You’ll get what you put into your business degree. Invest plenty of time and effort, and you’ll graduate as a well-rounded student who is prepared to manage both the technical and relational aspects of business.
One way to get more out of your experience is to immerse yourself in the business world. This can help you have meaningful discussions with peers, ask your professor the right questions, and tie the theories you study in class to their real-world implications. Podcasts for business students encourage you to reflect on course material outside of class, helping you think like the emerging business leader you hope to be.
Check out these great podcasts for business students.
The Tim Ferriss Show
Entrepreneurs once preached the gospel of endless work. Tim Ferriss offers something different: a way to get ahead without giving up on the rest of life. His bestseller, The 4-Hour Workweek, revolutionized our approach to work. His podcast looks at things through the same unique lens, upending business myths and offering practical tips on how to exceed in an increasingly cutthroat business environment. Consistently ranked #1 on Apple podcasts for business, each episode takes a hard look at a business leader, explores what makes them tick, and then extrapolates this information into deeper lessons about contemporary business life.
The $100 MBA Show
Many business shows discuss the ins and outs of business, or they feature high-performing business leaders. The $100 MBA Show is different, acting as a virtual business class for everyone, from business students to thriving entrepreneurs. There’s no jargon and no one talking down to you—just a masterclass in everything business-related.
TED Talks Business
TED Talks are among the most entertaining and beloved lectures, covering every topic you can imagine. TED Talks business brings the same touch to the world of business, covering everything—from starting a business to growing a multinational conglomerate. Whether you want to ask for a raise, jump ship to a competitor, or just improve your workplace communication skills, there’s something here for you.
Ask a Manager Podcast
For more than a decade, the Ask a Manager advice column has grappled with the mundane and extraordinary of the workaday world. Unreasonable managers, disability accommodations, and weird workplace habits all figure prominently in this lively column. The podcast extends the column, presenting lively discussions of challenging workplace questions in an accessible (and often hilarious) format. The comments section of each podcast offers further insight, as well as a devoted community of business aficionados at all stages of their careers.
Faith Driven Entrepreneur
The Faith Driven Entrepreneur is a one stop shop for all things faith and business-related. From managing conflicts between business and personal ethics to using your faith to grow your business, this show has covered it all. You’ll also hear from faithful business leaders like Veggietales founder Phil Vischer and Naturesweet entrepreneur Bryan Ambelang.
Theology of Business
If your values are as important to you as your business, this podcast is for you. Learn about Biblical principles that can help your business grow, theological concerns that may arise in business life, and more. For aspiring business owners and students of entrepreneurship, this is an excellent overview of both the theoretical and practical realities of the business world.
The How of Business
The How of Business is a delightfully practical guide to starting, running, growing, and selling small businesses. For MBA students, it provides a great complement to course material, offering real-world case studies that demonstrate the principles you explore in class. But don’t be fooled by its simple, 101-style introduction to business. This podcast isn’t afraid to consider the challenging nuts and bolts of business ownership, from privacy laws to tax strategy.
Freakonomics Radio
Have you ever wondered why business success seems so elusive for some and easy for others? Considered whether your anecdotal observations reflect a larger trend? Wondered how your name might affect your career? Stephen J. Dubner, co-author of the bestseller Freakonomics, offers an expansive view of human behavior’s effect on business and everything else. In a discussion format that packs a ton of information into a thin slice of time, explore how the COVID-19 pandemic shaped business, how your health correlates with what happens in your career, and whether your parents’ job advice might have harmed you.
The Redemptive Edge
Success in business is about getting up every day and trying again, even after many failures. That approach shares a lot in common with the Christian faith. The Redemptive Edge brings the two together, hosting entrepreneurs to talk about creativity, sacrifice, loss, success, and failure.
The Ezra Klein Show
Business is about more than just balance sheets and closing deals. Business leaders must also have excellent social skills. Knowing a little bit about everything is a great way to connect with your fellow human. The Ezra Klein Show offers something a little different: a survey of many interesting things happening in the world—including, but not limited to, political trends that may shape business. The show makes listeners feel smarter and serves up a nourishing helping of conversation starters, book recommendations, and fun factoids that will entertain your classmates and colleagues. The show’s diverse coverage area makes it a great option for family road trips or date night discussions. Take your class work with you in a format that will appeal even to those who aren’t studying business.
HBR IdeaCast
Distill the best of the Harvard Business Review into a comprehensible podcast with this weekly series. The podcast covers everything—from politics and the law to principles for making business succeed. Each episode features at least one expert guest, with book recommendations, further reading, and more. The HBR is an immersive learning environment that introduces listeners to the world of business cultural norms, so you can be prepared no matter where your degree takes you.
Knowledge@Wharton
If you’ve ever wished you could call an expert to analyze every new business trend, then Knowledge@Wharton has got you covered. Each podcast episode features a professor at Wharton or another business expert analyzing both the theoretical and real-world implications of changing political winds, legal regulations, market swings, and other twists and turns of the business world.
Exchanges at Goldman Sachs
Since 2015, Exchanges at Goldman Sachs has offered helpful insight and commentary from experts within the firm. No matter what you’re pondering about business life, the odds are good that someone at Goldman Sachs has answered a similar query. With episodes devoted to Bitcoin, medical devices, virtual reality, tech bubbles, and virtually everything else imaginable, this podcast will appeal to a wide audience, including those who aren’t in the business world.
The McKinsey Podcast
McKinsey is continually shaping the world of business, both domestically and internationally. The McKinsey Podcast is a highly technical one, looking at everything, from international business trends to the potential future of dedollarization. To get the most out of this podcast, try combining it with The $100 MBA Podcast, where you’ll get an introduction to the terms and concepts McKinsey discusses in great technical depth.
EntreLeadership
Dave Ramsey has built an empire with his simple, commonsense approach to success in business, personal finance, and life. EntreLeadership brings the wisdom from Ramsey’s conferences to an accessible podcast. The topics are wide-ranging, from inspirational talks designed to encourage you to get moving to practical advice on structuring your business, managing your team, and staying inspired.
Business Wars
If the people in your life think business has to be boring, Business Wars might convince them otherwise. Business leaders are as interesting, creative, and cutthroat as celebrities and generals, yet their stories often go untold. Business Wars chronicles the triumphs and tragedies of generations of business leaders, showing that the business world can be every bit as entertaining as a mystery novel.
Bloomberg Businessweek
Bloomberg Businessweek is the perfect podcast for people who don’t have time to read the news or listen to every other podcast on this list. Offering accessible roundups of business news, recent regulations, and more, this podcast is great for feeling productive when you’re fighting traffic or cleaning. Check out What’d You Miss This Week for a cheat sheet-style guide to everything you might have missed while studying.
More Than Just Podcasts for Business Students: Success at SNU
Though the right podcasts can help you get into the business mindset, the fastest path to success comes from an exceptional school. SNU understands that adult students are busy and face many competing demands. We help you juggle each role by offering flexible course structures, including one-night-a-week, in-person classes or an online-only option. You’ll begin building your professional network well ahead of graduation with our innovative cohort model. We can even help you complete your financial aid paperwork.
We are here for you, from the day you apply to graduation and beyond. To learn more or weigh next steps, check out our MBA career roadmap.
