I adore podcasts. But, I’m not all that good at keeping on top of them. I tend to binge- listen to a whole bunch of episodes in one go and then feel like I need a change to I want a new one to dive into.
There are plenty of celebrity podcasts and comedy podcasts in my weekly listening schedule: Trusty Hogs is a chaotic favourite, as is the fabulous Welcome to Hell. Like everyone in the UK I love The Rest is Entertainment with Marina Hyde and Richard Osman, and Off Menu with James Acaster and Ed Gamble, and Katherine Ryan’s Telling Everybody Everything.
But. There’s nothing much in my business podcast rotation, and I needed some suggestions. I turned to LinkedIn, asking for podcasts which are:
✅️Informative
✅️Funny
✅️Light-hearted (maybe?)
✅️No longer than an hour?
✅️UK- based
✅️Available on Spotify
❌️ No hustle- bro vibes please
❌️ No hard- selling vibes
LinkedIn did not disappoint! Strap in for 22 podcasts loved by small biz owners. If they’re on this list, then it means I’ve given them a listen myself and I enjoyed them too.
Small Business Podcast Recommendation 1: Indie Business Club
- Host: Melanie Barfield, copywriter and tone of voice expert cohosts with Ben McKinney, copywriter and agency founder.
- Vibes: When two mates make a podcast, you get a natural, easy- to- listen- to natter. Every Indie Business Club podcast covers a new challenge of running a small business, with a whole bunch of solutions and advice.
- Episodes released: Fortnightly since 2024, you’ve got loads of lovely episodes waiting for ya.
- Recommended by: Tom Garfield (well good website designer, founder of Brand New Notebook, and even better magician) recommended this one as a “podcast I always look forward to because it’s like having a chat with some mates. The best bit is the way they include people from the freelance community with voice notes, shout outs, and questions”.
- Links: Listen to your friends and mine having a proper good chat right here
- Pssst: I say some stuff in this podcast episode!
Small Business Podcast Recommendation 2: Good Girls Eat Dinner
- Host: Global Executive Creative Director and Good Girls Eat Dinner founder, Jo Wallace
- Vibes: Jo spends an hour or so with female pioneers in creative industries as they share their experiences, stories, and advice. Jo says her podcast will leave you “full of inspiration like Deliveroo for your brain!”, and there are “doggy bags” of advice at the end of each episode.
- Episodes released: Monthly and there are three series available for you to listen to now.
- Recommended by: Vikki Ross, copywriting and tone of voice legend. She suggested you start right here with Nishma Patel Robb’s episode.
- Links: Here’s the Good Girls Eat Dinner Spotify page
Small Business Podcast Recommendation 3: Creatives Like Us
- Host: Angela Lyons runs Lyons Creative, a brand and marketing graphic design biz.
- Vibes: Creatives Like Us amplifies the voices of underrepresented creatives, especially people of colour. Each episode is warm and supportive, and full of engaging stories. I especially love how Ange positions her questions to get her guest chatting so openly about their experiences- it’s great!
- Episodes released: Fortnightly, since the start of 2025, and each one is around 30- 40 minutes.
- Recommended by: Me!
- Links: Check out Creatives Like Us podcast right here
Small Business Podcast Recommendation 4: Freelancer’s Teabreak
- Host: Emma Cossey, freelance Coach and podcaster
- Vibes: The reason you’ll come back to this podcast again and again is because you can listen to an episode as the kettle boils and your tea brews. Short, impactful, and absolutely lovely!
- Episodes released: Weekly, and each one is 10- 20 minutes.
- Recommended by: Molly Scanlan (expert sustainable website developer) recommended this podcast to me, and she’s even appeared on an episode! It’s all about sustainable websites.
- Links: Here’s the Spotify page for Freelance’s Teabreak
Small Business Podcast Recommendation 5: RE: The Podcast
- Host: Ellie Kime, messaging mentor and copywriter, hosts with Rachel Waring, sales and launch specialist.
- Vibes: Two l
- Episodes released: RE: The Podcast began in 2019 and came to an end in December 2024, meaning there are 5 years of fantastic podcasts for you to listen to right now.
- Recommended by: Ellie Kime herself! She said, “I’m going to be brave and throw my hat into the ring by recommending RE: The Podcast, which I’ve co-hosted with Rachel Waring for 5 years now!
