Business-oriented podcasts are one of the greatest resources out there. Their content can provide great insight into business news and entrepreneurial best practices, not to mention the fact that they’re super easy to consume on-the-go. Instead of perusing through the thousands of business podcasts out there, here’s a round-up of some of our favorites:

1. The GaryVee Audio Experience

By Gary Vaynerchuk

If you aren’t familiar with Gary Vaynerchuk and his unfiltered approach to business, you’re seriously missing out. Vaynerchuk is an entrepreneur, bestselling author, speaker, marketer, social media celebrity, and the list goes on. His podcast is an exact reflection of his many ventures. As a result, you’ll hear about everything from motivational life advice to personal branding how-tos. Vaynerchuk also regularly hosts Reddit AMAs through his podcast. So if you ever wondered about his thoughts on pretty much anything, there’s a chance to find out.

2. Renegade Thinkers Unite

By Drew Neisser

Every business needs a solid marketing strategy to get off the ground. Renegade Thinkers Unite will help you do just that. In each episode, Drew Neisser, CEO of social marketing agency Renegade (and publisher of this site!), interviews marketing innovators about the secret to their success. The conversations are both engaging and informative, with each talk wrapping up with a summary of insights for listeners to take away. Past guests have included seasoned marketing veterans from incredible companies like Spotify, IBM, and The New York Times.

3. HBR IdeaCast

By Harvard Business Review

If there’s anyone in the world qualified to give business advice, it must be the folks over at Harvard, right? Harvard Business Review has been the premier publication for business insights for almost a century. Unsurprisingly, the associated podcast is just as informative. You’ll hear from leading thinkers in business and management about what their own experiences have taught them and how you can apply these lessons to your business. Previous episodes have featured industry titans like Jeff Bezos and innovative thinkers like Maya Angelou.

4. The Side Hustle Show: Business Ideas for Part-Time Entrepreneurs

By Nick Loper

If a full-time gig is limiting your entrepreneurial spirit, this is the podcast for you. The Side Hustle Show explores the actionable tips and business strategies of successful entrepreneurs. Each episode covers a different facet of the part-time entrepreneurial experience, from coming up with a business idea to building marketing initiatives to efficiently budgeting time on a side hustle. Best of all, the advice offered is practical and can be applied to whatever step your part-time business is at.

The post 4 Podcasts Every Entrepreneur MUST Listen To appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

Below, you’ll find shows specific to marketing, leadership, and business, and other shows dedicated to smaller pieces of those larger topics (i.e., design, social, etc.). This list is far from comprehensive, considering how many great podcasts are published each week, so make sure to post your favorites and recommendations in the comments section below.

Disclaimer: These shows are not listed in any particular order. I’m not interested in ranking, so I literally just rolled the dice; it seemed the most fair way to handle the list. Also, none of these shows are clients, this post is not sponsored, and no shenanigans have occurred, meaning I truly listen to each one of these and personally endorse them all.

Now…dive in:

The Beancast

Hosted by: Bob Knorpp

Recommended for: Marketing

The Beancast, dubbed as “The Best Marketing Podcast Anywhere”, recently celebrated its seventh anniversary. Any show that survives 350 episodes is not only time-tested, but also prioritizes quality and consistency. It’s the first podcast that I listen to each week, usually first thing on Monday morning, and it never fails to deliver on high-quality guests, time-sensitive topics, and plenty of laughs. Bob pulls together a panel of experts each week to discuss the very latest in marketing and advertising, and it’s a must-listen for anyone connected to the industry. If you don’t already subscribe to The Beancast, go ahead and do that now. You won’t regret it. Guaranteed.

Listen In: http://www.thebeancast.com/

Social Toolkit

Hosted by: Jason Keath and Jason Yarborough

Recommended for: Marketing

Social Toolkit is another top-notch marketing podcast. If you itch to keep up with the nuts-and-bolts and how-to’s of the industry, then put this show on your list. As we all know, some of the hardest parts of staying current in the marketing space is, well, staying current. Lucky for you, Jason and Jason do the hard part for you. Tune in weekly, and you’re sure to walk away smarter, stand taller, and feel fresher. They always have a new tool to test out, and you get to benefit from their ever expanding kit. So benefit.

