The Best Business Podcasts to Listen to in 2022
Everyone from budding entrepreneurs to veteran enterprise executives can agree on this: In business, there’s always something new to learn.
Everyone from budding entrepreneurs to veteran enterprise executives can agree on this: In business, there’s always something new to learn. That’s one reason why business podcasts are among the most rapidly growing genres in all of podcasting.
Most of the top business podcasts run between 15 minutes and 2 hours. They offer a unique blend of information and entertainment. Some give you a sneak peek into the inner workings of the C-suite at some of the world’s largest companies. Others feature interviews with investors, economists, wealth managers, and other business insiders. Others make complicated business topics easy to understand.
And best of all, they’re convenient. It’s easy to listen to a podcast while commuting to the office, taking a lunch break, waiting in the pickup line at your child’s school, or relaxing on the couch after a hard day’s work.
How popular are the top business podcasts?
While they’ve been around for more than a decade, podcasts are rapidly growing in popularity. According to Insider Intelligence , podcasts attracted 117.8 million monthly U.S. listeners in 2021. Podcasts appeal to a younger generation, with 60% of U.S. adults ages 18 - 34 and 50% of adults ages 35 - 44 listening to podcasts monthly. Adults who listen to podcasts do so for a little more than 44 minutes a day on average. Most podcasts are available for free on Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts, while others are on specific platforms like Spotify or Stitcher, and some are simulcast to YouTube.
But with an estimated 2 million different podcasts available online and more than 48 million podcast episodes , finding the most valuable business podcasts can be challenging. To help you find the best business podcasts to listen to in 2022, our team at Conductor reviewed search engineSearch Engine
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Learn more data and identified 12 of the most popular business podcasts, along with another 10 honorable mentions.
1. Best Podcast for Budding Economists: Planet Money Podcast
Consider Planet Money to be like that econ class you took in college, only it’s a lot more fun! This long-running podcast, part of the NPR family, delivers the slick production values and high-quality storytelling you’d expect from the brand. Each episode covers a single economic topic culled from national and global events. A range of hosts—including Robert Smith, Kenny Malone, Wailin Wong, Stacey Vanek Smith, and Amanda Aronczyk—and special guests keep things lively, thought-provoking and entertaining.
Episodes vary in length and topic, taking listeners on a journey from the creative (a recent episode discussed “skimpflation,” defined as a rise in costs and a decline in service), to the technical (an episode on alternatives to the London Interbank Offer Rate, LIBOR ), to the quirky (a fun episode about the sudden emergence of stop signs in a Long Island town ). You’ll get new episodes two-to-three times a week, along with a library of 1000+ past episodes.
2. Best Podcast for Enterprise Leaders: How I Built This Podcast
If you’ve always wondered what it takes to create a major enterprise from the ground up—or if you want to know how leading organizations reached their current levels of success—How I Built This is for you. Hosted by journalist Guy Raz for NPR, this interview-style podcast features founders and leaders from some of the nation’s most well-known brands. In 60 to 90 minutes, Raz delves into each company’s origin story and continues the narrative all the way up to the present.
In recent episodes, Don Katz from Audible discussed surviving the dot-com bubble, Missy Park from Title Nine talked about how she built the “female version of Nike,” Noubar Afeyan from Moderna discussed the game-changing mRNA vaccine technology, and Paul English shared stories about how KAYAK beat rivals like Orbitz and Expedia.
3. Best Business News Podcast: Marketplace Podcast
This fast-paced, 30-minute daily podcast gives you a recap of the day’s top business headlines. The Marketplace Podcast is a perfect fit if you’re heading home after a long day at the office (new episodes launch Monday - Friday at 3:30 p.m. PT). Host Kai Ryssdal and a talented group of correspondents bring listeners all the highlights and add context to help you understand the big picture.
If you’re tuning in, prepare for lots of unique insights. Recent episodes of this top business podcast uncovered a surprising reason behind the global supply chain shortages , explored the potential impact of paid family leave for U.S. workers , and investigated whether COVID relief funds were fairly distributed to tribal governments .
4. Best for Potential Disruptors: Startup Podcast
It’s the OG of business podcasts. Startup recorded its final season in late 2019, yet it’s still one of the most searched best business podcasts and ranks on almost every list of the top 10 podcasts. Why? Because of the authenticity and brutal honesty of host Alex Blumberg.
In its first season, 2014, Alex gave listeners unfiltered access to how he built his podcast company, Gimlet Media , from the ground up, chronicling everything from his earliest pitch meetings to how he chose a company name and all the way up to the company’s acquisition by Spotify. Future seasons and episodes explored other startups, from the most successful (Twitch ) to those that didn’t go the distance (Dating Ring and Friendster ). In its heyday, the Startup podcast was so popular it sparked a one-season ABC sitcom called Alex, Inc. , featuring Zach Braff from Scrubs. Startup remains a must-listen for disruptors, filled with valuable entrepreneurial lessons.
5. Best for New Investors: Animal Spirits Podcast
Between traditional and cryptocurrency markets, investing is more popular—and more complex—than ever before. So, what if you had access to two good friends who could walk you through everything and anything related to wealth management? That’s the hook of the Animal Spirits Podcast .
Every Wednesday morning for 30 minutes, Michael Batnick and Ben Carlson share their take on a wide range of investing topics, from hyperinflation and inequality in the stock market to how to use thematic exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to the rise of the cryptocoin Shiba Inu . They also invite guests to share some of their top portfolio holdings in a regular “talk your book” segment. And, like all good podcasts, Michael and Ben answer listener questions and slip in some pop culture, from Tom Hanks to Squid Game .
