Between work, school, side hustles, and family commitments, many of us find ourselves in a perpetual state of busyness; finding time to learn can seem nearly impossible. But, if you look carefully enough, you’ll find many, often wasted, pockets of ‘on-the-go’ time that can be redeemed by listening to informative, insightful, and inspirational podcasts.

I first started listening to business podcasts 4 years ago, while working a mundane, data entry job at a clinical research company – it was all I could do to ensure I didn’t lose my mind. However, what could have been a soul-sucking 7 hours or more a day actually turned into a pivotal moment in my life; it was during this time that I discovered my love for business! Listening to some of the most passionate entrepreneurs and business thought leaders ignited a spark in me. I became addicted to learning as much as I could, and was eager to make the necessary changes in my life that would see me eventually quitting my dead-end job, and pursuing my own dreams.

If you’re an ambitious, budding entrepreneur, or want to ignite that fire in your belly, I’d highly recommend you take charge of those fleeting moments in your day and week and listen to podcasts that will give you an appreciation for that hour-long commute into the city.

My Top 5 Business Podcasts

Here are the 5 business podcasts that are in my regular, weekly rotation. These have been central to shaping my current views on leadership, entrepreneurship, and personal finances, and have set the tone for how I want to develop my own business(es).

The Dave Ramsey Show 

Don’t even think about starting any new venture or project before you’ve set up a solid foundation in your personal finances! Trying to start a business while being buried in credit card or student debt, no emergency fund, and no budget is financial suicide for any entrepreneur. The Dave Ramsey Show is the first podcast I ever listened to, and it completely changed my life. It has taught me to avoid debt like the plague, save up for a rainy day, and to cashflow everything! Listening to this podcast helped me to get the basic principles in tact, and keep the right perspective when tackling my goals of entrepreneurship. First, get your own house in order and then use those same, time-tested financial principles to build a strong, self-sustaining business that doesn’t depend on borrowed money to keep the doors open.

EntreLeadership 

Can you tell I’m a big Dave Ramsey fan?! EntreLeadership is another podcast from his company, Ramsey Solutions, focusing on leadership principles for individuals leading their own companies and teams. On this podcast, you’ll find lessons and interviews with some of the biggest and brightest in business, including Seth Godin, Jim Collins, Jack Welch, Simon Sinek, Mark Cuban, and many more. I highly recommend this podcast if you’re looking for more than just information, but also inspiration, which I actually believe is far more important.

StartUp Camp 

I’ve been listening to Dale Partridge’s podcast, StartUp Camp, for about a year now, and find him particularly insightful in the modern digital business space. He interviews people with varying business backgrounds, but mostly successful Millennial entrepreneurs. His lessons on productivity, business planning, and leadership are really transparent and honest, which is a breath of fresh air those of us who are just getting our bearings in the business world and want to know “how did you do it?”.

Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders 

Ever wonder about these giant, billion dollar companies in Silicon Valley? This podcast out of Stanford University, features talks from some of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world. We’re talking about heavy hitters from companies like Google, Facebook, Uber, SpaceX, DisneyPixar and Twitter. The great thing about this podcast is it sheds light on these larger than life companies, helping you realize that everyone starts somewhere. Founders talk openly and candidly about their struggles in building and growing their companies, hopefully leaving you with a feeling of possibility – if it happened for them, it could happen for you.

Seth Godin’s StartUp School 

Seth Godin is by far one of my favourite marketing writers. I would even venture to say that he put blogging on the map, making it a staple for any modern business’ marketing strategy. In this podcast series, Godin teaches his views on entrepreneurship, product marketing, and consumer engagement. It is chalk full of business gold. When you’re listening to this series, be sure to have your notebook & pen, or Evernote app ready to go, because he gives a tonne of practical advice you can apply to your business or startup goals right away, so you’d better make sure to write it all down.

All of these podcasts are available to download or subscribe to on iTunes, so you can listen to them while commuting on the train, on a Summer road trip, or while running on the treadmill. And, they’re absolutely free! Now you don’t have any excuses. Remember, when it comes to becoming a more informed, educated, and equipped entrepreneur, the onus is on you to make it happen. No one is going to spoon feed you with the inspiration or information you need to live the life you want. Make or find the time, and don’t let busyness get in the way of takin’ care of business.

Here’s to feeling productive just by taking the subway…

Cheers,