Podcast Recommendations: My Complete Listening List For Entertainment, Learning, & Inspiration

If you're curious about podcasting, listening that is, I've got a list of my favorite and top-rated podcasts below. I first got into Podcasting after visiting the leadership conference Catalyst. After hearing multiple dynamic and powerful leaders speak, I wanted to dive deeper into learning from these virtual mentors. 

Leadership & Personal Development

• Andy Stanley Leadership Podcast: After hearing Andy Stanley for the first time at Catalyst, I was hooked to his focused and effective messages. At Noodlehead Marketing, we would use the podcast as a learning and discussion resource. I still listen to it to this day.
• The Knowledge Project: If you want to grow your self and understand how to best navigate this universe we live in, check out this podcast described as follows: "to create a world-class multidisciplinary education by exploring the ideas, lessons, and methods that help us truly understand what works, what doesn’t, and why."
• The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast: If you want deep, complex, intellectual insights and exploration of people, culture, and politics, this the podcast for you. Peterson explores a variety of topics from a philosophical and psychological orientation.
• The Marie Forleo Podcast: Get inspired, learn insights, and grow your business with Marie in this encouraging podcast.
• Work Life With Adam Grant: Explore work, organizational structure and personal development with evidence-based insights.
• Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast: I stumbled upon this podcast with host pastor Carey Nieuwhof. This podcast focuses on empowering church leaders to lead like never before. In most of his podcasts, he interviews leaders including Jon Acuff, Andy Stanley, and David Platt. While the focus is on ministry leadership, many of the lessons and insights apply towards running an excellent business. 
• The EntreLeadership Podcast: This podcast is a show based on Dave Ramsey's book, Entreleadership. In the book, Dave shares how he runs his business providing insight and resources to empower entrepreneurs to succeed. This podcast is hosted by Ken Coleman and includes interviews with the top leaders including Simon Sinek, Jim Collins, & Dr. Henry Cloud and many others. If you're a business owner, you should be listening.

Business, Freelancing, Blogging, & Marketing

• 2Bobs: This great podcast is two guys (Blair Enns & David C. Baker) talking about business and marketing topics in a complex and deeply grounded way. The tagline for this podcast is, "conversations on the art of creative entrepreneurship."
• Masters of Scale: 
• Akimbo by Seth Godin: A great extension of Seth Godin's blog. If you want to think uniquely about business and marketing, this is the podcast for you.
• A Bit of Optimism with Simon Sinek: Sinek interviews other great minds to explore ideas, to encourage starting with why, and living the infinite game life.
• Being Freelance: In addition to stumbling upon Freelance Transformation, I also found the wonderful podcast Being freelance hosted by Steve Folland. In this show, Steve interviews a different freelancer each week where they share their inspiring freelancing story and wisdom with the listeners. It's a fun and enjoyable podcast, and one all freelancers should be listening to.
• Freelance Transformation (New episodes stopped): As I hit the tail stretch of writing Path Of The Freelancer, I wanted to find out what freelancing resources were out there, and this included podcasts. Freelance Transformation was one of the top-notch quality podcasts on the topic and has become a favorite listen of mine. The show, hosted by Matt Inglot, interviews freelancers who share their stories, and experts who can provide insight to empower freelancers to succeed. If you're a freelancer or a small business owner, I recommend adding this to your list.
• Become A ProBlogger: Get insights and encouragement on your journey to make blogging a successful venture in your life. Hosted by Rowse, you'll learn everything you know about blogging.
• Smart Passive Income: In this insightful podcast, you'll get "Weekly interviews, strategy, and advice for your online business." If your a digital entrepreneur, this podcast is one you'll want to explore.
• Marketing School: Neil Patel and Eric Siu host this daily short podcast with practical tips, tricks, and insights on how to maximize your marketing efforts.
• The Accidental Creative: Feeling unheard, burned out, or stuck as a creative person? This podcast will help you move forward, get traction, and maximize your creative talents.
• The Science Of Social Media: This short little podcast provides practical and powerful insights on how to get the most of your social media marketing efforts. The podcast is created by Buffer, a social media sharing tool I use for myself and many of my clients. If you want to get more effective at social media marketing, subscribe to this podcast.

