With In Process, we get to do the talking. We talk about the kinds of issues faced by businesses in today’s market, discuss new and enduring theories in strategy, and dwell on specific issues that arise in a business’s development. But we do our fair share of listening, too: plenty of podcasts out there have told the stories of new businesses and told them well. Here are five great shows about startups. Did we miss any of your favorites?
1. STARTUP
You could call Start-Up the original business podcast–at least for narrative podcasting company Gimlet Media. The series chronicles company co-founder Alex Blumberg, veteran producer for This American Life and Planet Money, as he pitches investors and grapples with the business of naming a company, dividing shares with a co-founder, and even approaching issues of time and money with a spouse and loved ones. Recorded and narrated in real-time, it’s a fascinating and deeply personal glimpse into one man’s journey to entrepreneurship.
2. DORM ROOM TYCOON
Dorm Room Tycoon is an interview-style podcast with some of the most innovative voices in tech, design and business. Hosted by William Channer, a tech journalist and product designer with his own start-up project in Panda, on DRT you’ll find an interview with WordPress founder Matt Mullenwag about “building community” alongside an episode with Upfront Ventures partner Mark Suster about the “perils of fundraising.” A quick scan of DRT’s topics and guests is sure to yield at least a few relevant topics for any businessperson, and the length of each episode ranges from 30 minutes to over an hour.
3. THIS WEEK IN START-UPS
Jason Calacanis has quite the resume. He started Weblogs, one of the early blogging platforms that blew up on its own before being sold to AOL in 2005, and since then has seen success in everything from digital media to angel investing with a portfolio that includes Tumblr, Uber and more. Suffice to say he makes a compelling host on his show This Week In Startups when interviewing other big shots in the startup world about their successes, failures, obstacles and advice. With an archive of over 500 interviews, This Week In Startups is a huge resource for even the most savvy entrepreneurs.
4. STARTUP SCHOOL
Startup School is modeled after a series that was already in existence: the podcast’s founders, Y Combinator, provide seed funding to startups in two cycles per year, and their program has played host to the likes of AirBnb and Dropbox. During these three-month cycles, the entrepreneurs are expected to move to the Bay Area and, in addition to receiving intensive hands-on assistance in getting their companies off the ground, attend a weekly dinner hosted by Y Combinator. At these dinners, successful entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and journalist speak about their experiences in a context that might be helpful to their audiences. Startup School podcast is like listening in on these dinners, and if their roster of incubator graduates is any indicator of their capacity for podcast guest selection, Y Combinator knows a thing or two about picking winners.
5. THE PITCH
If you like the premise of Shark Tank but crave something a little less sensational and a lot easier to consume on the go, give The Pitch a listen. On each episode, host Josh Muccio finds early-stage startups and helps them refine their pitches, ultimately giving each the opportunity to present to an audience of angel investors. It’s a fascinating way to not only stay up-to-date on the latest trends in start-ups, but to hear the way that VCs respond to ideas and pitches.