Tune in to innovation: Podcasts to learn about entrepreneurship and boost creative thinking
All things auditory have the capacity to stimulate our memory and our emotions in a unique way, and we’re not just talking about music: podcasts can also be a valuable tool for developing the creativity and innovative thinking we need as entrepreneurs. Discover the advantages, secrets and examples of the format that’s all the rage.
The power that music has to influence our emotions is something that we have all experienced, and it is also widely backed by science. Moreover, both listening to music and playing it can help us improve our ability to concentrate, stimulate our memory or delay brain deterioration.
That is, what we listen to influences our cognitive abilities. Listening can thus become a powerful tool for entrepreneurs, capable of stimulating skills such as innovative thinking. For Patricia Caicedo, PhD in musicology, soprano, physician and author of the book ‘We are what we listen to: Impact of music on individual and social health‘, sound stimuli have a greater effect than we think: “Sound perception is multimodal, that is, it stimulates many different areas of the brain and levels of perception. It activates memory, attention, motor areas, the endocrine system, etc. When we hear a sound stimulus, it triggers many reactions at multiple levels and the whole body is activated”.
In her book, Patricia Caicedo also refers to the positive contribution that listening to podcasts can have (she herself has created her own, ‘Latin American & Iberian Art Song Podcast‘). “Since the Enlightenment, our society has been more focussed on visual elements, dismissing the importance and possibilities of the auditory ones”, she says. “This turn to podcasts is a return to the radio era of our grandparents and a good alternative to stimulate the brain and tap into that underutilised perception”.
Podcasts, a format on the rise
In recent years, podcasts have become a leading format that is now listened to by 21.3% of the Spanish population on a weekly basis, according to a recent report by Hootsuite and We Are Social. Nearly 18 million people listened to podcasts in 2021 (53% of Spanish internet users), according to the ‘III State of voice and audio in Spain‘. COVID-19 provided a strong impetus according to the PodSurvey 2021, which studies the Spanish-speaking podcast audience, 72.9% of respondents started to listen to more of this content during the pandemic.
For the teacher, entrepreneur and consultant Franc Carreras, podcasts offer numerous advantages: “Their digital content can be enjoyed while driving, cooking, running, etc. This increases the time we professionals can spend on finding inspiration and learning”. He also believes that they represent a revolution compared to the traditional sound medium: radio. “Podcasts are not fleeting and can be as long as necessary. That’s magic”.
As the author of the ‘MASTERMINDS‘ podcast, distributed by the financial magazine ‘Emprendedores’, he has had the opportunity to interview leaders with a naturalness that would not be possible in audiovisual formats, for example, where the presence of the camera can be a barrier. “When I interview someone, there’s a moment when they forget I’m recording. I think that’s what listeners value; they feel like they’re hearing the person having a conversation as they would in private, and they’re lucky to be there as a fly on the wall”.
Fernando Morales, head of communication strategy for the BBVA Group, agrees: “Audio generates a very strong engagement and bonding with the audience”. He also states that “the sound format is a very accessible way to reach a wider audience. If we didn’t have podcasts, a part of the content ecosystem would be left unexplored and there would be people who wouldn’t get our message”.
BBVA’s offer includes more than a dozen active programmes dedicated to topics such as financial health, flexible methodologies or dissemination. Fernando himself leads the podcast ‘DeepTalks‘, in which he interviews entrepreneurs, researchers or social leaders working to build a better world.
The group’s commitment to this type of format has experienced exponential growth: from one million downloads in 2019, its first year, to two million in 2020 and four million in the first seven months of 2022. In addition, BBVA’s podcasts received the Dircom Ramón del Corral award in the Corporate Radio and Television category in 2019, even before a specific category was created for them.
10 podcasts (in Spanish) to develop your leadership skills
47,473 new Spanish-language podcasts were created in 2020, almost twice as many as in the previous year, according to data from the iVoox platform. In total, there are already more than 300,000 in Spanish. As a result, it can be difficult to identify the podcasts that are most useful for people who are planning to start a business or have already taken the plunge. We bring you a selection of some of the many relevant programmes for innovators!
- ‘Blink‘
This BBVA podcast addresses topics of interest for any entrepreneur, ranging from ‘fintech’ to sustainability, including economic news and social causes, among others.
- ‘TED en español‘ (“TED in Spanish”)
Who hasn’t taken an innovative idea from the famous ‘TED Talks’? Also available in podcast format, these talks feature the disruptive ideas and experiences of some of the world’s most renowned creators, entrepreneurs and other professionals.
- ‘Yo emprendedora‘ (“Entrepreneurial me”)
Behind this podcast for women entrepreneurs is Laura Urzaiz, who discusses success stories and inspirational notions in her programme to promote entrepreneurship and empowerment of women.
Created by Álvaro Rodríguez, an expert in entrepreneurship and business, this podcast gathers useful information for innovative leaders, from successful habits to tips for managing teams and obtaining financing.
- ‘LibreMente‘ (“FreeMind”)
In this podcast, Monica Lemos shares advice and stories of women entrepreneurs and talks with innovative leaders to help us develop the skills we need to succeed in the business world.
- ‘Libros para emprendedores‘ (“Books for entrepreneurs”)
As its name suggests, this Spanish-language business podcast, written by personal branding expert Luis Ramos, presents and relates the key ideas of books on marketing, communication or motivation in each episode.
Sonia Sánchez-Escuer is an expert in personal finance and her podcast, which she launched in 2009, includes tips to improve our mindset, career and income.
The evolution of podcasts ‘In the Real World‘ by Carlos Iglesias addresses notions as important for entrepreneurship as digital transformation, business strategy, flexible methodologies, new technologies or user experience.
Talks on marketing and entrepreneurship between journalist Lorena García and experts and leaders in digital marketing, social networks, financial freedom, entrepreneurial mindset, etc.
- ‘Píldoras del conocimiento‘ (“Knowledge pills”)
Though it is aimed at entrepreneurs, this podcast by Fernando Alonso Martín is suitable for any curious person who wants to continue acquiring useful knowledge for their personal and professional life.
Listening to content, rather than reading it or watching it in a video, can make the messages and lessons it contains stick in our memory in a different way and awaken deeper emotions in us. On the road to innovation and entrepreneurship, your sense of hearing can be your best ally.