Listen In: http://www.socialfresh.com/podcast/

Read To Lead Podcast

Hosted by: Jeff Brown

Recommended for: Leadership

Jeff Brown puts out one of the smartest, most interesting, and well-produced shows around. The backbone of RTL is the belief that “consistent and intentional reading” is key to success in business and in life. Jeff has interviewed the laundry list of thought-leaders and experts in the leadership space, and hearing insights directly from the mouths of best-selling authors is powerful. It’s no surprise that Jeff was a finalist for “Best Business Podcast” at this year’s 10th Annual Podcast Awards. You might tune in for his amazing voice (and it is amazing), but you’ll stay for the amazing content.

Listen In: http://readtoleadpodcast.com/

Social Zoom Factor

Hosted by: Pam Moore

Recommended for: Marketing

If a topic, tool, or idea is related to marketing and/or social marketing, Pam has it covered in her Social Zoom Factor podcast. Speaking with a believable authority, she uses her experience and expertise to great effect. There is an archive of over 120 shows waiting to speak to you, and trust me, they will. If Social Zoom Factor is not on your subscription list, take care of that today. Her confidence is contagious, and there are great benefits to being infected.

Listen In: http://socialzoomfactor.com/

The Xero Hour

Hosted by: Saul Colt and Bob Knorpp

Recommended for: Small Business

Saul Colt, aka “The Smartest Man in the World”, launched The Xero Hour fairly recently, but the show is already making a big impact. Though the podcast is named after the company Saul works for, this show is no advertisement or infomercial. In fact, the most Xero-centric episode is labeled as a Bonus Episode, which is a smartly humble way of keeping their true focus. Saul keeps small business as the star with stellar interviews on a wide-range of topics related to marketing, innovation, networking, and business trends. If you’re looking for leading thoughts on business with humor at every turn, this podcast will be one of your favorites.

Listen In: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/xero-hour-bob-knorpp-saul/id977452702

Seth Godin’s Startup School

Hosted by: Seth Godin

Recommended for: Entrepreneurship

When I rediscovered podcasts back in 2012, Seth Godin’s Startup School was my very first listen. And it still one of my favorites. Though geared toward those in the early stages of entrepreneurship, there is huge value here for brands and teams of all stages and sizes. One of the beauties of this show is that it’s finite, meaning 15 episodes…drop the mic. You’re not on the hook forever; instead, you’re in for a 6-hour ride through the ups and downs of business: how to speed up, swerve, and survive. Startup School is often my primary recommendation for anyone within earshot, which now includes you. Go grab this series as soon as possible.

Listen In: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/seth-godins-startup-school/id566985370

100 Proof: The Badass Radio Show

Hosted by: Jason Falls and Mark Murdock (formerly Tania Dakka)

Recommended for: Leadership

As many of you know, Falls is the founder of this here blog, though I didn’t contact him for this post and 100 Proof’s inclusion has nothing to do with the relationship. Instead, I include it because I dig it. 100 Proof is unique here due to its stated mission: Talk to badasses. Not business badasses or marketing badasses; just badasses. One of the most appealing factors of this show is that badasses can exist and can manifest anywhere, and this show finds them regardless of “vertical”, “industry”, or any other defining terms. You’ll know pretty quickly if that is up your alley or not. It’s up mine, and I’m guessing it’s up yours (see what I did there?).

Listen In: http://www.100proofshow.com/

StartUp Podcast

Hosted by: Alex Blumberg and Lisa Chow

Recommended for: Entrepreneurship

If you’ve spent any time at all researching podcasts, it’s very likely that you’ve run across StartUp. And there’s a good reason for that: it’s entertaining, smart, and delivers on the behind-the-scenes access that so many brands envy. Was it easy for Alex to put all of his hopes, fears, successes, and failures into Season 1? I highly doubt it. Don’t we all preach being authentic? Yah…this show is truly authentic and transparent, topics that we all talk about striving toward. Regardless of where you are in your business or career, StartUp will speak to you. Season 2 just kicked off, so there’s still time to get caught up. Get caught up, and strap in for some reality.

Listen In: http://gimletmedia.com/show/startup/

The Tim Ferriss Show

Hosted by: Tim Ferriss

Recommended for: Leadership

Tim Ferriss calls himself the “human guinea pig”, which makes him the most well-known and well-established guinea pig in the world. Tim’s show is eclectic and is sure to get your inspiration rising, regardless of which episode you dive into. It’s leadership-driven smart from some of the top leaders around. If you don’t know of Tim Ferriss yet, consider yourself educated.

