Podcasts are no longer just background noise or quick-hit motivation. For many Filipino entrepreneurs, they’ve become a front-row seat to global business thinking — no plane ticket required.
From candid founder confessions to billion-dollar breakdowns, shows like The Diary of a CEO, Ambition 2.0, and Good Bad Billionaire are helping local founders think bigger, sharper, and more strategically.
A Growing Audience, A Growing Mindset
According to a 2024 study, Beyond the Headphones: The Portrait of a Podcast Listener, more than 17 million internet-connected Filipinos — nearly 20% of the country’s connected population — now tune in to podcasts regularly.
For entrepreneurs who launched businesses during or after the pandemic, that access matters. With more self-made brands entering the market, the learning curve has become steeper. Podcasts are stepping in as an affordable, accessible masterclass — delivering insights on leadership, scaling, branding, and resilience straight to listeners’ daily commutes.
Five Shows Turning Earbuds into Boardrooms
Here’s a quick look at five podcasts reshaping how Filipino founders learn:
1. The Diary of a CEO – The Real Playbook
Hosted by entrepreneur and former Dragons’ Den investor Steven Bartlett, the show digs deeper than surface-level success stories. Instead of celebrating wins, it breaks down the systems, failures, and hard decisions behind them. Think less hype, more blueprint.
2. Ambition 2.0 – Redefining “Having It All”
The new podcast from Girlboss questions whether chasing career success, family balance, and personal identity all at once is sustainable — or just exhausting. It’s raw, practical, and especially relevant for founders reassessing what success really looks like.
3. Good Bad Billionaire – Billionaires Under the Microscope
Hosted by Simon Jack and Zing Tsjeng, the podcast unpacks how the ultra-wealthy — from Oprah Winfrey to Kim Kardashian — built their fortunes. It’s part case study, part cultural commentary, and surprisingly educational.
4. A Bit of Optimism – Leadership with Purpose
Leadership expert and bestselling author Simon Sinek blends inspiration with actionable advice, focusing on purpose-driven leadership and stronger teams — topics many scaling founders wrestle with.
5. Aspire with Emma Grede – Building What Lasts
Investor and businesswoman Emma Grede pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to win in business. Guests openly share the strategies that worked — and the mistakes that nearly cost them everything.
Global Exposure, On Demand
For Filipino founders, these podcasts now function as a form of global exposure. Instead of waiting for international conferences or expensive executive programs, entrepreneurs can tap into conversations about Silicon Valley venture strategy or European creator-economy models instantly.
Of course, podcasts aren’t the whole playbook. Smart founders still round out their learning with books, online courses, and local communities. But as business competition intensifies, one thing is clear: today’s entrepreneurs aren’t just listening for motivation. They’re listening to compete.
And increasingly, the world’s biggest business conversations are just a play button away.
