Before the holidays, I asked my team to list their favorite podcasts.
I thought I was going to include them in the 12 Days of Christmas, but I ran out of days…and time.
With everyone on Spring Break or winding down a bit for a short workweek and Easter and Passover, I thought it’d be fun to revisit the topic.
Between that and newly released podcast data from Edison Research, now is the time for you to either feed your podcasting habit or begin one.
Before I give you all the goods, though, I thought this infographic Podcast Insights put together was pretty interesting.
What’s even more interesting to me is the breakdown between men and women.
When I met the VP of communications at Libsyn, the podcast network, he told me less than one percent of all podcasters are women.
There is something between those two statistics, which we can explore later.
For now, let’s get on to the recommendations.
Here are the podcasts my team recommends because they listen to them and enjoy them.
In no particular order…
Podcast #1: Influencer, Inc.
Influencer Inc., particularly the episode with Adam Grant. Adam Grant is an organizational psychologist, the author of Give and Take, Originals, and Option B.
He has been the top-rated professor at Wharton six years in a row.
In this episode, he talks about how one of the best ways for aspiring influencers to gain traction is to build relationships with existing influencers in their space while maintaining a giving mindset.
Podcast #2: Serial
Serial is a podcast from the creators of This American Life.
It tells one story during the course of a season.
They follow a plot and characters, based on the true story of something big that happened.
I liked the first season better than the second.
It was based on a guy who may or may not have gone to prison wrongfully. It’s fascinating.
Podcast #3: Missing Richard Simmons
Missing Richard Simmons is obsessive-worthy and I was one of the many who was down for the count.
Until I listened to it, I didn’t know Richard Simmons was missing.
One day, he stopped going to his gym and no one saw him out and about.
This podcast attempts to figure out why, where he is, and if he’s OK.
Podcast #4: Up and Vanished
What happened to Tara Grinstead is the subject of Up and Vanished.
A beauty queen from Georgia disappeared one Saturday night from her home in Ocilla, never to be heard from again.
The podcast follows the cold case and gets interviews with people who have cold memories of the day she disappeared 12 years ago.
If you like true crime, you’ll enjoy this one.
Podcast #5: Hidden Brain
Using science and storytelling, Hidden Brain reveals the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior.
It helps curious people understand the world—and themselves.
Why do mild-mannered people turn into fearsome mama and papa bears?
Does the way you park your car say something vital about you?
Can unconscious biases keep people from finding interesting jobs?
Hidden Brain answers these questions—and more.
Podcast #6: TED Radio Hour
TED Radio Hour is journey through fascinating ideas: astonishing inventions, fresh approaches to old problems, new ways to think and create.
An idea is the one gift that you can hang onto even after you’ve given it away.
Based on talks given on the TED stage, each show is centered on a common theme—such as the source of happiness, crowd-sourcing innovation, power shifts, or inexplicable connections—and injects soundscapes and conversations that bring these ideas to life.
Podcast #7: Problem Solvers
Problem Solvers features business owners and CEOs who have gone through a crippling business problem and came out the other side happy, wealthy, and growing.
Jason Feifer, the editor-in-chief for Entrepreneur, is the host.
He highlights these stories so other business leaders can avoid the same crippling problems.
Podcast #8: How I Built This
How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.
Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world’s best known companies.
Podcast #9: Work in Progress by Slack
A cab driver who escaped enslavement on the underground railroad.
The owner of a Jewish appetizing store, who quit being an engineer to join the family business.
Some guy on Snapchat, who turned it into a career.
Behind every working human, there’s a story.
Work in Progress is the podcast from Slack about the meaning and identity we find in work.
Host Dan Misener talks to humans about their stories.
Stories of personal ambition and debilitating insecurities, great successes and abject failures, the plans we make and the luck that…happens.
Podcast #10: The 1-3-20 Podcast
If you’ve read anything by Daniel Pink, you already know you’ll get great value.
In the 1-3-20 podcast, he chooses one book that’s made an impression on him. He asks the author three key questions. And he provides it all in 20 minutes.
1-3-20.
Podcast #11: Writing Excuses
It was season 10 of Writing Excuses that was called out as the favorite by my colleagues.
Though, I imagine if you’re inclined, you could start all the way at season one and be happy and fulfilled.
Writing Excuses is just that—an exploration of all of the excuses we give ourselves when we don’t sit down to craft our art.
Their goal is to help listeners become better writers.
Whether you write for fun or for profit, whether you’re new to the domain or old hands, Writing Excuses has something to offer.
Podcast #12: The 10% Happier Podcast
Admittedly, this one seems a little “woo woo” for me, but it got multiple votes from my team.
The 10% Happier Podcast is hosted by Dan Harris from ABC News.
He talks with celebrities, meditation teachers, and key figures in the meditation world about, well, meditation.
It may be woo-woo, but it is very, very popular.
Podcast #13: The Lore Podcast
Sometimes the truth truly is more frightening than fiction.
That’s the The Lore Podcast sets out to do—find those truly scary, true stories in life.
It exposes the darker side of history, exploring the creatures, people, and places of our wildest nightmares.
If you have trouble sleeping, I do not recommend you listen to it before bed.
Now the Floor is Yours
You now have a great list of our favorite podcasts.
It’s time for you to tell us yours!
