Outside In with Charles Trevail: Recent Episodes
Interbrand
Outside In explores how the world is changing and how business is changing with it. Host Charles Trevail interviews executives, journalists, authors, and thinkers, exploring the customer-centric strategies and philosophies that are working successfully inside companies, and the consumer trends, industry disruptions, and cultural forces that are influencing business from the outside.
The global mental health crisis is one of the greatest societal challenges of our time. Yet, despite the magnitude of the issue, many people lack the resources and support needed to cope with the stress and anxiety of daily life. “Mental health is probably the only condition where you're asked to use the organ that's having trouble to solve the problem,” says Russell Glass, CEO of Headspace Health, who credits his daily meditation practice with transforming his relationship with stress and anxiety. Now, as the CEO of Headspace Health, he’s on a mission to share this life-changing experience with others. Through the immensely popular Headspace mobile app, the company has brought mindfulness meditation to the masses. And, with its virtual mental health platform, Ginger, the company connects individuals with licensed therapists, behavioral coaches, and psychiatrists, providing personalized support, medication management, and evidence-based interventions. Russell joins the podcast to talk about how Headspace Health is breaking down barriers to mental health and wellness care and empowering people to live more balanced, mindful, and fulfilling lives.Listen to this podcast to learn: • How the awareness of our own mortality impacts our mental health, exacerbated by the fast pace of modern life and an unending barrage of global crises• How focusing on prevention, or "brushing our brains,” can strengthen our resilience in the face of stress and anxiety and help us manage life's inevitable challenges• The cutting-edge artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies behind Headspace Health's personalized mental health and wellness support, and how this tech is used to personalize individual interventions and programs • The lessons gained from the merger of Headspace and Ginger, and the importance of a strong industrial logic and cultural fit for a successful merger• Why generative AI and large language models like Chat GPT are not yet accurate or skilled enough to be used independently in mental health care but can still provide valuable support to providers • Why some user churn can actually be a good thing, and how the success of Headspace is measured not by subscription revenue but by the success of its users• How meditation and mindfulness practices have helped Russell personally manage his own stress triggers and be a better dad, husband, and CEO
The backbone of a thriving economy lies in the seamless flow of goods. Few industries play a more important role in this process than trucking. With over a million trucking companies in operation and a staggering worth of $800 billion in the US alone, the trucking industry is a vital cog in the economic machine. However, the industry has long been plagued by fragmentation and has been slow to adopt new technologies. Enter Dan Lewis, the visionary co-founder and CEO of Convoy, a digital freight network that is revolutionizing the industry by connecting shippers with trucking companies, optimizing routes, and improving the experience for truckers and shippers. Before Convoy, Dan held product leadership positions at Microsoft, Google, and Amazon. Dan knew there were problems that technology could solve in the trucking industry, but he didn’t know much about truckers. So, he hit the road. He spent countless hours at truck stops and fueling stations to immerse himself in the world of truckers, learn their problems, and get insights into how to make their jobs, and the industry, run better. Dan joins us on the podcast to share how he’s disrupting the status quo in trucking. He delves into the challenges facing the industry and how Convoy’s digital freight network addresses them, from reducing carbon emissions and enhancing the quality of life for truck drivers, to boosting the efficiency and productivity of the economy.Listen to this episode to learn:• How Convoy overcame early challenges in the trucking industry by leveraging the widespread availability and affordability of smartphones to connect and streamline communication• How, with persistent effort and research, Dan was able to find the key value proposition for the early adoption of Convoy’s mobile app among truck drivers • How to maintain a culture of understanding by being deliberate in bringing customers into the company and constantly evolving around changing their needs and behaviors• What Jeff Bezos told Dan about creating a company value system, how Convoy embeds values across all aspects of the business, and evolves its values to reflect changes in society, the economy, the environment, and the company itself• Why cutting “empty miles” is the most effective route to sustainability in the freight industry• The potential of trucking’s semi-autonomous future, where humans and robots will join forces in “team driving” • Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs on surrounding yourself with supportive, long-term-minded people
