Digital devices mean that learning opportunities are always at your fingertips, and with the plethora of podcasts now being produced you are only ever a click away from a new perspective or inspiring idea.

With this in mind, we have picked out four of the best podcasts that all budding business owners need to plug into. Whether you’re on the bus, in the gym or cooking dinner, no time need be wasted in the pursuit of entrepreneurial success.

Have you read: Best Business Books for the Budding Entrepreneur?

1. Entrepreneur on Fire

Award-winning podcast Entrepreneur on Fire – or EoFire to the initiated – will never leave you short of inspiring material, not least because a new episode airs every single day. Yes, that’s correct: new material is published seven days a week, 365 days a year. Each episode sees the host, John Lee Dumas, interview an entrepreneur and find out more about their story – from their worst entrepreneurial endeavours (and the lessons learned) to their ‘ah-ha!’ moment and the steps taken to generate success. With over 1800 episodes (and counting), EoFire will have you scribbling down action points one moment and laughing out loud the next, John Lee Dumas creating an excellent balance of information and entertainment. And if you still find yourself wanting more, spin-off series Kate’s Take – hosted by Dumas’ partner, Kate Erickson – shares actionable advice and behind-the-scenes insights into building a seven-figure business from the ground up.

2. The Gary Vee Audio Experience

Gary Vaynerchuk is to entrepreneurship what Brad Pitt is to Hollywood: that is, a big deal. Serial entrepreneur, CEO, public speaker, author and venture capitalist (investing early doors in businesses like Uber and Twitter; talk about foresight!), Gary is also a YouTube star, hosting two shows – #AskGaryVee and #DailyVee – on his channel. In 2017, he launched The Gary Vee Audio Experience, mixing elements of his successful vlogs with keynote speeches, interviews and fireside chats specifically distilled for those on the go. Focusing on marketing, social media and entrepreneurship, the varied episode formats keep things interesting and the content is both insightful and interactive, with Vaynerchuk answering real questions from real listeners in the show.

3. Ctrl Alt Delete

Emma Gannon’s podcast, Ctrl Alt Delete, is proof that whatever the men can do, the women can too. Currently sitting at number 5 in the iTunes business charts, Gannon interviews guests she admires – resulting in warm, candid, coffee-table chats with some seriously impressive people. Her interviewees – who are mostly creative women and have included Lena Dunham, Lauren Laverne and Melissa Hemsley – discuss their work and lives with reference to the online world, creating a much-needed conversation on the pluses and the pitfalls of the Internet from a female perspective.

4. The Tim Ferris Show

You’d be forgiven for thinking that we have a crush on Tim Ferris, given that he also appears in our must read business books list. However, as the first business podcast to surpass 100,000,000 downloads, The Tim Ferris Show is more than deserving of a space in your ‘to listen’ list. Ferris started his podcast in order to improve his own interviewing skills, and intended to only produce six episodes. Nearly 300 shows later and at the top of the business charts, Ferris is proof that sometimes all it takes is giving something a go. In the podcast, Ferris interviews a diverse cast of accomplished individuals in order to deconstruct the tools and ticks of the world’s best performers. From doctors to scientists to chess masters to Arnold Schwarzenegger, the pod doesn’t just focus on startup culture but delivers lessons from all manner of industries.

Inspired to start your own enterprise but not sure if there is appetite for your ideas? Crowdfund Campus’ Sandpit platform is the best way of testing your business without any risk. Contact us today to learn more about this virtual marketplace, mapped to the QAA guidance on Enterprise and Entrepreneurship.

Every student or teacher involved with enterprise education has a different reason as to why they decided to go down this particular path – but nearly all agree that it’s an incredibly fulfilling (not to mention exciting) choice of career. Here are some of the best things about being an entrepreneur.

1. You call the shots. Entrepreneurs are responsible for taking full control of their business ventures; and though this might sound a little scary, that responsibility also gives an amazing feeling of freedom. Your vision is yours alone, and your decisions will determine how successfully that vision is realised – from the blueprint right through to the branding. Being able to step back and look at a product or service you’ve created from scratch is extremely satisfying; and though it might take a lot of hard work to be at the helm of a successful company, most entrepreneurs feel that it’s the most worthwhile way to make a living.

2. You can innovate and inspire. By pioneering a new product or service, you’re not only a potential captain of industry, but also a role model – and not just to your staff members, but also to family, friends and the local community. So, if you’ve got an enterprise idea that could be a real game-changer, what are you waiting for? Get out there and start innovating! Bill Gates and Steve Jobs were once humble students with big dreams, after all…

3. You’re able to work where you like, with whoever you like. Is it your dream to work in an open-plan office with a full-length slide, hammocks and a graffiti wall? Or do you fantasise about travelling the world and conversing with your team via Skype whilst gazing out at a multiplicity of exotic views? Have at it! Thanks to modern technology and the flexibility of working for yourself, being an entrepreneur goes hand-in-hand with many different workplace scenarios. That goes for people, too: you can handpick your team, choosing only the most brilliant, inspiring minds, the most creative individuals, or the nicest people you can find. The team you surround yourself with is entirely up to you.

