The interconnected world of the 21st century is a blessing for entrepreneurs. Connectivity is one of the key drivers to business success and in this digital age, connectivity couldn’t be easier.
For those seeking knowledge and growth, the internet of things has produced a cornucopia of opportunities for entrepreneurs to connect with the business community, allowing them to learn and grow in ways that just would not be possible without it.
From social media and video content, to business advice publications like this very website, insight is just a tap away. Today, though, our focus is on just one of these new-age knowledge outlets; one that is perhaps utilised the least by the entrepreneurial community: podcasts.
Interest in podcasts is growing year-on-year. Some even consider it be the new blogging. Yet when you look at the 100 most popular podcasts, business advice podcasts are few and far between. Of course, there are more people searching for entertainment podcasts than business advice, but given the size of said community, such poor chart showing is a testament to the lack of investment in the medium by entrepreneurs.
I believe we should all be listening to business advice podcasts, no matter what level our entrepreneurial experience is. Why?
The Experience of Others Is Proven to Generate Results
There is something to be said for gut instinct and individual business acumen. However, there is also something to be said for taking advice from those who’ve already travelled down the path you currently walk.
If you speak to any of the biggest names in business, they’ll most likely be able to tell you a number of stories about times they took somebody else’s insight and made it work for them.
A great example of this is featured in an interview with legendary public speaker Tony Robbins. When asked about the best advice he’d ever received, Robbins recounts a story of when a successful entrepreneur told him to focus on building the right relationships. He took that advice. What was the result? A $400 million deal.
Business advice podcasts (like Marketing podcasts) allow you to lend your ear to experts just like the one that gave Tony Robbins that advice. Real people, real experts, offering real insight.
Business Advice That Doesn’t Affect Your Bottom Line
Gaining insight from industry experts can often come at a price.
Seminars, Q&As, workshops and other types of learning sessions have tremendous value — and those offering such services are aware of it. Thus, they may charge fees in exchange for their insight.
That’s fair enough, but for an entrepreneur trying to get a business off the ground, paying for business insight isn’t exactly top priority, or even a reality. Yet the knowledge gained could be the difference between success and failure.
But can knowledge gleaned from business advice podcasts really offer the same value as a seminar or specially devised conference?
Well actually, you’d be surprised.
Podcasts bring in value to the hosts through advertising revenue and content marketing channels, which means there is a benefit to them gaining repeat listeners, ensuring the quality of the content available is incredibly high.
What this means for entrepreneurs is that you have access to premium business advice material, direct from the mouth of experienced industry experts, all at no cost. The result is that you can gain the valuable insight you need to help grow your projects, without dipping into funding that is needed elsewhere.
Engage with the Community and Get Targeted Business Advice
In the early stages of searching for podcast material, you’ll likely come across plenty of shows that don’t quite give the knowledge you are looking for, but over time, you’ll whittle it down to the gems. This will allow you to hone in on specific business advice that is relatable to you and your goals.
Leading on from this, as a listener, you’ll then be able to engage with the podcast hosts and its audience. Often, this can be done through social media, forums and/or emails.
By engaging with the community, you can find you can gain support and advice from others listeners — listeners that have similar goals to you. You can also put your questions direct to the hosts, people you know will offer you valuable business advice because they’ve been doing so already, as many podcasts run listener question segments.
Listening to business advice podcasts gives you access to bespoke feedback or insight from a like-minded and knowledgeable community. The lesson here is that the more you invest in a show and the deeper down the podcast rabbit hole you go, the more you can hope to gain out of it.
Double-Up Your Down Time
Time is not a luxury most entrepreneurs get to enjoy.
If I had to guess, I’d say every minute of your daily routine is planned meticulously; everything from business meetings and work to time with the family and recreation. Spare minutes are hard to come by in the life of an entrepreneur — there are never enough hours in the day.
Podcasts can be a welcome method of making use of time spent on activities outside of work, or even freeing some up for more time with loved ones or passions outside of the job. For example, you can listen to business advice podcasts while driving, flying or at the gym, absorbing valuable knowledge without interrupting other aspects of your schedule.
