Entrepreneurship is on the rise. Whether you’re new to the business of creating businesses or you’ve been creating companies for years, a podcast can be a great way to expand your knowledge and fuel up on inspiration. But with so many podcasts claiming to hold the secrets of success, it can be tough to pick out the ones truly worth listening to.
These 13 podcasts offer up interesting stories about startups and new perspectives on creating your own company. A common challenge for growing businesses is finding flexible office space that can accommodate changing headcounts. WeWork All Access and WeWork On Demand unlock hundreds of beautiful coworking spaces all over the world and let your team come together, collaborate, and grow.
In the podcasts below, you’ll learn how successful entrepreneurs are navigating their journey, the mistakes they’ve made, and the advice they have.
Side Hustle Pro
For many, the most approachable path to entrepreneurship is through a side hustle. Side Hustle Pro features interviews with Black women entrepreneurs who have scaled part-time projects into profitable enterprises. Hosted by Nicaila Matthews Okome, who herself grew a podcasting side hustle into a full-time business, this podcast delivers both inspiration and tactical advice for anyone looking to turn their passion into a business.
Masters of Scale
Hosted by LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman, Masters of Scale features interviews with the leaders behind great business successes, from John Foley, founder of Peloton, to actress Jessica Alba, founder of the Honest Company. The show examines how these companies were able to grow from the seed stage to become international brands, as well as the challenges faced along the way.
Awkward Silences
A UX podcast might not be an intuitive choice for a list of entrepreneur podcasts, but many of the skills necessary to understand customer needs are key to a successful business. Awkward Silences features interviews with the people who interview people for a living. It dives deep into how UX researchers approach and understand users. You probably aren’t a UX researcher, but your business will struggle to succeed if you don’t have a deep understanding of your customers.
Creative Confidence Podcast
Starting a new business is a creative endeavor, and to be successful you need to be able to think outside the box and generate ideas. IDEO U’s Creative Confidence Podcast features interviews with creative leaders from within IDEO as well as outside companies like Google and Wonderschool. Hosted by IDEO U’s executive design director Coe Leta Stafford and founder Suzanne Gibbs Howard, these conversations take a deep dive into leadership, innovation, growth, and the strategies involved in building organizations led by creativity.
The Growth League
A lot of podcasts for entrepreneurs focus heavily on the work that goes into building a business, but few take a step back and examine the personal habits and daily practices behind successful leaders. The Growth League, hosted by author and consultant Diana Kander, is a weekly podcast that examines the lifestyles of successful women leaders. Topics range from how to get enough sleep to receiving and acting on feedback.
StartUp
StartUp documents what it’s really like to get a company off the ground. Created by former This American Life producer Alex Blumberg, StartUp began by sharing his experiences founding the podcast company Gimlet. Later seasons shift the focus to other startups. It includes some great advice, including a tip from Blumberg’s wife on the proper shoes to wear when meeting “someone with money.” (Spoiler alert: not sneakers.) Instead of the usual interview format, StartUp has an engaging narrative style.
How I Built This
Like StartUp, How I Built This has great information about what it’s like to launch a company. The format is a bit different, however. How I Built This interviews entrepreneurs who are already successful, as opposed to giving a play-by-play about a new business venture. Host Guy Raz has talked with everyone from Whole Foods cofounder John Mackey to Airbnb founder Joe Gebbia.
Hard Pass
Don’t have hours to dedicate to a podcast? Then Hard Pass is for you. The weekly episodes—all under 10 minutes—help you better understand current events affecting business. Hosts Josh Barro and Linette Lopez discuss topics from Uber’s public relations challenges to the price of avocados. It’s easy to understand, has a conversational tone, and breaks down complex financial concepts into digestible chunks.
Powderkeg
Relatively new to the podcast scene, the first episode of Powderkeg aired just six months ago. Powderkeg shares the “untold stories of innovation, leadership, and technology.” Hosted by Matt Hunckler, the show interviews various entrepreneurs and investors who suggest the best practices for your business. In the first episode, Hunckler and Studio Science founder Kristian Andersen discuss ways to encourage innovators outside of Silicon Valley and New York City.
Startups for the Rest of Us
Hosted by Mike Taber and Rob Walling, Startups for the Rest of Us highlights the mistakes people make when beginning a new business. It appeals to anyone working in software development and software design, especially those in the early stages of their projects. The show tackles topics ranging from hiring the right employees to how to master public speaking. Some episodes feature the hosts answering questions from listeners.
She Did It Her Way
Drawing on her own experiences as a solopreneur, host Amanda Boleyn shares some very personal stories about difficult times and how she got through them while launching her company, which provides leadership coaching for women. She also covers the different needs of men and women in the business world. It’s a great platform for women business owners to speak out.
The Pitch
Real edge-of-your-seat entertainment, The Pitch is the podcast version of reality TV. Cofounders Josh Muccio and Sheel Mohnot talk with startup founders who are just starting out, and broadcast their pitches live to potential investors. After the pitch, listeners learn why investors chose to—or chose not to—invest in a particular company.
Technori
A radio show and podcast in one, Technori is based out of Chicago. Host Scott Kitun chats with local entrepreneurs about their experience starting a business. Kitun likes to focus on why and how each of them became a success. The show’s back-and-forth repartee and singular wit make for a very informative listen.
This article was originally published on June 17, 2017, and has been updated throughout by the editors.
Reesa Hylton is a former intern at WeWork.
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