I was never a podcast person. If I was listening to anything, it was usually either upbeat music for workouts or lyricless jams to get my focus on at work - not podcasts.
However, I recently had a eureka moment and realized how many amazing podcasts are out there full of useful information and fun facts. And how much I was missing out on, not taking advantage of podcasts! I am a huge fan of utilizing my time in the most efficient way possible - and if I can learn something while doing something else (for example, listening to a podcast while running)… duh.
As a female millennial with an entrepreneurial spirit who likes to travel and learn new things, I’ve put together a list of my top podcasts to listen to that I think are quite dope. These podcast series are perfect for your commute, your next vacation, or any time you want a spark of motivation. I’ve been curating this list of podcasts over a number of years - whether they were recommended, discovered or on another “top podcast” list. I’ll continually be adding to this list, so check back for new series. And be sure to let me know of any I missed or should listen to in the comments. Enjoy!
Top Podcasts to Listen To On Your Next Commute, Vacation or Any Time You Need a Spark of Motivation
- How I Built This - Guy Raz, NPR: fascinating stories of how different trailblazers took leaps of faith to build their brands. My favorite part is that they not only highlight their successes, but also their hardships and obstacles too.
- The Influencer Podcast - Julie Solomon: entrepreneur and PR/marketing extraordinaire Solomon sits down with industry leaders to talk shop and cover the rapidly-evolving influencer marketing space
- The School of Greatness - Lewis Howes: former professional athlete turned entrepreneur and author interviews with all types of leaders covering a range of topics - everything from motivation, to getting better sleep, mindfulness, entrepreneurship, etc. This was recommeded to me by Chicago media personality Showbiz Shelly!
- Revisionist History - Malcolm Gladwell: I have to be transparent and let you know I haven’t started this one yet, but my sources say this is a really cool series. Gladwell, author of books including The Tipping Point, Blink and Outliers, explores past events, people, ideas and reinterprets them in today’s day & age.
- The James Altucher Show - James Altucher: entrepreneur, investor and author Altucher interviews industry leaders such as Mark Cuban, Arianna Huffington, Seth Godin & more.
- This Old Marketing - Content Marketing Institute’s Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose: so here’s where my 9-5 crosses over to my 5 - 9 - I am a huge content marketing nerd and find this to be fascinating! Great series on industry news, brands, etc.
- 10% Happier - I used the app but FINALLY started listening to this podcast. It’s incredible that I only just realized that I sort of treat running like a meditation, and it only occurred to me to start listening to a podcast about meditation while I was running. Journalist and news personality and anchor Dan Harris had a panic attack on live television and created 10% Happier to explore meditation, mindfulness and staying sane in this overstimulated world. He interviews various thought leaders, celebrities and more on their views on meditation, their tricks, etc.