20 Podcasts That Will Help You Grow in 2020

Spend some time this holiday season tuning in to what the experts have to say.

December 21, 2019 11 min read

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To be a well-rounded business owner today, one must master not only business and finance, but other areas like mental and physical health, family, spirituality and sustainability. And as we approach the next decade, it seems like every self-proclaimed successful entrepreneur has a new weekly podcast offering guidance on these and other topics. So how do you sort through the fluff to find real, honest, useful advice that will help you on your own path? Here’s a list of podcasts worth downloading or streaming, including both familiar names and smaller, up-and-coming series that deserve recognition.

Do you ever observe these massive billion-dollar empires and find yourself asking, “But how?” Well, this podcast is your new best friend. Its host, Guy Raz, masterfully facilitates intimate conversations with all-star founders, focusing on how it all happened before the money and fame. Raz and his guests dive into often touchy details like how much money friends and family invested in the early days, conflicts between other founders and how much they attribute their success to simple luck.

After each episode, you’ll realize these iconic billionaires are just ordinary, surprisingly humble people. Their struggles and hardships inspire because they’re so real and relatable. But most fascinating of all is how many of these big companies started off as complete failures, before pivoting with a few small but key changes.

Tim Ferriss is a venture capitalist and best-selling author of books like 4-Hour Work Week and Tools of Titans, and on his show, he interviews innovators from a wide range of sectors, focusing on daily routines and processes while trying to uncover secrets to high performance.

Tim’s investigate research into each guest is impressive, and he also pays close attention to his followers, often using their crowdsourced questions in interviews. Some episodes last an hour, while others run in excess of three. Ferriss and his guests just talk openly until they feel they’ve unearthed enough substance. And they always do.

This podcast dives deep into the philosophies and perspectives of industry giants. The title is self-explanatory — what are the theories behind impact, and how can anybody apply them to their life? How can they take actionable steps immediately? Host Tom Bilyeu possesses the gift of getting his interviewees into a flow state, and they’ll often make self-discoveries live on camera. This is why so many viral self-help videos feature snippets from his studio set.

With 500-plus episodes, more than 40 million downloads and celebrity guests like Tony Robbins and Maria Sharapova, this podcast is a winner. Host Lewis Howes underwent a career-ending injury as a college football player, but he took his competitive athletic approach into business and became a best-selling author of The School of Greatness and The Mask of Masculinity.

His show revolves around the study of greatness, probing the mindsets, environments, relationships, philosophies and practices that create it. And, most importantly, how you can apply all of that to your life.

It’s easy to hyper-focus on the success of entrepreneurs, but what about their struggles, hardships and dark times? Are there lessons to be learned there as well? Welcome to the University of Adversity. Host Lance Essihos has already been through the school of hard knocks and introduces some breathtaking stories about his guests’s humble beginnings. For those overcoming their own challenges and seeking an uplifting community of warriors, this podcast is for you.

Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz are two of the most familiar names in venture capital, upholding a celebrity status in Silicon Valley. Their podcast dives into the world of high-risk, early stage investments and the founders that earned them. Interviews range from startup owners to various partners and analysts at Andreessen Horowitz, offering first-hand insights into industry trends, future tech and the flow of big money.

Discover what’s next in tech straight from the tongues of the biggest thought leaders and voices in the game.

“Man sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health.” — Dalai Lama

We business owners understand the tradeoff of taking some losses for our startup to gain, but health should not be one of them. How can you put in the grueling hours, with next to nothing in your bank account, and maintain a healthy lifestyle? As this podcast’s title suggests, it requires everyday wellness.

Co-host Cynthia Thurlow is known on the world stage after delivering a TEDx talk on Intermittent Fasting. Her expertise in nutrition and as a nurse practitioner shines through with each interview. She and her co-host, health psychologist and author Kelly Donahue, shed light on essential self-care strategies that nourish the body and mind. The mission is to provide practical mind-body tools to overcome stress, anxiety and worry — areas most of us could work on.

A common struggle for women entrepreneurs is finding other female mentors to share their journey, with actionable strategies to scale to success. Wings of Inspired Business is a great place to start. Host Melinda Wittstock interviews women who’ve “been there, built that.” These female founders, innovators, influencers and investors provide actionable tips and inspiration to help listeners get the “mindset, mojo and money” to achieve real and tangible results.

Entering this new decade, there’s undoubtedly one issue on everyone’s mind: the environment. It’s a communal concern, and we need to change our lifestyle and our business, but what are the best practices for our individual enterprises, and how can we make sure we’re doing our part? Enter GreenPlanet BluePlanet. Host Julian Guderley offers a platform for guests to share theories on a wide range of topics like sustainability, consciousness, spirituality and symbiotic relationships. Everything is connected, and this podcast will show you how.

