Thinking about starting a side hustle in 2025?
You’re not alone. From selling handmade goods online to building a consulting business on evenings and weekends, more people than ever are looking for ways to earn extra income, gain independence, and explore passions outside of the 9–5.
But carving out a successful side hustle can feel overwhelming without the right guidance, which is where podcasts come in.
Podcasts are a brilliant way to learn on the go, whether you’re commuting, working out, or taking a quick tea break.
Packed with practical tips, inspiring stories, and expert advice, the right show can feel like having a mentor in your pocket.
To help you cut through the noise, we’ve rounded up some of the best podcasts for side hustlers in 2025, including both international heavyweights and standout British voices who understand the local landscape.
Before we jump into the podcasts, a couple of disclaimers. Firstly, the featured podcasts are in no particular order. Secondly, I know there are countless amazing podcasts out there, but to avoid this roundup having a reading time of 3 hours, I’ve selected a handful that I’m personally familiar with. Having said that, I’d love to hear your recommendations – if your favourite isn’t featured, please drop me a line on LinkedIn. I’ll expand the article with more recommendations as I discover more. Thank you!
Contents
- 1. Side Hustle School
- 2. The Side Hustle Show
- 3. Smart Passive Income
- 4. My First Million
- 5. How I Built This
- 6. She Means Business
- 7. Secret Leaders
- 8. Doing It For The Kids
- 9. Conversations of Inspiration
- 10. Seth Godin's Startup School
Best Podcasts for Side Hustlers in 2025: Why They Matter
Finding the best podcasts for side hustlers in 2025 isn’t just about entertainment; it’s about gaining real-world insights that can help turn an idea into income. With side hustling becoming a serious pathway to financial freedom, podcasts have emerged as an accessible way to learn from experienced entrepreneurs, industry experts, and everyday people who’ve built businesses from scratch. Whether you’re juggling a 9-to-5 job or experimenting with freelancing, podcasts can offer practical strategies, motivation during tough times, and a sense of community that makes the journey less daunting.
In 2025, side hustle podcasts are especially valuable because they keep pace with the rapidly changing economy. From the rise of AI tools that help automate tasks, to new opportunities in the creator economy and e-commerce, the best shows bring you up-to-date advice straight to your headphones. For anyone looking to start or scale a side hustle, investing time in these podcasts could be as valuable as taking a formal course — and much more flexible for busy entrepreneurs.
1
Side Hustle School (Chris Guillebeau)
Chris Guillebeau has a knack for telling short, punchy stories that make entrepreneurship feel doable. Side Hustle School runs on a simple format: one person, one idea, one story.
Think of someone selling personalised mugs on Etsy or coding a simple app that quietly pays the bills – these are the kinds of examples he shares. Each episode is barely ten minutes long, which is part of the charm.
You can slot it in during a coffee break and walk away with at least one practical idea. Some may feel a little too niche, but the point is less about copying and more about realising what’s possible.
2
The Side Hustle Show (Nick Loper)
Nick Loper is one of those guys who has tried just about everything in the side hustle world, which makes his interviews ring a bit truer.
On The Side Hustle Show, he digs into conversations with people who’ve managed to take small projects and grow them into something substantial. The range is wide – one week it’s freelance writing, the next it’s Amazon FBA or affiliate marketing. Not every episode will match your exact path, but if you’re looking for strategies you can actually test, this one consistently delivers.
3
Smart Passive Income (Pat Flynn)
Pat Flynn’s Smart Passive Income has been around long enough to feel almost like a staple diet for online entrepreneurs.
He talks about building blogs, courses, YouTube channels, email lists – essentially the nuts and bolts of earning online. What sets him apart is his willingness to share the messy bits as well as the wins. He’ll openly admit when something flopped, which makes the advice feel less like a guru’s sermon and more like a conversation with a friend who’s just further down the road. If your hustle leans digital, this podcast may save you from a few costly mistakes.
4
My First Million (Shaan Puri & Sam Parr)
This show is a bit different. Shaan and Sam aren’t giving you step-by-step tutorials; instead, they riff on business ideas, poke fun at trends, and toss around possibilities that range from genius to slightly absurd.
My First Million isn’t about replicating what they say – it’s about tuning your brain to notice opportunities in places you might otherwise overlook. Some listeners love the banter, others might find it a bit over the top, but there’s usually at least one nugget per episode that makes you think, “Huh, maybe that is a gap in the market.”
