People listen to podcasts to learn, to laugh and to let the rest of the outside world fade away momentarily. I listen to podcasts when I need to recharge or drown out negativity. Here are a few of our favorite finds in no particular order.
pop culture
The Best Entrepreneurial Podcasts to Add to Your Lineup ASAP
What podcasts would you add to our list? Tell us your favorites
Power Hour/The Ron Burgundy Podcast
1. ‘Power Hour’
Adrienne Herbert started getting up an hour earlier in the morning when she was training for a marathon. She calls this her “magic window.” In Power Hour, she invites other creators, entrepreneurs and activists to talk about their daily routines and how a structured morning routine can be the key to writing a book, launching a business or learning a new skill.
2. ‘The Dropout’
The usual investigative podcasts leave me cold, but if you’re utterly fascinated by the case of Theranos founder and accomplished scammer Elizabeth Holmes, then you’ll love ABC Radio’s documentary series The Dropout.
Currently being adapted into a Kate McKinnon–starring series by Hulu, it tells the true story of how baritone-voiced Holmes exploited the founder-led hype culture of Silicon Valley to sell a miracle machine that would never work, pulling the wool over investors’ eyes and making millions of ill-gotten dollars in the process. A word of warning, though, to any aspiring entrepreneurs who might be reading this: The Dropout is a cautionary tale, not a how-to guide.
3. ‘Keep It’
This list is meant to help you escape the nonstop braying of political discourse, so it includes only one current affairs podcast, but it’s a good one. Hosted by Ira Madison III, Kara Brown and Louis Virtel, Keep It is a weekly breakdown of all things pop culture and politics. Whether they’re discussing the recent celebrity college admissions scandal or the latest person and their dog to announce they’re running for POTUS in 2020, Team Keep It strikes the perfect tone of smart and funny.
4. ‘How I Built This’
NPR’s Guy Raz talks to entrepreneurs and innovators to find out what it takes to launch a successful business. Guests have included the minds behind Airbnb, SoulCycle, Five Guys, Kickstarter and Glossier. From restaurateurs to rappers, bankers to beekeepers, each episode offers a unique and fascinating story of creativity and drive.
5. ‘Getting Curious’
The irrepressible Jonathan Van Ness, star of Netflix’s Queer Eye, sits down each week with an expert guest for a half-hour lesson on a specific subject. Topics vary wildly from week to week, encompassing history, science, art, social justice and more. Guests have included musician Florence Welch, actress Jameela Jamil, author Jodie Picoult, comedian Nicole Byer and politician Nancy Pelosi. Van Ness’s enthusiasm might occasionally mean that conversations turn into lengthy, unpredictable tangents, but honestly, that’s half the fun.
6. ‘Reply All’
PJ Vogt and Alex Goldman host this Gimlet Media podcast about the myriad ways in which human beings are shaping the internet and and how the internet is increasingly shaping humans. There’s also a pretty great recurring segment called “Yes, Yes, No,” which functions as an explainer for obscure memes and online culture.
7. ‘The Ron Burgundy Podcast’
What would happen if fictional 1970s news anchor Ron Burgundy were working in the media in the present day? He’d have his own podcast, of course. Will Ferrell reprises his iconic Anchorman character in this new show, which has Burgundy chat with inspirational figures such as Deepak Chopra and RuPaul as well as taking on the true-crime genre.
8. ‘10 Things That Scare Me’
Described by host station WNYC as “short, sweet and a little bit weird,” each daily episode of 10 Things That Scare Me is only five or six minutes long, the perfect length for listening while you get dressed or make a cup of coffee. Every day, a different person talks alone into the mic about the things that frighten them. They might be personal, irrational fears or anxieties about society at large. Speakers so far have included Recode founder Kara Swisher, writer Jon Ronson, Man Booker Prize–winning author Marlon James and actress Anna Chlumsky.
9. ‘Ctrl Alt Delete’
Ctrl Alt Delete is hosted by Emma Gannon, who authored a book with the same title all about online life. The podcast continues that conversation with guests like Ava DuVernay, Hari Nef and Ellen Page discussing their own complex relationships with the internet. From spotting bullshit on social media to self-care to working with influencers, Ctrl Alt Delete aims for nuance instead of hot takes.
10. ‘Good One’
When it comes to comedy podcasts, your mileage can vary. A lot of shows in which comedians tell stories from their career in stand-up can be self-indulgent, and frankly, boring. But Good One takes a different approach. In each episode, a comedian takes one of his or her jokes or routines and deconstructs it, often leading to frank and illuminating conversations. A particular highlight is the episode featuring Rhea Butcher, wherein the origins of a joke about being mistaken for a boy are woven into a profound discussion of gender, identity and human empathy.
These are just some of the recent gems we’ve discovered. What podcasts would you recommend to us, your friends or your relatives? Chime in on Twitter or in the comments section below.
Did you like this article?
