Whether it’s excelling your career, feeling happier in day-to-day life or making the most of every second, everyone wants to be successful in one way or another. Fortunately, we live in a day where we have access to thousands (… maybe even millions) of resources all at our fingertips to help us carve out a life of success. If you’re looking to become your best self, supercharge your career progression or simply life a live of happiness and gratitude, podcasts can be a great way to learn how to improve your mindset and start living more productively, successfully and happily.
Last month I was made redundant (I’ll tell you more about that another time…) and as my career took a sudden 180 degree turn, my passion for podcasts has simply grown. Listening to business podcasts has really helped keep my passion for Digital Marketing burning strong whilst also helping to keep me feeling positive and excited for whatever the future might hold for me and my career.
How do you listen to podcasts?
The great thing about podcasts is that they are sooo easy to access and consume. You can listen to them at home whilst pottering around doing chore, in the car on your daily commute, at the gym… basically, anywhere! Although I love reading, I find podcasts are perfect for when you’re too busy to sit down and read. Plus, the conversational aspect makes them really enjoable and cathartic to listen to.
There’s a whole host of podcast apps out there that you can use to listen to podcasts on your phone. If you have an iPhone then you can listen to podcasts through their built-in podcasts app or if, like me, you use Spotify for listening to music then you can also use Spotify for podcasts. I listen to all of my podcasts through Spotify. As a predominantly music-streaming service, it doesn’t have the best podcast features but it’s simple enough to navigate and use whilst on the go. Looking for a podcast-only app? Then give Pocket Cast or Castbox a go. You’ll find most podcast series are on any of these apps and they’ll likely have more intuitive features due to being specifically designed for podcast-listening.
As well as using Spotify, I’ve previously tried Pocket Cast and love that it has an array of features such as variable speed, abiity to trim silence and volume boost – all of which are perfect if you find yourself listening to podcasts that are on the lengthy side! Honestly, there’s probably hundreds of other podcast apps out there so feel free to peruse the app store and try out a few before settling on your favourite app for listening to podcasts.
If you want to listen to a podcast on your laptop then most podcast series will have a website where you can find their podcast library and listen to latest episodes. Otherwise, you may find they upload episodes to YouTube, Soundcloud, Stitcher or TuneIn to name just a few of the streaming sites that host podcasts!
My Favourite Podcasts for a Succesful Career
Now that we’ve covered the basics of how to listen to podcasts, I’m going to dive straight into my personal favourite podcasts for success. From digital marketing specific podcasts to side-hustles, small business support and every day motivation, I love listening to all of these podcasts for different reasons; and hopefully, in this list, you’ll find at least one you love too!
The Digital Marketing Podcast
Hosted by Daniel Rowles and Ciaran Rogers from Target Internet, The Digital Marketing Podcast has been releasing weekly episodes for over 8 years. As a result, there’s an amazing number of podcasts to get stuck into. On The Digital Marketing Podcast, you’ll find interviews with global experts along with updates and discussions on the latest marketing news, tool, trends, strategies and techniques.
The Digital Marketing Podcast is a great way to stay up-to-date on the latest goings-on in the Digital Marketing world. The calm, chatty style of this podcast makes it easy to consume whilst still offering lots of food for thought. Informative yet entertaining, listening to this podcast almost feels as though you’re enjoying a brew with Daniel and Ciaran whilst debating the latest marketing trends.
Naturally, as the digital marketing industry is a fast-moving field, some of the algorithms, trends and strategies discussed in the earlier episodes may be outdated so keep that in mind if you tend to scroll all the way back to day-dot! With that said, whether you’re just starting out in your marketing career or if you’re a long-standing member of the marketing community, the Digital Marketing Podcast is a must-listen.
The Side Hustle Show
If you spend your 9-5 dreaming up weird and wonderful business ventures you’d love to launch, The Side Hustle Show is a podcast you’ll love. This podcast is perfect for part-time entrepreneurs wanting to take their side hustle full-time.
Hosted by Nick Loper, The Side Hustle Show covers all aspects of side hustles including marketing, sales, websites, social media and more. Filled with real case studies, interviews and actionable tips and strategies, this podcast offers a plethora of tips to help you take your small business to the next level. The industries covered on The Side Hustle Show are endless – from affiliate websites to low-publishing content all the way through to the likes of pet waste removal businesses and hosting trivia nights. Whether the episode you listen to is based on a venture you want to pursue or not, the takeaway learnings are still second-to-none.
I love hearing how other people are making a passive income and what challenges they have faced in their side hustle journey. This podcast offers an amazing insight into how other people have successfully made their small business dreams a reality. The Side Hustle Show is also overflowing with information… trust me, the guests do not hold back on sharing their business secrets, successes and failures! As a result, you will learn sooo much about what you should and shouldn’t do on your own side hustle journey.
Ctrl Alt Delete
As someone who grew up in the age of the internet (hello late 80s and early 90s babies!) and now works and plays on the internet everyday, Ctrl Alt Delete is an amazing podcast. Hosted by Emma Gannon, the award-winning author of the book with the same title as the podcast, Ctrl Alt Delete is a not-so-traditional career podcast.
Emma gently guides the topic of each episode with her conversational and curious hosting style. Whilst each topic starts out talking about careers and tech, it will then naturally progress into a deeper conversation. If you want a light-hearted listen to a podcast where guests discuss their relationship with the internet and open up about their personal experiences, Ctrl Alt Delete is one to listen to.
Popular episodes includes an episode from its early beginnings in 2016 featuring guest Zoe Sugg from Zoella and newer episodes featuring the likes of Stacey Dooley discussing getting out of your comfort zone and Joe Lycett talking all things comedy, sexuality and hecklers. The depth and bredth of topics covered on Ctrl Alt Delete is brilliant for an easy-listen that’ll open your mind and get you looking at things from a different perspective.
Squiggly Careers
This Squiggly Careers podcast is a new discovery for me. Yet, it’s fast become a podcast that I love to listen to. Your career and life will rarely play out in a straight line. In fact, life can be messy. If you’re someone who’s trying to navigate the confusiong squiggly world of work, then Squiggly Careers podcast has been set up to help you take control of your career with practical, action-focused advice.
Each episode delves into a different topic within the world of work and sets out to offer the tips, tools and techniques needed to put your learnings into practice. Topics covered include: negotiating, learning to say no, being a freelancer, navigating redundancy and prioritising work – to name just a few of the great career-focused gems you’ll find on this podcast.
The Squiggly Careers podcast often features some amazing guests who you may be familiar with if you’re an entrepreneur or small-business owner. Recent guests include Viv Groskop (author of How To Own The Room), Emma Gannon (host of the above Ctrl Alt Delete podcast!), Mollie West Duffy (co-author of No Hard Feelings) and Amy Brann (neuroscience expert). With guests experienced in an array of fields, the Squiggly Career podcast releases weekly episodes to keep you feeling fresh and focused on your business.
Those are my favourite podcasts for levelling-up my career and making sure I’m always in the right mindset for work. But my interest in podcasts stretches so much further than that. When I’m not listening to podcasts focused on marketing, small business or becoming a nomad, you’ll find me deep in a black hole of conspiracy theory and true crime podcasts. I figured those podcasts were best saved for another post… so watch this space for a round-up of my favourite just-for-fun podcasts!