- Links: Catch up with RE: the podcast here
Small Business Podcast Recommendation 6: Creative Boom Podcast
- Host: Katy Cowan, the founder and editor of the online magazine Creative Boom, and the host of the podcast!
- Vibes: Slick production, well- researched, and candid conversations- what could be better? Katy and a creative guest honestly discuss their real career stories. There are two types of episodes, one around 50 minutes, and ‘The Spark’ which is 10- 20 minutes.
- Episodes released: Twice per week, and first launched in February 2020, you’ve got plenty of episodes to explore.
- Recommended by: Glasgow- based photographer Lucy Knott suggested this engaging podcast to me and is a regular listener!
- Links: Listen to The Creative Boom now
Small Business Podcast Recommendation 7: The Freelance Disco
- Host: Steve Folland is a video and audio editor, and he runs the super popular ‘Being Freelance’ community
- Vibes: When you can’t decide between a podcast and a playlist, you absolutely want to listen to the Freelance Disco! The premise is a freelancer becomes guest DJ and shares the soundtrack to their freelance life. As a listener, not only do you get to know about freelance colleagues, but you will (almost certainly) hear a song you’ve not heard for ages or find a brand-new banger which you’ll love.
- Episodes released: Fortnightly, and each one is about 20 minutes long
- Recommended by: Brand and graphic designer Leyla Alexander (and sustainable t shirt designer!) suggested this one. Not only is music a huge passion of hers, but she’s also got her very own episode!
- Links: Turn your afternoons into a party with The Freelance Disco
Small Business Podcast Recommendation 8: The Chatty Freelancer
- Host: Chloe Marie, Scottish podcaster and brand designer.
- Vibes: In just over an hour, Chloe speaks to freelancers and small business owners about their experiences. She also asks them about their movie and pie preferences, which is brilliant.
- Episodes released: Chloe releases the episodes fortnightly in series, and there are three whole seasons to dive into.
- Recommended by: Becky Hall who describes The Chatty Freelancer as her “go- to Spotify podcast!”.
- Links: Listen to The Chatty Freelancer here
Small Business Podcast Recommendation 9: Women in Business- Let’s Talk
- Host: Erin Buck, podcaster and Virtual Assistant.
- Vibes: This podcast is super relaxed and always interesting. Erin doesn’t do a formal “question and answer” style interview. Instead, there’s a natural chat between her and her guests.
- Episodes released: Weekly, since 2021, so there are lots of podcasts to listen to. The final podcast episode aired on April 2nd, 2025.
- Recommended by: Erin herself, who explained “I chat with women about their career journeys. Or I always intend to but end up talking about other things!”.
- Links: Listen to Women In Business here
- Pssst: Here’s the episode I was on where I waffled a lot about Shakespeare… I haven’t listened back to it because of major cringe.
Small Business Podcast Recommendation 10: Bad Business
- Host: Claire Owen Jones is not only a podcaster, but she’s also the founder of Loud and Clear Accounting
- Vibes: Here’s how Claire described it: “we talk about examples of bad business in TV shows and films. It’s nice and light-hearted and about 40mins long”. Since I’m always annoyed by misrepresentations of starting and running businesses on TV you won’t be surprised to know I love this podcast!
- Episodes released: Fortnightly-ish. There’s a shorter summer series and the podcasts are split into series so there are breaks every now and then.
- Recommended by: Claire Owen Jones! Who can blame her for suggesting her own podcast when it’s so great, huh?
- Links: Listen to Bad Business on Spotify
Small Business Podcast Recommendation 11: Friends with Business Benefits
- Hosts: Franky Shanahan, a freelance copywriter known as Love, Audrey cohosts with her friend business mentor Charlie Swift
- Vibes: Because the two hosts are real friends in real life there’s such a supportive, warm vibe to this podcast. Rather than positioning themselves as “experts who have all the answers”, Charlie and Franky have a genuine conversation in each episode about their own business experiences. It’s such a lovely listen.
- Episodes released: Monthly, and they’re about 30 minutes long.
- Recommended by: Bridie Hinson. She said “their podcast is a bit like the hug you didn’t know you needed. They tap into all the small business feels, and always have really lovely ideas to feel better and do better in business”.
- Links: Catch up with Franky and Charlie’s co-mentoring sessions here
Small Business Podcast Recommendation 12: Unfrazzle
- Host: Louise Miller, is a podcaster and productivity mentor who runs Bettylou
- Vibes: This a podcast for solo business owners who have a big, exciting vision and loads of ideas. Louise presents her podcast with such a gentle, supportive tone. It’s somehow soothing and motivating at the same time!