5
How I Built This (Guy Raz, NPR)
Strictly speaking, How I Built This isn’t about side hustles at all. It’s about billion-dollar brands and household names.
But there’s something oddly grounding in hearing how Airbnb nearly collapsed multiple times or how the founder of Patagonia stumbled through the early days. Guy Raz has a way of pulling out both the inspiring and the painfully human parts of the story. As a side hustler, you probably won’t relate to the scale – but you’ll definitely relate to the uncertainty, the setbacks, and the feeling of pushing uphill.
6
She Means Business (Carrie Green)
Carrie Green, founder of the Female Entrepreneur Association, has a way of speaking directly to the women who are quietly sketching business ideas between school runs or late at night after work.
Not every episode is strictly about side hustles — and that’s part of the charm. She weaves together mindset tips, practical advice, and candid stories that often feel like a much-needed pep talk from a friend who actually gets it. The UK flavour makes it especially relatable for British listeners, though plenty of the takeaways cross borders. Some might argue it leans a little motivational at times, but that seems to be exactly what her audience comes for.
7
Secret Leaders (Dan Murray-Serter)
Hosted by Dan Murray-Serter, Secret Leaders doesn’t limit itself to small-scale side projects. Instead, it puts you in the room with founders, creatives, and industry leaders who have already built something big.
On the surface, that might seem a bit out of reach for someone just selling their first products on Etsy or Fiverr. But listen closely and you’ll catch the kind of insights that can save you years of trial and error. It feels less like a “how-to” and more like a nudge to start thinking bigger, even if you’re still hustling in the margins.
8
Doing It For The Kids (Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland)
Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland host this refreshingly frank podcast aimed at freelance parents, but honestly, it resonates with anyone trying to juggle work, life, and side projects.
The show manages to be both funny and painfully relatable, tackling everything from late payments to toddler tantrums derailing your Zoom calls. It doesn’t sugarcoat the chaos of freelancing or side hustling while raising kids, which is exactly why it strikes a chord. If you’ve ever tried sending an invoice with one hand while making fish fingers with the other, you’ll find yourself nodding along.
9
Conversations of Inspiration (Holly Tucker)
Holly Tucker, best known as co-founder of Notonthehighstreet, brings a distinctly human touch to business storytelling.
Her interviews focus less on spreadsheets and more on the messy, emotional realities of running something you care about. Strictly speaking, it isn’t a “side hustle” show – but if you’re building a small venture around your day job, you’ll probably recognise yourself in the stories of independent makers and shop owners she champions.
Holly’s warm, empathetic style draws out honesty from her guests, which makes this podcast feel like sitting in on a conversation you didn’t know you needed to hear.
10
Seth Godin's Startup School
If you’re at the beginning of your side hustle journey, Startup School by Seth Godin is one of the most valuable series you can tune into. Recorded live during a workshop with a small group of entrepreneurs, this limited-run podcast distils decades of Godin’s entrepreneurial and marketing wisdom into short, digestible lessons. Across fifteen episodes, he walks listeners through the essentials of starting and sustaining a business, from understanding your customer to building something that people truly care about.
What makes Startup School particularly useful for side hustlers is its practical, straight-talking approach. Godin strips away the fluff and focuses on what actually matters when you’re trying to get an idea off the ground — whether that’s identifying your audience, testing your assumptions, or finding the courage to put your work into the world. Even though the series is a few years old, the advice remains timeless, and for anyone balancing a full-time job with a new venture, it’s like having a personal mentor in your headphones.
Final Thoughts...
Finding the right podcast can be a game-changer for anyone balancing a side hustle with a busy life. Whether you’re looking for practical tips on marketing, stories from entrepreneurs who’ve been in your shoes, or just a motivational boost to keep you pushing forward, there’s a podcast out there that fits the bill. What unites all of the shows we’ve highlighted is their ability to make you think differently about your work, your time, and the opportunities sitting in front of you.
As we move through 2025, the world of side hustles is only going to get more exciting — and more competitive. Carving out the time to learn from people who’ve already walked the path can give you the edge you need to turn an idea into something sustainable. Plug in on your commute, while you’re cooking dinner, or during your gym session, and let these voices fuel your next big move.