11 Podcasts Every Small Business Owner Should be Listening To

You can never have too much inspiration or advice when you’re a small business owner. One great way to get both on a regular basis is through podcasts. There are dozens of shows out there dedicated to being invaluable resources for people just like you. We’ve picked out 11 must-listen podcasts that will enlighten you and help improve your business.

1. Small Biz Ahead Podcast

Small Biz Ahead was created to help small business owners solve their everyday problems: from managing difficult employees, to raising capital, to deciding how much money to spend on social media. “It’s like running a new idea by a trusted adviser or asking a mentor for advice on how to solve a simple problem,” says co-host Gene Marks. This weekly podcast is published at 10a.m. on Wednesdays.

Join writer and small business owner Gene Marks each Wednesday on the Small Biz Ahead podcast. You can also submit a question for Gene to answer on the podcast.

2. Beyond the To-Do List

Finding ways to be more productive can be a constant work-in-progress for small business owners. Beyond the To-Do List is a great podcast for those of you looking to squeeze the most out of your day. Host Erik Fisher speaks with successful people from all walks of life about how they stay productive. Even if you don’t find everyone’s method applicable to you, you’ll still be inspired.

3. StartUp

Alex Blumberg is the man behind two immensely popular podcasts: This American Life and Planet Money. With StartUp, he’s turned his eyes on how tech businesses get their start. In Season 1, he told the story of how he launched his own startup business, and in Season 2, he’s followed two young women trying to launch a dating company in a difficult, male-dominated industry. Both seasons shed illuminating, well-told light on the struggles and victories of starting a business – whether you’re in tech or not.

4. Planet Money

NPR’s popular podcast explores what’s driving the economy all over the world. It’s a valuable resource for small business owners because even if an episode involves an industry you’re not involved in, chances are you’ll still be able to glean some valuable lessons and knowledge from what you’re hearing.

5. Manager Tools

This podcast is dedicated to helping people become better leaders and managers. But what makes it really great  is that it’s wonderfully specific. There are episodes on how to deal with raises, handling employee one-on-ones, providing better feedback, and more. If there’s a management issue you’re struggling with, chances are you’ll find it addressed with extremely helpful insights on this podcast.

6. The $100 MBA Show

Omar Zenhom obviously understands how busy small business owners like you are. That’s why he posts only ten-minute podcasts. Every day, he offers great (and quick) explorations of essential small business questions like “Can You Grow Too Fast?”, “How to Fire an Employee,” “How to Hire a Virtual Assistant” and more.

7. Starting From Nothing: The Foundation

It’s comforting to know that there are other people facing the same challenges as you are. The Foundation speaks to entrepreneurs who started from scratch and built a successful business. It offers a nice mixture of actionable advice (they even provide an “Action Guide” for every episode), and comforting “Hey, I’ve been there too”.

8. HBR Ideacast

The stature of Harvard Business Review means the people behind this podcast get to speak to heavy hitters like Fortune 500 CEOs and Hollywood stars about all aspects of running a business. Leadership, talent management, work-life balance, marketing and more, are all covered here. With hundreds of episodes, covering issues that you do or will deal with all the time, it’s a must listen. Plus, episodes are nice and short, so they’re perfect for the busy small business owner.

9. This Is Your Life

Hosted by Michael Hyatt (with co-host, Michele Cushatt), This Is Your Life is an inspiring podcast aimed at helping employees and especially leaders realize their full potential. The podcast offers an incredibly useful look at everything from what to do when you’re overwhelmed, how to become a better delegator, how to hire better, and more. You’d be hard pressed to find a more comprehensive podcast resource that offers such great expert insights into becoming a better leader.

10. Entrepreneur on Fire

Host John Lee Dumas chats with a vast range of entrepreneurs about not just their successes, but also their failures. Guests share what their greatest failure was and what they learned from it, what their entrepreneurial “AH-HA” moment was that propelled them forward, and more. In the words of the podcast’s website, “EOF is about inspiring you to take your entrepreneurial leap.” That’s exactly what it does, which is exactly why you should be listening.

11. BBC The Bottom Line

The Bottom Line tackles very particular industries to explore their past, present, and future. The podcast offers useful snapshots for small business owners who may want to know more about the industries they’re in, the ones they want to get into, or the ones they’re impacted by.

Next Steps: You’re busy. We get it. So why not let us do some work for you? By signing up for the weekly Small Biz Ahead Newsletter, you’ll receive hand-picked articles, How-Tos and videos covering the latest in small biz tools and trends. We’ll do the research while you spend your time where it counts: managing and growing your business.