The podcast has become one of the key frontiers for professional discourse, as of late. Any business owner, including women in business, should look for insights that can help them survive, build, and thrive, and podcasts make it a lot easier to do that in the middle of a busy lifestyle.
Business podcasts can be powerful tools for learning, inspiration, and networking, delivering content that can be informative, motivational, and helpful throughout life. For business owners, outside of networking directly, they are some of the best ways to learn more about running businesses, managing teams, and strategizing for success.
Whether you call yourself a fempreneur, a woman, a women entrepreneur, or just a woman in business, you likely face the same set of distinct challenges that many do, from navigating a male-dominated business world to balancing your work life with your professional life.
As such, whether you’re looking for practical advice for your specific situation or goals, to help improve your skills as a business leader, or simply to hear from women who have gone through similar challenges to you in the past, here are ten podcasts that can help you do it. We’ve picked out ten of the many excellent podcasts for women in business.
What is a Fempreneur?
Simply put, a fempreneur is any woman business leader. The term grew to describe the growing share of the business world that was being inhabited by women. While clearly a portmanteau of “female” and “entrepreneur”, there are some who have taken the opportunity to define fempreneur as representing a specific movement in business.
Specifically, the word has been used a lot to describe the eyes-open, mindful approach that incorporates some degree of gender consciousness. Fempreneurs understand that women face distinct and unique challenges in business, often due to patriarchal standards that have been holding women down for centuries.
As such, while not every podcast mentioned here is going to share the exact same insights on what it means to be a woman in business, they each have their own distinct focus on that topic.
Ten Female Entrepreneur Podcasts You Should Check Out
Now, let’s take a look at some of the best podcasts in the world of women in business! We’ll take a look at each podcast, what you can expect from it, who hosts it, and why it’s worth taking a closer look at.
1. “How I Built This” by Guy Raz
While not distinctly made by or for female entrepreneurs, “How I Built This” stands out as one of the best and first places to put the spotlight on individual women’s accomplishments with their episodes. It’s a podcast that covers entrepreneurs of all genders, taking a deep dive into the people behind some of the biggest success stories in business. Guy Raz from NPR interviews a wide range of founders and innovators, including women in business like Sara Blakely of Spanx, Whitney Wolfe Herd of Bumble, and Jenn Hyman of Rent the Runway. These interviews provide insights into how these women overcame obstacles, built their brands, and turned their ideas into thriving enterprises.
Who Is The Host?
Guy Raz, a prominent podcaster and journalist, is also the author of the best-selling business book of the same name as the podcast. At the time of writing, he has interviewed over 200 successful entrepreneurs.
What To Expect
A host of excellent and motivational stories, diving deep into the histories and achievements of a host of entrepreneurs. This includes an interview with Sara Blakely of Spanx, looking into how she built a billion-dollar company from one idea while being able to keep her authenticity and resilience. Another episode explores the story of Bumble with its creator, Whitney Wolfe Herd, who shares her story of creating a women-focus dating app, and her push towards making an inclusive space in the tech industry.
Why You Should Check It Out
How I Built This excels in storytelling, making the entrepreneurial journey feel relatable and achievable. The interviews are not just success stories; they also highlight the struggles, failures, and hard-earned lessons that every entrepreneur faces. For female entrepreneurs, hearing the authentic stories of other women who have broken through barriers is both empowering and instructive. The podcast teaches resilience, innovation, and the importance of perseverance in building a successful business.
Link: https://jennakutcherblog.com/goal-digger-podcast/
2. “The Goal Digger Podcast” by Jenna Kutcher
One of the best podcasts on the market for fempreneuers who are looking to dig into the nitty-gritty of marketing, digital strategy, and personal branding, The Gold Digger Podcast is hosted by former corporate employees-turned-self-made multi-millionaire, Jenna Kutcher, The podcast takes an in-depth look at a lot of the decisions that entrepreneurs face, with actionable tips on all manner of subjects, from growing an email list to launching online courses and mastering social media. Her practical advice is delivered in a no-nonsense, relatable style, making complex business strategies accessible to everyone, especially women who are just starting or looking to scale their businesses.
Who Is The Host?
Jenna Kutcher is an online marketing expert and educator, who originally started out as a corporate employee, before making the shift to working as a self-employed photographer, from which she grew a multi-million dollar business.
What To Expect
Deep, topic-focused episodes on business, marketing, and productivity, often taking a single question or challenge and looking at different strategies to address it. For instance, in one episode, Kutcher breaks down the steps to building a solid email list, emphasizing the importance of owning your audience and not being overly dependent on social platforms. In another, “The Blueprint for Creating an Irresistible Online Course”, she helps female entrepreneurs build passive income streams by sharing their expertise, with her own personal success acting as a key example.
Why You Should Check It Out
Jenna Kutcher provides excellent and actionable advice to entrepreneurs who are still in the struggle, with a keen insight into the challenges they face. She also offers a great perspective as a woman who is not just a fempreneur, but also a mother and wife, and talks often about how she balances these multiple roles. With a focus on clear and concise advice that the listeners can act on, this podcast is one that you’re going to want to get notepad ready for.
