Listen, Hear: 10 Best Podcasts For Women’s Leadership & Why
Many choices for great podcasts on leadership are available to listen and learn.
Lots of choices and options are good, but when you have close to 4.2 million podcasts around the world to pick from, which ones are best for you as a busy person interested in women’s business, leadership, and entrepreneurship topics?
Take The Lead has selected 10 of the best podcasts for women—by women—that you can spend your time listening to while doing other things, so you can be the multitasker you are. With a range of shows aimed at different generations, fields, and identities, this list can perhaps validate choices you already made or introduce you to others you may not have known.
“@TaketheLeadWomen has selected 10 of the best #podcastsforwomen—by women—that you can spend your time listening to while doing other things, so you can be the #multitasker you are. #femaleledpodcasts”
According to The Podcast Host, 47% of people in the U.S. listened in the past month to at least one podcast; this is up from 42% last year. So lots of us are listening while we are driving, cooking, waiting for a meeting to start, exercising, or resting.
The latest stats on gendered podcast listening is revealing, as the The Women’s Podcast Report shows 90% of women listen to podcasts hosted or produced by women. More than one-third of women in the U.S., or 35% have listened to a podcast in the past month. “This is up 67% over the past 5 years, and now represents an estimated 47 million women,” the report states.
A reported 71% of women listening regularly each month started tuning in over the last three years, with 30% of the selected content on news and information, 25% on society and culture, and 12% on business, the report shows. Take The Lead’s recommendations combine all those interests. Over 73% of women listeners declare they hear about podcasts from friends’ recommendations; please consider these your recommendations from your Take The Lead friends.
“Over 73% of #womenlisteners declare they hear about #podcasts from #friends, please consider these your #recommendations from your @TaketheLeadWomen friends. ”
1. Intentioning This, by Gloria Feldt, co-founder and president of Take The Lead. Interviewing a new guest each week, often on topics of the 9 Leadership Power Tools, Feldt is in deep and lively conversations. Speaking with newsmakers like Fernanda Santos, and authors such as Minda Harts, they talk about their paths to success, choices they make, and the dreams they have for themselves and their ideas. Feldt’s earlier, Power To You Podcast has scores of episodes on topics from equity, to disruption and turbulence, to making a voice for yourself.
“Check out #IntentioningThis, a podcast by @GloriaFeldt1, co-founder and president of @TaketheLeadWomen. She interviews a new guest each week, often on topics of the #9LeadershipPowerTools ”
Read more from Gloria Feldt on Take the Lead podcasts
2. Smart, Amazing Conversations with Dr. Nancy features Take the Lead board member, Nancy D. O’Reilly, who is also founder of Connect 4Good. She discusses with provocative and innovative leaders, authors, innovators, financial experts, and more on timely issues from setbacks, to owning your strengths, and making change
3. The BizChix Podcast, hosted by Natalie Eckdahl, entrepreneur, coach, trainer, consultant and mom, tackles issues from branding to wellness, sales, marketing, and networking.
Read more in Take The Lead on podcasts.
4. Equal Time, by Mary C. Curtis, offers insights from host veteran journalist and Roll Call columnist, as she interviews a key newsmaker, author, or advocate on a timely issue in a well-informed and fascinating conversation. From climate change makers to politicians, the guests deliver expertise on current issues.
5. Freedom Slay, by Gaynete Jones, promises “to help you slay your goals, and create that life of time and financial freedom you desperately need.” Interviewing women of color who have created businesses, launched companies and brands, she dives into their process and mindset to help listeners build on their ideas.
6. Wiser Than Me, by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, the award-winning iconic actress and comedian, speaks candidly about life and lessons as an older woman: how to address issues that arise, and how to pivot and cope with challenges and make positive changes. Interviewing icons in culture, the arts, and industry such as Ina Garten, Patti LaBelle, and Dolores Huerta, Louis-Dreyfus asks the profound and the personal to get insights that are extremely beneficial.
“@OfficialJLD’s podcast #WiserthanMe speaks about #lifelessons as an #olderwoman: how to address #issues that arise, and how to #pivot and #cope with #challenges. ”
Read more in Take The Lead on sharing podcasts globally
7. Second Life, by host Hillary Kerr, co-founder of Who What Wear, chats with guests who have launched second change businesses, or who have pivoted to a new way of working or a new enterprise. This is about possibility, positivity, and learning what works to make those alterations in the second act of life.
8. Girlboss Radio, with host Avery Francis, leans into deep conversations with newsmakers on topics from women in sports and personal branding, to taking time off and leading with diversity, equity, and inclusion practices. A top human resources consultant, she breaks down steps and builds up paths to succeed.
“#GirlbossRadio, with host @AveryFrancis, leans into deep #conversations with #newsmakers on topics from #womeninsports , to taking time off, to leading with #DEI practices”
9. Hello Seven, with creator and host Rachel Rodgers, author and entrepreneur, has a goal of helping WOC entrepreneurs build wealth and become millionaires by putting their great ideas into action. Big on motivation and tools, Rodgers offers energetic advice to get to where you want to be.
10. So Money, hosted by Farnoosh Tarabi, Editor-at-Large of CNET Money, covers all the financial aspects of life from starting a business, to recovering from tragedy, caretaking a family member, and planning for the future. Speaking with renowned guests, authors, business leaders, and entrepreneurs, you can learn something new every time you take a listen.
“There’s a podcast for every interest and every taste,” Feldt writes.
“There’s a #podcast for every #interest and every #taste. — @GloriaFeldt1”
“Women are great consumers of podcasts because we’re great multitaskers, always having multiple tabs metaphorically open in our brains. And you can plug those buds into your ears and listen to podcasts anywhere, any time — while carting a passel of kids to dance lessons or soccer practice, when you’re up at 3am and your partner is sleeping so you don’t want to get out of bed, on that long commute that used to feel like wasted time, on the plane when you really don’t want to talk with the chatty man next to you.”
“Women are great #consumers of #podcasts because we’re great #multitaskers, always having multiple tabs metaphorically open in our brains. — @GloriaFeldt1”
Leadership Takeaway of the Week: “Women are great consumers of podcasts because we’re great multitaskers, always having multiple tabs metaphorically open in our brains.”
Gloria Feldt, Co-founder and president of Take The Lead
