Give Yourself That Extra Kick With These Podcasts From the Likes of Tim Ferriss and Gary Vaynerchuk Here are seven audio motivators that will inspire grit, grind and hustle.
By Matthew Toren •
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
I enjoy hearing about all the great success stories of our time, as does any other person -- you know, massive initial public offerings, the "overnight" successes and the billion-dollar unicorns.
However, if I'm really looking to get inspired, then I'm more interested in what it actually took to get there.
This is what we call the HUSTLE.
And if you're on your hustle, then you probably realize there's only so many hours in the day to get stuff done. Fortunately, we now have the power more than ever to consume motivational content on the go.
Enter podcasts -- easily consumable, downloadable audio at my fingertips anytime I want via my smartphone. And they range in almost anything from sports and science to murder mysteries like Serial.
Related: Top 25 Business Podcasts for Entrepreneurs
But for me, a lifetime entrepreneur, I tend to consume a lot more business and lifestyle motivation. Why? Not only does it balance me out, but there's something to be said about hearing entrepreneurs and go-getters talk about their journeys.
"Journeys" being the key word. The entrepreneur should be admired at all stages of their growth, because it truly takes something to achieve success as a whole.
Right now, if you go into iTunes, or other platforms that host podcasts, you will find no shortage of motivational and entrepreneurial content.
However, I decided to take a month or two to really go through hundreds of shows to find a few distinct podcasts that truly deliver their content and style in a unique way. Especially since there are so many to choose from.
Now, when I say style and delivery, I'm talking kick butt, real honesty, raw authenticity and excitement. To that, I sat down, got to work, started listening -- and the results are finally in. Here are the seven podcasts that inspire grit, grind and hustle, and if you haven't already, download and subscribe to them immediately.
1. Mixergy
Hosted by Andrew Warner, Mixergy is all about helping listeners learn from proven entrepreneurs. Andrew has hosted over 1,000 guests on his show (you read that correctly), digging into the successes and failures of highly accomplished business founders and thought leaders. Obviously, there's no quicker way to learn than from the most successful individuals in their field -- and Andrew has talked to damn near all of them.
Why you should listen: Andrew asks questions that everyone wants to know but few are willing to ask. In fact, it's this unique delivery style that has helped him get the kind of responses from entrepreneurs that might not have otherwise told their stories to. Not to mention, Andrew also knows what his listeners want -- and he gives it to them.
Notable features: Dropbox founder Drew Houston, Quick Sprout founder Neil Patel, Zappos founder Tony Hsieh, Gary Vaynerchuk (VaynerMedia), Alexis Ohanian (Reddit co-founder)
Show's Theme: Street smarts from entrepreneurs and thought leaders
2. The Hustle Sold Separately
If you're looking for pure hustle, drive, determination and grit, these guys just plain exemplify it. Co-hosted by the founders of rising star brands prsuit.com (Case Kenny) and hdfmagazine.com (Matt Gottesman), this powerhouse duo is so serious about documenting the hustle, that they're only caveat to being on the show is that the guest (entrepreneurs, creators and doers) is not allowed to solely talk about success, and they must go deep into their story.
Not to mention they do all this with a unique style, a bit of swag (their opening song is by Wiz Khalifa), and an authentic and relaxed conversation style that gets guests talking in a way that other podcasts simply do not.
Why you should listen: Case and Matt are truly different than most. They're not only building their own notable brands dedicated to the journey, but they bring such a mix of talent ranging from entrepreneurship and sports to fashion, health, wellness, Hollywood, tech and more. A very authentic and powerful podcast for sure.
Notable features: Two-time Emmy award winner Christina Cindrich, Elite Daily co-Founder Gerard Adams, Infusionsoft CEO Clate Mask, former NFL linebacker Matt Mayberry, DanceOn Network founder Amanda Taylor, bestselling authors and more.
Show's Theme: Motivate and inspire by documenting the hustle
3. Smart Passive Income
Authenticity has a face, and it's Pat Flynn. Not just because he's so open, but because he truly cares about his audience. While his show, Smart Passive Income, is dedicated to creating multiple passive income streams online, he also dives into online business as a whole. Flynn discusses awesome blogging strategies, thinking through income sources and leveraging ultimate marketing tips and tricks to maximize your efforts to name a few.
And because Flynn doesn't want his audience to feel short of any information for running their businesses in a digitally connected world, he also includes advice on automation, search engine optimization, social media and of course, podcasting. This podcast is a must for anyone trying to leverage the Internet for their business, aka hustle.
Related: Learn the Magic Formula of Podcasting From Old-School Radio Giants Like Rush Limbaugh
Why you should listen: Pat is a genuine guy and extremely knowledgeable and experienced in creating online income streams. His episodes have the power to change lives if you are willing to put in the work, and he backs it up by actually doing it himself and proving it to you.
Notable features: Lewis Howes, Tim Ferris, Michael Hyatt, Ramit Sethi, Amy Porterfield, Gary Vaynerchuk and more.
