I first became interested in podcasts when I realized they were free.
Then, I was turned onto the ‘Serial’ series. It was a new episode every week and took place in Maryland, so I was familiar with the geography, and it was sort of a mystery genre. Furthermore, as a journalist, I appreciated the way the stories were told. 
Two reasons I stuck with podcasts over music is because I had a 30 to 45 minute commute to work and I realized how I could learn tactical traits for life during a portion of my life that was spent wasting time…
Some relate to self-improvement, fitness and current events.
I first discovered Amanda Bucci on Instagram. She was a bodybuilder turned powerlifter from the east coast. Eventually, she grew into a social media influencer and interviewed speakers who knew about more than just health and fitness.
I relate to Amanda because she’s not much older than me, took a big risk when entering the adult world and speaks easy about topics that I may not have wanted to know more about, but ones I find interesting.
Try: Business interview
Locating this podcast was not by choice. A friend recommended them as my first fitness podcast and I can’t stop listening now. The hosts are casual, humorous and realistic when talking about fitness goals.
They also have a perfect split perspective in the fitness world because one does bodybuilding and the other does powerlifting. It’s the best of both world if you’re researching which avenue to travel down.
Try: June 27, 2017 “Work Smarter Not Harder”
NPR: How I Built This with Guy Raz
I’m not sure if I ever want to run my own business one day, but this podcast definitely inspires me to take some risks. Granted a lot of the companies/entrepreneurs featured are now big names and started their journey in the 80s and 90s when there wasn’t an influx of similar ideas. Some of the episodes featured Air BnB, Reddit, Spanx, VICE, Edible Arrangements, BuzzFeed, and Samuel Adams for example.
Try: “Whole Foods Market: John Mackey”
While my other podcasts are sort of niche specific, This American Life is great for the random story/maybe political episode you didn’t think you were looking for. From stories about magicians who made the statue of liberty disappear to white supremacy, my early Friday mornings at the bakery have never felt more enlightening. It also gives you something to talk about with coworkers.
Try: “Serial” or Our Town Ep. 632