This story was created in paid partnership with Wondery.
Last week, Wondery officially rang in a first of its kind podcast collection, Wondery Means Business. From thrilling finance crime stories about the fall of crypto billionaires to short-and-sweet business news takes, the shows highlight some of the studio’s most iconic, business-oriented podcasts, all in one easy-to-find place. Check out some Apple Podcasts fan reviews to see why so many listeners are leaving raving 5-star ratings—and get ready to dive into the Wondery world of business.
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According to fans, this award-winning Wondery podcast makes even the most dense of topics a riveting listen. “The writing for this engrossing show is so well done that even those subjects which on the surface sound like they might be a snoozefest end up being just as engrossing as the no-brainers,” wrote Game Looney on Dec 1st, 2023.
Netflix vs Blockbuster. Uber vs Lyft. Tesla vs Detroit. From rideshare to food to entertainment, Business Wars offers a rare, in-depth look at the world’s biggest companies, their leaders, and the bitter feuds and brilliant decisions behind their immense success—or eventual failure. Nockslock 3 dubbed the series their “new favorite podcast” in 2022, and molneyhoward heaped on high praise in October of last year, saying “Wondery has more quality than Netflix and HBO Max combined 🫶💪 solid!”
Business Wars is a Wondery fan-favorite, and won the Webby and iHeartRadioPodcast Award for the Best Business and Finance Podcast in 2019 and 2020, respectively.
In the age of the Internet, the power of influence is undeniable—but what happens when people use their powers for evil instead of good? With their firecracker banter and quick humor, co-hosts Scaachi Koul and Sarah Hagi unpack stories of deception. From an inside look at the Coachella Con Artist to a breakdown of Martha Stewart’s hustling ways, the show takes on scammy influencers across industries like social media, fashion, finance, health, and wellness.
But for fans like Elhavina, Koul and Hagi are the real stars of the show: “These two intelligent and clever women make a great duo of storytellers, delivering their podcast of true scam stories in a comedic and snarky way.” Funk yard forever agrees with another 5 star review: “Informative, smart and witty. Yes, they are talking trash and spilling tea, but in the nicest way possible. I’m an artist who works alone the majority of my day and this podcast is one of my go to’s. Great job, Scaachi & Sarah.”
After listening to Wondery’s iconic How I Built This podcast hosted by Guy Raz, fans report finding the show “inspiring and captivating.” CarolynWells82 shared in February 2024 that she discovered HIBT four years ago and it changed her entire outlook on entrepreneurship. “I am now that person that shares random trivia facts about companies when I’m with others. I recommend companies to others when I hear a story that I respect. I patron companies that I might not have noticed.”
Throughout the series, founders like John MacFarlane of Sonos and Holly Thaggard of Supergoop! reveal deep, intimate moments of doubt and failure, and share insights on how to navigate challenges on the path to building your own business. For Boulder Liz, that’s exactly why the show resonates so deeply with her: “I started two companies approximately 22 years ago. I am totally inspired by the stories, I have my laugh out loud moments because yeah… I’ve been there… Done that..🤣,” she wrote last November. Golfin4Life also gives kudos to Guy Raz for his hosting chops, calling him “a fantastic host with a fantastic tone, cadence and inflection. Great work to everyone involved on the podcast!”
Hosted by Nick Martell and Jack Crivici-Kramer, this 20-minute pop-business daily news podcast has stolen the hearts of fans with their bite-sized stories and electrifying energy. testapp2022 writes in his 5-star review, “Upbeat podcast! Just enough high energy to brighten up my mornings. Nick and Jack often present a different way at looking at financial news – It’s refreshing in that respect. They are on my daily listening list. They are also on YouTube and I’ll sometimes watch there.”
Hangpui has made it a “daily ritual!” while BrendanPHall named it a “Top Notch Podcast!” in his review last November. “These guys are first rate, dynamic, and always keeping it fresh. I always have interesting things to talk about due to their business stories. They are also hilarious, and especially even more so after you learn their insiders and quirks. Overall, this podcast is excellent. Listen to TBOY!”
People’s wins are all around us—but how often do we dive deep into the many flops necessary to make success possible? “I love a good story about a flop,” writes jferguson81. “Please keep the flops coming!!”
Hosted by comedian and social media personality Misha Brown, Wondery’s The Big Flop focuses on famous failures in pop culture and business. It quickly got glowing reviews from fans who appreciate the show’s lighthearted nature, underscored by Brown’s witty humor. Epic Husky shares, “Breath of fresh air as we are all drowning in true crime podcasts. Thanks Misha and all your guests. Hilarious and look forward to podcast every week!”
Throughout the series, Brown and a lineup of comedic guests (which have included stars like Guy Branum, Connor Ratliff) analyze and rank flops, exploring what happens when high expectations lead to disappointing outcomes. robin7694 also gave it high praise: “I listen to a lot of podcasts and this is one of the few to make me laugh out loud! I have enjoyed the guest hosts and adore Misha!! The podcast flows nicely and is entertaining. I’ve been telling everyone about this one!”
Although many podcasts tell the stories of successful businesses, few explore the people behind them as thoroughly as Business Movers. Led by Lindsey Graham, the host of American History Tellers and American Scandal, the show examines the behind-the-scenes people that brought Lego to the top of the toy industry or helped KFC become a Japanese Christmas tradition. “I have really enjoyed listening to these Business Movers stories. So much deep background information. LG is the perfect host,” reviews Mahala2020. “After listening, one feels they have a much deeper understanding of the dynamics behind the scenes and a good psychological portrait of the individuals who create these iconic companies. I could listen all day.”
From Walt Disney’s creation of a theme park in Orlando, to the colossal failure of New Coke, Business Movers explores the triumphs, failures and ideas that transformed our lives. So far, fans have found it a “home run.” ojfiend15 writes, “Love this show and the insights into some of the biggest changes in business!”
Spellcaster: The Fall of Sam Bankman-Fried
Wondery and Bloomberg’s Spellcaster takes listeners on the unbelievable ride of young crypto billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried, who was recently sentenced to 25 years in prison in late March for stealing $8 billion from customers of his now-bankrupt FTX cryptocurrency exchange. Fans love the timely, relevant story—especially Liciapru, who gave props to host Hannah Miller, a Bloomberg crypto and tech reporter. “This host does a phenomenal job with her delivery and storytelling flow. I love the behind-the-scenes look we get here. Solid 5 stars!!”
The series takes an in-depth look at how Bankman-Fried combined intuition, luck, and timing to chase the rise (and fall) of crypto. Given its dramatic turns and suspense, the show easily appeals to true crime lovers trying to get into business. “I started listening to true crime pods during the pandemic. Addicting. Now moving on to financial crime. It takes a solid host and solid storyline. This one has both,” reassures Next Level Podcast.
Spellcaster was recently awarded at The 2024 Ambies for Best Business Podcast.