You don’t have to be a die-hard fan of The White Lotus or a jet-setting Instagram influencer to know how profoundly travel shapes who we are. It deepens our understanding of different cultures, people, and ways of life. It exposes us to new experiences and broadens our perspective. Most of all, it helps us discover more about ourselves. But during the pandemic, that was all lost…at least in the short term. Fueled by pent-up wanderlust and the desire to (finally!) explore and connect in person, the travel and hospitality industry has rebounded quickly and is poised for continued growth. Nobody is more optimistic about the future of travel than Anthony Capuano, CEO at Marriott International, the world’s largest and most iconic hospitality company. With nearly 8,200 hotels across 31 brands in 138 countries and territories, Marriott consistently makes “world’s most innovative companies” lists and has played -- and continues to play -- an integral part in travel around the world. Anthony joins the podcast to discuss why he's so optimistic about the long-term future of travel and hospitality. He delves into the recovery trends, as well as the macro trends accelerated by the pandemic, that he's seeing across the Marriott portfolio of brands. Finally, he shares how innovations in customer loyalty, technology, and sustainability initiatives will reshape both the guest and employee experience in the coming years.Listen to this episode to learn:•How the blending of business and leisure, along with the desire for experiences, is opening new areas of growth and innovation in hospitality•What “innovation” means at Marriott (think: a new state-of-the-art Innovation Lab, prototype rooms where real guests stay and provide feedback, tech platforms for employee and guest experiences, and more)•How Marriott Bonvoy -- one of the largest loyalty programs in the world, with 173M+ members -- maintains and nurtures an emotional relationship with members, rather than a transactional one•Is it really valuable to have so many brands under one company umbrella? (Yes, as long as you have a distinct, well-articulated brand positioning for each one.)•The growing importance of sustainability to guests, employees, owners/franchisees, and shareholders -- and the goals Marriott has committed to in order to achieve net zero by 2050 •Why institutional knowledge and a strong culture are invaluable assets for any CEO and can get any company through the most difficult times•What Italy can teach us about “the nobility of jobs in service”
There’s a growing tension between how people want to work and how companies believe people should be working. Employees have experienced firsthand how they can be more productive by fitting work and life together in flexible ways -- without the daily slog of an office commute. On the other side are business leaders. They see business as a team sport and that when people come together and have strong relationships, they get better work done. Navigating these two truths will be key to building a successful company. Just ask Dan Shapero, Chief Operating Officer at LinkedIn. He oversees LinkedIn’s global sales, operations, and member and customer success, and he helps companies around the world grow their business and strengthen their teams through the LinkedIn platform. Dan joins the podcast to discuss the forces that are reshaping the global workforce and the workplace -- and how both employees and employers are responding as we move into the future of work.Listen to this episode to learn:• How creating economic opportunity for everyone is the driving force at LinkedIn (and the secret to its success as a 2022 Best Global Brand)• Some of the job skills that will be in high demand in the years ahead (hint: think digital!)• Why the next wave of job seekers will choose to work for companies based on their sustainability goals and how they’re helping to fight the climate crisis • Ways in which LinkedIn is helping women in the workforce find jobs and advance their careers • What is “product-society fit,” and is it as important as “product-market fit”?• Why the one thing every successful leader needs is self-awareness…and how Dan discovered it himself • How one conversation with former LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner changed Dan’s perspective on his career • What's supposed to be on LinkedIn? What should I be sharing? -- Dan’s advice for how you should show up on LinkedIn
In 2009, Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs left their jobs as food editors and writers at The New York Times to start a website and company called Food52. They saw how Americans’ relationship with food was changing: food was no longer a niche interest, but a core part of people’s identities that connected them to every aspect of life. The founders saw an opportunity to use technology and the internet to bring people together around food, a site where everyday home cooks could find everything in one place, from recipes to cooking advice to where to find the perfect set of nesting mixing bowls. A decade later, Food52 has been recognized as one of the world’s most innovative companies, with three brands (so far) in its portfolio, a media content arm that reaches millions of loyal users per month, and a multi-million dollar e-commerce business that sells kitchen wares, home goods and decor, furniture, bedding, and more. Amanda Hesser, Co-CEO of Food52, joins the podcast to talk about the company’s natural progression -- not perceived expansion! -- from food into all aspects of the home, and how she and her team have built a brand that’s genuine, soulful, and “for people who see food at the center of a well-lived life.”