Listen In: http://fourhourworkweek.com/podcast/

Unmistakable Creative

Hosted by: Srini Rao

Recommended for: Creativity

Marketing and creative go hand-in-hand, and Srini has the best show around for exploring the depth and breadth of creativity. Unmistakable Creative has hundreds of shows in the archive (each with a custom-drawn cover image, btw; totally worth exploring the gallery), so you might feel overwhelmed at first with the choices. Don’t be. Dive into past shows, subscribe to get new shows, and let your brain take a creative trip each week with fascinating guests, deep questions, and solid insights into the creative spirit. Srini is top-notch, and as such attracts top-notch guests. The show never disappoints. Period.

Listen In: http://unmistakablecreative.com/

Smart Passive Income

Hosted by: Pat Flynn

Recommended for: Business

Pat Flynn appreciates you, and it shows in his passion. If you geek out over how to’s, systems, tools, automation, etc., then you will definitely want to tune into SPI. You will absolutely find topics highly relevant to your business and brand, no matter what your size or speciality, and there is even a how-to on starting your own podcast (if you do, send it my way; I’m always looking for new shows). Pat is a well-known leader in his space, and he lives up to the hype. If “smart” or “passive” or “income” speaks to you, this is definitely your show.

Listen In: http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/category/podcast/

Jay Today

Hosted by: Jay Baer

Recommended for: Marketing

Here is our outlier, but it’s definitely worth mentioning. “Jay Today” is a video podcast where Jay Baer tackles the news/trend/idea of the day (or even moment) and brings you his three-minutes, every day of the week. And he very often hits it right out of the park. If you are interested in the video side of podcasting, check out Jay Today to see how effectively a micro-show can be. And if you are interested in literally anything related to marketing at all, check out Jay Today, period.

Listen In: http://jaytoday.tv

Radiotopia

Hosted by: Award-Winning Hosts

Recommended for: Entertainment

Okay, here is the one non-business-related suggestion (which is totally a cheat b/c I’m actually suggesting 11). If you have not stumbled across Radiotopia yet, it’s time to take the plunge. I subscribe to all 11 of these podcasts (and even have a collection of shirts to display my affinity). When you need a break from industry talk, choose a few Radiotopia shows to subscribe to. Love+Radio says of Radiotopia, “They’re like a drug dealer for the narratively addicted.” Spot on.

Listen In: http://www.radiotopia.fm/

Tropical MBA

Hosted by: Dan Andrews and Ian Schoen

Recommended for: Entrepreneurship

Are these words on your wishlist: location independent, digital nomad, workshifting, distributed team? What about just plain ol’ “How can I do what I want when I want from where I want?” Here at SME Digital, we are a 100% virtual team (and our newest team member Alex is a true digital nomad), so Tropical MBA is right in our crosshairs. If you work virtually, or if you are becoming more and more curious about how it’s done, this show is for you. When there’s a deep down voice that is calling you to uproot for a while (or forever), keep the Tropical MBA close by. Let them be your sherpa to getting out of the commute, the cubicle farm, and the grind.

Listen In: http://www.tropicalmba.com/podcasts/

The Rocketship Podcast

Hosted by: Joelle Steiniger, Michael Sacca, and Matt Goldman

Recommended for: Entrepreneurship

Storytelling, how-to’s, and why’s are constant themes on The Rocketship Podcast. If you like to hear the tales behind successes, failures, and learnings from the mouths of those on the front lines, you’ll love this show. Joelle, Michael, and Matt do an excellent job on sourcing interviews, remaining relevant, and providing value in every show. There is a solid archive of episodes, so make sure to swim in the deep end a bit; but also definitely subscribe for the newest shows. This podcast should absolutely be in your ears.

Listen In: http://rocketship.fm/

Online Marketing Made Easy

Hosted by: Amy Porterfield

Recommended for: Marketing

Amy is amazing, and her Online Marketing Made Easy podcast is such a gem. There are tips and tricks, for sure, but these are not your run-of-the-mill variety; I’m talking deep, well-thought-out, actionable tips and tricks. For example, instead of simply suggesting that you send out a survey to your audience, she recently spent well over an hour on every little detail of that tip: how, when, where, why, etc. That’s commitment, that’s depth, and that’s putting you and your needs absolutely first. Keep Amy close by; chances are, you need what she’s offering.

