When you’re trying to scale your startup, learning directly from founders and experts can fast-track your growth and save you months (or even years) of trial and error. Below is a curated list of 25 high-impact podcasts—organized by theme—to help you grow, lead, and stay inspired as an entrepreneur.
🎯 Startup Stories & Founder Inspiration
| Podcast Name |
Description / Focus |
Host(s) |
| How I Built This |
Iconic origin stories from founders of household‑name brands. |
Guy Raz |
| StartUp |
Behind‑the‑scenes stories of launching and running startups. |
Alex Blumberg & Lisa Chow |
| The Diary of a CEO |
Raw founder stories with deep dives into business psychology. |
Steven Bartlett |
| Hack the Entrepreneur |
Lessons from entrepreneurs overcoming challenges and building success. |
Jon Nastor |
| Traction: How Startups Start |
Creative and unconventional paths to finding your first customers. |
Jay Acunzo |
🚀 Business Growth & Strategy
| Podcast Name |
Description / Focus |
Host(s) |
| Masters of Scale |
Strategies for scaling businesses, featuring top CEOs. |
Reid Hoffman |
| Entrepreneurs on Fire |
Daily interviews packed with tactical advice for starting and scaling. |
John Lee Dumas |
| The $100 MBA Show |
Quick, practical business lessons you can implement immediately. |
Omar Zenhom |
| Mixergy |
In‑depth interviews covering growth, monetization, and startup lessons. |
Andrew Warner |
| My First Million |
Trendspotting and business-building tactics. |
Sam Parr & Shaan Puri |
| Smart Passive Income |
Online revenue strategies—from affiliate funnels to digital products. |
Pat Flynn |
| Rocketship.fm |
Product management and growth frameworks from the tech industry. |
Michael Sacca & team |
| This Week in Startups |
Startup news, founder interviews, and investor perspectives. |
Jason Calacanis |
| The Pitch |
Real entrepreneurs pitch to investors—like Shark Tank for your ears. |
Josh Muccio |
💼 Leadership & Productivity
| Podcast Name |
Description / Focus |
Host(s) |
| Coaching for Leaders |
Practical leadership, management, and team development. |
Dave Stachowiak |
| Beyond the To‑Do List |
Productivity and work-life balance tips for high‑performers. |
Erik Fisher |
| The Tim Ferriss Show |
Deep interviews on peak performance, routines, and tools. |
Tim Ferriss |
📈 Marketing, Finance & Tech Trends
| Podcast Name |
Description / Focus |
Host(s) |
| Marketing School |
Daily, 10‑minute marketing tips to accelerate business growth. |
Neil Patel & Eric Siu |
| Marketer of the Month |
Deep dives into cutting‑edge marketing strategies and trends. |
Various industry leaders |
| BiggerPockets Money Podcast |
Personal-finance and wealth-building for entrepreneurs. |
Mindy Jensen & Scott Trench |
| a16z Podcast |
Tech trends, startup insights, and innovation from Andreessen Horowitz. |
a16z team |
| The Indicator |
Bite‑sized insights on work, business, and the economy. |
NPR team |
| Inside Intercom |
Product, design, and customer success insights. |
Intercom team |
| Business Wars |
Dramatic rivalries between iconic businesses with strategy lessons. |
David Brown |
| The Journal |
In‑depth business news and macroeconomic analysis. |
WSJ team |
How to Consume Strategically
- Create a Podcast Playbook
List your chosen shows, note recent episodes, and tag each by topic (e.g., Marketing, Leadership).
- Schedule Listening Sprints
Block out 30–45 minutes twice a week. Treat it like any other high‑priority meeting.
- Take Smart Notes
Use a two‑column template: Insight on the left, Action on the right.
- Run Experiments
Turn insights into hypotheses, test quickly in your business, and measure impact.
- Review & Iterate
Every month, revisit your Playbook. Drop shows that aren’t delivering value and add those recommended by your network.
Next Steps
- Pick 3–5 shows from this list that align with your current challenges and goals.
- Schedule your first listening sprint this week and commit to implementing at least one takeaway.