Inspirational podcasts for your business
Anna Stubbs • February 25, 2025
Podcasts are often on our list of things to do, but for many business owners, there are often not enough hours in the day. The recent challenges and changes in business mean it's the perfect time to make the opportunity to think about where you want your business to head in the future.
Here's 9 podcasts to provide inspiration for your next business planning session, and are great to listen to when exercising. Find them on the author’s website, Spotify or iTunes.
- TED Talks - super popular and there are thousands to choose from. Top picks include Simon Sinek and Brene Brown.
- Lewis Howes School of Greatness - Downloaded over 4 million times a month, hear interviews with world-class game changers in entrepreneurship, health, athletics, mindset, and relationships.
- The Bite-Size BizRoom - 15-minute podcasts with business advice you can easily action to grow your business.
- The Mike Dillard Podcast - Captivating interviews with inspiring leaders to help you fulfill your potential.
- The Happiness Lab - Surprising and inspiring stories based on the latest scientific research that will change the way you think about happiness.
- Building a Storybrand - Donald Miller has helped thousands of businesses grow by getting them to clarify their marketing messages.
- How I Built This - Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best-known companies. Hear about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists — and the movements they built.
- The Mindset Mentor - 10-20 minute podcasts designed to give small business owners a motivational boost.
- Entrepreneurs on Fire - John Lee Dumas is the founder and host of this award winning podcast. With over 100 million listens and more than 3000 episodes it delivers high energy inspiration and valuable insights.
The latest edition of the Federation of Small Businesses’ (FSB) Small Business Index had some unexpected results when it comes to growth expectations of UK small businesses. 27% of businesses said they expected their business to shrink, close or sell up over the next year. This outweighed the 25% who predicted their business would expand over the same period. It’s the first time in the history of the SBI that expectations of contraction have outnumbered those of growth. And it underlines a growing trend.
One of the best things about online shopping is instant, hassle-free payment. Enter your details, click, and you’re done. If your customers can make an instant online payment, they’re likely to pay you more quickly – and they’ll appreciate the simplicity too. The details Online payment methods include credit and debit cards, ACH (Automated Clearing House) services like Paypal, and repeat payments through direct debit. Payments are managed by merchant service providers – specialist companies that process transactions on your behalf. Some focus on credit and debit cards, while others stick to ACH or direct debit. Choose a provider that can integrate with your accounting software, and you can add a super-simple payment button to future invoices. The costs While your merchant service provider shouldn’t charge any set-up fees, they will charge transaction fees. These range from 2-4% of the invoice for debit or credit cards, and under $2 a transaction for direct debit. These fees are an added expense, so they need to be included in your profit calculation – smart accounting software will do this automatically. Because credit and debit fees can add up, many businesses don’t offer online payment for invoices over a certain amount. The benefits Businesses using online payments get paid faster. Of course, not every client will pay instantly just because they have the option, but it should speed up your average payment time. A bonus benefit? Customers appreciate the ability to pay online, so offering it as an option can be a big point in your favour. Ready to reap the benefits of online payments? Get expert advice and set-up support from our accounting team.
Starting, building and growing your own small business is a hugely rewarding experience for many entrepreneurs. But the road ahead isn't always smooth. There are common challenges that crop up and ongoing issues that need to be factored into your business plan, your strategy and your own personal thinking. So, what can you do to beat these challenges and make the journey as frictionless as possible?