Doesn’t it seem like everyone’s talking ’bout Podcasts right now?

Even though they’ve been around for over a decade, podcasts are finally getting the shine they deserve. So much so that they have their own day dedicated to them where they are celebrated worldwide (mark your calendar for International #PodcastDay on September 30th). You can find a podcast on just about any imaginable topic to tune in and subscribe to that will always be readily available to educate you, inspire you, push you, keep you company on your commute and leave you wanting more.

I’ve been listening to podcasts since 2009, for my own creative inspiration and to keep up on current business and marketing trends. In our varied multi-passionate fields, they’re an increasingly popular way for creatives, both aspiring and established, to either stay in touch with industry leaders or reach their own audiences as they’re working on improving their lives and business. Let me know in the comments below your go to podcasts for creative inspiration!

Here is a list of my favorite podcasts (in no particular order) to turn to when I need some motivation and am craving new insights. Hopefully, the lessons and stories from these 11 can help you transform your creative visions to reality. Plus, there’s an honorable mention because 11 wasn’t quite enough and this last one I love to listen to at the gym (exercising both mind and body). Read on to find out what it is!

The #AskGaryVee Show: Gary Vaynerchuk is the epitome of keeping it real. These frequently uploaded episodes feature questions from Gary’s community and interviews with very special business savvy guests (anyone from Simon Sinek to Wyclef). As much as I enjoy the 20-minute podcasts for my commute, it’s totally worth also tuning in on his YouTube channel. When you crave more Gary Vee, tune into his daily documentary series, Daily Vee, or follow him on all social media for kick-in-the-pants advice.

Favorite episode: #AskGaryVee Episode 178: Outsourcing, Crappy Products, and Focusing on Depth – February 1, 2016 – 13 minutes (favorite quote at 6:10)

Creative Mornings: What is there not to love about CreativeMornings? I’ve been a huge fan since the series’ launch in New York years ago and make a huge effort to follow the lecture series and its chapters on Twitter or online if I can’t make it out live one Friday a month. If you’re unfamiliar, CreativeMornings is a monthly lecture series for big thinkers and doers, featuring prominent and aspirational creatives from numerous industries, that takes place once a month in various locations around the world – over 150 cities have chapters! I love the series so much I have volunteered and video edited in Miami and now am a volunteer in New York, just to be that much closer to the action. And now, you can listen to the talks on the go or in your home via their podcast. The perfect way to start the day!

Favorite episode: #4 Simon Sinek – October 23, 2015 – 35 minutes

Runner-up: #12 John Forté – December 18, 2015 – 45 minutes

Make It Work with Phoebe Lovatt: I first learned about Phoebe and The WW Club (a platform that connects, supports, and inspires, women working in creative industries worldwide) sometime in 2015, not too long after the Londoner’s Los Angeles club launch. I saw on Twitter she was selling her own book called “The Handbook for Women Doing Creative Work” and I just had to have it. It’s a pocket-sized guide featuring lady boss stories and tons of creativity and productivity inspiration. The book also features interviews with Phoebe’s peers and friends sharing intimate details on their successful businesses. The Make It Work podcast follows a similar route; Phoebe sits down with these ladies and dives in deep on how they run their businesses and what inspires them to make it work. The best use of a website and podcast collabo was when Phoebe launched a 2016 Summer School podcast series with 10 well-crafted business lessons, each with a corresponding curriculum to download from the site and follow along with. So smart!

Favorite episode: Summer School Lesson #8 – How to Develop Your Aesthetic with Kai Avent-deLeon [Sincerely, Tommy] – August 10, 2016 – 27 minutes

Being Boss: This podcast comes to you from lady bosses Emily, of Indie Shopography, and Kathleen, of Braid Creative. I have been a huge fan of the Braid blog for years. The brand’s voice, tone, look & feel, and lessons really spoke to me. When I learned these two were coming together for a new online venture and community, I knew it was gonna be good. From the full length shows to the minisodes (perfect for those shorter commutes), you’ll leave listening to these ready to take action.

Favorite episode: #10 – Personal Branding – March 10, 2015 – 50 minutes

Freakonomics Radio: I have always been curious about how things work. This curiosity has fueled many of the actions I’ve taken educationally and professionally. Maybe you recall the 2005 best-seller Freakonomics by author Steven D. Levitt and professor Stephen J. Dubner? This podcast dives into a long list of thought-provoking subject matter that helps make sense of so many topics in a clear, concise, and always entertaining way. It was hard to choose just one fave – listen to them for yourself and see why.