Link: https://ambitiousentrepreneurnetwork.com/ambitious-entrepreneur-show/
3. “The Ambitious Entrepreneur Show” by Annemarie Cross
Hosted by an iconic true fempreneur, Annemarie Cross, this podcast takes a closer look at how women, in particular, can establish themselves with profitable and sustainable businesses. It uses Cross’s experience as a business coach to take a practical approach to all manner of topics, including growth, leadership, and marketing. It touches often on the topics of building confidence and pushing past doubt as a woman in business, all the while taking an in-depth look at topics like creating a compelling personal brand to handling the unique challenges of being a female entrepreneur in a competitive market.
Who Is The Host?
A long-standing thought leader and business coach, who has been helping business owners and podcasters build their brands, Annemarie Cross also runs a blog that looks into a whole host of tips on business and marketing strategy.
What To Expect
Deep dives into a host of topics within the realm of entrepreneurship, leadership, and business strategy. This includes episodes focusing on how to position yourself as an expert and thought leader in your field. Other episodes look at the day-to-day running of the business, such as how to effectively market on a budget, especially when you’re early in the life of your business.
Why You Should Check It Out
Few are able to break down the many complex realities of running a business into simple and actionable steps as effectively as Cross. She tackles a host of topics at length, breaking down topics for newcomers while still offering new insights for entrepreneurs. Aside from the basic how-tos of running a business, Cross focuses on leadership development and personal branding in a way that is especially useful for women looking to distinguish themselves in competitive industries. Cross also brings a motivational tone to her episodes, encouraging women to break through glass ceilings and achieve their professional ambitions.
Link: https://www.marieforleo.com/podcast
4. “The Marie Forleo Podcast” by Marie Forleo
This podcast covers everything from business strategies to personal development and empowerment. Named for its host, Marie Forleo, who has become something of a one-woman-branding machine, the podcast takes a good look at her own personal route to success, with a focus on helping entrepreneurs create businesses that are not just successful, but match their passions. The podcast also incorporates many of the philosophies of B-School, Forleo’s online course, with practical tips on building confidence, tackling self-doubt, and making smart business decisions.
Who Is The Host?
Marie Forleo is a multifaceted entrepreneur, author, and motivational speaker. The founder of Marie Forleo International, a business coaching practice, as well as MarieTV, her own web television show.
What To Expect
Extensive insights on business with a lens of personal development and empowerment throughout. Some key episodes include looking at the psychological barriers that often hold women back from reaching their full potential, and how to break past them. Others look at more practical tools, such as the top time management strategies to help women maximize their productivity while avoiding burnout.
Why You Should Check It Out
For women keenly aware of how important personal branding can be to business success, there are few better examples of it than Forleo, who focuses on both building business acumen and personal development. With a problem-solving mindset, she takes a close look at the many day-to-day challenges faced by women, in particular. She’s also a highly inspiring voice for those who want to build the confidence, mental resilience, and business-mindedness that can be so important for success
Link: https://shediditherway.com/
5. “She Did It Her Way” by Amanda Boleyn
Although no longer airing, this podcast, hosted by Amanda Boleyn took a deep look at the many challenges faced, in particular, by women new to business. Indeed, the podcast has a lot of insights for women who are starting their businesses while still working full-time, with tools, strategies, and inspirational stories. Alongside its topic-focused episodes, it also includes interviews with women who have completed their transition from corporate worker to mompreneur, each with their own insights and tips.
Who Is The Host?
Aside from founding her own podcast, Amanda Booleyn is a business coach, real estate investor, and sales trainer for tech startups, who has become well-known in part for her upbeat and positive approach.
What To Expect
A combination of incisive and helpful tips, alongside personal interviews and stories to illustrate how helpful they can really be. For instance, the episode “How to Master Your Money Mindset” is great for women business owners trying to improve their attitudes towards money and abundance, with a focus on embracing the prospect of financial growth.
Why You Should Check It Out
She Did It Her Way stands out for its focus on the transition from traditional employment to entrepreneurship. Boleyn’s interviews are full of practical tips for aspiring entrepreneurs, particularly women who want to pursue their passions but may feel stuck in corporate roles. The podcast addresses common fears, like financial insecurity and the fear of failure, while providing listeners with a roadmap to successfully leaving their 9-to-5 jobs.
Link: https://beingboss.club/shows
6. “Being Boss” by Emily Thompson
An excellent combination of both creativity and entrepreneurship, this podcast was originally hosted by two successful fempreneurs, Emily Thompson and Kathleen Shannon, and covers a host of challenges that are unique to business owners in the creative space. Thompson is now the sole host, but the show still retains a focus on maintaining your creative work as a writer, graphic designer, or other types of creatives, while exploring the realities of running a business, such as setting goals, marketing yourself, managing client relationships, and maintaining work-life balance.
Who Is The Host?
Emily Thompson is the CEO and founder of Almanac Supply Co., a nature-focus retail brand that works with a wide range of creatives, and Kathleen Shannon was once the co-host, but still appears regularly as a guest on episodes to this day.
