The Top Podcasts for Advice to Follow
Podcasts broke into the mainstream in the early 2000s and are here to stay. Previously known as audio blogs, podcasts are a primarily audio-based medium used by people to share beliefs, opinions, and ideas and build a community of like-minded people. There are all kinds of podcast genres, from entertainment to true crime to personal development.
Podcasts come in several different styles, such as interviews, conversations, stories, roundtables, and monologues. If you need some energy or a morale boost and enjoy inspirational talks, advice podcasts might be the genre for you.
This article looks at some of the best advice podcasts, as well as some of the best advice podcast episodes to help lift your energy when you’re feeling down and give you the necessary push to chase your dreams.
Why You Should Listen to Advice Podcasts
Podcasts can increase your productivity as an individual, especially within the advice podcasts genre. They help boost your energy while teaching you how best to spend your time, concentrate your efforts, and optimize your resources to make the most out of your life. There are different types of advice podcasts, with the most popular ones being interview and storytelling podcasts.
The interview advice podcasts invite successful guests to share their advice and experiences to inspire you to chase your dreams. Storytelling podcasts also invite special guests to share their stories on their road to success but use a less question and answer-focused format.
What Makes a Great Advice Podcast?
- Authenticity. The best advice podcasts need authenticity. A modern evolution of an advice columnist, hosts need to speak from a place of truth and empathy for the audience to truly connect with them. The audience has to be able to relate to the stories being told and the message being passed to be able to understand and heed the advice.
- Audience Engagement. When the host of a podcast is being authentic, it is easier for them to connect and engage with their target audience. A good advice podcast is one where the audience feels represented and listened to. This is often achieved by the host asking the audience questions, requesting comments, and following up on them.
- Consistency. If a podcast doesn’t stay consistent with a regular release schedule, it can easily lose its following. Good podcasts should have a set rate at which episodes are uploaded that audiences can look forward to, which builds a sense of community with the listeners.
- Beneficial. The advice given on the podcast should be highly beneficial to the audience. It should be relatable and not out of their reach. If the audience cannot act upon the advice, then the purpose of the podcast is lost.
- Relevant Guests. A good advice podcast should have guests who have accomplished the goal that the podcast is trying to encourage. For example, a career advice podcast should invite guests who have accomplished great things with their careers.
The 10 Best Advice Podcasts
1. Dear Sugars
Available On: iTunes, Spotify, Podcast website, Stitcher
Subjects Covered: Relationships, morality, isolation
This podcast, hosted by Cheryl Strayed and Steve Almond, has been airing since 2015. This relationship podcast is focused on giving empathic advice to its listeners concerning various relationship and life topics like isolation, moving on, and trauma. Dear Sugars read letters from listeners and discuss the issues with each other, sometimes inviting a guest host to help.
2. Unsolicited Advice
Available On: iTunes, Spotify, YouTube
Subjects Covered: Romance, jobs, life
Ashley Nichole and Taryne Renee host the very successful Unsolicited Advice podcast, which started airing in 2019. It approaches a variety of different topics, including advice for living, romantic relationships, and dealing with social anxiety or embarrassing situations. They read listeners’ questions and give their expert opinion.
3. Dear Prudence
Available On: Podcast Website, Spotify
Subjects Covered: Relationship, work, life
This is another podcast that gives heartfelt advice about relationships, work, life, and other intimate conversations. Listeners send questions to the host on their life issues, which are answered during the show. Danny M Lavery hosted it from 2016 to 2021. Although the show is no longer being produced, you can still find the episodes on streaming platforms.
4. Afford Anything
Available On: Podcast website, YouTube, Spotify, iTunes
Subjects Covered: Financial independence
Hosted by Paula Pant, this podcast covers the practical topics of time, energy, and money management. Pent advises listeners on how to become financially independent and periodically invites guests to help. These guests discuss the emotional and psychological aspects of money with optimism. The aim is to help you grow and achieve your financial goals.
5. Women and Money
Available On: Podcast website, iTunes
Subjects Covered: Financial independence, empowerment, encouragement
This financial advice podcast hosted by Suze Orman aims to empower and encourage women by discussing real issues. While the podcast is aimed at women, men can also listen. The podcast focuses on frank conversations and answering listeners’ questions primarily about money problems and emotional and financial stability.
6. Abundantly Clear
Available On: Spotify, Deezer, iTunes, Podcast website
Subjects Covered: Career growth, burnout, business blindspots
Abundantly Clear is a podcast hosted by Malorie Nicole. The focus is on helping entrepreneurs with their businesses. It focuses on helping listeners manage their stress and turn negativity into growth and success at work. The topics covered include work burnout, business blindspots, and effective communication. Nicole invites guests to each weekly episode to help listeners overcome their business difficulties.
