Case study: Business Acumen Podcast
Overview
The Business Acumen Podcast was created as a supplemental learning resource to help employees develop a stronger understanding of how the organization operates and how different parts of the business work together.
Rather than relying solely on traditional training formats, the podcast delivered short, accessible conversations with leaders and subject matter experts across the organization. This format allowed employees to learn directly from experienced professionals while gaining insight into the strategic thinking behind different areas of the business.
The podcast was designed to make complex business concepts more approachable, engaging, and accessible for busy employees.
The Challenge
Many employees had limited visibility into how different parts of the organization functioned or how strategic decisions were made. While formal training programs covered some of this material, they often struggled to capture the real-world perspectives and experiences of business leaders.
Additionally, employees often found it difficult to engage with longer training modules during busy workdays. The team wanted to explore a learning format that would be flexible, conversational, and easy to consume, allowing employees to learn while commuting, exercising, or between meetings.
The challenge was to design a learning experience that could make business concepts engaging and relatable, while also providing employees with practical insight into how the organization operates.
My Role
Instructional Designer, Podcast Producer, and Co-Host
I partnered with a colleague to develop and produce the Business Acumen Podcast as a learning resource for employees.
My responsibilities included:
Conceptualizing the podcast as a learning tool aligned with program objectives
Identifying topics and themes that supported business acumen development
Partnering with internal leaders and subject matter experts to identify guests
Developing interview questions and episode outlines
Co-hosting podcast episodes, guiding conversations and helping translate complex business concepts into accessible insights
Recording and editing episodes
Designing supporting visual materials and promotional assets
The Solution
Conversational Learning Format
The podcast used a conversational interview format to explore topics such as:
How different business units contribute to organizational success
Decision-making processes within the company
Strategic thinking and leadership perspectives
Career insights from experienced professionals
This format allowed listeners to gain authentic insights into how the business operates, rather than simply reviewing theoretical concepts.
Accessible Learning Design
Episodes were intentionally designed to be short and focused, allowing employees to engage with the material in small increments.
This approach supported modern learning habits by enabling employees to:
Listen during commutes
Learn between meetings
Engage with content on demand
The podcast format helped extend learning beyond the traditional training environment.
Cross-Organizational Perspectives
By featuring leaders and subject matter experts from different areas of the company, the podcast exposed employees to a broader view of the organization.
Listeners gained insight into how various teams contribute to business outcomes and how strategic decisions are made across departments.
The Results
The podcast helped expand the ways employees could engage with learning about the business.
Participants reported that the conversational format made complex concepts easier to understand and provided valuable insight into how experienced leaders think about their work.
The podcast also helped reinforce key themes from other learning programs by providing real-world perspectives and examples from inside the organization.
Key Takeaways
This project demonstrated how alternative learning formats can expand engagement and accessibility.
By combining instructional design principles with a conversational media format, the Business Acumen Podcast helped employees:
Develop stronger understanding of the business
Learn directly from experienced professionals
Engage with learning content in a flexible, convenient format
The project highlights the value of meeting learners where they are and using diverse formats to support continuous learning.
Why this approach?
The podcast format was intentionally selected to complement traditional training approaches.
Conversational learning instead of lecture-style content
A conversational interview format allowed leaders to share experiences and perspectives in a way that felt authentic and engaging.
Short episodes to support busy schedules
Episodes were designed to be concise so employees could listen during commutes or between meetings.
Cross-department guests
Guests were selected from different parts of the organization to expose listeners to a wider range of perspectives and help them understand how different teams contribute to business outcomes.