- Episodes released: Weekly, and each one is about 10 minutes long.
- Recommended by: Sally Duffin told me to listen to Unfrazzle because it’s “short, snappy, and inspiring”, and I agree!
- Links: Dive in to a whole bunch of Unfrazzle podcasts
Small Business Podcast Recommendation 13: She Scales
- Host: Sarah Buckland is an entrepreneur and coach dedicated to helping unapologetic women to scale their sales. And, she’s a podcast host!
- Vibes: the description of this podcast says, “expect straight-to-the-point strategy infused with Main Character Energy and no-BS lessons in high level sales, mindset, and business”. And, it’s exactly this! High- energy, unedited, and super inspiring.
- Episodes released: three-ish times per month, with episodes lasting 20- 50 minutes.
- Recommended by: Becky Whittaker told me ‘She Scales’ is hilarious, which is all I need to know to put a podcast on my “to listen” list!
- Links: head to the Spotify page for She Scales now
Small Business Podcast Recommendation 14: Women’s Business
- Host: Nicky Denson-Elliot is a podcaster and serial entrepreneur who runs the Wilder Collective.
- Vibes: this is an interview- style podcast, and you can tell Nicky’s done her research and is a great interviewer. Each episode is informative, inspiring conversations with female founders about their career paths, from early memories of work through careers advice (or lack of it), and first jobs, up to present day.
- Episodes released: Weekly, and each one is about an hour long.
- Recommended by: Elle Williamson, known as The Ecommerce Assistant, told me, “I absolutely love everything Nicky does and what she stands for. The Women’s Business podcast is so inspirational. Nicky asks important questions and discusses topics that feel so relevant to me as a woman, mum, and small business owner”.
- Links: Take me to the Women’s Business podcast, I hear you cry!
Small Business Podcast Recommendation 15: Letters from a Hopeful Creative
- Host: Friends Sara Tasker (coach, writer, and podcaster) cohosts LFAHC with Jen Carrington (coach, business guide, and podcaster)
- Vibes: This is a really popular podcast (over 1000 subscribers on Substack!) eel encouraged, inspired, and less alone in your entrepreneurial journey, respond to letters from listeners struggling with a challenge or looking for support.
- Episodes released: Monthly- ish, and episodes range from short ones to deeper chats at over an hour.
- Recommended by: Aimee Francis told me about this podcast, and I’m so glad she did. I can always trust that when Aimee says something’s good, then it’ll be good. She has great taste in just about everything.
- Links: The first episode was released in 2018, there are so many podcasts waiting for you on Spotify
Small Business Podcast Recommendation 16: Nourish your brand
- Host: Aiza Cheung is a ‘brand chef’, AKA the designer and strategist behind Studio Coya.
- Vibes: Like her business, the podcast is woven through with foody themes- ‘restaurant’, ‘sauce’, ‘cupcake’, ‘buffet’- which is so joyful. Sometimes there are guests sharing their wisdom, and other times you’ll hear about branding from Aiza herself.
- Episodes released: 4- 5 times a month
- Recommended by: Holly Close suggested this one to me, and I love it. The short (10ish minutes) episodes are bingeable and info- packed.
- Links: Grab a seat at the best (podcast) table in town (Spotify)
- Pssst: Holly’s got a great playlist of small business podcasts right here
Small Business Podcast Recommendation 17: Being Freelance
- Host: Steve Folland makes a double appearance in this blog, he’s got two incredibly popular podcasts! He is productivity goals!
- Vibes: Often there’s both audio and video of a conversation between Steve and a freelancer in the ‘Being Freelance’ community. Steve really knows the people in his community, so the podcasts are warm, well- researched, and so engaging. I love the Two Truths and a Lie section, and I am so bad at getting it right!
- Episodes released: Fortnightly, and each one is between 30- and 50-minutes
- Recommended by: Freelance marine writer Melissa Hobson was one of many people to recommend the Being Freelance podcast on LinkedIn.
- Links: I bet you already have Being Freelance on your Spotify list, but here it is just in case!
Small Business Podcast Recommendation 18: Building your Brand
- Host: Liz Mosely, is a graphic designer, podcaster, and author. She love small businesses and wants to help owners feel confident about promotive themselves.
