Listening to podcasts is a fantastic way to unwind, even if they’re about business, management, and leadership.
Here are some of our team’s top pods to get you through the silly season; to help you get perspective, and to gather some inspiration for your SME journey in the year to come.
For many at Lula, Lenny’s Podcast topped the lists as a firm favourite. Hosted by writer, entrepreneur, and angel investor Lenny Rachitsky, the series features insightful interviews with experienced growth leaders at some of the world’s fastest growing businesses..
Rachitsky, who was also instrumental in AirBnb’s rise to prominence as their erstwhile product lead – is a respected philanthropist and runs a weekly career advice newsletter, and a job board. Best of all, unlike many popular podcasters – who are taking a break too – Lenny has been releasing new content this December!
Masters of Scale is another essential listen for established business leaders and up-and-comers alike. In this renowned podcast, host Reid Hoffman brings nuanced explorations of businesses that have successfully expanded from inception and scaled massively, and how they achieved it.
Hoffman brings his own fascinating theories about growth to bear, testing them rigorously, and refining them as he learns from visionary business leaders like Pixar’s Ed Catmull, and Girl Who Code’s Reshma Saujani.
If you haven’t already, also check out the legendary Lex Freidman podcast. Friedman is an AI researcher, roboticist, prolific interviewer, and tech-world influencer. His renowned series features lengthy, friendly chats with a diverse range of experts from fields like science, comedy, politics, business and technology.
If you don’t have the time for Friedman’s long-form conversations, which often exceed 3 hours, or, if you like your insights distilled into smaller, more digestible chunks, give FT News Briefing a listen. This popular pod offers daily 10-minute morning news overviews from around the globe: great for staying in touch with big-picture trends and happenings, without spending the whole day on podcasts.
Moving away from the strategic mindset, for a dose of pure inspiration, try Spark & Fire: Fuel Your Creativity this December. In this uniquely authentic, somewhat unorthodox podcast, June Cohen hosts iconic creatives like Stephen Schwartz, Domee Shi, Patton Oswald, Wynton Marsalis, and Isabel Allende, who let listeners right in, transparently narrating their own creative processes. Cohen, who previously served as the executive producer of TED Talks, provides a refreshing platform in which storytelling takes the spotlight, rather than traditional, long-form interviews.
Simone Sinek’s A Bit of Optimism is also worth following. Sinek interviews thought leaders from all walks of life, delving into their worldviews, what makes them tick, and the secrets to their success.
Honourable mentions must also go to the Scott Galloway podcast, the All-In Podcast and the Knowledge Project, which also promise to keep you entertained and informed this December.
I hope this list helps you gain new insights and reach new business goals in 2024.
Tom Stuart
Chief Marketing Officer @ Lulalend . He thrives when tasked with unlocking growth opportunities in a business, and when asked to build teams and capabilities to deliver against ambitious goals.
