The Best Podcasts To Help Grow Your Business
As a bike shop owner, you don’t have enough hours in the day. Getting your head out of the daily grind is easier said than done. But podcasts are the answer. Not only can they be entertaining, but they are also an insightful and information-rich way to help your business grow.
So, we’ve compiled some of the top podcasts right now that can help your business - and you as an individual - to get out of the detail and into big-picture thinking.
You can play these in the background at the workshop, in the car or whenever suits you. Stop and start as you please. We’ve curated a list designed to be as easy to absorb as it is entertaining.
Warning - you might find several addictive.
The Small Business Big Marketing Podcast
Who:
Timbo Reid has cut his marketing teeth with some of the biggest and best advertising firms in the world, working for some of the most recognised household names along the way. An ‘ad guy’ turned podcast prodigy if you’re only going to tune into one show, make it this one.
What:
Timbo started rolling out podcasts well before the concept became familiar. For 12 years, he and his interviewees have imparted beneficial, practical, achievable marketing advice for small businesses. Showing his ad guy acumen, the title says it all!
Why:
If you’re having a marketing meltdown or stuck in a promotions rut, Timbo is your man. He gets this craft inside and out but doesn’t talk jargon. Instead, he brings believable business makers to the show to discuss the practicalities. Listen to real-world advice you can - and absolutely should - take on board. This stuff is marketing fairy dust; you want to sprinkle it thick.
We Rate Episode #583:
We don’t rate this episode with Bob Wheeler because he founded US business Rapid Recovery, a kind of IV hydration bar service response to hangovers. We don’t rate it because Bob attributes his 2,500% monthly turnover increase to Small Business, Big Marketing. We rate it because Bob essentially talks through so many of the podcast’s previous interviews in sharing all his marketing success stories.
This guy is a Small Business Big Marketing disciple and refers to episode after episode and how he has applied what he’s heard into learning and action. As a result, you get a real sense of just how much G.O.L.D is in this podcast. Bob is unashamedly upfront; he has not come up with a single winning marketing concept. Instead, Bob ‘stole’ every idea from the podcast. Indeed, he listens to every episode twice - once, first to take it all in and second to take notes. Then he applies what he has learnt. It doesn’t always work, but more often than not, it does.
And there’s plenty in that for us all. If we’re going to drop the mic in this article, it’s now…
The High-Performance Podcast
Who:
BT Sport’s Premier League anchor and former face of BBC’s Formula One coverage Jake Humphrey joins organisational psychologist Prof. Damian Hughes.
What:
There’s a great vibe between this duo as they speak to household names in business, sport, music, arts and entertainment from the UK (and occasionally beyond) to learn “lessons from the best on becoming the best”.
Why:
A platform rarely has such intimate access to this calibre of international speakers. Think Mark Cavendish, Jenson Button, Eddie Jones, Matthew McConaughey, Sir Chris Hoy, Jo Malone, and Christian Horner. It’s not unusual for the interviewee to confess they’ve never publicly divulged such or such detail before, until now. Of course, if you’re outside the UK, you might not recognise the full line-up, but we're sure what they share will resonate with you.
We Rate Episode #E69:
The chat with Gymshark founder Ben Francis is not to be missed.
As a UK university student, Francis delivered pizzas to help fund his business idea, workout clothing Gymshark. In 2020 the business became the first-ever in the UK to be valued at over $1 billion without external capital funding. A humble, down-to-earth leader, Francis is living proof that nice guys can finish on top. There’s a great piece about him discovering his faults - we’ve all got improvements we can make, no matter how big we get!
Think Big, Act Small With Tristan White
Who:
Having grown up in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia, Tristan White founded The Physio Co in 2004. Focussed on providing physiotherapy specifically for Australia’s senior population, The Physio Co has grown from a one-person show to employing 100+ and servicing over 300,000 elderly.
What:
With an MBA under his belt and a keen keynote speaker, Tristan’s podcast has sprung from a desire to open up learning for leaders and encourage them to “do stuff that works” for their businesses. He kicked off his series by interviewing mentor and Sharktank’s Dr Glen Richards and has gone on to chat with Australian sporting greats, business leaders, entrepreneurs and big thinkers.
Why:
White doesn’t wax lyrical. Instead, his conversations go straight to the heart of what has shaped the interviewee, what they’ve learnt along the way and how they navigated their pathway to success. The series doesn’t just focus on interviews. White draws on his professional expertise to create almost mini-workshops on valuable business concepts, with themes such as Character, Culture and Cashflow, the Link between Purpose, People and Profit, Setting Ten-Year Goals and more. White’s episodes are short and sharp - anywhere from seven minutes to 30.
We Rate Episode #031:
This is part of White's series around his sweet spot, business culture. It looks at the benefits of setting a North Star ten-year plan for the business. Sounds like a little too much commitment? Give him a chance to explain and see for yourself - you’ll be thinking and planning longer-long term after this episode.
Marketing School - Digital Marketing and Online Marketing Tips
Who:
Google’s senior webmaster trends analyst John Mueller might be the ultimate go-to source for the final word on SEO. Still, Neil Patel and colleague Eric Siu have carved a fine niche when filling in the blanks. Wall Street Journal refers to New York Times best-selling author Patel as a top web influencer. Chairman of digital marketing agency Single Grain, Siu has worked with companies such as Amazon, Uber, and Salesforce.
What:
“Daily top-level strategies from entrepreneurs that practice what they preach”. If only school had been this quick and easy to grasp! This series is like a mini-marketing university for pupils with short attention spans. Relying on short, sharp and punchy learnings, this duo imparts tried-and-tested knowledge to give you a convenient guide to marketing and SEO.
Why:
If there is anything about Marketing and SEO that these guys don’t know, it’s probably not worth knowing! This duo has packed every optimisation tool and clickbait headline imaginable into their rucksack and began conquering the Himalayas of digital marketing. So if you’re struggling to improve your organic search results or just want to unpack the marketing enigma, check in with these guys.
We Rate Episode #1929:
Why organic traffic is a balance of amazing content and SEO. A considerable part of your online success is in traffic, right? Hmmm…. It’s not that straightforward. Patel and Siu talk us through how traffic is indeed just one part of the equation - converting them into engaged and/or paying customers is when the special sauce really makes the dish.
What podcast is on your playlist?
The BikeExchange team loves a quality podcast, especially if it helps fast-track success for our independent bike dealers. So if you’re listening to SME gold, hit us up. We’re planning a second part of this series and would like to hear from you.