29 Sep Celebrating Podcasts with Our Staff Faves
At Fluent Research, we love to get lost in podcasts that educate, entertain, and help us connect with the world around us. In celebration of International Podcast Day, we asked some of our team to share the shows that have captured their hearts and minds!
The Daily Stoic – User Experience Researcher, Lia Abrams
The Daily Stoic is hosted by Ryan Holiday. He uploads every day of the week and provides a short lesson on stoicism, which is an ancient Greek philosophy centered around virtue, wisdom, temperance, and justice. He reads a short text from ancient works and then describes in modern-day terms how the lesson from the Stoics can be applied to everyday life. I find the podcast really informative and grounding! It’s a great way to begin the day.
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang – User Experience Researcher, Charlotte Beatty
Every Wednesday, Las Culturistas delivers a perfect whimsical hour of discussion of all things pop culture. Hosted by two of my favorite comedians, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, the show tackles some of today’s most pressing questions, like which housewife from the RHONY cast is most iconic? And when ARE we getting music videos for Beyonce’s Renaissance album? They also interview a variety of wickedly talented guests, including people like Melanie Lynskey, Harvey Guillen, Michelle Yeoh, and MUNA to name some of my favorites. Most importantly, they host an annual Culture Awards show live at Lincoln Center, where finalists duke it out for awards like, “The Free Willy Award for Animal Achievement”, “Best Word to Scream”, and “Christina Aguilera Award for ‘It’s Just Good'”. If you are a nerd for all things movies, television, music, and pop culture, then this podcast is perfect for you. I love to listen to it at the end of a long day to unwind with some laughs!
Matter of Opinion – Director of Content Research and Evaluation, Allison Caplovitz
Matter of Opinion is hosted by New York Times opinion journalists, each with a different perspective on current events. I really like it because I am interested in political discussions and am often in a bubble of those who generally agree with my political views. It is really nice to hear various perspectives on news and information. It is particularly great in today’s society where people can disagree with respect.
How I Built This – Vice President of Marking and Communications, Stefanie Cousins
How I Built This features Guy Roz’s interviews with the person or people who have founded some of the world’s best-known brands. What I love most about this podcast is the fascinating paths, with surprising twists and turns, that have led them to develop their innovative ideas into fully-realized successful companies. I’ve been listening to these interviews since 2016, and the show continues to feature insightful stories. Some of my favorite episodes are the interviews with the founders of Spanx, Drybar, Patagonia, Southwest Airlines, Title Nine, Zappos, Khan Academy, Chicken Salad Chick, Angie’s List, Spin Master, Head Space, and Canva. They are all fascinating, so be sure to check out the library of episodes — at least one of them will surely catch your eye!
Office Ladies – Director of Research Strategy, Sofia Polo
I love The Office. I watch it constantly as I do chores around the house. Repeating it is such a comfort, especially during stressful times. The Office Ladies podcast goes through the series episode by episode with two of the starring actors providing commentary and the inside scoop on the making of each of the show’s episode. During lockdown, I binged this podcast constantly, especially when I was going on walks around the park. It was a great way to cope with the stresses of the pandemic. On my Spotify wrapped for 2020, it told me I listened to Office Ladies for 10 hours one day! Now I’m all caught up with the episodes but I still think it’s one of my all-time favorite podcasts.
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls – Senior Child Development Researcher, Amy Warren
Our 12-year-old daughter has long loved hearing stories about girls and women who have made herstory. Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls is a perfect fit. We have cuddled around the book at night and listened to the podcast on the way to school in the morning. Some of our favorite stories come from the lives of Frida Kahlo, Amelia Earhart, Maya Angelou, and Greta Thunberg. It is still our daughter’s (and our 9-year-old son’s!) go-to podcast.