Listen to this episode to learn: • The value of content to build an emotional connection to and loyalty with users; and how building that trust allows Food52’s e-commerce business to move in different directions
• How Food52 has found success in cultivating long-term relationships with its community and continually evolving as its audience (and the world) changes
• The cultural impact of celebrity chefs in the United States and their role in making food more accessible, interesting, and fun to a broader audience
• How Amanda’s background in media and journalism was great training for being a successful founder and entrepreneur
• How Food52 has expanded its product offerings with three brands: its own Five Two kitchen goods brand; Schoolhouse, a lighting and lifestyle goods company; and Dansk, the Scandinavian-inspired heritage cookware brand
• Why Food52’s new office headquarters in the Brooklyn Navy Yard will be an expression of the brand and a place for its community, employees, and partners to gather, create, and connect
Thirty years ago, people knew IBM as the “computer maker.” Today, IBM has evolved its business away from computer hardware, shifting focus on consulting and developing and deploying next-generation technologies like hybrid cloud, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing. Arvind Krishna has been there through the transformation. He joined the company in 1990, at IBM’s Thomas J. Watson Research Center. In 2020, he took over as the company’s Chairman and CEO. Having the perspective of both a technologist and a business leader gives Arvind unique insight into where to take the company next. “We lean a little forward in where the world is going as opposed to where it has been,” he says. Arvind joins the podcast to discuss IBM’s role as a catalyst in deploying advanced technology to solve the world’s most complex challenges and make business -- and the planet -- better.
Listen to this episode to learn: • How working through Covid was a “large social experiment” that ultimately strengthened IBM and ushered in a remote and hybrid work future
• Garage methodology, client engineering, and client success management -- or, the three ways that IBM works together and co-creates with organizations
• The business opportunity of sustainability and how technology reduces friction, removes waste, lowers costs, and creates a healthier environment
• The case for a more resilient and diversified supply chain Why IBM does not believe in donating money to politicians or PACs -- but would rather gain access to politicians through doing good in the world
• The three traits every aspiring CEO should have
People have been buzzing about the promise of fully autonomous vehicles for years. But using self-driving cars in our everyday lives was something that we could only imagine existing in the distant future. No longer. Autonomous driving is here, and people are already using it to get to the mall, send their kids to school, or get dropped off at the airport. Waymo, the autonomous vehicle company owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet, has deployed a fleet of autonomously driven cars in cities like Phoenix and San Francisco that anyone can order from the Waymo One app -- just like you would with any ride-hailing service. Tekedra Mawakana, Waymo’s co-CEO, joins the podcast to discuss Waymo’s moonshot mission to solve “the greatest engineering challenge of our generation” and how autonomous driving technology is giving people freedom of movement while making the roads safer for all. She also gives an inside look into how Waymo is rolling out the autonomous service, city by city, using insights from early users to improve the Waymo One experience.
Listen to this episode to learn:
• Lessons from early users who are co-creating new use cases for autonomous vehicles
• How the Waymo Driver technology makes the roads safer by removing human error
• How visually impaired testers have inspired enhancements to the Waymo One app
• The challenge of navigating consumers’ expectations versus the realities of what the technology can do
• How launching Waymo in different types of cities, with vastly different topographies and road conditions, is advancing the learnings of Waymo Driver and enabling it to scale much faster
Eliminating the world’s dependence on fossil fuels might seem like a farfetched goal. But to Francesco Starace, decarbonization is inevitable. As a nuclear scientist and the CEO of Enel, one of Europe’s largest energy companies serving 70+ million customers worldwide, Starace has seen firsthand the accelerated transition towards renewables over the past few years. It’s driven, he says, by digital transformation, innovation, and the economic viability of green energy. Global events, like the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, have only intensified this acceleration. Starace joins the podcast to discuss the future of energy, why “electrifying society” is achievable well before 2050, and the forces changing the way we consume (and produce) energy.
