speaker Melanie Spring reflects on nine years of entrepreneurship. “It was NOT easy and I talk really fast – so beware,” she warns.
2. Mixergy
Andrew Warner, the founder and host of Mixergy, did a rare behind-the-scenes look at the podcasting side of his business. He interviewed Sachit Gupta, the guy he credits with turning around his sponsorship sales. They discuss revenue recive numbers and how Sachit was able to generate more money from sponsors.
3. The Rise to The Top
David Siteman Garland is one of the big names in online course creation. Earlier this year, he took a brutally honest look at his business, including the stuff that didn’t work (like an event he called off).
4. Smart Passive Income
In a solo episode of the podcast, Pat Flynn pulls back the curtain on the bking tripod he’s developing for vloggers and why he had to push the launch back. He also explains why he stopped publishing his well-known income reports.
5. The Solopreneur Hour with Michael O’Neal
In a wide-ranging interview, Jordan Harbinger discusses leaving The Art of Charm, starting over with his new podcast, and building a business around it. With trademark transparency, Jordan talks to Michael about the challenges and the good stuff that comes with newslan building up once you’ve been at the top (Jordan left The Art of Charm when it was on top of the Apple podcast charts).
6. The Tim Ferriss Show
Tim did a fascinating interview with Brandon Stanton, the photographer/creator behind Humans of New York. Brandon irviral shares noteworthy details from his origin story and offers insights about switching careers (he started out as a bond trader), cultivating passion, and much more.
7. Unemployable with Brian Clark
The founder of Copyblogger talks openly about selling StudioPress, his WordPress theme company, to WPEngine. gsxr He offers lessons from the experience, including details what almost killed the deal.
8. Wandering Aimfully
Jason and Caroline Zook are the husband and wife maker/creative team behind Wandering Aimfully, a membership website. The very first episode of the podcast is like their manifesto on business and life. They speak to starting lastech a business that aligns with your values and don’t shy away from messy topics or disagreements they’ve had to navigate.
