Quick Story - A little over a year ago (Dec 2008) I broke my hand right before heading off on vacation with my wife and some friends. With lifting out of the question, one of my friends convinced me that it was a good opportunity to take up running...and just like Forest Gump, I have not stopped running since.
Interestingly enough, the trip also marked the first time I was introduced to the "POWER" of the Podcast.
While planning my music for my first run, I asked my friend (a huge real estate developer) what music he listens to when he runs. His answer...Milton Friedman, the economist. At first I thought he was kidding, but he was actually quite serious.
To put things in perspective, December of 2008 was when the economic downturn was really starting to weigh heavily on everyones mind. What I did not realize at the time, my friend was using running not only to manage the stress of his business, but also as an opportunity to gain insight from leading economists while his brain was in a heightened sense from his workout.
In previous posts I have written about the book Spark - The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise And The Brain, written by John J. Ratey MD. The book is a groundbreaking exploration of the connection between exercise and the brain’s performance that shows how even moderate exercise will supercharge mental circuits to beat stress, sharpen thinking, enhance memory, and much more.
After reading the book Spark coupled with seeing the impact the "learn and burn session" had on my friend, I decided to download a podcast for my next run. While I was not blown away by the content of my first few podcasts, I definitely became a fan of the concept.
And then within the span of about 6 months the following happened...I launched openofficespace.com, I learned firsthand what is meant by "the chicken and egg problem" faced by most marketplace websites and I discovered 3 extremely valuable podcasts which have made a significant impact on my ability to endure as an entrepreneur - Mixergy, Startup Lucky and The Rise To The Top.
The reason for my quick story above, I believe that the value of these podcasts can be increased if listened to during an aerobic workout such as jogging, rollerblading, etc. (Sorry, I guess you can take the trainer out of the gym...blah, blah, blah)
Anyway, while each of these 3 shows have their own subtle differences, they ALL have a few traits in common: They offer powerful advice, inspiration and great interviews designed to help entrepreneurs and startups on their challenging journey.
From my perspective, the most powerful apsect of these shows are the live interviews with industry leading entrepreneurs, founders of startups, bloggers, book authors and international speakers. Almost as valuable as the "how to" tips and tricks, sales and marketing ideas and other information that can be garnered from these interviews is the notion that EVERYONE of these interview subjects faced ups and downs on their road to success...very powerful stuff for entrepreneurs at any stage of the game.
Here is a brief description of each one of these shows and a few interviews which resonated with me:
Founder: Andrew Warner
On Twitter: @AndrewWarner
Mission (from the website): The Mixergy Mission is to introduce you to doers and thinkers whose ideas and stories are so powerful that just hearing them will change you.
The Mixergy Mission is to give you an alternative to the "know-it-all, professional gurus." I want to convince you that no single person knows it all. I want to show you that the best way to grow is to learn from a mix of smart people who are willing to share their expertise and experiences.
The Mixergy Mission is to infect you with a passion for business and then help you build your business.
The Mixergy Mission is to encourage YOU to have a mission, not just a startup, not just a company, but a calling.
The Mixergy Mission is to act as a counter-weight to all the venture capitalists who'll try to convince you that the only reason to build a business today is so you can flip it tomorrow. The world isn't changed by people who have an eye on the exit.
The Mixergy Mission is to convince you to follow a vision so big and important that you can't do it alone. Then I want to give you a mix of wicked-smart people who will help you achieve it.
The Mixergy Mission is too big for me to achieve alone. If what I'm describing here calls to you, jump in and join me.
My favorite interviews:
Founders of airbnb.com Nathan Blecharczyk, Brian Chesky, Joe Gebbia
Founder of wufoo.com Kevin Hale
Founder of Smart Bear Jason Cohen
Founder: Aronado Placencia
On Twitter: @Aronado
Mission (from the website):
We are the web portal for connecting startups with education, inspiration, & funding! We work directly with VC’s and Angels behind the scenes to learn what they want and how startups can obtain funding in the quickest & most efficient way possible. Simply put, we are the bridge for startups to connect with investors.
Why did we create StartupLucky? We have launched several startups ourselves. We understand wholeheartedly the challenges of getting attention for your startup. We know what it’s like to pitch bloggers, editors, angels, VC’s etc. StartupLucky was created to be the bridge for startups looking for startup investors/advisers etc.
Mission Statement:
Connect startups with investors around the globe as quickly & efficiently as possible.
My favorite interviews:
Author of Linkworking Lewis Howes
Editor of Entrepreneur Magazine Amy Cosper
Founder of The Good Life Team Krisstina Wize
Founder: David Garland
On Twitter: @therisetothetop
Mission (from the website): A daily online show for entrepreneurs and marketers.
RISE includes business and marketing tips & tricks, how to advice, resources, breaking down marketing strategies of small and big companies, social media marketing, tech you can actually use for business, product & book reviews, expert interviews, questions & answers and much more.
My favorite interviews:
Founder of Smart Bear Jason Cohen
Co-Founder of Crazy Egg and KISSmetrics Neil Patel
Founder of Wine Library TV Gary Vaynerchuk
If you are thinking about starting up your own company or already have one under way, I highly recommend utilizing these free but invaluable resources. They can not only prevent you from making costly mistakes, they can also provide with that much needed inspiration when things are not exactly going your way.
Image and Content Source: Mixergy, Startup Lucky and The Rise To the Top
If you know of any other podcasts that might be helpful to a fellow entrepreneur, please share.
Thank you for including us in your post! What can I say, it's a freaking grind out there. You never know when you'll hear exactly what you need from other entrepreneurs sharing stories of their voyage. That's what it is guys. It doesn't matter if you've cracked your first million or billion, everyday is part of the voyage. Have fun with it!
cheers,
@Aronado
startupLUCKY
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