- Vibes: ‘Building your Brand’ is an interview style podcast. Liz asks engaging, insightful questions which allow her guests to open up and dig into the details. She’s a great interviews and I just love listening her voice!
- Episodes released: weekly, and each episode is approximately 30 minutes long. The podcast launched in 2021, so there are plenty to listen to right now.
- Recommended by: Katie MacArthur told me “Liz always has such brilliant guests, and I come away feeling really inspired. I’ve actually had to stop listening in the car because it sparks so many ideas and I just want to jot everything down!”.
- Links: Listen here! (But maybe with a notebook and pen at hand…)
Small Business Podcast Recommendation 19: Call to Action
- Host: Giles Edwards, speaker, podcaster, and founder of Gasp marketing agency.
- Vibes: Bold conversations with the big names in marketing. Sometimes sweary, and always interesting, you’ll love this podcast if you want deep dives into the marketing and advertising world. Also, just a word nerd note- perhaps the best- written descriptions ever?
- Episodes released: Fortnightly. And, the joy of finding a long- running, successful podcast is that there’s a catalogue of episodes ready to go.
- Recommended by: Ben McKinney (AKA, The Nicest Man in Copywriting™) recommended this one, he’s a big fan.
- Links: Listen here to Call to Action on Spotify
Small Business Podcast Recommendation 20: Voice notes from your CFO bestie
- Host: Harriet Formby is a numbers superstar. She’s a fractional CFO, chartered accountant, and business mentor.
- Vibes: Upbeat and supportive little episodes which are super relatable. I binged this podcast because it’s exactly like the voice notes you’d hear from a pal on WhatsApp. This is a triumph, especially considering Harriet talks about maths which is not my favourite topic at all!
- Episodes released: monthly- ish, and each episode is about 10 minutes long.
- Recommended by: I found Harriet’s podcast on Holly Close’s brilliant podcast playlist!
- Links: Have a spare 10 mins? Of course you do! Listen here
Small Business Podcast Recommendation 21: Starting the Conversation
- Host: Alice Benham, known as AB, is a wildly successful business mentor who supports her clients with sustainable, strategic growth
- Vibes: in this podcast you’ll hear directly from Alice as she shares her vast knowledge as a business owner and strategist. It’s perfect for entrepreneurs who want clear, direct advice, alongside little tidbits of personal experience.
- Episodes released: weekly, and they’re anywhere between 6 minutes and an hour long. There are hundreds of episodes of this podcast, but don’t feel overwhelmed. You don’t have to start at the start, each episode has useful tips and advice, so you’ll find gold wherever you begin.
- Recommended by: Ellie Kime loves this podcast, “Alice breaks everything down into such understandable actionable steps. She’s a wise mentor, always knowing the perfect thing to say and seemingly at the perfect time too — with plenty of personal experience as well as knowhow”
- Links: Check out the Starting the Conversation podcast here
Small Business Podcast Recommendation 22: The Social Sunday
- Host: Hannah Isted is a small business marketer, community founder, podcaster, and author, who runs HI Communications
- Vibes: Hannah’s community and book celebrates marketing your small business every day with just 10-minute tasks. So, you won’t be surprised to learn The Social Sunday podcast is short, information- packed, and full of actionable tips.
- Episodes released: There are hundreds of episodes of this podcast, but don’t feel overwhelmed. You don’t have to start at the start, each episode has useful tips and advice, so you’ll find gold whichever episode you begin with.
- Recommended by: Johanna Sharples, Creative Director at Jim Sharples Furniture told me, “I enjoy Hanna’s no nonsense ‘just get on with it’ sort of attitude and I like that the episodes are really short so I can finish one on my way to the workshop”.
- Links: Get the latest episode (in fact, all the episodes!) right here
PHEW! That’s quite the list of Small Business Podcasts!
Now we both have loads of great stuff to listen to. WIN.
Do you have a podcast you already love which you’d to add to this blog? Please get in touch and I’ll happily include your recommendation. And, if you have your very own podcast and fancy having a slightly Bristolian copywriter on for a chat, I’d be delighted.
Things I’m very excited to talk about:
- Copywriting
Including: tone of voice, website copy, blogging, emails, newsletters, SEO, and anything you have questions about - Freelancing/ small biz life
Including: networking, getting clients, managing clients, outsourcing, client referrals, communities, managing overwhelm, and business wins - General shenanigans
Including; a mid- 30s career change (from teaching), Bristol, being childfree, reading loads of books, travel, and vegan brownies
