7 podcasts that will inspire and guide business owners in 2022

1. The $100 MBA Show with Omar Zenhom

Why you should take a listen: With nearly 2000 episodes and counting, the award-winning $100 MBA Show covers a lot of ground, much of it in the form of practical, how-to tips. Its references are American-focused but it’s well worth a listen for its straightforward ‘business lessons for the real world’, delivered in 15-20 minute episodes.

Episodes worth bookmarking: Did we mention there are 2000+ episodes? Try choosing just one. Listen up for this one on email marketing campaigns, this one for tips on overcoming fear of public speaking (something the host knows about from personal experience), this one about weighing up playing it safe with taking a risk or this one on how to use video lead magnets.

2. Article 23 Podcast

What is it: The Article 23 podcast takes its lead from ‘the right to work’ which is Article 23 of the Declaration of Human Rights. Expect big themes – belonging, leadership, diversity, equality, privilege – dealt with in an accessible, helpful, workplace-relevant way.

Why you should listen: Each 15-minute episode is long enough to deliver valuable information and short enough to make its advice achievable.

Which episode to listen to first: A New Future for Disability with Laura O’Reilly for insights on how to get over anxiety and take positive action around employing people with disabilities.

3. Business is Boring with Simon Pound

What it is: ‘A podcast that reckons it’s anything but’ is the tagline, and Simon Pound and his guests do the tagline proud, sharing stories that are far from dull.

Why you should take a listen: On Business is Boring, Simon speaks with marketers, innovators, social enterprise start-ups, inventors, creative thinkers and commentators with real stories about the roller coaster highs and lows of being in business. Think behind-the-scenes insights into the risks and rewards of going into business along with unique tips from founders who have been there.

Our favourite episodes: We’re loving the episode featuring eco-luxury fashion designer Maggie Hewitt for her take on running an internationally adored, made-in-New Zealand fashion brand. But we can’t choose between that and Simon’s interview with Mark Kneebone from Live Nation and Laneway, about creating trust in your audience and being a promoter extraordinaire (with a few fails on the way).

Most episodes are around the 30-minute mark and the opening groove always perks up our ears for the totally-not-boring chat to come!

4. The Destinate NZ Show

What it covers: Hosted by Michelle Caldwell and Lisa Chambers, the Destinate NZ podcast is a terrific source of practical marketing tips and strategies presented in a friendly, approachable way.

Why it’s worth a listen: Their how-to episodes cover everything from how to win a business award and why and how to use photography, to how to get customers to love your brand. Short and sweet, their earlier episodes tend to fit heaps of handy tips into easily digestible portions of under 15 minutes. But they also do deeper dives and interviews that go for around an hour.

And the good news is that their content is not just relevant to people in the travel industry – their marketing advice will work across industries.

5. The Female Career Podcast

What it is: A much-needed antidote to pandemic-related malaise, this podcast is created by coaches who work with women to help them thrive in their work. With grand visions or focused goals, the women interviewed are all accomplished and from a range of backgrounds.

Standout episodes: Just for starters, listen to Abbie Reynolds, environmentalist and sustainability guru, and Alliv Samson, co-founder of tech start-up Kami.

Why you should tune in: Community leaders, advocates, lawyers, engineers, entrepreneurs, sportswomen, artists – you’ll find them all here. And they’ll make you optimistic about the future.

6. The Frugalpreneur: Building a Business on a Bootstrapped Budget with Sarah St John

What it is: The Frugalpreneur is a podcast about exactly what every small business owner – ‘bootstrapped’ or not – needs to know: how to start, manage and grow on a tight budget.

Why you should listen: It is positively packed with practical tips and interviews with experts on SEO, social media, finance, investment, branding, copyright, recruitment and heaps more.

Where to start: Some episodes are specific to a particular industry, like one on breaking into freelance web design, while others will be relevant to a wider array of businesses like this one on repurposing content.

7. How I Built This with Guy Raz

What it is: Expect narrative-style conversations with entrepreneurs and innovators as they give an inside look at the good, the bad and the beautiful of turning an idea into a (sometimes-multi-million-dollar) reality.

Whose stories you’ll hear: There are some big name success stories on How I Built This. You’ll hear from the entrepreneur who gave away everything he owned, trained as a Buddhist monk, then co-founded the famous Headspace app, or the founder of game-changing dating app Bumble.

What we’re loving: The How I Built Resilience series, which focuses on how founders and entrepreneurs handle the challenges of turbulent times.