Being a visionary involves a lot of learning. They say that you learn a thing once when you read/hear about it. But it’s only when you share it that you learn it twice. And this is exactly why we built The Serious Review—to share what we know to visionaries and, consequently, make the world a better place together.

So here’s to you, visionary. On top of your black coffee and the 2-hour inconvenience of traffic, we recommend to always find a moment in your busy day to implant an episode or two from any of these podcasts. Listen intentionally, like your brand depended on it.

Monocle 24: The Urbanist

Any podcast that brands itself as a guide to making better cities pulls us right in. Maybe it’s because we feel like we’re in dire need of urban planning; so despite The Urbanist being a bit more relatable to the First World, it’s still a good source of inspiration and hope. Unpacking what makes a better city is relevant to visionaries not because we expect them to do the same for their respective areas. While that would be most convenient, it’s really in the littlest details and combined efforts—of and through SMEs, daily acts of compassion, proper planning—where we can contribute in a whole host of ways.

Some favorite episodes:

1. Small Cities
2. Making Space
3. Comedy and Urbanism

StartUp

1. Founders and visionaries, when there isn’t enough time to sit and read books, listening to StartUp is your next best practice. Not every idea or pitch is a winner. Alex Blumberg and Lisa Chow teach you the ones worth pursuing, the ones worth crying over full force, and the ones you can let go of. This podcast is a masterclass of peak creativity and strategy when it comes to building businesses, especially the ones that are just about to, well, start. Plus, the format is part-DIY and part-storytelling. Quite charming.
   
   Some favorite episodes:
   1. How Not to Pitch a Billionaire
   2. We Made a Mistake
   3. Burnout

HBR Ideacast

1. Visionaries know that it’s not just important to captivate investors and audiences. Being able to articulate your ideas and vision to the people you work with is also an essential piece of the puzzle. Because what good is a brand if those involved are not in it for the same cause? Get up to speed with the leading thinkers in business and management through this HBR staple.
   
   Some favorite episodes:
   1. The Challenges (and Triumphs) of a Young Manager
   2. Finding (and Keeping) Your Company’s Soul
   3. Make Tools Like Slack Work for Your Company

City of the Future

1. What differentiates City of the Future from Monocle 24: The Urbanist is that the former discusses and dissects a specific trend in city transformations in depth. From responsive architecture to delivery robots, this podcast is a doorway to the future—a path to any visionary’s competitive advantage. Vision entails foresight, and creative entrepreneurs must see not only what is but what is also possible.
   
   Some favorite episodes:
   1. Responsive Architecture
   2. Stoa
   3. Affordability by Design

Dissect

1. A word of caution: Dissect may not be for everyone. But to those with plenty of curiosities and plenty of spare time, these long-form musical analyses are deep dives into the creative processes of exceptional artists (who are visionaries themselves) and how they write their albums. They teach us to acknowledge what’s in our control and what isn’t, recognize that there are mistakes along the way, value the people who support you, and to believe that we can create our best work. All of those while listening to bits of good music.
   
   Some favorite episodes:
   1. Kendrick Lamar
   2. Tyler, the Creator
   3. Lauryn Hill

Everything Is Alive

1. When you’re frustrated by a creative block, we’d suggest this podcast. It’s bizarre in the same way that it is powerful. There’s nothing like quirky and delightful correspondences and interviews with inanimate objects. There’s also really nothing to say to justify how good it is. Best to tune in.
   
   Some favorite episodes:
   1. Louis, Can of Cola
   2. Ana, Elevator
   3. Chioke, Grain of Sand
   Special Mentions
   1. Clever
   2. Product People
   3. Sonic Voyages
   4. The Cut
   5. Ted Radio Hour
   
   It’s quite a queue, but isn’t that a good thing?
   
   All views and opinions are 100% The Serious Review.