You know, there are a lot of things that go on in your head when you’re unemployed and the rug has been pulled out from under you. I’m currently going through a really bad stretch (I guess you could say that, yes, it did get worse?!) and I’ve been contemplating my next steps. As I’ve had an abundance of free time on my hands for the last 9 months I’ve taken to diving into a medium that has proven to be thought provoking and provocative.

I’ve gotten hooked on podcasts.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: podcasts have been around for over a decade and you’re just getting into them now? The answer is ‘no’. I’ve listened to podcasts since they first popped up on the internet. It’s just that this time, during my period of extended unemployment, I’ve gotten hooked on shows about entrepreneurship.

Maybe it’s because I can listen to engaging stories about how companies started and the trials and tribulations they sloughed through that gives me hope. Maybe I won’t get another job and maybe I’ll start a new business of my own (trust me, the story of Nest-Egg Designs and how I got kicked from it warrants its own post).

The following are a few of the shows I listen to and their brief descriptions culled from their sites. I’ll provide a review of the individual broadcasts in the future.

StartUp – Gimlet Media
(the following description is from The Guardian)

While Serial breaks podcast download records, it wasn’t the first narrative podcast. StartUp beat it to the punch by over a month. The show follows Alex Blumberg, a 15-year veteran of This American Life and NPR’s Planet Money, as he builds a small business despite having no entrepreneurship experience.

The company Blumberg and his business partner, Matt Leiber, are attempting to build is a consortium of journalistic narrative-driven podcasts. They named it Gimlet Media, after a lot of potential names clash with existing trademarks.

The Venture – Gimlet Creative
Starting a business is a leap of faith. It’s unpredictable, exciting, foolish and brave — it’s an adventure.

From Virgin Atlantic, Richard Branson’s transatlantic airline, Gimlet Creative, and Figulio&Partners, The Venture introduces you to the innovators, artists and risk takers behind pioneering businesses. These are businesses that changed the face of their industries, but not in the ways you might think.

You might not recognize these entrepreneurs by name, but once you hear their stories, you won’t be able to imagine the world without them.

How I Built This – NPR

How I Built This is a podcast about innovators, entrepreneurs, and idealists, and the stories behind the movements they built. Each episode is a narrative journey marked by triumphs, failures, serendipity and insight — told by the founders of some of the world’s best known companies and brands. If you’ve ever built something from nothing, something you really care about — or even just dream about it — check out How I Built This hosted by Guy Raz @guyraz. Follow the show @HowIBuiltThis.

Success! How I Did It – Acast

Success! How I Did It” is a podcast hosted by Business Insider Editor-in-Chief, Alyson Shontell. Shontell interviews successful CEOs, entrepreneurs and business leaders about how they built successful companies, and the career paths that took them to the top.

Masters of Scale
Masters of Scale is an original podcast hosted by LinkedIn Co-Founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman showing how companies grow from zero to a gazillion. The series unfolds like a music-infused detective story as Hoffman tests his theories with famous founders. Masters of Scale is the first American media program to commit to a 50-50 gender balance for guests.

The Pitch – Gimlet Media
A show where real entrepreneurs pitch to real investors— for real money. In each episode, we take you behind closed doors to the critical moment when aspiring entrepreneurs put it all on the line. Hosted by Josh Muccio from Gimlet Media.