I got really into podcasts this year. I think the start of it was getting an Amazon Echo for Christmas. Every morning, I’d ask Alexa to play my daily briefing, and I’d get NPR and the soothing voices of David Greene, Steve Inskeep and Rachel Martin. As it transitioned into summer and I started commuting to my summer internship, I’d continue to play NPR, but it was usually shorter than my drive. I started to hunt for new things to listen to. That opened up a whole new world and now I listen to podcasts everywhere — waiting in lines, grocery shopping, working out, etc. There’s a heavy skew toward tech and entrepreneurship, but I also touch upon economics, history, and the random “Stuff You Should Know” category. I’m always looking for new ones and different topics, so please send me your recommendations!
Here is a list of my favorites and daily go-to podcasts:
- How I Built This by NPR
Hosted by Guy Raz, my favorite podcast host. How I Built This is a podcast about entrepreneurs, innovators, idealists and the journey behind the movements they built. This is a must-listen for anyone. It doesn’t just interview tech founders but also news editors, thought leaders, musicians, and more! - The Information’s 411
The Information is an incredibly great source for tech news, and they’re often the first to break news about so much of what goes on in the industry. There’s a newsletter subscription, which can be a bit pricey at times (but worth it if you work in tech/VC), but luckily the podcast is free! - Freakonomics
Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner’s book, Freakonomics, was actually the reason I got interested in Economics and decided to pursue it in school. It covers a bunch of interesting topics viewed from an economics standpoint — that’s probably not a good description, but just listen and have your mind blown. - TED Radio Hour
Also by Guy Raz! Do you like watching TED talks? Well, now you can listen to them too! The podcast version is based on the real talks but helps make them friendly for when you’re on the go and can’t have your eyes glued to the screen. - Stuff You Should Know
Pretty self-explanatory. Explores random topics, like why we wear shoes, how maps work, net neutrality, etc. Really interesting stuff about the things that impact our daily lives. - Up First by NPR
Daily news briefing by NPR. I’ll usually listen to this first thing in the morning. It’s quick and gives me the essentials. If I want to know more about what’s going on today, I follow it up with NYT The Daily. - The Daily by The New York Times
Good source for news of the day. Usually longer than Up First by NPR, so I tend to listen to it after if I want more information. - Planet Money by NPR
My go-to for advice on money and to learn more about the economy in an interesting way that’s less classroom and more storytime. - Revisionist History
Hosted by Malcolm Gladwell, author of Outliers among many others. Outliers and Gladwell were also instrumental in my decision to pursue a study in Economics. In this podcast, Gladwell goes back in time and looks at a event, person, or idea in a different way to question what we know about them. Really fascinating, although can border on speculative IMO.
