Here at NicJohn Media, we love podcasts. They’re an amazing way to build community, connect with others, and gain both inspiration and motivation, 24/7 — in the kitchen, during your commute, as you drift off to sleep. It’s like having access to your own personal library of mentors, leaders, and “best friends” to answer the “real” questions we’ve always wanted to ask and help guide us through some of life’s biggest personal and career challenges, and, simply, learn from their triumphs — and mistakes.
With over 700,000 different podcasts out there, it's difficult to choose which ones to listen to. We've rounded up 9 mostly female-led podcasts (in no particular order) that we’re listening to now that motivates us to stay in the game.
#1 - Being Boss
Hosts: Emily Thompson and Kathleen Shannon
Description: A podcast for creative entrepreneurs, freelancers, and side-hustlers. Join Emily Thompson and Kathleen Shannon as they dig into the mindset, habits, routines, and boundaries that help you make money doing what you love.
Why we love it: It provides a good mix of real-life, practical tips and aspirations for anyone thinking of starting their own business or going out on their own as a freelancer as explored by two friends and colleagues who seek to help female leaders navigate self-employment. With over 250 episodes, there’s plenty to choose from, such as “Boundaries”, “Rest for Productivity”, “Rituals and Routines,” “Branding for Business”, “Pitching & PR with Brigitte Lyons”, and “How to Get a Book Deal.”
Listen on: Apple | Google Play | Soundcloud
#2 - RISE with Rachel Hollis
Host: Rachel Hollis
Description: Tangible and tactical tools for your life and business. Hosted by NY Times bestseller for her book Girl Wash Your Face, RISE is a series of bold conversations with fellow business powerhouses and personal development leaders that provides the listener with real-life valuable takeaways.
Why we love it: Two words: growth mindset. Rachel and her team are all about providing information and resources that can help change your life. Topics range from “How I overcame my debilitating anxiety” to “Why it’s so hard to talk about money?” and she’s “built an empire with nothing more than a dream” (also a recent podcast topic). This is a must-have on any entrepreneur’s playlist rotation.
Host: Jessica Herrin
Description: Real talk. Candid Conversations. Make it Happen Advice for Business & Life.
Why we love it: Who wouldn’t love to hear candid conversations with fierce business powerhouse, Jessica Herrin, founder & CEO of Stella & Dot brands, as she talks with some of her closest friends and other powerhouse business women about business and life. You can see her passion for helping other women carve careers and financial freedom out for themselves...especially working moms who desire more flexibility.
Select episodes:
Getting Over Rejection
Customer Obsessed
Financially Fierce - an interview with Sallie Krawcheck of Ellevate
The Art of Storytelling in Sales with Kendra Hall
Listen on: Apple
Host: Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock investor
Description: The best startup advice from Silicon Valley & beyond. Iconic CEOs — from Nike to Netflix, Starbucks to Slack — share the stories & strategies that helped them grow from startups into global brands.
Why we love it: Masters of Scale is “the first American media program to commit to gender balance for guests” — and they have some pretty big names, to say the least. Reid shows how companies grow “from zero to a gazillion, testing his theories with legendary leaders.” They even provide written transcripts so you can refer back to the insights and quotes again and again.
Select episodes:
Keep humans in the equation — with TaskRabbit's Stacy Brown-Philpot
Entrepreneurship as a second act — with Goop’s founder Gwyneth Paltrow
Take bigger risks — with Shellye Archambeau, former CEO of Metric Stream
To scale, you must master the art of storytelling — with Scott Harrison, founder & CEO of Charity:Water
The Millennial Episode: Brit Morin, Founder & CEO of Brit & Co
Listen on: Apple | Google Play | Stitcher
Hosted by: Nicaila Matthews Okome
Description: The first and only podcast to spotlight bold, Black women entrepreneurs who have scaled from side hustle to profitable business.
Why we love it: Frankly, we like Nicaila’s tenacity and #growthmindset. You don’t have to have built a billion dollar company or have the world’s biggest leaders on speed dial to create value for your listeners. Mashable named it a “perfect entrepreneurship podcast” and it has amassed over 1 million downloads by social media followers who tune in to episodes such as “Side Hustle Spotlights” and “How to Not Let Fear Cripple You When Starting Your Side Hustle.” And, we love how it focuses on black women entrepreneurs, one of the fastest growing segments of entrepreneurs.
Listen here.
#6 - The Lifestyle Edit
Host: Naomi Mdudu
Description: A candid weekly conversation with creative female entrepreneurs. Each episode is a narrative journey of the triumphs, failures and insights from boundary-pushing creative women who have made their mark.
Why we love it: We just recently discovered The Lifestyle Edit, a London-based company founded by Naomi Mdudu - an entrepreneur who transformed her life and career through entrepreneurship - whose mission is to support women to do the same. According to the TLE website, you can "expect honest conversations about the opportunities and challenges of starting a business and vulnerable accounts of how these founders have recreated a definition of success on their own terms." And we're all about women supporting women.
Select episodes:
How to Delegate and Hire Your First Virtual Assistant
How to Turn Ideas Into Action
What It Really Takes to Achieve Your Dreams
How to Free Yourself from Lies That Keep You Small
Listen on: Soundcloud
Hosts: Gwyneth Paltrow and Eise Loehnen
Description: Gwyneth Paltrow and goop's Chief Content Officer Elise Loehnen chat with leading thinkers, culture changers, and industry disruptors—from doctors to creatives, CEOs to spiritual healers—about shifting old paradigms and starting new conversations.
Why we love it: What’s not to love about this beloved beauty and wellness brand that challenges us to look at our whole self. And we love how Gwyneth Paltrow choose entrepreneurship as a second act, proving that it's never too late to follow your dreams and chart new paths.
Select episodes:
How We Misunderstand Privilege
The Skin Gut Connection
How to Think Less and Do More
How To Raise Successful People
Fight Light a Mother
Listen on: Apple
Host: Amy Elisa Jackson, expert entertainment and lifestyle journalist and editorial director at Glassdoor.com
Description: Host Amy Elisa Jackson shares the real stories of extraordinary people navigating life’s most pivotal moments at the intersection of the personal and professional.
Why we love it: New on the scene, this podcast launched on October 2 and they came out of the gate strong with an interview with Brené Brown, Dare to Lead author, Netflix star and exceptional motivational leader. Couple that with a host like Amy who has been in the game for more than a decade and who has also weathered some of her own personal storms -- the combination is a win-win.
Listen on: Apple | Google Play
Host: Jenna Kutcher, entrepreneur, photographer, podcaster, and educator
Description: The live-workshop style business podcast that is helping thousands redefine success and chase bolder dreams. You can train from the experts how to dig in, do the work, and tackle your biggest goals along the way.
Why we love it: Jenna Kutcher is just an overall #badass #boss who has carved out a career inspiring women to live their best life. She has over 300 episodes on topics ranging from “Am I ready to leave my 9 to 5?” to “How can I grow my Instagram following.”
Select episodes:
The CEO Mindset Hacks She Used to Build an Empire
How to Hit Your Profit Goals Through Price Setting
Could You Make Money with Affiliate Selling
No One Told Us THIS About Being a Working Mom
How to Pivot Your Path
Which podcasts are you currently listening to? Which ones do you think we should include next time? Let us know in the comments or visit us at nicjohnmedia.com to learn more.
xo,
Nicole