Are you thinking about starting a business? Or have you already taken the leap into entrepreneurship? Either way, every founder needs guidance from those further down the road.
Podcasts deliver this mentorship on-demand, sharing hard-won wisdom from real-world entrepreneurs. By tuning in during your commute, workout, or chore time, you gain access to an inspirational business education that can take your venture to new heights!
I‘ve compiled this list of the 5 very best podcasts about entrepreneurs for you to start listening to today. Keep reading to discover which shows made the cut and why they belong on your playlist.
Why Every Entrepreneur Should Listen to Podcasts
Before jumping into the top podcast picks, let me share some eye-opening statistics that showcase the unmatched value streaming business shows can provide aspiring founders:
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104 million Americans have listened to business and finance podcasts in the past month alone according to Edison Research.
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73% of podcast listeners tune in to learn something new or hear fresh perspectives they can apply in their own life.
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65% say podcasts give them motivation and inspiration around their career or business efforts.
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58% of monthly podcast listeners are more likely to research companies, products, or services mentioned on podcasts they trust according to Gallup and Westwood One.
This data highlights why entrepreneurship podcasts have exploded in popularity over recent years. Consistent listening unlocks game-changing benefits for business owners, including:
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Motivation: Hearing fellow entrepreneurs share their wins and losses will inspire you during the inevitable ups and downs of starting a company. Their journeys can energize you to power through roadblocks.
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Practical Tips: Podcasts deliver actionable advice in quick 10-45 minute episodes you can instantly apply to your own efforts―from marketing tactics to product development strategies, funding options and more.
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Cautionary Guidance: Learning from founders who have already made costly mistakes will help you avoid common pitfalls that sink many startups early on. Their hard lessons learned will steer you towards smarter decisions.
I can personally attest to these benefits from my years listening to entrepreneurship podcasts while building my various businesses. I‘ve discovered countless breakthrough solutions to move my companies forward faster by tuning into these shows.
Now let‘s explore my top 5 podcast picks guaranteed to equip you with entrepreneurial wisdom! I guarantee each will soon become your new addiction.
Reviews of the 5 Best Podcasts About Entrepreneurs
These podcasts rise above the rest thanks to their stellar production value, top-notch hosts, stellar guest lineup, consistency, and practical, tactical advice you can sink your teeth into.
1. How I Built This
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Best For: Aspiring founders who want to understand what it takes to scale a business from scratch.
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Hosted By: Guy Raz
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Where to Listen: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.
If you want to hear the raw, unfiltered origin stories behind some of the world‘s most iconic brands, How I Built This needs to top your playlist. Host Guy Raz has a true gift for interviewing founders and extracting priceless nuggets of wisdom from them.
His roster of 500+ guests includes everyone from the owners of JetBlue, Patagonia, to Instagram, Dell, Spanx, and beyond. These trailblazers share vulnerable, candid details on the blood, sweat, and tears that went into building their empires. No victorious stone is left unturned.
You’ll hear the spills behind Spanx, the risks that led to reward with JetBlue, and the disbelief Instagram encountered. How I Built This gives you an insider’s study of entrepreneurship in all its gritty glory.
Raz asks thoughtful questions that spur founders to discuss highs alongside lows…what soared as well as what crashed. This balance of transparency provides rare insight aspiring entrepreneurs can learn from.
For example, in one especially memorable episode, Raz interviews Max Levchin, a pivotal member of the PayPal Mafia. Levchin vulnerably discusses making big mistakes early on, losing millions overnight, and staring down the possibility of utter failure.
Yet he persisted. And his whole journey communicates volumes about grit, creative problem solving, and stepping back up after devastating blows. His guidance empowers listeners to adopt the resilience needed to ultimately succeed.
Pros:
- Features the most extensive guest interview archive (500+ episodes)
- Raz draws inspiring stories out of even dull guests
- Doesn’t glaze over failures and messes along the way
- Captivating narratives keep you hanging onto every word
- Insights applicable for every type of business
With unmatched production polish and gripping storytelling flair, How I Built This takes the crown for most motivational, educational entrepreneurship podcast on the market. Tune in, get fired up, and manifest your business dreams!
2. Startups for the Rest of Us
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Best For: Bootstrappers and solopreneurs building a business on the side
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Hosted By: Rob Walling
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Where to Listen: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.
If you don’t have millions in venture capital funding and are trying to bootstrap a business around your full-time work, Startups for the Rest of Us is tailored precisely for you.
Host Rob Walling focuses exclusively on highlighting founders who turned side projects and passions into profits without outside financing. Most entrepreneur shows spotlight Silicon Valley success stories that feel out of reach for the average person.
But this show is relatable and tangible for the solo bootstrapper. Rob and his expert guests provide plenty of actionable tips and strategies to launch your own thriving startup without fancy degrees, connections or cash.
Rob frequently interviews founders in ecommerce, SaaS, digital services who all started small before finding their formula for self-funding growth. For instance, one recent guest was a landscaper who slowly built an 7-figure tree service business on his nights, weekends and slow season.
These stories of entrepreneurial perseverance will inspire you expand your side hustle into a profitable full-time venture. The short 25-50 minute episodes make for perfect listening while you work on your own project after hours!