Show's Theme: Learn how to earn six figures leveraging the Internet and a vast digital reach.
4. Glambition Radio
Besides Glambition Radio being the top podcast for women entrepreneurs, Ali Brown's list of accomplishments is longer than most people's grocery list. However, that's not the only reason to tune in to her show. Dubbed as "The Entrepreneurial Guru For Women" by Business News Daily, Ali is honest, smart and straightforward, yet approachable and experienced. She, herself, has put in the work, and that makes her highly relatable to the ever-growing sector of female entrepreneurs.
Her podcast is a must listen for any female entrepreneur, but truthfully, anyone can learn something great from her show!
Why you should listen: Empowering and a voice for multiple female generations, Ali brings such strong messages to women worldwide. Her show is highly intuitive and relatable to both sexes. Truly a great listen!
Notable features: Alli Webb (The Dry Bar), Lisa Oz (author of Us / producer for Dr. Oz), Tory Johnson (author of The Shift), Jessica Herrin (founder and CEO of Stella & Dot), Kim Kiyosaki (author of Rich Woman), Pam Slim (author of Body of Work & Escape from Cubicle Nation), and JJ Virgin (Celebrity Fitness Expert, New York Times bestselling author of The Virgin Diet).
Show's Theme: "Powerful interviews with today's top entrepreneurs, new thought leaders, passionate business builders and catalysts of change." (AliBrown.com)
5. The Tim Ferriss Show
By now, there's almost no one on the planet who hasn't heard of Tim Ferriss, or at least one of his brands -- and now he's got a podcast Known as "a big time self-experimenter and bestselling author," Tim wrote The 4-Hour Workweek, which has inspired countless entrepreneurs on their way to multi-million dollar earners. And while Newsweek calls him "the world's best human guinea pig," and The New York Times calls him "a cross between Jack Welch and a Buddhist monk," I just call him "genius."
His range is exceptional, because he's willing to tackle all issues in life. From personal and character development, becoming a better listener and building businesses that matter, to workout routines, incubators, venture capital, acting, producing, metaphysics and more. Like I said, he's willing to tackle any issue.
Why you should listen: In two words, "forward thinking." With so much range, you're going to learn something new every single time you listen and from the widest variety of guests on the planet.
Notable features: Everyone, but in all seriousness - DJ Kaskade, TV personality Morgan Spurlock, athlete Shaun White, John Favreau, Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda, music producer Rick Rubin, actor Edward Norton, entrepreneur and Shark Tank Host Daymond John and that's just a small portion of his interviews. Yeah, Tim has reach for sure.
Show's Theme: "Extremely open, raw interviews and paradoxically fewer edits." Tim essentially co-produces episodes with his guests to ensure they are satisfied with the final cuts.
6. The #AskGaryVee Show
There is no way to miss Gary Vaynerchuk. You've probably seen his videos on YouTube where anyone can submit questions, and Gary answers in his classic Gary style -- lots of emotion, some cussing but tons of enthusiasm and value. Gary has turned these daily YouTube shows into podcast episodes, and they are just as impactful without the video.
The show is extremely dynamic, and each episode is different. The concept is simple -- users ask Gary questions, and he answers them. The questions are all across the board and usually relate to marketing, social media, tech trends and entrepreneurship. Gary doesn't discriminate and answers questions that offer as much value as possible. All you have to do is tag your questions with #AskGaryVee on any social outlet, and Gary will tackle it if it's a good one.
Why you should listen: Gary's daily show is just one entrepreneur's take on leadership, social media, and self-awareness, but he delivers in such an enthusiastic and visceral style that it is one that shouldn't be missed. Plus, he does them everyday so it's a great podcast to get into the routine of listening to on a daily basis.
Notable features: Unlike the other podcasts on my list, Gary doesn't usually feature guests but rather he features you. Occasionally he will have a guest on to help him tackle questions, but the focus is always on the public and how Gary can leverage his experience to help them and other listeners.
Show's Theme: Guests ask questions, and Gary answers.
7. The Self-Made Man
Mike Dillard has been in the digital-marketing world for quite some time, and he's clearly experimented with all of it. Now that he's a seasoned online veteran, he's taking the podcast world by storm interviewing proven entrepreneurs and leaders dedicated to "leaving their mark on the world, creating a legacy of honor, integrity and achievement in every aspect of their lives."
More importantly, the Self-Made Man is about betterment in all aspects of a person's life. From finance and business, to strengthening one's relationships and health, something every entrepreneur must dedicate to themselves in order to sustain long-term growth and happiness.
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Why you should listen: If you're an entrepreneurial go-getter and high-driven man, this podcast is filled with great discussions and inspiring leaders who've done it all.
Notable features: Tucker Max, Daymond John, Ryan Holiday, Chase Jarvis, Tony Robbins, Andy Frisella, James Altucher, Joel Brown, Tai Lopez and the list goes on.
Show's Theme: Men looking to be inspired by leaders in business, achievement and success in all aspects of life.
