Level yourself up before the new year with these top 5 podcasts.

Whether you're a startup founder, a small business owner, or just someone interested in business, these are all great to download and listen to on your upcoming holiday travels. From stories of how big companies were built to tips on scaling your business, these are my top 5 picks.

1. How I Built This with Guy Raz

The Top 5 Podcasts for Entrepreneurs

🔗 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify

Guy Raz has weekly intimate interviews with entrepreneurs and innovators, where we get an inside look at how the biggest companies started. It’s a deep exploration of the journey, full of the challenges, setbacks, and victories.

My favorite episodes so far are:

  • Twilio with Jeff Lawson - loved the pivot from running a Surf Shop to building communication tech (and also learning about the invention of technology we use to power our company).

  • The two-parter on Paypal and Affirm with Max Levchin - fascinating to hear about the early days of Paypal and interactions with Peter Thiel, Musk, and the rest of the PayPal Mafia. Also, it was super interesting to hear about his evaluatory metrics: HVF, when building companies, the problem being solved should be hard, valuable, and fun.

  • Instacart with Apoorva Mehta - It's crazy to hear about the 15+ companies Apoorva started before Instacart and how he got into YC through a pack of beers delivered to Garry Tan.

2. The Tim Ferriss Show

🔗 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify

Tim Ferriss is the author of The 4-Hour Workweek and has an uncanny ability to parse the important life hacks that you can copy from the routines and habits of top performers across various fields. It's a mix of practical advice and deep dives into skills like productivity and decision-making that are helpful for any business owner.

My favorite episodes so far are:

  • #28 with Peter Thiel - Thiel's ideas on innovation, competition, and what makes the breakout companies great are thought-provoking and challenge conventional wisdom.

  • #136 with Naval Ravikant - a thoughtful approach to wealth creation, technology, philosophy and how these all intersect with each other

  • #361 with Jim Collins - great insights into leadership, company culture, and other essential business concepts

3. Masters of Scale with Reid Hoffman

The Top 5 Podcasts for Entrepreneurs

🔗 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify

Another great deep dive into how great companies grow from 0, but with the co-founder of LinkedIn, Reid Hoffman. It combines Reid’s personal experiences with interviews with other founders.

My favorite episodes so far:

  • Do things that don’t scale with Airbnb’s Brian Chesky - it was incredible to hear about the early days of Airbnb and some of the unique ways they were able to stay afloat (like selling election-themed cereal in 2008: Obama O’s and Cap’n McCains’s)

  • The 10 Commandments of Startup Success - Tim Ferriss guest hosts this episode on the 10 biggest things to have plastered in your brain when starting a startup. It is a genuine must-listen for anyone thinking about or building a startup.

The Top 5 Podcasts for Entrepreneurs

4. The $100 MBA Show

🔗 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify

Omar Zenhom delivers concise, practical business lessons daily. This is a crash course in entrepreneurship, offering digestible advice perfect for busy schedules.

My favorite episodes so far:

5. Marketing School with Neil Patel & Eric Siu

🔗 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify

Learn new marketing techniques and strategies from two of the most prominent experts in the field. Neil also has a free tool that you can use to analyze your business’s website and suggest improvements at neilpatel.com.

My favorite episodes so far:

What do you think of these recommendations? Should any other podcasts be on this list? Email me at anand@usetwine.com to ask any questions or continue the conversation!

Until next time,

Anand