In launching my consulting business, I had to learn a lot of things I wasn’t taught in business school. Part of this is because I was in school in the early 1990s, when there weren’t classes on entrepreneurship or social media marketing, and no one was talking about how to start a side hustle.
Fast forward to today, and the resources are endless. A world of knowledge is literally at my fingertips every time I do an Internet search. But that’s a problem, too—there’s so much information! How do I cull through it all and take the time to read it? How do I know what’s worth my time?
I’ve always learned well by listening, so when I was starting out, I did some quick searches to see if any podcasts could help. I love podcasts. I listen to them while doing housework, while driving, when I’m running, and even when I can’t fall asleep at night.
I was in luck. There are a wealth of podcasts out there on side hustles, entrepreneurship, social media, and related topics. There have been three in particular that I’ve relied on to guide me as I’ve started this business and they may help you, too.
1. “Side Hustle School”
Creator and host Chris Guillebeau gives listeners a story of a different side hustle every day. Even though most of the businesses he highlights aren’t like mine, there’s often a nugget of wisdom in each episode that helps me. For instance, Chris often says, “Start before you’re ready.” For me, that meant letting go of some perfectionism and making my website public when I had minimal content rather than spending six months creating it.
Ever since I read Gretchen Rubin’s book “Better than Before,” I’ve been a fan of her tips and tricks to improve happiness. So many of her ideas deal with productivity and helpful habits, and even though these aren’t specific to running your own business, they definitely help. Gretchen’s sister Liz’s podcast “Happier in Hollywood” (with co-host Sarah Fain) is also worth a listen.
This podcast, hosted by Rich Brooks, is my newest discovery. The podcast is full of amazing tips and ideas for your blog, your LinkedIn profile, improvements to your search engine optimization, and more. Brooks shares his vast experience with these topics in an engaging way. I started out with almost no knowledge of social media, and I’m finding myself going back and listening to some episodes again because they’re so informative and helpful.
What podcasts are you listening to that have helped you in your working life? I’d love to know! Send me an email at marcia@marciadickersonconsulting.com if you have recommendations.
-MSD
