I’m sprawled on my sagging couch in my tiny-ass Brooklyn apartment, earbuds half-hanging out, coffee gone cold, totally hooked on podcasts for ambitious women. Like, these shows are my lifeline when I’m drowning in freelance deadlines or wondering why I thought moving to this pricey city was a good idea. My cat’s batting at a pen on the floor, the radiator’s clanking like it’s possessed, and I’m just here, vibing to voices that make me feel less like a failure. I’m no girlboss—most days I’m a hot mess who forgets to mute on Zoom—but these women’s podcasts? They’re like my personal hype squad, calling me out and cheering me on. Here’s my messy, honest take on the ones keeping me going, plus some cringey stories from my own grind.
Why Podcasts for Ambitious Women Are My Thing
Real talk: I’m not some Insta-perfect career gal with a vision board. I’m just me, fumbling through my 30s, trying to “make it” in New York while my bank account laughs in my face. I got into podcasts for ambitious women last year when I was crying in a Starbucks bathroom after bombing a pitch. Spilled oat milk latte on my shirt, slides wouldn’t load—total disaster. I popped in my earbuds, hit play on The Goal Digger Podcast by Jenna Kutcher, and—damn—it was like she was talking straight to me. Her raw talk about screwing up but keeping going hit me hard.
These motivational podcasts are everything for ambitious women because they’re real as hell. They don’t pretend the hustle’s all glitter and unicorns. They’re like that friend who’s like, “Girl, you’re a mess, but you got this.” I listen while dodging tourists on the subway or burning my toast (again). They keep me pumped, even when I’m a walking trainwreck.
My Fave Podcasts for Ambitious Women (They’re Fire, I Promise)
I’ve binged a ton of women’s podcasts, and some are straight-up boring or feel like ads for fancy candles I can’t afford. But these? These are the ones I keep coming back to, the ones that make me laugh, cry, and scribble notes on napkins at 2 a.m.
1. The Goal Digger Podcast – Jenna Kutcher
This one’s my ride-or-die. Jenna’s voice is like a warm hug, but she don’t let you slack. She talks business, marketing, and knowing your worth without sounding like a corporate robot. I was pacing my apartment, listening to her impostor syndrome episode, when I realized I’d been lowballing my freelance rates because I felt like a fraud. I was shook, so I emailed a client to renegotiate—heart pounding, palms sweaty—and got a 15% bump. True story. Check it at The Goal Digger Podcast.
2. How I Built This – NPR, Guy Raz
Not just for women, but don’t sleep on it. It’s like sneaking into the group chat of badass entrepreneurs, lots of ‘em women killing it. I was scrubbing dishes, soap suds everywhere, when I heard Sara Blakely talk about starting Spanx from nothing. I stopped, suds dripping onto my socks, and thought, “If she can do that, I can at least resend that pitch I ghosted.” It’s inspiring without being preachy. Listen at NPR’s How I Built This.
3. Second Life – Hillary Kerr
This one’s for every woman who’s ever wanted to start over (me, like, every Tuesday). Hillary talks to women who’ve switched careers—like, from lawyer to baker or office drone to artist. I was stuck in traffic on the FDR, AC broken, sweating through my shirt, when an episode pushed me to start this blog. I’m still scared shitless of putting myself out there, but it’s something. Find it at Who What Wear’s Second Life.
Tips for Making Podcasts for Ambitious Women Work for You
I’ve messed up plenty, so here’s how I actually use these career podcasts, even when I’m a disaster:
- Listen like you mean it. I used to play podcasts while scrolling X, but I wasn’t taking in shit. Now I jot notes on my phone while sipping coffee on my fire escape. It’s kinda calming.
- Do one thing. After a Goal Digger episode, I started using a Google Calendar for pitches. Sounds dumb, but it stopped me from missing deadlines. Small wins, yo.
- Don’t compare your mess to their success. I got jealous hearing women who seemed to have it together. Then I realized they’re sharing their wins after the struggle. I’m still in the struggle, and that’s fine.
My Dumbest Podcast-Related Fails
I’m a walking blooper. Once, after binging a female empowerment audio episode about networking, I emailed a big-shot editor and—yep—attached a photo of my cat sleeping on my keyboard instead of my portfolio. I wanted to die. The editor was chill, but I’m still embarrassed. Also, I used to binge motivational podcasts like a hoarder, feeling inspired but doing nothing. Now I force myself to act—like, I updated my LinkedIn bio after an episode, even though I felt like a total dork.
Wrapping Up My Podcast Obsession
So yeah, podcasts for ambitious women are my jam, my coffee-stained therapy, my hype squad when I’m doubting every damn choice I’ve made in this crazy city. They’ve pushed me to take risks—like starting this blog or raising my rates—even when I felt like a fake. I’m still spilling coffee, forgetting to unmute on calls, but these shows remind me I’m not alone. If you’re an ambitious woman (or just faking it ‘til you make it), give these a listen. Pop in your earbuds, take a walk, let these voices light you up. Got a podcast I need to hear? Drop it below—I’m always down for a new obsessio
Outbound links:
[Outbound link: https://www.melrobbins.com/episode/episode-291/]
[Outbound link: https://rss.com/blog/best-podcasts-for-women/]
