Working in business in 2026 means constant input. New tools, new processes, and endless ideas about how things should be done. Between meetings and deadlines, it’s not easy to step back and think clearly.
At Float, we’re focused on helping merchants grow smarter, not harder. So we did the research for you. Out of 220 plus podcast episodes, these stood out as the ones genuinely worth your time, with ideas you can actually use.
1. Building a Brand from the Beach
Austin Brawner’s The Ecommerce Influence Podcast is packed with practical conversations for founders building real businesses.
In Episode 328, he speaks to Chris Meade, founder of Crossnet, one of the fastest-growing outdoor game brands in the US. Chris quit his job at Uber, moved to Miami, and started selling his game on the beach. What started with a viral video and word of mouth quickly turned into an eight-figure business.
The episode digs into how Crossnet scaled from DTC into big-box retail and what that shift really required.
If you’ve got a product idea sitting in your notes app, this one will light a fire.
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2. Intuitive Customer
The saying “people eat with their eyes” doesn’t just apply to food. It’s something deeply ingrained in how we experience the world, from products and brands to systems and decision-making. This episode of Intuitive Customer explores how aesthetics influence behaviour far beyond traditional marketing.
If you’re thinking this doesn’t apply to your industry, you’re wrong. Claudia Townsend shares research showing that the design of financial reports can influence investor decisions, regardless of how experienced the investor is. In other words, logic alone isn’t driving decisions. Visuals matter.
The big takeaway here is that aesthetics are not a nice-to-have. They’re universal, unconscious, and deeply human. Making something “look good” is no longer about preference. It’s about trust, clarity, and experience, especially in spaces like finance where we assume decisions are purely rational.
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3. Managers of 1
Hosted by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson of 37signals and Basecamp, this podcast reflects their refreshingly different approach to building and running a business. With 16 million users on Basecamp and a track record that includes Rework and their newest product, Once, they’ve earned their reputation for doing things differently.
This episode centres on the idea of “hiring managers of one”. People who can manage themselves, solve problems independently, communicate clearly, and remove roadblocks without constant oversight. No micromanaging. No endless check-ins.
Think of it this way. Instead of a two-hour meeting filled with back and forth that goes nowhere, the same outcome could be achieved through one or two clear, thoughtful emails. It’s about saving time, reducing confusion, and creating space for real work to happen.
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4. Inefficiency Principle
Blair Enns, best known for The Win Without Pitching Manifesto and the 2Bobs podcast, teams up with Leah Power in his newer show, 20 Percent – The Marketing Procurement Podcast. This particular episode, The Inefficiency Principle, will genuinely change how you think about work.
The core idea is simple but uncomfortable. Innovation and efficiency are always in tension. Increase one too much and the other suffers. Growth does not come from choosing sides, but from holding both in balance. Efficiency wants speed, predictability, and systems. Creativity needs time, freedom, and space to explore ideas that might not go anywhere.
In a world increasingly obsessed with optimisation and AI-driven productivity, what happens to creativity when efficiency becomes the priority?
For a healthy organisation, you need both. Think chaos and calm, working together.
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5. Marketing Psychology
Rory Sutherland joins the Modern Wisdom podcast, hosted by Chris Williamson, to talk about The Secret Weapons of Marketing Psychology. They dive into what really drives human behaviour and decision-making, showing that most choices are not purely logical.
He discusses how workplace culture has shifted since lockdown, why some things still benefit from in-person interaction, and how marketing psychology can help brands connect with customers on a deeper level. The episode highlights that the most powerful marketing insights often come from understanding human psychology, not just data and analytics.
Contrary to what we’ve been told, it’s not always about the numbers.
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More Than Background Noise
Whether you save these for a road trip, a gym session, or your daily commute, these podcasts are easy to listen to but packed with real value. They’ll challenge how you think, sharpen your decision-making, and hopefully spark a few new ideas along the way.
At Float, we’re here to support merchants who want to build better businesses. If that sounds like you, become a Float merchant.