4. You can say goodbye to the nine to five. Most of us have held jobs in which we often find ourselves gazing at the clock. If you’re an entrepreneur, you can say goodbye to rigid working hours and the notion of ‘clocking off’; not only will you be too busy to check the time, but also you’ll work no more or less than the job requires. Simply put, as the boss, you’ll work until the task is complete. And, as an added bonus, most entrepreneurs are too passionate about – and stimulated by – their work to consider clock-watching.

5. You can prioritise work/life balance. Though as an entrepreneur you’re sure to be working very long hours at times, you have more control about when and how this is done – meaning that it’s often possible to spend more time on the things you love. If you have children and want to be there to meet them every day at the school gates; if you want to go to an art class at noon every Tuesday; or if you just want to create a fitness routine that you’ll actually stick to, there’s no reason you can’t. Provided that you give your business your full attention and get the job done, you can dictate when you work, and for how long.

Whether you’re currently studying or thinking about taking the leap, it’s never too late to fall in love with entrepreneurship – and Crowdfund Campus has everything you need to succeed. With a host of tools on offer to our clients – from our Sandpit simulation to our live crowdfunding marketplace – and a friendly team on hand to advise, we can help you achieve your enterprise goals. Contact us today to learn more!

And for the young entrepreneur in 2018, knowledge is all around.

Taking steps towards business success no longer starts in the classroom and ends with an MBE; today, enterprise education is accessible to all. Whether you prefer to peruse paperbacks or plug into podcasts, wisdom and advice is always within reach – which is a good thing, given that business doesn’t come with a manual (and degrees don’t come cheap).

In this blog, we have picked out four of the best business books that every aspiring entrepreneur should read. These resources will open your mind to new ways of thinking, provide possible solutions and actions, and help you turn your vision into a reality – just as those who have put pen to paper have theirs.

1. How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie

One of the seminal self-help books, How to Win Friends and Influence People has sold over 30 million copies worldwide since being published in 1936 – making it one of the bestselling books of all time. Don’t be put off by the fact that it is 82 years old; it has been updated several times to ensure it tackles modern-day matters such as success in the digital world. The book primarily deals with building good relationships with people in order to increase your popularity, win them over to your way of thinking and get them to do what you want them to do – including selling to people without selling to them. Whilst it won’t tell you how to run your business, it will tell you everything you need to know to improve your performance and win new customers and clients; in short, how to sit back and watch the profit roll in.

2. The 4-Hour Work Week, Tim Ferriss

This cult book destroys old assumptions about business, including the idea that entrepreneurs have to work every hour of every day to stand any chance of succeeding. Disclaimer: it is very unlikely that any startup entrepreneur will only need to work for four hours a week on their business (and, as Ferriss notes, very few would choose to), however it does prove that you don’t need to become trapped in your business, and that you can pursue other passions as well as be successful. The 4-Hour Work Week is packed with action points to take away and apply to your life and work, including the fact that the “bank hours” we all tend to keep are not the most productive, and that since we reflect the five people we spend the most time with we should ensure they are making us stronger, not weaker. Oh, and he also presents a plan as to how to make an Aston Martin DB9 affordable. If you weren’t interested before, we bet you are now.

3. Rich Dad Poor Dad, Robert T. Kiyosaki

Published in 2000, Rich Dad Poor Dad is the bestselling finance book of the 21^st century. It advocates the importance of being financially literate, independent and intelligent by making money work hard for you rather than working hard to make money. Told through a series of parables based on Kiyosaki’s own life, it explodes the myth that you need to earn a high income to be rich and teaches the reader how not to be a slave to money. Kiyosaki shows how wealth can be built through your own business so that you can control your own situation and decide how much you want to work, rather than getting stuck in the cycle of working to live.

4. #GIRLBOSS, Sophia Amoruso

Sophia Amoruso is proof that there is no one-size-fits-all model for entrepreneurs. Despite having a history of petty theft, dumpster diving and no college degree, Amoruso has turned her company into one of the fastest growing retailers; an enterprise worth over $100 million. In #GIRLBOSS, she candidly shares how she built her business from the ground up, revealing what she learnt as she went along and showing how customer service is the key to everything. Less of a manual, more of a memoir, #GIRLBOSS presents an innovative and inspiring guide to modern-day business, proving the importance of playing to your strengths, learning from your mistakes and knowing when to break a few of the traditional rules.

This blog is brought to you by Crowdfund Campus: a valuable information hub and online community for student entrepreneurs. Crowdfund Campus is also the home of Sandpit, the simulated tool which allows you to test your business ideas safely through a virtual marketplace. To take your first steps towards success, don’t hesitate to contact us today to find out more and book a free demonstration.