Pros:
- Zeroes in on actionable strategies for new bootstrappers
- Features founders you can truly relate to
- Vulnerably addresses fears, mindblocks and failures
- Quick bitesize episodes to fit your busy life
If you need to hear from “the rest of us” average entrepreneurs who still created success, Startups for the Rest of Us delivers. Let Rob equip you to join their ranks!
3. Indie Hackers
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Best For: Aspiring solopreneurs looking to build lifestyle businesses
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Hosted By: Courtland Allen
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Where to Listen: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.
Are you a developer, maker or hobbyist interested in turning your side project into a profit powerhouse? Welcome to your people! Indie Hackers is THE podcast for technical founders prioritizing freedom, fulfillment and financial independence over fast growth and frenzied scale.
Host Courtland Allen talks with developers, creators and unconventional entrepreneurs across the globe who have built niche websites, apps, online services and beyond. Most bootstrapped their passion project nights and weekends before ultimately leaving their day jobs behind.
For instance, one memorable guest quit his corporate job in finance to pursue wildlife photography full-time. How? By launching an online course teaching others his craft. Today his business enables him to travel the world snapping shots.
These stories demonstrate creative approaches to entrepreneurship beyond traditional business bro culture. Listeners appreciate the emphasis on lifestyle design and leveraging interests you already have into income streams.
Episodes explore business models like bootstrapping, lean methodologies, passive income funnels and more. Whether your goal is to fund your dream sabbatical abroad or retire early, Indie Hackers delivers tactical tips to design work around your ideal life.
Pros:
- Profiles unique founders taking unconventional approaches
- Vulnerable conversations about overcoming mindblocks
- Practical tutorials on launching online businesses
- Inspires lifestyle entrepreneurship on your own terms
If you crave permission to cut your own trailblazing path as an indie entrepreneur, Indie Hackers brings encouragement and know-how.
4. The Pitch
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Best For: Aspiring founders who want an inside look at the investment process.
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Hosted By: Josh Muccio
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Where to Listen: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.
Fundraising remains unavoidably essential for many startups aspiring to scale. Yet the pitch process largely remains opaque––shrouded in misconception. The Pitch pulls back the curtain for an unprecedented glimpse behind the scenes.
Getting a “yes” requires mastering the art and science of pitching. By letting listeners observe pitches live, host Josh Muccio and a panel of real investors reveal what works, what bombs, and why.
In each nail-biting episode, an entrepreneur or two steps into the hot seat to pitch their early-stage startup to the investor panel. Josh grills them on everything from financials to target market before the sharks weigh in on what resonated or raised red flags. Founders gain instant feedback to sharpen their venture’s value proposition.
Meanwhile, show listeners gain priceless insight too. Watching others navigate high-stakes presentations helps you polish your own skills for eventual fundraising, partnership pitches, client meetings and more.
You’ll wince at avoidable gaffes––like imprecise financial projections or lousy slide decks––while taking notes on strong responses under pressure. Over 260 episodes means no shortage of case studies!
Pros:
- Pulls back the curtain on real investment conversations
- Reveals pitching mistakes for you to avoid
- Investor Q&A offers founder advice to apply
- Bite-sized episodes packed with value
Whether raising capital or not, The Pitch provides indispensable pitch training you’d never find in a classroom. Tune in and level up your presentation abilities today!
5. That Will Never Work
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Best For: Early-stage founders still developing and testing ideas
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Hosted By: Marc Randolph
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Where to Listen: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.
As any successful founder will tell you, constant criticism and evolution is critical in an idea‘s infancy. Few understand this better than Marc Randolph, Netflix co-founder and inaugural CEO.
Today Marc helps early-stage entrepreneurs pressure test their concepts on his acclaimed podcast That Will Never Work. Guests pitch Marc their business vision then brace for tough love feedback. He asks probing questions that highlight potential weaknesses founders need to address.
For example, one episode featured an entrepreneur proposing an app for reviewing internet memes. Marc immediately pushed back on questionable monetization plans and a niche target audience unlikely to drive growth.
Randolph draws from his experience rapidly evolving Netflix from a mail-order DVD rental service to pioneering giant. As Netflix constantly pivoted their model early on, founding teams must remain nimble and challenge assumptions.
The show spotlights the experimentation and iteration integral for turning ideas into traction in a crowded marketplace. Rather than handhold, Marc incubates resilience and rigor.
That Will Never Work demonstrates how vital resilience, rigor and rapid iteration prove in converting concepts into winners.
Pros:
- Randolph asks uncomfortably insightful questions
- Spotlights flaws/gaps founders need to address
- Reveals importance of testing assumptions
- Inspires openness to criticism in idea development stages
Founders sharpen concepts against Marc’s grinding stone. Listen in for challenge that will hone your venture proposition!
I‘m confident all five shows above will soon rocket to the top of your playlist. But before hitting play, keep two tips in mind to maximize your learning:
#1. Actively Listen – Don‘t just passively tune in. Jot down key insights, memorable quotes and potential application ideas in a dedicated podcast notebook you can reference later. Revisiting these game-changing takeaways ensures you retain and act upon them.
#2. Relate Back – Of course every founder‘s journey differs, so contextualize advice you hear. Compare and contrast the businesses or situations profiled on shows to your own scenario. Identify what strategies you can borrow and what requires adaptation. This reflection cements practical applications.
Now pull out your phone and start streaming these entrepreneurship goldmines! I can‘t wait for you to soak up their game-changing guidance that I promise will take your business dreams to the next level.
Go show the world what you‘re building!