Listen to this episode to learn:
• How the pandemic tested our energy systems by dramatically changing energy consumption overnight, and how grid operators successfully adjusted in real-time
• Why bringing sustainable energy to Africa needs to be centered around metropolitan areas, where most people will live in the future
• The complicated energy dynamic created by the war in Ukraine, and why it will require us to insulate ourselves from gas by whatever means possible
• Why globalization isn’t going away; it’s “mutating”
• The emergence of consumers as energy producers and why they will help fuel energy demand
• Why the future of electrification won’t be possible without customer centricity
CSR. ESG. Purpose. Code of Conduct. There’s an endless succession of acronyms and phrases that companies use to describe what a moral philosopher would call “ethics.” Or, put simply: how individuals and organizations can do right by others. David Rodin is the Founder and Chair of Principia Advisory and is one of the world’s foremost experts on ethics and organizational culture. For years, David says, his clients mostly sought guidance during an acute crisis or when something went wrong inside their company. But recently, companies are proactively seeking the same guidance, realizing that ethics are fundamental to their business, brand promise, and market position. David joins the podcast to discuss why ethics can be a competitive advantage and risk mitigator that informs and underlies business decisions. He also explains why companies are increasingly looking to be part of the solution to a range of societal issues, and why this “generational shift” towards ethics will be a defining aspect of business for decades to come.
Listen to this episode to learn: • The difference between utilitarianism, deontology, and virtue ethics -- and the three key ethical questions every organization should be asking themselves
• Why, in order to drive ethical change and to build ethical capacity, you need to look at the organization as an organic whole (i.e., look at its “software and hardware”)
• How the war in Ukraine has sparked a fundamental shift in how businesses operate on an ethical level
• Why the language companies use around purpose and values is less important than their orientation around and commitment to ethical values
• Why global organizations need to consider regional differences and define their ethical red lines
• How do we retain the best parts of globalization, but at the same time make it more ethical and values-infused?
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has triggered the largest humanitarian and refugee crisis in Europe since WWII, threatening the global economy and upending decades of relative geopolitical stability. Patricia Cohen, Global Economics Correspondent at The New York Times, believes we’re at a “real turning point” in global affairs and a “time of incredible unpredictability.” She’s been covering this story since the war in Ukraine began from an economic perspective, reporting on how other nations, particularly European nations, are responding to Russian aggression and the impact the crisis is having on their economies. Patricia joins the podcast to discuss how the war in Ukraine has overturned decades of active integration and positive cooperation between advanced industrial democracies and is moving globalization as we know it into a new, more regionalized phase.
Listen to this episode to learn: • How a Russian economy that only accounts for between 1% to 2% of global GDP still has the ability to disrupt everything from global energy markets, to supply chains, to food security
• Why governments, businesses, and consumers are conflicted over their own self interest and their moral principles when it comes to how far they’re willing to go in response to the war
• Did European nations naively miscalculate their heavy dependence on Russian oil and gas (and is the war -- not climate change -- going to finally accelerate the adoption of renewable energy)?
• Why we should be concerned about the huge debt crisis and food shortage that’s looming among poorer nations
• Where this conflict might be headed and why this crisis might have opened an opportunity for global cooperation
For more information, visit https://www.nytimes.com/by/patricia-cohen
For more than 100 years, Mercedes-Benz has been one of the most innovative and valuable brands ever created. But as the global automotive industry shifts towards an electric future, Dimitris Psillakis, CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA, says the company has a new goal: to become the most desirable electric luxury vehicle brand in the world. The automaker will shift its focus entirely to electric vehicles in 2025 and be prepared to sell only electric vehicles by 2030. But the transformation to electric has its hurdles. Namely, competition from both legacy automotive companies and newer, tech-driven entrants into the space, as nearly every automaker aspries to lead the transition to all-electric within the next decade. Dimitris joins the podcast to share the vision behind Mercedes-Benz’s electrification strategy and how the company is approaching the challenge of transitioning to electric from two angles: product performance and customer experience.
Listen to this episode to learn: • What will it take to inspire luxury auto buyers -- especially those in the United States -- to make the switch to electric vehicles
• How Mercedes-Benz plans to differentiate its premium luxury brand amongst competitors
• The value of the dealership experience, and how the customer-dealer relationship is evolving -- both in-person and online
• The digitalization of Mercedes-Benz and why the car of tomorrow is a “smart car” powered by software and connectivity
Companies love to tout their purpose. They come up with a grandiose purpose statement, include it in their advertising, and paint it across their walls. But, when you look closely, there’s a lot of confusion about what purpose really means and what value it actually serves. Is a company’s purpose only about profit? Or, is it anything but profit? Perhaps purpose and profit should work in harmony to create a win-win? “The word ‘purpose’ has been hijacked,” says Harvard Business School professor Ranjay Gulati. He recently conducted extensive field research, interviewing leaders of some of the world’s most successful organizations to fundamentally understand what it means to operate from a place of purpose -- or a reason for being. The culmination of his research is his latest book, Deep Purpose: The Heart and Soul of High-Performance Companies. Ranjay joins the podcast to explain what it means to be a “deep purpose” company. He describes what we can learn from leaders who get purpose right -- and use it as a North Star to guide and elevate an organization's people, productivity, and potential.
