Warning: This is not a “top 10 WordPress podcasts you must listen to” post. This is just me sharing some great podcasts I regularly tune in to for business insights, developer knowledge, and (yes) nerdy entertainment.
I know our time is precious and we’ve only got so much we can spend listening to podcasts (or watching TV, reading books, whatever), but below are some that are worth the time to listen to in exchange for the insights you’ll get.
I do the bulk of my podcast listening when I’m:
- doing lawncare
- exercising
- driving
I’ll listen at my desk occasionally – it just depends on how much brain power I need for the task I’m working on. You may not care how/where I listen to podcasts, but I wanted to plant the seed that you don’t have to carve out extra time to listen to podcasts – try to pair your listening with an existing activity.
Let’s dive in.
Business Podcasts
Matt Report
I’ve listened to just about every episode of the Matt Report and love the interviews with folks from all corners of the WordPress community. It’s a great way to get the background story on some of your favorite WordPress personalities and get a better feel for what’s happening in the business of WordPress. Now, I might be a little biased because Matt interviewed me once, but I was a long time listener and fan before that.
Listen to the Matt Report on iTunes
The Freelancers Show
If you’re just starting out on your own as a freelancer, or maybe you’ve freelanced for a while and need to up your game, this podcast is a gold mine of information. The podcast covers a variety of topics related to running a business, finding clients, marketing, and the freelance lifestyle. If you’re looking for an episode to dive in on, try out this one on Finding a Niche. There’s some excellent advice and tips in there. Oh, one more starter episode while I’m at it -> How to Determine Value and Set Pricing.
Listen to the Freelancers Show on iTunes
The EntreLeadership Podcast
Ok, maybe I’ve drunk the cool-aid, but I think that when Dave Ramsey farts, a wisdom nugget pops out. This guy has a long, proven track record in money management and running a successful business – and has achieved all of that with a great degree of personal integrity. Based loosely on his book, EntreLeadership, this podcast covers a lot of good personal and business wisdom. If you’re looking for a starter episode, try Pumping up Productivity.
Listen to the EntreLeadership Podcast on iTunes
The Business of Freelancing
Hosted by Brennan Dunn, each week he invites guests on the show to speak frankly about the business aspect of freelancing. Almost every episode there’s an actionable takeaway. This is a podcast where you’ll want to have access to a notepad or your phone to jot down things you want to follow up on.
Listen to The Business of Freelancing on iTunes
Technical & Learning Podcasts
ShopTalk
ShopTalk is a podcast about front-end web design, development, and user experience hosted by Chris Coyier (css-tricks.com) and Dave Rupert (paravelinc.com). They share tons of great info about CSS, various development tools, and workflow tips. The format is casual conversation, complete with a few sound effects and listener questions. These guys are funny, which makes for even better listening.
Officehours.fm
This is an absolutely shameless plug, but I’d be lying if I said Officehours.fm wasn’t one of my favorite podcasts. 🙂 The premise of the show is simple: Each week I invite guests from the WordPress community to join me for a live Google hangout and listeners send in questions that we discuss on the air. While I originally envisioned it as a tech podcast, it’s taken a life of it’s own (in a good way) and we regularly cover topics such as consulting and client management, design and development trends, and product support.
Listen to OfficeHours.fm on iTunes
What are you listening to?
Last week my friend Curtis McHale wrote about the WordPress podcasts he enjoys. I’m always curious to know what other people are listening to and finding value in. Got something that’s not on my list? Share it a comment below.
Featured image courtesy of Noboru