A great friend of mine pointed me to the Internet Business Mastery Podcast. The podcast was started in 2005 and has 29 "Main" episodes so far. The hosts Jay and Sterling are internet entrepreneurs that, like most, have given up the corporate life. They have started a no nonsense podcast to help others develop internet businesses. Having listed to and read many books, podcasts, articles and the like on the subject, I find the podcast to be really one of the best.
One of my favorite things about the podcast is that there is no fluff. This isn't an overproduced podcast, but it isn't under produced either. They have some theme music and that is about it for production. I'm not sure what technical equipment they use to record the show, but while not sound-studio quality, there is no hiss or other background noise to distract you, like most podcasts that are recorded on a computer, seemingly with a 50 cent microphone. The sound quality is great, Jay and Sterling are easy to listen to and all the distracting stuff is left out.
Each "main" podcast has planned segments that keep things flowing. You can tell they do their show prep. The cast is not just a bunch of rambling. They have obviously planned ahead and while they aren't reading a script, you can tell they have show notes that they follow to keep on track. It is very well done.
The subject matter is very well focused. This is information the listener can use to get an online business started and running. It really seems as though the information is mostly what they have learned by experience. They don't offer anything earth-shattering and not much that you couldn't find elsewhere, but this is the most concise program I have found. It is like a great aggregation of some of the best online business info that is spread across the net. They lay it out simply. The salient points are driven home by personal stories of how the point was tried by them, or sometimes against them by their competition.
The podcast is backed-up by a blog-style web site. Each episode gets it's own blog entry with a synopsis of the cast and best of all, links to all the resources they discuss. It is great to not have to go back to the podcast and try to find the url for a site they discussed or a software tool they recommend. I always know that I can go to the site and find the resources later. I often listen to the podcast while riding my bike, so I don't get to take notes. Having the web site to refer back to is just another way they make this easier.
I've mentioned "main" episodes, because they have started adding in extra episodes. Some are called "b" episodes where they give a quick update, usually when there has been significant time between "main" episodes. Even these have some great resources, as they try to add beneficial content to each cast. One other episode they did was called a "Bonus" episode where they interviewed a player in the Internet Business genre. It actually turned out to be Sterling interviewing Jay, where we find out that Jay is a pseudonym! It's a great episode and really gives you some insight into each of the hosts.
I just started listening to the podcast a couple of months ago. I've caught up on all the back episodes and this is one of the podcasts that I eagerly await the next episode. Sterling and Jay are obviously in this to make money. Having this podcast gives them some great exposure. Yes, they are doing this because it helps their other ventures. But, there is no harm in them doing this either. Even if it is purely to help them make more money, it is still invaluable information for the listener. AND, they do not do it as a sales pitch. They are never asking you to go buy their other products. So many other podcasts, blogs and article sites are simply masks for generating sales. While I'm sure this podcast has made them money, the benefit is still there for the listener and you don't have to spend any money on "extras" to get the "rest of the story".
If you are interested in online business, I heartily suggest you subscribe to this podcast. This podcast is probably the biggest factor in me deciding to start my blog. It has given me some great advice and insight. It has also led me to some great resources. This is where I first heard about Tim Ferriss' book The 4 Hour Workweek, which I wrote about earlier. They have pointed me to several books and sites that give me even more information. I've become an internet business information junkie. I'm hooked and you might be to if you listen to the Internet Business Mastery podcast.
If you do decide listen to the podcast, be sure to come back and let me know what you think!
Happy business development!
Trent