Listen to this episode to learn: • Why business (and life) without tradeoffs is an illusion
• How purpose provides clarity on how to prioritize tradeoffs as well as the ability to make demands of company’s stakeholders
• How leaders like Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella create a sense of purpose within their company to inform culture, organizational design, and people strategy
• The opportunity for companies to help their employees (especially younger ones) discover coherence and connection between their purpose in life, career, and job -- the “Holy Grail” of fulfillment
• Why great companies look inside before they look outside -- aiming to get a clear understanding of “who I am and why I’m here”
• How NFL coach Pete Carroll unlocks “human potential,” and why all company leaders should strive to do the same with their employees
Amid the verdant rolling hills of central Kentucky, in the heart of Appalachian coal country, you’ll find 60 acres of a massive, glass-encased structure. Inside, you’ll find row after row of tomatoes. The bounty -- sold in grocery retailers like Kroger, Publix, and Walmart -- is grown and harvested to precision using data, AI, and robotics by an AgTech company called AppHarvest. But this isn’t your garden-variety greenhouse. It’s essentially a 60-acre robot — a high-tech, data-driven indoor farm. Inside is a tightly controlled environment that uses 90% less water than open-field agriculture and only rainwater to produce crop yields up to 30 times that of traditional farming. “The facility itself is really living while the plants are living,” explains Jonathan Webb, AppHarvest’s CEO. “We're collecting data all through the facility to optimize for the plant.” Webb joins the podcast to talk about the environmental consequences of what we eat and what’s at stake for the future of agriculture, as the current system depletes our soil and climate change threatens our global food supply. He also takes us inside how AppHarvest is harnessing the best of nature supported with technology to create sustainable agriculture and working to increase food security -- one data-driven tomato at a time – and soon to include salad greens and berries.
Listen to this episode to learn:
• The story behind AppHarvest and its mission to redefine agriculture for a more sustainable, equitable, and healthy future for all
• How traditional farming often exploits farm workers across the world, and why we all should demand these essential workers get paid a living wage
• Why the environmental and tech communities should be investing in the economic potential of Appalachian coal country and reskilling its workforce
• The role of consumer demand and activism in helping to make AppHarvest a more mainstream, recognized brand in the produce aisle
• From LED lights that automatically turn on when it’s cloudy to ensuring that the perfect amount of water gets directly into the roots, how AppHarvest harnesses data and technology to optimize plant growth -- 365 days a year
• What’s on the horizon for AppHarvest in the years ahead
In 2005, fashionistas across America were raving about something called the “Morning After Bag” (or, the M.A.B. for those in the know). On fashion and celeb blogs, “It Girls” of the moment, like Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, were photographed out and about with the M.A.B. draped casually on their arms. Over on an online chat board called The Purse Forum, Rebecca Minkoff, the bag’s designer, was doing something that, up until then, fashion designers would never dare do: talk directly with and listen to customers (“my girls,” as she calls them) about her designs. This was the beginning of Rebecca Minkoff the lifestyle brand, which is now sold all over the world and includes accessories, clothing, jewelry, and, of course, handbags. Rebecca Minkoff, co-founder of the eponymous brand and author of Fearless: The New Rules for Unlocking Creativity, Courage, and Success, joins the podcast to talk about how she launched an “accessible luxury” fashion brand around milestone moments in women’s lives; how her brand’s success is built on trial, error, and innovation; and what’s ahead for fashion in a world on the precipice of entering the metaverse.
