An Investigation of My Favorite Podcasts

Ever since I moved to Nashville more than two years ago, I've been knee-deep in the land of podcasts. With a new city comes new fears, new desires, and new challenges - and the combination of all three requires a bit of exploration for inspiration. Thus, I discovered a new medium and got hooked immediately. There's something to be said about the authenticity of a well-produced or well-interviewed podcast that makes you feel like you're sitting right there inside the conversation.

I mainly listen to podcasts about business, entrepreneurship, news, and entertainment, so expect to see a little bit of everything in my top picks below.

How I Built This, NPR - Guy Raz hosts this expertly produced business podcast that gives you the backstory of some of the world's most well-known companies and the people who founded them. Raz is a solid interviewer who asks the questions you want to know the answers to. My only criticism? Like many other male-hosted radio shows/podcasts, Raz seems to always find a way to ask female entrepreneurs about "how they balance" being both a businesswoman and a parent... and yet this question is never asked to the male entrepreneurs, even when they are the first to bring up their families. Unfortunately, this is fairly common among most business-focused shows today. But I'll give HIBT credit for at least featuring female entrepreneurs in the first place.

Katie Couric, Katie Couric Media - A veteran journalist, Couric's podcast unsurprisingly doesn't disappoint. She interviews a wide variety of subjects, from A-list celebs like Matthew McConaughey and Julia Louis-Dreyfus to lesser known political figures and industry experts to lead discussions on relevant topics of today. I particularly enjoy the shtick between Couric and her co-host Brian Goldsmith, whose fresh sarcasm and amiable presence create a natural chemistry between the hosts. They are so in sync with each other that I actually enjoy the ad segments.

Armchair Expert, Dax Shepard - The tagline for this show reads "A podcast that celebrates the messiness of being human," and this certainly rings true. Those who aren't as familiar with actor Dax Shepard will be charmed by his ability to be radically open and transparent when it comes to his own thoughts, feelings, and insecurities, while still being effortlessly funny. You will also learn within the first two minutes of any episode that Shepard really, really likes to talk about himself. I suppose there are worse crimes, though, and I credit him for at least being an engaging host. Most guests are his own friends within the entertainment biz - Mila Kunis, Jimmy Kimmel, and his very own wife Kristen Bell. A note of warning: These episodes are looong. Each interview is usually over an hour, not including the surprisingly delightful 30-minute-ish "Fact Checking" installment at the end of each show where Shepard and co-host Monica Padman go back and call BS on what was said in the show. I would give this pod a full 5 stars if Shepard would interrupt just a teensy bit less and let his guests finish their sentences.

Fresh Air, NPR - Defending her title as one of the greats in radio, Terry Gross hosts this intimate interview style podcast with guests of all shapes and sizes. Politicians, artists, musicians, authors, leaders, critics, experts - you name it, you can find a Fresh Air episode for it. Gross breaks down her subjects gently and always seems to find genuine answers from even the most private and elusive guests. This article from Vulture paints a vivid portrait of Gross's life in radio and media. In the piece, writer David Marchese asked Gross about the most memorable interview she's done, and cited her conversation with children's author and illustrator Maurice Sendak. Just listen to it and you'll understand why.

Off Camera with Sam Jones - Even if you've never listened to the Off Camera podcast, you've probably seen clips of them on YouTube in Sam Jones' classic black and white, side-by-side style filmed interviews. Jones, an acclaimed photographer and director, has turned Off Camera into a full blown media company consisting of a website, a magazine, a television show, and a podcast. His guests are mostly prominent film and television stars, but there are a few musicians and other artistic persons sprinkled in. Jones is delightful as an interviewer, always digging deeper without ever feeling pushy or intrusive, while also harnessing a genuine curiosity that encourages people to open up and reveal honest feelings.

Here are a few other quick bits on shows I like:

Skimm'd from the Couch, theSkimm - a female-focused business podcast where the founders of theSkimm (Carly Zakin and Danielle Weisberg) sit down with female entrepreneurs and discuss the ups and downs of growing a business.

Girlboss Radio, Girlboss - Sophia Amoruso, Founder of Nasty Gal turned Founder & CEO of Girlboss Media, interviews a diverse array of notable female entrepreneurs and media personalities. I can't say Amoruso is my favorite interviewer, but the guests are usually interesting and the production is spot-on.

The Daily, the New York Times - This is by far my favorite news podcast on air. Host Michael Barbaro and his team take on a magnifying glass-view of not only the day's news, but the deeper meaning and real-life impact it has on the lives of humans across the globe. I understand that they're arguably the largest media organization in news today with a flexible budget, but I'm honestly not sure how they produce a new episode every day with the amount of production value and content expertise that they do.

Masters of Scale, Reid Hoffman - This show is so expertly done from a production and audio perspective, and the organization of each episode in terms of content (including the ads and sponsored section) are top-notch. Hoffman, venture capitalist and founder of LinkedIn, balances interviews with famous founders with his own personal anecdotes and asides from previous episodes. Each episode is dynamic and keeps you engaged by introducing a variety of perspectives, words of wisdom, and very catchy sound effects.

Up First, NPR - This is a great morning commute podcast to get all the news you need for the day in less than 15 minutes. I think it goes without saying that NPR knows what they're doing in the audio world.

Honorable Mentions:

Planet Money, NPR

Business Wars, Wondery

RISE Podcast, Rachel Hollis/Hollis Co.

Household Name, Business Insider

The Tim Ferriss Show, Tim Ferriss

WTF with Marc Maron

Repeat Customer, ZenDesk

WorkLife with Adam Grant, TED

Building a Story Brand, Donald Miller

Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend, Conan O'Brien

Recode Decode, Kara Swisher/Vox

SuperWomen, Rebecca Minkoff

Repeat Customer, ZenDesk