6. Best Mix of Business and Drama: Business Wars Podcast
Take the intensity of a true crime podcast, mix it with down-and-dirty insights from the competitive world of industry, and you have Business Wars . Well-known business news anchor David Brown hosts and narrates this entertaining podcast, which unpacks the real-world decisions made by some of the world’s largest companies as they fight to gain a competitive edge.
Each conflict plays out as a season of between five to seven episodes, with more than 60 seasons already recorded. New 30-minute episodes come out every Monday and Wednesday. The earliest seasons focused on “wars” between two companies—Netflix vs. Blockbuster , Marvel vs. DC . Newer episodes tackle the conflict in specific industries, including fast fashion and food delivery . More recent episodes are free, but you’ll need a Wondery subscription to listen to some of the classics.
7. Best Business Education Podcast: Earn Your Leisure
If you’re learning the business world from the ground up, Earn Your Leisure is a fantastic place to start. Co-host Troy Millings was an elementary school teacher in the Bronx who talked with youngsters about financial literacy. He asked his friend, financial advisor Rashad Bilal, to join him in the classroom. Then they took the classroom learnings to the internet and built one of the best business podcasts.
During their signature podcast, which runs for 75 minutes every Tuesday, they tackle tough subjects, like how to discuss taboo money topics . They also host lively interviews with bright business minds, like healthcare CEO Tommy Duncan and Shark Tank winners Noel Durity and Ace from Twist It Up. In between, they host brief 15-minute Cliff Notes segments on topics like keys to stock options , and offer in-depth Study Hall segments exploring topics like how Black businesses can be successful .
8. Best Business Panel Discussion: PBD Podcast
PBD stands for Patrick Bet-David, an Iranian immigrant, U.S. military veteran, and entrepreneur who hosts an energetic two-hour, twice-weekly PBD podcast that mixes his passion for entrepreneurship and entertainment with current events, politics, economics, sports, world events, and more. This top business podcast has the look and feel of a high-spirited morning radio show, adeptly mixing thought-provoking discussion with guest interviews and a few laughs.
Regular panelists include an economist, a business expert, a business editor, and a finance coach who pull no punches. Expect a wild and enjoyable ride. In a recent episode , the panel covered everything from Tesla’s move to Texas to Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s interview on the Joe Rogan podcast. Another featured special guest Sammy “The Bull” Gravano , who discussed the difference between a gangster and a racketeer.
9. Best Interview Business Podcast: Odd Lots Podcast
As one of the most respected names in business news, Bloomberg carries lots of influence. In the Odd Lots podcast , two of Bloomberg’s top personalities, Joe Weisenthal and Tracy Alloway, sit down with CEOs and leaders from the world’s leading banks, tech companies, and investment houses, bringing fresh perspectives on markets and finance.
Recent episodes featured Craig Fuller of supply chain tech firm FreightWaves on the challenge of getting ports to operate 24/7 , Dan Alpert, managing partner of Westwood Capital, on the difference between inflation today and in the 1970s , and Jeff Currie, the Goldman Sachs analyst who accurately predicted the current commodities supercycle . New hour-long episodes debut every Monday and Thursday.
10. Best Personal Finance Podcast: ChooseFI Podcast
FI means Financial Independence, and it’s what hosts Brad Barrett and Jonathan Mendonsa discuss with listeners every Sunday in the ChooseFI podcast . Their spirited business podcast takes topics crowdsourced from the Choose FI community and gives listeners actionable advice they can use to boost their income, pay down their debt, recharge their career, and more.
Recent episodes explored the tax implications of Roth IRAs and 401(k) plans , explained the art of the career pivot , and discussed 10 ways to increase your income with guest and fellow podcast host Alan Donegan. With 350 episodes to choose from, expect to learn a ton of information you can use to enhance your earning potential and enrich your life.
11. Best Crypto Podcast: Bankless Podcast
Cryptocurrency isn’t just an odd topic your brother-in-law talks about at dinner parties anymore. As crypto goes mainstream, millions of investors want to get in on the action. The Bankless podcast is a fantastic way to start. Ryan Sean Adams, founder of an investment company that holds, keeps, and makes crypto assets, joins David Hoffman, co-founder of the Bankless content studio, in a daily podcast that explores every aspect of digital currency.
Their goal is to help listeners level up their crypto knowledge on a daily basis. Recent episodes of this top business podcast explored the future of Coinbase , weighed the pros and cons of Bitcoin and Etherium , and offered a masterclass on the Web3 metaverse . The podcast also features interviews with top minds from the crypto community, including crypto gaming pioneer Robbie Ferguson . Episodes run between 60 - 90 minutes, with two-hour weekly rollup episodes on Fridays.
12. Best Podcast for Marketers: The Goal Digger
Jenna Kutcher turned a $300 camera she purchased on Craigslist into a seven-figure business. Now she’s teaching other aspiring entrepreneurs her success secrets in The Goal Digger podcast . She recorded her earliest episodes from a closet filled with boxes. Now she boasts more than 60 million downloads, with a library of 500+ podcasts and growing.
Listen to her 30-to-45-minute podcasts and you’ll get lots of great marketing, business and lifestyle information, as Jenna explains why she invested in certain companies or how to get out of a content creation rut . She also brings in other entrepreneurs who share tips like how to gain momentum with a new podcast , or how to be a present parent and an effective CEO . Prepare for a breezy, informative, and fun listen.
Honorable Mentions
- This Is Uncomfortable Podcast
- BiggerPockets Money Podcast
- My First Million Podcast
- Andy Stanley Leadership podcast
- The Indicator podcast (from Planet Money)
- Quoth the Raven podcast
- Second Life Podcast
- The Pomp Podcast
- The Tony Robbins Podcast
- Social Proof Podcast
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