Listen to this episode to learn: • The story of how a cut-up, remixed “I ❤️ NY” t-shirt helped launch Rebecca Minkoff’s design career in September 2001…and the hustle and hard work she put in afterwards to build her brand
• How technology, NFTs, and the metaverse are impacting the fashion industry
• Why breaking the once-sacred rules of fashion industry engagement has been a business necessity -- and boon -- for Minkoff
• Why “finding your generals” and “letting go” are key for successful leadership
• How the Female Founder Collective, co-founded by Minkoff, is helping to support female entrepreneurs ad advance women-owned businesses
• Advice for young creatives, innovators, and entrepreneurs who are just starting their careers and are hungry to succeed
When Corie Barry took over as CEO of Best Buy in the summer of 2019, she -- nor any of us -- could have foreseen what would soon come next. Now, nearly two years into leading one of the world’s largest consumer electronics retailers through a global pandemic, Corie says the experience has only reinforced her leadership philosophy: “I am here to create the conditions for other amazing leaders to be successful.” Corie joins the podcast to give an inside look at how she became CEO of Best Buy and what she’s learned about the role along the way. She also talks about how Best Buy’s purpose of “enriching lives through technology” has come into sharp focus, driving and uniting the organization in innovative ways -- and leading to exciting changes in how the company serves both its customers and its employees now and in the future.
Listen to this episode to learn: • How a Midwestern work ethic, artist parents, and a drive to make the world a better place helped shape Corie into the leader she is today
• Why retailers can’t force customer behavior, but rather need to “get out of the way” and focus on delivering a frictionless experience
• The value of communication in any large organization with so many stakeholders in times of “stacked crises”
• How tailoring employee benefits for working parents and caregivers creates a “scaffolding” that helps them succeed at work and in life
• The reason and strategy behind why Best Buy is entering the health space
• How sustainability and being a part of the circular consumer electronics economy is a competitive advantage for a retailer like Best Buy
• Advice for young people aspiring to one day become a CEO
The world of work is experiencing a seismic shift. After the stress and trauma of a global pandemic, people are questioning how, where, and why they work. That’s led to what many are calling The Great Resignation. People around the world are looking for new career opportunities as they begin to take stock of all aspects of their lives in order to find greater meaning and purpose. With 800 million global members and 50 million companies represented on its platform, LinkedIn is watching this shift happen in real time. In many ways, the platform and its users are humanizing work, and pushing companies to follow. Mel Selcher, LinkedIn’s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, joins the podcast to discuss how companies are rethinking their working models, their culture, and their values -- and what all business leaders should be doing to prepare for the future of work.
Listen to this episode to learn: • The growing influence marketers and brand leaders have on a company’s ability to recruit and retain talent
• How LinkedIn users are opening up to show their true selves and celebrate their vulnerabilities and, sometimes, failures on the platform
• The early trends and data LinkedIn is seeing about changing jobs according to generation (e.g. Gen Z workers versus Baby Boomers)
• How Gen Z is redefining what it means to be a professional and why companies need to rethink their cultures and values to align with them
• The shift inside of companies to market towards talent and customers equally and why there shouldn’t be a separate consumer-facing brand and the employee-facing brand
• Advice for companies as they navigate the tricky boundaries between personal and professional conversation
• Advice for CEOs and others on how to engage, connect, and use LinkedIn to improve their leadership
As humans, we crave travel. It connects us to each other and the world around us. Or, as Rafat Ali, founder and CEO of Skift, a leading travel media company, puts it, “Travel as a human need is the default human condition.” But during the pandemic, that need went unfulfilled. Our ability to fly on an airplane, hop in an Uber, or stay in a hotel was drastically limited, if not put on pause. Now, travel is coming back...but just a little bit different. And that raises new questions for both the industry and travelers. Rafat joins the podcast to discuss how the pandemic has both accelerated existing trends and forced a break from the norms of the past -- and what the future of travel means for the world.
Listen to this episode to learn: • How Skift takes an “outside in” approach to understanding changing travel behaviors and connects the dots to what it means for the travel industry
• Lessons from the 2021 Skift Global Forum, and predictions from the CEOs of Airbnb, Hilton, and Uber about the future of travel
• Why embracing flexibility for their customers and pivoting their core business (i.e., becoming cargo carriers) helped airlines survive the pandemic (along with big government subsidies)
• How airports are redesigning their experience through the customers’ lens -- from elevated food options to biometrics and “contactless” check-ins
• Why we’re seeing a boom in domestic travel and how travelers’ rediscovery of the outdoors and local areas is helping small businesses thrive
• How the hotel guest experience has changed as a result of the pandemic (and why your room might not get serviced daily ever again)
• Google’s new sustainability scores, sustainable aviation fuel, and ways in which the travel and hospitality industries are approaching “sustainability”
In 1998, Michael E. Mann and two of his colleagues published the “hockey stick” graph that would revolutionize and galvanize climate activism. It showed the exponential acceleration of global warming since 1900 and that human reliance on carbon-based fuels was making the planet hotter and the climate consequently more unstable. Mann is now a Distinguished Professor of Atmospheric Science at Penn State and has authored several books, including his latest, The New Climate War: The Fight to Take Back Our Planet, a finalist for the 2021 Financial Times and McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award. He joins the podcast to talk about why, after decades of inaction, we’re at an existential crossroads: keep doing nothing and watch the planet warm to levels that create catastrophic climate change, or take the necessary steps right now to decarbonize our economy and end our dependence on fossil fuels.