What To Expect
A combined focus on creativity and business, looking into the distinct challenges faced by business owners in that space, such as the challenges that creatives have in promoting themselves, and the need for confidence and authenticity. It also looks at the personal impacts of running a business, such as strategies for emotional resilience and persistence.
Why You Should Check It Out
Specifically tailored to creative entrepreneurs, a group often underserved by traditional business advice, the advice feels relatable and relevant. Their discussions on balancing creativity with profitability also resonate with female entrepreneurs who want to stay true to their artistic vision while building successful businesses.
Link: https://bizchix.com/category/podcast/bizchix/
7. “The BizChix Podcast” by Natalie Eckdahl
An excellent and established resource for fempreneurs, from those looking to transition from corporate leadership roles to those looking at scaling their own business. It offers coaching episodes on a wide range of topics, as well as expert interviews, covering everything from team building to financial planning. There is also a lot of practical advice aimed at women, specifically, with strategies to improve leadership and overcome the challenges of the business world.
Who Is The Host?
Natalie Eckdahl is a business strategist and a coach, who has an extensive background specifically in helping women in business achieve their goals. With over two decades of experience in consulting, research, and writing.
What To Expect
A coaching-based approach to a whole host of business topics. The episodes often face problems women encounter more than their male counterparts, such as getting used to the prospect of effective delegation when acting as a leader. Other, more general advice covers topics like how to scale the business.
Why You Should Check It Out
Eckdahl offers a unique focus on leadership development and team building as a woman, looking at how fempreneurs can grow and scale their businesses. She takes a practical and result-driven approach with every topic but also focuses on how to maintain a good work-life balance.
Link: https://www.secondlifepod.com/
8. “Second Life” by Hillary Kerr
A podcast dedicated to women who have made significant career pivots, this one focuses on a guest interview format, hosted by Hillary Kerr. The interviews often take a close look into the stories of successful women who transitioned from corporate careers to creating their own businesses, offering insights into the process of professional reinvention and the challenges of building a business from nothing.
Who Is The Host?
Hillary Kerr is most prominently known as the co-founder of Who What Wear, a leading online publication covering style, runway trends, and beauty. She is also a well-respected journalist in the beauty and fashion world, having written for Elle, Teen Vogue, and Maxim.
What To Expect
A host of insightful careers looking into career transitions, with lessons on entrepreneurship along the way. These episodes include interviewing wellness business owners, media entrepreneurs, and more, exploring how they each made their own move to becoming successful fempreneurs.
Why You Should Check It Out
Second Life is particularly interesting for its focus on reinvention. Many female entrepreneurs are late-career changers, and the podcast provides them with the motivation and confidence to pursue their second (or third) career. The guests’ stories of pivoting from traditional jobs to entrepreneurship offer practical advice on how to start over, build new skills, and make the leap into uncharted territory.
Link: https://hbr.org/2018/01/podcast-women-at-work
9. “Women at Work” by Harvard Business Review
While not specifically focused on fempreneurs, but rather on women in the workplace in general, this podcast by the Harvard Business Review speaks bluntly and at length on the unique challenges many professional women face. Many of the topics it covers on office politics, gender bias, and the like can apply to feminists as easily as women in corporate roles. The show covers topics like negotiating, leading teams, and building inclusive workplaces, making it a valuable resource for women who want to lead effectively and authentically.
Who Is The Host?
The show is mostly hosted by two staffers at the Harvard Business Review, HBR Editor Amy Bernstein, and contributing editor Amy Galo.
What To Expect
The podcast goes in deep on a host of topics, like workplace dynamics, leadership, and gender equality. One episode of note for fempreneurs, “Navigating Office Politics as a Woman Leader”, offers strategies for handling office dynamics and advancing as a woman leader
Why You Should Check It Out
A facts-first, academic approach to the issues of gender and leadership, with plenty of research to back up the points being made. Aside from an honest look at the role of gender in the world of business, it also offers great advice on how women navigate the many systemic challenges they can face, even in positions of leadership and power.
Link: https://girlboss.com/pages/radio
10. “Girlboss Radio” by Avery Francis
A beacon of female empowerment in business, this podcast primarily features a ghost of interviews with professional women across all industries. While not focused specifically on fempreneurs, with interviews with corporate workers, artists, and more, it does feature a lot of women in leadership positions, discussing all manner of business topics, such as leadership, career pivots, and personal growth.
Who Is The Host?
Avery Francis is the founder of Bloom and a business consultant who works with a wide range of leading startups, with a focus on building better workplaces.
What To Expect
A layered exploration of different perspectives in business, looking at the viewpoints of professional women in all manner of positions. This includes topics like how to handle setbacks in business and in life, to bounce back stronger.
Why You Should Check It Out
A vibrant and youthful approach to the topic of women in business, one which stands out to a lot of the young women leaders rising up in the modern world. There’s a focus on raw and unfiltered conversations on all manner of topics, including the often frightening prospects of failure and the challenges of success.
