Audiobooks and Podcasts: Listen to the Latest Business Topics

Between going to the bank for financing, commuting, checking into suppliers and driving around town looking for a great franchise location, you are spending a lot of time in your car and you're tired of listening to the top 40. Or maybe you just want to sit back, relax and listen to something relevant to your business startup. Consider listening to business audiobooks or podcasts.

AUDIOBOOKS

We've all heard about audiobooks: books on CD or in digital files (e.g. for use with an MP3, iPod or Windows Media Audio). You may have purchased them at your local Chapters store or downloaded them from audible.com. Did you know that you might also be able to access them for free from your local public library? What a great way to keep your business and personal costs down! Generally, all you need is a library card from a library that offers this service. For example, click on this link and then go to "Business & Careers" to download business audiobooks for free from a group of libraries in Ontario:

http://librariesonthego.library.on.ca/4A240BF2-5E33-48D3-8BB1-504668F0E2B3/10/310/en/Default.htm

PODCASTS

What's a podcast and why would anyone use one? A podcast is a digital media file which is distributed over the Internet and played on a personal computer or a portable media player. Podcasts generally range in length from 5 minutes for quick daily or weekly updates to a half or full hour "show". Here's a list of some great business podcasts:

Canadian Business Online:
http://www.canadianbusiness.com/entrepreneur/ and go to the Podcast section. Also check this site's Technology section for podcasts about social media, etc.

Financial Post's Daily Podcast:
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/financialpost/podcast/index.html

Entrepreneur:
http://www.entrepreneur.com/podcast/index.html

New York Public Library's Small Biz How-To Business Seminars and Podcasts:
http://www.nypl.org/research/sibl/smallbiz/video.html

BusinessWeek:
http://www.businessweek.com/search/podcasting.htm

Wall Street Journal Online:
http://online.wsj.com/public/page/8_0018.html?mod=topnav_0_0012

Time:
http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1184688,00.html

Kiplinger's Personal Finance:
http://www.kiplinger.com/podcasts/

Harvard Business Review's IdeaCast:
http://www.harvardbusinessonline.com/