7. The James Altucher Show
Available On: Spotify, iTunes, YouTube, Audible, Podbean, Podchaser, Podcast website
Subjects Covered: Career advice, business
This podcast, hosted by James Altucher, a former hedge fund manager and author, aims to motivate people to grow their businesses and careers. He interviews thought leaders in a way that is blunt, honest, and fun. He and his guests go on a deep dive into what makes them more than a regular success story to inspire listeners to be creative and successful.
8. The Charged Life With Brendon Burchard
Available On: Podcast website, SoundCloud, iTunes, Audible, Spotify
Subjects Covered: Life advice, personal growth, marketing advice
Brendon Burchard is a high-performance expert and author who hosts this podcast to help people live energized, engaged, and fulfilling lives. He refers to this as a ‘Charged Life’ and his podcast is great to listen to when you feel down and need an energy boost.
9. Side Hustle Pro
Available On: Podcast website, iTunes, Spotify, Audible, SoundCloud
Subjects Covered: Side hustle, financial advice
This podcast is hosted by Nicaila Matthews Okome and focuses on empowering Black women entrepreneurs. Listen to this podcast if you need the extra motivation to start a business or grow your side hustle into a successful main business. The host interviews female guests who are successful business owners to help listeners find the courage to turn their passion into a money-making enterprise.
10. Career Cloud Radio
Available On: Podcast website, iTunes, Spotify, PodcastsAddict, ListenNotes, Podchaser
Subjects Covered: Job search, career coaching
Career Cloud Radio is the perfect podcast for job seekers who need help navigating the job-hunting process. It hosts guests ranging from career coaches to recruiters to professional resume writers to share insightful job search tips. The podcast aims to help people land their dream jobs and achieve their career goals.
The Best Advice Podcast Episodes to Get You Started
Scrolling through hundreds of episodes of a podcast can be overwhelming, which is why it can be helpful to get recommendations on which episode to start with. You may also need some convincing that the podcast is really worth a listen. This section covers a few episodes to start off on for some of our favorite advice podcasts.
Truth or Consequences | Women and Money
This episode of Suze Orman’s podcast contains a piece of advice on the importance of the choices we make. She shares a personal story about a surgery she underwent and the consequences of her not standing in her truth with her health. It is a powerful story that can inspire you to make better life choices and be honest with yourself.
Timeless Financial Lessons from My Grandma | Afford Anything
This podcast episode features expert guest Michelle Singletary who has had many achievements in the finance world, including a Pultizer-nominated finance column, multiple finance books, and an MBA degree. The episode covers advice on the basics of financial independence, staying debt-free, and saving for the future. This episode is best for those seeking financial freedom.
Episodes We Love: The Price of Our Dreams | Dear Sugars
This episode of Dear Sugars features writer George Saunders and addresses letters from listeners who are chasing their dreams. In this episode, you’ll learn the practical and financial risks and benefits that come with pursuing your goals and if they’re worth it. If you’re unsure about going after what you want and getting out of your comfort zone, this episode is for you.
How to Start an eCommerce Empire with less than $100 | Side Hustle Pro
This episode features guest Arsha Jones, an entrepreneur and emerging leader in ecommerce. Arsha shares her entrepreneurship journey and how she launched her own ecommerce website from her kitchen. This episode is best for those who need to be inspired to chase their dreams without holding back.
What Does it Mean to Have a Really Rich Life | The James Altucher Show
The James Altucher Show is aimed at inspiring people to be the best versions of themselves and this episode does exactly that. It features guest Ramit Sethi, the New York Times best-selling author of I Will Teach You to Be Rich. They discuss Sethi’s journey to living a happy and fulfilling life with the goal of helping listeners achieve the same thing.
What Is the Best Advice Podcast?
The best advice podcast is one that aims to uplift its listeners and get them to pursue their dreams. It could be career advice, business advice, financial advice, or relationship advice. Whichever genre it is, it should help the listeners or podcast community make the most of their lives and be happy.
It should include relatable stories that can convince listeners. The stories and advice should also be authentic, engaging, beneficial, and relevant. It should also allow listeners to listen anywhere and anytime and still get full value. Love Letters by Meredith Goldstein, the author of an advice column for the Boston Globe, is a great example of this.
Best Advice Podcasts FAQ
The 10 best podcasts are:
Joel Osteen Podcast by Joel Osteen
The Diary of a CEO by Steven Barlett
On Purpose with Jay Shetty by Jay Shetty
The Just Enough Family by Ariel Levy
POOG by Kate Berlant and Jacqueline Novak
The Sporkful by Dan Pashman
Anything for Selena by Maria Garcia
Maintenance Phase by Aubrey Gordon
Criminal by Phoebe Judge
The Lazy Genius by Kendra Adachi
The best podcasts to listen to right now are:
Royally Obsessed
The Sporkful
Dark House
Maintenance Phase
Afford Anything
The most interesting podcasts are:
Pod Save America
Bear Brook
Dear Sugars
Radiolab
How I Built This
According to Spotify, the number one podcast in the world is “The Joe Rogan Experience” and according to Apple, it is “A Slight Change of Plans.” Each platform has its own charts and rankings used to rank them.