Podcasts To Help Grow Your Small Business
I’ve become a little obsessed with podcasts lately. And by lately, I mean I’ve been listening to podcasts almost every day for the past year.
The time I spend listening to podcasts has probably become some of my most-cherished time throughout the week because it is typically my alone time, whether that be at the gym, on a run, or driving a long distance with no one else in the car.
No conversations to uphold. No responsibilities to address. No decisions to be made. I love it.
Just Like Going Back To School
What’s even greater about this time is that I’m also learning – a statement which I know makes my mom and dad super excited and proud to hear.
Podcasts have become probably my most-valued tool for continuing my education, whether that be for personal or business reasons. In a world that is always on the move, audio is a tremendous opportunity for entrepreneurs and small business owners to capture people’s attention and provide value to listener’s lives – am I right, Gary Vaynerchuk?!
Since joining RedFork, learning has become a requirement as my business partners and I work to grow our very own successful small business. There is always a new challenge or something to figure out, and I have found that listening to certain podcast shows can provide great insight and useful knowledge to aide us in our decision making as RedFork continues to grow.
It is with this experience over the past year that I start this new blog series entitled, Listen To…, which will feature podcasts and specific episodes to help you grow your small business. I hope you not only read and enjoy, but also listen and learn to the podcasts featured in these articles as I truly think the audio lessons are immensely helpful to any small business owner or entrepreneur, no matter their industry or experience level.
Why You Should Listen To
Masters of Scale is a podcast all about growth, and understanding the various successful ways “companies grow from zero to a gazillion.” Each episode is full of valuable tidbits of info that will change your perspective on the problems your small business is trying to solve on a daily basis. And while you may be thinking, “My business is a 4 person team, and we aren’t looking to grow our size any time soon,” this podcast will teach you more than just how to add employees to your business.
Some of the lessons covered by show host, Reid Hoffman (LinkedIn Co-Founder and Greylock Partner), include:
The importance of grit over sheer persistence
Why establishing and upholding company culture at every stage of business is important
How to manage the chaos of innovation
Learning how to lead your team by embracing change
Each episode provides amazing insight from some of the world’s greatest business minds, as well as some helpful – and many times, entertaining – short stories about the origins and growth spurts of today’s biggest brands.
I can give you the official Arthur Goodman Guarantee (#hashtag) that if you listen to just one episode, you’ll take away some very useful info that will positively affect your next business decisions.
Other Reasons To Listen To
Masters of Scale isn’t just a great podcast because of the lessons you’ll learn. Here are just a few other reasons why you should give it a listen.
The Sounds
Not only are the voices crystal clear, but the sound effects and music used throughout the show really enhance the message being delivered. While listening to stories and anecdotes from the guests, you’ll be audibly transported into the scenes they are describing. Which is pretty cool, if I do say so myself!
Overall, this is a very simplistic additional reason, but the sound landscape of this podcast really does take the program to another level.
The Featured Guest Policy
When going through the Masters of Scale website, I came across a very interesting detail towards the end of the description…
“Masters of Scale is the first American media program to commit to a 50-50 gender balance for guests.”
I absolutely love this statement. I’m a big believer in giving everyone a seat at the table, and sometimes the implementation of a rule that must be followed is the best way to make inclusivity a guarantee.
In this case, the podcast is fully committed to providing gender equality, which is nothing short of awesome.
So bravo to the entire Masters of Scale team! Also, how in the hell is this the FIRST American media program to commit to a 50-50 gender balance?!?!
The Sponsored Commercials
I’m a person who listens to podcasts at 1.5x speed. I like listening fast and getting through my queue of episodes at a quick yet easy-to-digest speed. But commercials break up my listening zen flow – which is super frustrating. Except for when I’m listening to this podcast…
With Masters of Scale, even the commercials are great! One of the program’s sponsors, ZipRecruiter, is featured on each commercial break. Typically, the commercial features data or insight about how to successfully handle the hiring process.
One of my favorite commercials takes place in Episode 9 where Ian Siegle, CEO of ZipRecruiter, highlights why it’s important for job applicants who were recently fired not to hide, but instead be honest and take ownership of why. This shows the potential employer that not only is the candidate honest, but also has an understanding as to why they were laid off from the company and what they can do to improve moving forward.
The First Episode To Listen To
I recommend starting with the very first episode. Not because you need to listen to these episodes in order, but because every single episode is filled with amazing origin stories, valuable advice, and new perspectives that will provide you the perfect-sized morsels of information to increase your business acumen.
I guess it doesn’t matter where you start, so I’ll adjust my initial statement and say, “Start anywhere, but listen to all of them.”
MY FAVORITE EPISODE (SO FAR): FACEBOOK'S SHERYL SANDBERG IN LEAD, LEAD AGAIN
Your Turn
For those who haven’t listened to this podcast yet, I highly recommend it. Give it a listen, and let me know what you think by messaging me (Arthur) on any of the @redforkteam social media channels. You can also leave me a message in the comments section below! I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback about this podcast.
And for those of you who have already listened to Masters of Scale:
Are you a fan of the podcast?
What’s your favorite episode or lesson you’ve learned?
How has the podcast helped you or your small business grow?
Additional Resources
Masters of Scale Official Website
The 24 Best Podcasts for Entrepreneurs In 2017, by Matt Mayberry, Contributor to Entrepreneur
10 Of The Best Podcasts About Business And Management, by Ben Jacobson of HubSpot