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Best podcasts to increase business knowledge/sense

I have a science background and am applying for consulting positions this upcoming year. What are the best podcasts to learn more about business? Not necessarily teaching terms, but case studies about companies? Or similar

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Vasilis
Coach
on Aug 16, 2025
Revolut l Ex Amazon (5+ years) l LBS MBA Candidate 27' l 30% off first session l free 15' intro call l

Hi there,

Since you’re coming from a science background, podcasts that mix real-world company stories with broader business themes will help you quickly build commercial awareness and business intuition:

  • HBR IdeaCast (Harvard Business Review) – Short episodes covering leadership, strategy, and management, often with senior executives
  • The McKinsey Podcast – Deep dives into industries, company challenges, and business trends, great for consulting applicants
  • Acquired – Long-form episodes dissecting the rise (and sometimes fall) of major companies like Amazon, Costco, or Airbnb. Excellent for case-like learning
  • The Economist: Money Talks – Keeps you sharp on global business, finance, and market trends
  • Masters of Scale (Reid Hoffman) – Growth stories from startup to scale-up, with practical strategy lessons

Instead of just listening passively, pause and think, What was the company’s core problem? What options did they have? Why did they succeed/fail? That way, you’re practicing consulting-style structured thinking.

Happy to help you prep – feel free to reach out.

Best
Vasilis

Jeroen
Coach
on Jul 12, 2025
Ex-Netherlands Recruitment Lead OW | 5+ years of coaching experience | Great Price/Value | Free Intro Calls

Hi there,

I have quite enjoyed these three:
 

  1. Founder’s Field Guide (Patrick O’Shaughnessy – Colossus)

    Interviews with founders about company building and decision-making.

     

  2. Business Breakdowns (Colossus)

    Deep dives into how specific businesses work (e.g., Ferrari, Amazon Web Services, Costco).

     

  3. Masters of Scale (Reid Hoffman)

    Explores how companies grow from zero to a billion.

    Blends storytelling with sharp business insights.
     

Let me know if you’d want to connect about more specific points.
 

Mariana
Coach
on Jul 12, 2025
xMckinsey | Consulting and Tech | 1.5h session | +200 sessions | Free 20-min introductory call

Hi there!

Beyond the above, Crafting Cases has a podcast related to case interview, that may be useful if you’re at the prep stage.

Best,

Mari

on Jul 14, 2025
#1 Rated & Awarded McKinsey Coach | Top MBB Coach | Verifiable success rates
Mattijs
Coach
on Jul 14, 2025
Free 15m intro call | First session -50% | Bain| Hiring team | 250+ successful candidates

Hi Anna,

I would like to add the podcast of Victor Cheng covering the topic of gaining case interview skills focusing on the hypothesis driven approach.

Good luck with the prep!

Mattijs

Emily
Coach
on Jul 23, 2025
Bain Associate Partner, BCG Project Leader | 9 years in MBB SEA & China, with 8 years as interviewer | Free intro call

Hi Anna, 

There are couple of good podcasts that you can consider.

1. General Business and Consulting Insights

  • The McKinsey Podcast
  • The So What from BCG

2. Industry and Economics

  • The Economist Podcasts (e.g., The Intelligence)
  • Cold Call (HBR)

Hope these are helpful. 

Best,

Emily

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