Duct Tape Marketing, EOFire and Mixergy Are Just a Few Inspirational Podcasts for Entrepreneurs Whether in your car or office or on a walk, podcasts offer entrepreneurs inspiration and motivation any time of the day.
By Peter Gasca Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Without a doubt, a business mentor can be a tremendous help to an entrepreneur, especially those just starting, as they struggle to manage their business and overcome business challenges.
Mentors provide valuable insights and perspectives that can only come from the wisdom of experience. They can connect entrepreneurs to the right people, and they can inspire and challenge us in the same breath. In short, they can make the difference between quitting and finding the will to persevere
The real challenge, of course, is finding the right person who can provide this guidance and experience along the way. Moreover, once you have found a great mentor, finding time when you are both available can often be a huge challenge.
This is where podcasts add value. A podcast is a digital medium that delivers content via web syndication, usually streamed through a mobile device or computer. The ease by which podcasts can be consumed has made them tremendously popular, giving rise to thousands of podcasts covering just as many topics.
Related: Top 25 Business Podcasts for Entrepreneurs
While these seven business podcasts will never take the place of a real mentor, they can help supplement the need by providing insights from the top business thought leaders in a variety of industries and fields. So, if you need a boost of inspiration that can only come from an experienced business mentor, consider one of these podcasts.
1. Dorm Room Tycoon
Explaining why he started Dorm Room Tycoon on his blog, founder William Channer stated that he aimed to create an "all-in-one comprehensive place for those who want to make an impact," especially in the fields of marketing, design and business. Most of all, he wanted a forum where discussions could be concise and direct to the point.
The 25-minute podcasts features business guests that provide practical advice for listeners who want to build a business and make an impact in the field or niche they currently serve.
2. Business Mistakes
Business Mistakes is a refreshing podcast that features entrepreneurs and thought leaders from various industries who discuss what they consider their biggest business mistakes. The maxim upon which the show was built comes from a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt, "Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to make them all yourself."
The interviews, which are honest and often personal, serve as a reminder that even successful entrepreneurs suffer their bumps and bruises along their entrepreneurial journeys. Business Mistakes was recognized as the number-one New and Noteworthy Business podcast on iTunes only 48 hours after it was released.
3. Startup
Now entering its third season, the Startup podcast chronicles the journey of startup entrepreneurs and their trials and tribulations as they start, grow and pivot through the quickly evolving world of tech startups.
In season one, Startup chronicled the struggles of the podcast's founder, Alex Blumberg, as he leaves his comfortable position in public radio to endeavor into his own podcasting business. In season two, the podcast follows two women who established a new match-making business as they attempt to maneuver and survive in a male-dominated tech world.
The podcast is one of the few that demonstrates, sometimes painfully, that startup dreams involve far more blood, sweat and tears than successes and riches. Through the struggles of these entrepreneurs, valuable lessons and insights can be learned.
Related: 6 Podcasts That Will Make You Richer in 2016
4. EOFire
EOFire, or Entrepreneurs on Fire, is a podcast that features interviews with a variety of successful entrepreneurs. It is one of the top-ranking business podcasts and was recognized with a Best of iTunes award because of its commitment to help seasoned and first-time entrepreneurs in their entrepreneurial journey
The show often focuses on the biggest failures of each guest and the lessons they have derived from these failures. It discuss the "light bulb moment" and, most importantly, the steps necessary to persevere. Finally, the six rapid-fire question round offers listeners insightful business wisdom in an entertaining and fun format.
5. Mixergy
Mixergy is an insightful podcast that features discussions with successful entrepreneurs who talk in detail about the inspiration for their business and path to getting started. Unlike most other podcasts, however, which often tackle only web and tech start-up companies, Mixergy includes entrepreneurs who have started businesses in fields and industries that may surprise you. The discussions often focus on breaking business paradigms and dispelling myths, such as the misguided need for significant startup investment to build a business.
6. Duct Tape Marketing
Duct Tape Marketing is a well-established blog dedicated to helping small to mid-sized businesses. The company originally started as a marketing agency but soon became a brand in and of itself. The founder, John Jantsch, is an innovative marketer who has been credited for developing useful tools for business professionals in a variety of industries.
While the website features a host of marketing resources, tools and videos, the podcast is intended for aspiring entrepreneurs who want to take their their business to the next level. With marketing and business insights, the Duct Tape Marketing podcast has partnered with big name companies in business, such as Verizon, Forbes, FedEx, Dell and many more.
7. Growth Everywhere
Growth Everywhere offers entrepreneurs actionable insights to grow their business while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. It publishes new episodes Monday through Friday and tackles personal and business topics for entrepreneurs, such as personal growth, marketing and sales, productivity and many more.
If you prefer shorter segments of the interview, consider Growth Bites, which is a bullet-point style podcast. Growth Everywhere has worked with influential businesses in a variety of industries, such as Yahoo, Salesforce, Kissmetrics and Crazy Egg.
Entrepreneurs don't always have access to great mentors and advisors. Podcasts, however, give all aspiring business leaders access to a wide variety of successful business professionals. More important, through the ubiquitous nature of podcast players on our phones, we can consume this content at our convenience.
Related: 4 Strategies the 'Entrepreneur on Fire' Used to Build a $250K a Month Podcast
With thousands to choose from, these are just a few of the great business podcasts that will help boost that entrepreneurial fighting spirit within you.