Listen In: http://www.amyporterfield.com/category/podcast/

Yes, this list is necessarily incomplete, so now it’s your turn. What are your hidden gems or must-listen shows (or episodes)? What am I missing and should definitely hook into? Help us continue building out this resource; the comments section is yours:

The post 16 Must-Listen Business Podcasts to Turn Your Morning Commute Into Your New Classroom appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

I love podcasts because I can take them anywhere. I download them to my phone and listen when I’m traveling, while I’m working, and even while I’m working out. The convenience factor can’t be beat. I was curious to find out what business podcasts top the lists as favorites for Social Media Explorer authors, so I asked. We’ve compiled a list of some of our personal favorites below and given you a little insight into why we love them so much.

Entrepreneur on Fire

Hosted by: John Lee Dumas

Recommended by: Nichole Kelly

John Lee Dumas knows what fire is all about. He interviews some of the most notorious and on the rise entrepreneurs in business, every day. That’s right, he publishes an episode every single day of the week. His podcast focuses on hearing the story behind the entrepreneur, how they generated success and what tips they have for other entrepreneurs. As an entrepreneur myself, Entrepreneur on Fire is my go to podcast and the one that I look forward the most. While I don’t listen every day, it is the first on my listen to download while I’m on the go.

Listen In: http://www.entrepreneuronfire.com/

Six Pixels of Separation

Hosted by: Mitch Joel

Recommended by: Nichole Kelly

Mitch Joel has long been respected in digital marketing as a true visionary in the space. His podcast focuses on bringing some of the greatest minds to the table to discuss important topics in digital marketing, inspiring debates and everything you need to know to stay abreast on what’s happening and more importantly what’s coming next.

Listen In: http://www.twistimage.com/podcast/

Marketing Over Coffee

Hosted by: Chris Penn and John Wall

Recommended by: Nichole Kelly

All of my great ideas come over coffee and I guess I’m not alone! Marketing Over Coffee is hosted by Chris Penn and John Wall where they share what’s new in marketing in bit-sized chunks that are designed to be consumed with a good cup of Joe and a nice slice of coffee cake. They talk about everything from new technology to informational interviews with industry leaders.

Listen In: http://www.marketingovercoffee.com/

Marketing Smarts

Hosted by: Kerry O’Shea Gorgone of MarketingProfs

Recommended by: Nichole Kelly

Marketing Smarts is exactly what you’d expect. Guests talk about marketing strategy, social media, personal branding, and more. Each episode features a 30-minute interview with a different marketing expert. Some guests are CMOs, some are CEOs, others are authors or well known bloggers. All offer a valuable perspective on how to succeed in the industry.

Listen In: http://marketingprofs.com/podcasts

The Entrepreneur’s Radio Show

Hosted by: Travis Jenkins

Recommended by: Nichole Kelly

I found this podcast after I participated in an interview. Since then, I’ve grown to love the great entrepreneurial stories and business tips the guests provide. Travis does a great job of exposing each entrepreneur’s inner rock star in a way that others can learn from. The combination of personal stories and insights into their business acumen is more than entertaining, it’s useful for growing a business. Full disclosure – Travis and I hit it off so much that two of his companies have since become clients of Social Media Explorer | SME Digital.

Listen In: http://theentrepreneursradioshow.com/#

HBR IdeaCast

Hosted by: Sarah Green, Harvard Business Review

Recommended by: Nichole Kelly

Personally, I love to keep up with what the Harvard Business Review finds interesting in business. I used their case studies during my MBA program at Loyola College of Maryland and fell in love with the way they present ideas for debate. I feel smarter every time I listen and it helps to open new areas of business and management that are worth thinking about.

Listen In: http://blogs.hbr.org/ideacast/

Social Triggers Insider

Hosted by: Derek Halpern

Recommended by: Nichole Kelly

What I love about Derek Halpern’s podcast is that he only publishes an episode when he has something really profound to say. There are some that may argue that frequency is key, but Derek makes sure that quality information is at the center. He publishes 3-4 episodes a year and makes sure they are worth it. The content focuses on everything from generating more leads to making big decisions.

Listen In: http://socialtriggers.com/category/social-triggers-insider/

eBook Ninjas

Hosted by: Joshua Tallent, Toby Stevenson, Chris Casey

Recommended by: Marc A. Pitman

eBook Ninjas talks about everything e-publishing. If you are an author, want to be an author or just want to know what’s happening in the publishing world this is the podcast for you. They cover new ereaders, formats, sales ideas, conferences. It’s a great one stop shop for getting up to speed on the latest in ebooks.

