It’s 2018 y’all, and I’ve already decided that this is going to be the year that I take my personal and professional development to the next level! But as a still-recent grad that hasn’t even been out of college for a year, I can’t exactly afford to go to all of the retreats and conferences that would really launch me towards my end-of-the-year goals. The solution? Attend as many interviews and talk throughs with industry experts and seasoned career women as I possible can, all for free. With, you guessed it, podcasts! I’ve compiled a list of my personal favorite podcasts below so that you can find your top motivational girlboss podcast for 2018, too!

Anytime I hear someone say that they don’t listen to podcasts, I’ll be honest, my jaw drops. They’re such a wealth of information just sitting there on your phone, for free! And many of them are even more valuable than talks you could attend in person because they’re available for you anytime, anywhere.

So what are you waiting for? Let’s get crackin’ and get you set with your top motivational girlboss podcast match!

Women, Work, and Worth with Kate and Talia of Mavenly&Co.

Y’all, if there’s just one top motivational girlboss podcast that you need to listen to in 2018 so you can achieve those killer career girl goals, it’s this one. I’m serious. It took me almost no time to binge through all of these episodes (and I want to say there’s close to 100). Kate and Talia, the co-founders of Mavenly&Co, are two of the most down to earth, genuine, and sweet hosts I’ve ever listened to and they’re honestly what brings me back every time!

Here’s what I really love about the podcast: Kate and Talia are interviewing down-to-earth, personable, experienced female entrepreneurs who haven’t reached their fullest heights yet (which I love!). I’m not listening to the conversation thinking “Okay well maybe I’ll be at the point this guest is at in 10 or 15 years,” I’m sitting here thinking “Wow, with dedication and effort this could be me in a year or two.” Every week that I listen I feel like I’m growing along with them! Not like I’m trying to play catch up to get to the heights they’ve reached.

They cover topics such as the impostor syndrome, productivity, personal branding, advice for job seekers, career coaching, finances, etc. It’s the ultimate podcast for the down-to-earth career girl who is looking to take actionable steps to guide and improve their career right now, and it’s what keeps me coming back to them week after week.

If you find that you love their work as much as I do, you can also support them by signing up for career coaching with them, or by supporting them on Patreon like I do!

The Influencer Podcast with Julie Solomon.

This is one of the newer podcasts I’ve started listening to but man, I am eating. it. up.

Julie is a fellow #girlboss, blogger, and influencer who has taken her services to the next level by providing branding and marketing coaching for fellow entrepreneurs who want to make their side hustle their main hustle. But she doesn’t just provide paid services, she also interviews industry-leading specialists on niche topics that will help you grow and improve your influence through a variety of tactics, whether that be working with brands, affiliate marketing, video production, and more!

As a side hustler myself, this podcast has been a game changer for me. I’ve found myself taking notes in my bullet journal as I edit photos, clean the apartment, or whatever I’m doing to keep my hands occupied as I listen. I’ve already learned so much about how to leverage different social media platforms to increase my readership, as well as started tracking my progress towards goals that Julie and her guests discuss as things every entrepreneur should strive for!

I wish I had known about this podcast when I first began my blogging journey, honestly. But regardless, I’m so happy that I’ve found it now and that I have the opportunity to learn from such industry elites for free! I can’t wait to see what insights Julie and her guests will give us next!

Girlboss Radio with Sophia Amoruso of NastyGal

If Women, Work and Worth is the top motivational girlboss podcast for the everyday career girl, then Girlboss Radio is the top motivational girlboss podcast for those who want to take “shoot for the stars” to a whole new level.

As a seasoned girlboss herself, Sophia interviews badass female CEOs, founders, and boundary-pushers who have disrupted their industry to leave a lasting mark in their wake. No industry is left untouched! From restaurant owners, to actresses, to magazine directors and editors-in-chief, she dives past their flashy titles to ask honest questions that makes every guest’s journey relatable to the everyday woman.

