The career-focused social network LinkedIn announced last month that it had formed a strategic partnership that will leverage iHeartMedia's infrastructure and distribution capabilities to create a new network of podcasts. Today a show hosted by LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky joins that network. His new podcast The Path is an expansion of the video interview series, which highlights the nonlinear career journeys of top executives including Dallas Mavericks CEO Mark Cuban, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Essence CEO Caroline Wanga, and others.
“We know that podcasts allow you to listen anytime, anywhere – on your commute, on a hike, at lunch time – making anytime the perfect time for career and personal development,” said Roslansky in a LinkedIn post. It also gives me more time to spend with our guests, asking them more questions and really getting into the ‘why’ of their decision making.”
LinkedIn says each episode will offer a rare glimpse into the career paths of accomplished company executives as they share their triumphs, personal struggles, and pivotal moments that have profoundly shaped their professional trajectory.
“Over the past six months, I’ve had the chance to sit down with some of the world’s prominent leaders, innovators and changemakers to learn how unexpected twists, turns, setbacks, and career pivots shaped their career paths on the way to the top,” Roslansky said. “And now we’re taking it one step further.”
As part of the deal, LinkedIn and iHeartMedia will collaborate to produce new shows for the LinkedIn Podcast Network. It will include a lineup of shows that aim to help professionals looking for ideas, insights, and inspiration they need to get ahead in their careers. The content will be distributed by iHeartPodcasts and iHeart will monetize these new podcasts as the two companies use audio to connect brands to important conversations in the professional space. In addition to being distributed to traditional podcast listening apps, iHeartPodcasts will also make the shows in the LinkedIn Podcast Network available in LinkedIn newsletters.
LinkedIn and iHeartMedia are also teaming up to offer new resources for niche and emerging business podcasters. Under the arrangement, qualifying podcasters will gain streamlined access to LinkedIn’s tools, best practices, and coaching, and to iHeart’s hosting, distribution, monetization services, while receiving co-branding opportunities from the LinkedIn Podcast Network and iHeartMedia.
While its partnership with iHeart is new, LinkedIn has been exploring the podcast space for the past year. This spring it created the LinkedIn Podcast Academy. The six-month pilot project connects emerging business podcasts with exclusive programming, coaching, tools and LinkedIn co-branding to help shows expand their reach. It followed last year’s launch of the LinkedIn Podcast Network, which showcases established business podcasts.
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