Listen In: http://ebookninjas.com/

Inside PR

Hosted by: Gini Detrich, Joseph Thornley and Martin Waxman

Recommended by: Marc A. Pitman

The brainchild of  Terry Fallis & David Jones, Inside PR does exactly what you’d expect. Each episode dives deep into what is happening in PR, what trends are important, and the big questions PR professionals are facing.

Listen In: http://www.insidepr.ca/

350 Third

Hosted by: Anders Brownworth, Scott Barstow

Recommended by: Marc A. Pitman

350 Third covers “the impact of the Internet on business.” I have been a fan of Anders Brownworth for years. He’s an extremely early, early adopter. And he’s got an ability to describe really techie things in normal English. This podcast is incredibly informative and at one 20-30 minute episode every other week, it’s easy to stay current with.

Listen In: http://350Third.com/

Eventual Millionaire

Hosted by: Jaime Tardy

Recommended by: Marc A. Pitman

Each week, Jaime interviews millionaires like Tim Ferris, Yanik Silver, and Briana Borten. I love the way she gets them to talk about their diverse experiences. And that she always ends with asking them for “one action” listeners can take this week. Very actionable and inspiring.

Listen In: http://www.eventualmillionaire.com/blog/millionaire-case-studies/

Your Grand Idea

Hosted by: Todd Skaggs and Kevin Carter

Recommended by: Lewis Bertolucci, Social Media Director, Humana

This podcast is great for businesses of any size, but especially for small businesses who aren’t marketing geniuses. Each week the hosts discuss a single idea “that must meet the 3 P’s: Possible for ANY business to use, Proven – no concepts, must be an actual promotion with results, Profitable – must have delivered at least $1000 to the bottom line.” Great ideas and tips for businesses that have actually worked for others.

Listen In: http://www.yourgrandidea.com/podcasts/

The SoLoMo Show

Hosted by: Cory O’Brien & Adam Helweh

Recommended by: Adam Helweh

The SoLoMo show discusses topics, trends, tactics and tools related to social, local, and mobile marketing and advertising. Why do you love it? Well …. besides the fact that I am a co-host, I believe we cover things from a little bit different angle. The show is always a blend of technology, marketing and advertising. We break down the things that matter for those that don;t have the time to stay current on how the latest change to a social network might help them or trends in mobile advertising that they need to look out for. We’ve got their back.

Listen In: www.solomoshow.com

The Friday Hangout

Hosted by: Janet Fouts, Adam Helweh, Steve Farnsworth

Recommended by: Adam Helweh

The Friday Hangout focuses on digital marketing, social media marketing, PR, branding. I think we have one of the funniest podcasts out there on digital and social marketing. We have awesome expert guests (guest list) join us each week. The dynamic of having 3 hosts and a guest every episode makes for an engaging show. Lastly, we inject a ton of humor and fun into the show so the show is very upbeat and entertaining in addition to being informative.

Listen In: www.thefridayhangout.com

The Friday Five

Hosted by: Tom Webster

Recommended by: Kerry O’Shea Gorgone

When your mind needs a bit of a rest and pure fun try The Friday Five which is focused on “Music DNA” where guests share life experiences relating to each of five different songs. It’s like hearing how they chose the soundtrack for their personal story. The Friday Fun is pure fun for me. Listening to each episode is like sitting down for a beer a new friend and getting their life story. Many of the guests are well known social media professionals, and the listeners probably connect with them online, which makes it even more fun to hear guests share personal anecdotes relating to each of five songs.

Listen In: http://thefridayfive.com

The Work Talk Show

Hosted by: DJ Waldow and Nick Westergaard

Recommended by: Kerry O’Shea Gorgone

The Work Talk Show is about work, productivity, office dynamics, location-independent work, career strategy, work/life balance, and more. The hosts bring their own humor and perspective to each episode, and they invite smart, interesting guests who broke out of the cubicle to build their ideal career. There are as many different paths to professional success as there are people, so each episode is different.

Listen In: http://worktalkshow.com

This is far from an all-inclusive list. What’s your favorite business podcast? Share a comment with the podcast and tell us why. Let’s create the biggest list of awesome business podcasts on the web together! While you’re free to tell us about your own podcast, the best recommendations come from your listeners. So listeners, give your favorites some love and tell us about them. 

The post 16 Must-Listen Business Podcasts appeared first on Social Media Explorer.