My favorite part about this podcast is the sometimes-uncomfortably-awkward humor that permeates each episode, making difficult topics accessible and funny stories even funnier. There’s just no way to listen to an entire episode without a small laugh or giggle escaping your throat! As someone who prefers more comedic podcasts, this is key.

It’s also great to get to know these big-name women on a more personal level. While their professional journeys are the focus of the conversation, Sophia also sprinkles in questions about their personal lives and struggles, which really humanizes her guests. It’s easy to forget that such inspirational people also struggle with real life too!

Strong Opinions Loosely Held with Elisa Kreisinger of Refinery29.

While this podcast may not be completely career oriented, I had to include it on this list as a favorite top motivational girlboss podcast.

Rather than tackling workplace struggles or her guests’ professional coming of age journeys, podcaster Elisa Kreisinger focuses on cultural phenomena that women today witness and experience during the course of their everyday lives, both including and not including those we encounter through the course of our careers. Over the two season course of this podcast she has covered topics such as negotiating feminism and faith, the juxtaposition of social media fame and IRL struggles, why HGTV is so popular, the pursuit of happiness, and combating subtle sexism in the workplace.

Is this the podcast where you’ll find actionable tips to help you make career moves? No, not really. But it is your one stop shop to get to the bottom of the social phenomena you’ve wondered about in the back of your mind but have never taken the time to look up! For those times when educational, self-help podcasting just isn’t tickling your fancy (or is honestly burning you out), this one’s for you.

I’ll admit, sometimes I’m not in the mood to be constantly working on myself or to be seeking new career guidance. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t want to learn more about things that matter to me, and that’s exactly where this podcast comes in to my top motivational girlboss podcast lineup! Because let’s be real, we can always be learning! The show just wrapped up its second season and is currently on hiatus, but you can still listen to the bomb older episodes!

All Up in Your Lady Business with Jessica Stansberry + Jaclyn Mellone.

Can I just say, when I first listened to All Up in Your Lady Business I just could not get over how wonderful Jessica and Jaclyn are together! Their friendship and their personalities bubble through the microphone into my headphones in, quite possibly, the most genuine way I could ever imagine. I feel like I’m privileged to a private, fun conversation between friends whenever I listen instead of being lectured at!

Jessica and Jaclyn get real, every week, about the struggles and trials of being a small business owner. And then they follow it up with actionable tips and solutions so you can fix the problem, too! And each month is themed to make sure that you full understand each aspect of business they’re discussing. Recent months’ themes have included New Year, New ____, how to know when you need systems, recognizing and achieving success, etc.

The podcast also publishes twice per week instead of just once, which is practically unheard of. This allows them to feature on-air coaching calls with listeners (like you!) to really connect with their subscribers! And the bite-sized, 30 minute chunks are perfectly portioned to be digested in a short amount of time as well. This podcast is a more recent subscription for me but I’m absolutely loving it! Definitely a top motivational girlboss podcast you should add to your list!

Ellevate Podcast with Sallie Krawcheck and Kristy Wallace of Ellevate Network

If you haven’t quite found the top motivational girlboss podcast, interview- and career development-style, that you’re looking for so far on this list, then no worries, because I have one more for you here! Can you tell that I have a podcast “type” that I prefer listening to?

The hosts, Sally and Kristy, have set out to achieve a goal that I can 100% get behind: to close the gender achievement gap by bringing more women into positions of leadership. Each week they interview real women who are having a real impact on their communities, industries, and political landscapes. But there’s more to this podcast than just learning about other women’s experiences and career takeaways (which are still pretty kickass if you ask me): each podcast is it’s own example of what women in positions of leadership can bring to the table and how they can effect change in their areas of expertise!

My favorite part of this podcast is that they really focus on women who are creating change and making waves in their own communities. When they interview public officials, it’s those who were elected to smaller offices who are dedicated to improving their own section of the world, and when they interview non-profit founders, they’re always working to level the playing field for the underprivileged in their own communities. It really goes to show that even on the most local level you can still have a big impact, and I love it!

What was your top motivational girlboss podcast that you listened to last year? Let me know in the comments below, and make sure to share this post with your friends to help them on their own #girlboss journey!

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