Favorite episode: This Is Your Brain on Podcasts – October 13, 2016 – 45 minutes

TED Radio Hour: I can’t get enough of TED talks. If you are unfamiliar with TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design), it is a global community and “nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas”. This is usually in the form of short (18 minute or less), yet powerful talks. Before learning about the podcasts, I used to stock up on a video playlist in my iTunes and would watch or listen to these incredibly insightful talks every chance I could. Now, we can tune into TED Radio Hour, a podcast brought to you by TED and NPR, where talks are condensed to a central theme for more concise listening. For about an hour you can listen to specific talks on hyperfocused topics, like some of my faves linked below.

Favorite episode: The Source of Creativity – September 25, 2015 – 53 minutes

Runners up: Screen Time – Part 1 & Part 2 – September 11 & 18, 2015 – 1 hour, 1 minute & 52 minutes

The Science of Social Media: If you have never heard of Buffer, to either learn new tricks of the social media game trade, or participate in their weekly global Twitter chat #bufferchat, or to use their social media scheduling tool, you should. I’ve been following Buffer online for a few years now and love their transparent business model and try to absorb as much of the free knowledge they divulge as often as possible. Now, we can add a recently launched podcast to that list. Buffer started dropping Science the Fall of 2016, so it’ll be super easy to catch up quickly. These 30-minute-or-so ‘casts are informative and actionable and provide intelligent insight to the world of social media. In Buffer’s spirit of transparency, you can follow along with how they promoted their podcast here.

Favorite episode: I Left Google to Build Tech Ladies: How Social media Made It Possible – Allison Esposito – October 24, 2016 – 27 minutes

Shopify Masters: I just got into this podcast at the end of summer 2016. Thankfully I’m not too far behind as this podcast launched just 10 months earlier in January. Shopify is an incredible eCommerce platform that I had the pleasure of working with as Merchandise Manager at Best Buddies International. I initiated the rebranding and launch of the nonprofit’s new eCommerce site on Shopify and had a ton of fun learning about the platform on their blog and using those lessons to better my online business. It seems only right that the brand moved into the podcast space by sharing real stories, marketing tips, and useful tools for online entrepreneurs and merchants.

Favorite Episode: CraftAndMason.com Turned a Hobby Into a Business That’s Doubled in Growth Every Year – September 1, 2016 – 54 minutes

Note to Self: This little gem is produced by WNYC Studios and was another Twitter find. Host Manoush Zomorodi takes us on weekly aural journies to “preserve [our] humanity in the digital age”, or in short, hosts “a tech show about being human”. As creatives, we spend an absurd amount of time online, looking at screens. This podcast battles topics we encounter daily with said technology and attempts to help us find balance and, in a way, restore our humanity.

Favorite episode: Mindfulness on Demand – November 2, 2016 – 24 minutes

Switched on Pop: I wish I could tell you how I discovered this podcast, but I am so happy I did! I love discovering how things work and this podcast takes us on a musical journey on how pop songs become hits. The hosts, musicologist Nate Sloan and songwriter Charlie Harding, peel back the layers and notes to what makes a pop song pop (sometimes with examples played on the piano to show subtle tonal changes) and then take you on a historical field trip to show similarities with, say, Taylor Swift and Drake, to Bach and Americana Minstrel Shows. This is one of my most favorite one’s to listen to on the subway and I’m always looking forward to when a new one drops.

Favorite episode: Let’s Talk about Sax – September 9, 2015 – 32 minutes

Runner-up: Made in America: Toby Kieth & Jay-Z – November 3, 2016 – 45 minutes

Girlboss Radio with Sophia Amoruso: This podcast is brought to you by the best-selling author of #Girlboss, Sophia Amoruso. These shows, starring Sophia and rotating who’s who of kick-butt special girl bosses, provide just the right amount of girl talk and girl power featuring chats with ladies from a whole host of industries and backgrounds. There’s usually some light girl gabbing early on in the podcast and the interview to follow.

Favorite episode: Rachel Shechtman, Founder & CEO, Story – May 19, 2016 – 51 minutes (interview starts at 9:34)

BONUS Podcast (because 11 wasn’t enough)- Ask Me Another: This bonus podcast for smart creatives was added because who doesn’t love comedy, trivia, and puzzles? I’m sure there are a few of you out there that have some useless knowledge stored for a rainy day and a gameshow like this will help keep you on your toes – it’s so much fun to play along! Ask Me Another is brought to us by NPR and WNYC and taped in front of a live studio audience in Brooklyn, where the audience laughter and participation often plays a huge part. My favorite part of the hour long show is when the VIP – Very Important Puzzler – is unveiled and asked to join the fun, often in the name of a prize for a contestant. If you see in me in the gym with headphones on there is a very good chance I’m listening to this show. I’m all about a brain and body workout.

Favorite episode: How To Be Black (feat. VIP, Very Important Puzzler, Baratunde Thurston at the 31:20 mark) – July 27, 2012 – 50 minutes

Let me know your favorite podcasts in the comments below! Happy listening 🎧

~Arielle Q