Faith & Christianity

My Recommendations

• Q Podcast: Q Ideas is a neat organization founded by Gabe Lyons that brings multiple perspectives on each topic presented. I think of them as a Christian version of TED. Stay curious. Think well. Advance good.
• Unbelievable?: This podcast hosted by Justin Brierly is a radio program out of England that facilitates debates between Christians, Atheists, and alternative religious folks. In the archives, you can find debates on the existence of God, the nature of God, and the Bible. It's a great podcast to explore different perspectives and provides a better understanding of people we Christians disagree with. 
• Reasonable Faith Podcast: This podcast facilitates conversations with William Lane Craig, a Christian apologist, and analytical philosopher. In these podcasts, Craig offers a Christian commentary on common questions, challenges, and news & events. 
• Your Move With Andy Stanley: After I heard Andy Stanley speak at Catalyst, I sought any resources where I could listen to him regularly. Above I mentioned his leadership podcast and this one is where his church's sermons are broadcasted. I listened to these messages for years before actively becoming a part of Gwinnett Church, a satellite campus of North Point Community Church.
• The Bible Project: I'm a raving fan of the Bible Project. They've produced numerous wonderful videos taking people through the books of the Bible in an insightful and exciting way. Many of their podcasts take a deeper dive into the topics of their videos. It's an interesting dialog between the two creative directors on the project. 
• Pastor Rick's Daily Hope: Rick Warren wrote the best-selling book, The Purpose Driven Life (affiliate link). He's a terrific communicator and these daily messages provide powerful insights and encouragement for Christians. 
• The Village Church Sermons: In addition to hearing Andy Stanly at Catalyst, I also heard Matt Chandler speak and his message was profound on me and my life. His sermons soon became a regular listen on my podcast app. Matt is also the president of the Acts 29 network, the association my previous church in Norcross (Generations) was a part of.
• Lifechurch.tv Craig Groeschel Podcast: I also heard Craig Groeschel speak at Catalyst and his message forced me to reflect and grow in my life. I found great benefit continuing to listen to his weekly energizing sermons. 

Economics & Money

• Freakonomics Radio: Hosted by Stephen Dubner, this podcast explores the hidden side of everything. If you like economics, interesting stories, and unconventional thinking, this is the podcast for you. I love this podcast and is one of my favorites. 
• Open Account with SuChin Pak (Inactive): This is an interesting podcast I heard advertised on Stitcher. On this podcast, SuChin interviews people and dives into the topic of money, but not in a technical sense. For example, she interviewed a family whose father had a gambling addiction. They shared their story of how this wreaked havoc on their lives. She interviewed Bryan Clay, an Olympic gold medal winner who's financial manager stole his money. They discussed his rise to fame and how he moved forward after hitting rock bottom. This podcast contains compelling and inspiring stories about the topic of money.

Sports, News, Politics, & Entertainment

• Revisionist History: In this podcast, Malcolm Gladwell re-explores historical events to look at them with new fresh eyes. Many times our past conclusions are not the best ones. This entertaining and informative podcast helps me to think differently.
• FiveThirtyEight Politics: If you want to explore political from an evidence-based perspective, this shows hits all the controversial topics with a bent towards interpreting from a data-oriented view.
• The Good Fight with Yascha Mounk: Explore societal and political ideas to push back against authoritarian populism.
• Rubin Report: Self-described as a "classical liberal", comedian Dave Rubin interviews people from all political sides of the spectrum, dives into topics in unconventional ways and ultimately aims to get people to think critically about the things that matter.
• The Ben Shapiro Sunday Special: In addition to his daily political commentary show, Ben also does a weekly Sunday special interviewing folks across the political spectrum, including those he does not politically align with. If you enjoy interviews, this is a great one to explore.
• The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe: Mike Rowe, the host of Dirty Jobs and narrator of Deadliest catch shares a weekly short story with an unexpected twist on historical figures. He dives into the story of people we know, but things we did not. It's a fun short listen.
• The Boxscore Geeks Show: Inspired by the work of Dave Berri, the Boxscore Geeks show dives into NBA with a distinct view on what generates wins for teams. Not everything is as it seems, and this is especially true in professional basketball. This podcast provides a unique perspective, commentary, and insight into the game of basketball.
• Scriptnotes Podcast: Since I'm aspiring to become a screenwriter, I thought this podcast would be a good way to prepare myself for the craft. I went searching for the best podcast on the topic and this is the one that rose to the top. The podcast is hosted by screenwriters John August (Big Fish, Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, & Corpse Bride) & Craig Mazin (The Huntsman: Winter's War, Scary Movie 3, The Hangover 2). I enjoy listening to the conversations and commentaries on this podcast.
• The Faith Angle (Inactive): This podcast aims to take Christians outside their bubble by exploring various political topics and guest interviews people would not otherwise do on their own. The tagline for the show is "A survival guide for the faithful in trump’s America with Kirsten Powers & Jonathan Merritt."
• Inside Jaws & Inside Star Wars: If you enjoy documentaries, and want to explore the back story of Jaws or Star Wars in a recreated dramatization, these two shows are a fun watch for cinephiles and normal folks alike.
• Dear Franklin Jones: In this fascinating seven-episode show, Jonathan Hirsch shares his experience growing up in the Franklin Jones cult, what he learned, and how he's reconciled it since.

You could officially call me a podcast junky, but it's a wonderful addiction that fosters growth and improvement, while also entertaining me. It also empowers me to share these resources with others. I'm grateful to have come across this powerful medium and think everyone should subscribe to at least a few podcasts.

I'm also experimenting with the medium myself and have launched the Share Life podcast where I explore systems and stories to live better and work smarter. You can check out the latest episodes here.