Younger entrepreneurs tend to take on the world fearlessly and with nothing to lose. But for more mature entrepreneurs, family comes into play. How do you make the sacrifices of creating a successful startup while maintaining a healthy relationship with those you love? The answer: Learn how to be a Motherhustler.

Host Kareen Mills is the definition of hustle. Raising two boys with her husband of 15 years, she runs a $50 million financial-institution branch along with a few side hustles. And, let’s not forget, hosts this podcast on top of it. Each episode offering tips and tricks to family management, addressing common household challenges and secrets to strong communication.

Not all heroes wear capes, but they do selflessly strive to make a positive impact on a local and global level. Profits aside, they focus on the other ROI: Ripples of Impact. So where can these superhumans be found? Why, the Superhero Academy, of course. Host Marc Angelo facilitates a highly intellectual and fast-paced environment for his guests to speak on productivity, future tech, science, life hacks, storytelling and much more. This show features a wide range of experts and topics with one universal theme in mind: maximizing impact.

In today’s world of online business, it’s too easy to cut corners by buying followers, pushing friends to give fake reviews and trying to cheat your way to the top. But you’re only fooling one person: yourself. So how can businesses and brands build a real and authentic audience? The Authentic Audience podcast gives you insight into growing your business and marketing strategies to gain real followers and loyal customers.

Host Krista Ripma creates a space of radical honesty for thought leaders and entrepreneurs who have created successful businesses to share insights about relationships, marketing, business, life and spirituality. Each episode reminds us of the power of storytelling and truth selling. Get real, raw and honest. Give it a listen.

Sometimes on our journey, deep down we know something needs to change, but where do we even begin to find answers on what to do next? Meet host Carla White’s guests on the Radical Shift podcast. Each interviewee explains the shifts in their life and how they got to that point. These relatable and valuable stories will help you navigate next steps. Take the leap, make the shift. It will change everything.

Addiction. It can be an escape when our business is struggling, or, ironically, when things are booming and we have more money than we know what to do with. Either way, addiction is real. So are mental-health issues and sleep deprivation, among other common struggles. If you’re dealing with any of these obstacles, the Stand and Fight podcast is there for you.

Host Rob Eastman saw success early in life, leading to his own addictions and nearly his death. But he turned things around and has created a supportive space for successful entrepreneurs to talk about their own struggles and how they overcame them. No more running. It’s time to stand and fight.

Ever wonder how your upbringing shaped who you are today? Did negative influences cause negative subconscious patterns? What if it’s possible to reshape beliefs pushed onto us at such a young impressionable age? Meet Stupid Wise Girl.

Host Jackie Minsky is an entrepreneur who thrives on coaching people to live their best life, providing a refreshingly curious approach to self-development and a spiritual journey. Her guests offer insight on how to learn from mistakes, use fears to your advantage and allow your vision to unfold through discipline.

Step into your wise, higher consciousness — one episode at a time.

“An entrepreneur is someone who will jump off a cliff and assemble an airplane on the way down.” — Reid Hoffman

It’s the scariest thing we may ever do in our lifetimes. Yet, we know we must. And if you just can’t come to grips on how to take that leap? Well, you know what to do at this point…

Take the Leap host Tiffany Toombs invites guests who have succeeded (and failed) in their leap, and they share important lessons to help you with yours, tackling the dread, self-sabotage, doubt and worry many of us face. No more waiting. It’s time to take the leap.

So you’ve launched your business, and it’s time to ramp up sales. Unfortunately, you can’t afford a fancy marketing guru. How can you learn to optimize your online ads for free? Well, you should meet Kim Barrett. His eponymous show lets you in on the secrets to generating more leads, converting them to sales and scaling your business. And his guests provide updates on the latest marketing strategies and tactics you need to stay ahead of the curve.

It’s like having your own team of marketing consultants. But skip the invoices!

Female entrepreneurship is on the rise, and many aspiring owners are looking for advice from women who have walked the walk. Welcome to the Smart Woman Show. Host Tara Oldridge provides an energetic space for successful women (and men) to share strategies on family, relationships, mentorship, business and lifestyle. Make the smart move and have a listen.

What’s the connection between your chiropractic health and business hustle? Quite a bit actually. Chiro Hustle hosts Jim Chester and Luke Millett share the mic with chiropractors from around the world, including thought leaders and industry transformers. Their show allows you to understand the chiropractic profession by way of unique interviews that go deep into the world of each natural healer. Ask your doctor about Chiro Hustle.

Sometimes you need to pause, take a good look around and ask yourself, “How am I helping?” This podcast does just that. Host Sean Riley brings on leaders who are making an impact through generosity, contribution and inspiration. It’s important to give back. Give it a listen.

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