Listen to this episode to learn:
• How a spate of inactivists and bad actors have deceived, distracted, and delayed meaningful climate action -- and that fighting against this PR and messaging campaign is the battleground of our “new climate war”
• Why mainstream messaging that focuses on personal responsibility (i.e., eat less meat, cut back on air travel, lower your carbon footprint) deflects from what’s really causing climate change and the big, systematic changes needed to stop it
• The vital leadership role companies must play in fighting climate change -- but why corporate greenwashing initiatives and individual “net zero” commitments, while well-intentioned, are not enough
• How the financial industry has in many ways been more progressive than most governments in taking meaningful action against climate change
• How words like “adaptation” and “resilience” and promises of “technological innovation” are really just forms of distraction and climate inaction
• Why Mann is “cautiously optimistic” about our ability to avoid catastrophic climate change
Most of us understand the role insurance plays in managing risks in our personal lives. But some insurance companies play a larger role in protecting us from the economic consequences of the global risks that threaten society. Floods. Fires. Pandemics. Cyberattacks. Climate change. Risks that are making the world more dangerous -- and that are accelerating at an alarming pace. Oliver Bäte, CEO of Allianz, the world’s largest insurance company and asset management firm, joins us for a frank, in-depth discussion about why it’s critical to make investments in risk-prevention measures and infrastructure, and hold governments and business leaders accountable. He also discusses the role insurers, asset owners, and asset managers play in mobilizing resources and lending their expertise to secure our future.
Listen to this episode to learn: • The risks of over-investing in consumer spending and under-investing in making infrastructure resilient
• Why, as events like floods and fires become more destructive and occur at a higher frequency, the economic cost through insurance can (at some point) become unbearable for consumers
• How Allianz has worked with the United Nations to establish pathways to get to net-zero emissions through initiatives like the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance
• Steps Allianz took to respond to the global threat of Covid-19 in the earliest days of the pandemic
• How increased government spending due to the pandemic could create dire economic and social consequences for future generations
• Advice for leaders on how to stay more personally connected to customers and the outside world -- especially in times of crisis
At the beginning of 2021, Mary Barra, Chair and CEO at General Motors, set an ambitious goal for the legendary automaker: end tailpipe emissions from new light-duty vehicles by 2035 and focus on the transition to an all-electric vehicle (EV) future. With the manufacturing capabilities, trained workforce, and the brands people know and love, she believes that GM is uniquely positioned to lead the EV transformation. But Barra is also a realist. She acknowledges that there are factors outside of GM’s control that will impact its long-term vision, one of the biggest being infrastructure. Barra joins the podcast to talk about GM’s goal to lead the industry into an all-electric future. She also discusses the changes happening within the company, including the technology inside its vehicles, the GM brand, the company’s “work appropriately” culture, and the evolution of its identity from a 20th-century car company to a 21st-century tech company.
Listen to this episode to learn: • The factors that will influence customers’ decisions to purchase electric vehicles
• Why utility vehicles like Hummer EV can attract new customer groups who might have dismissed EVs in the past
• How GM’s famous “dress appropriately” dress code -- simplified by Barra when she was formerly the company’s VP of HR -- inspired the company’s new “work appropriately” post-pandemic philosophy
• Why culture change starts with values and behaviors -- and holding everyone accountable (including CEOs!)
• GM’s vision to “create a world with zero crashes, zero emissions, and zero congestion”
• Barra’s advice on leadership and why women should never be afraid to speak up and have a point of view
Change is hard. And it never stops. The volatility, speed, and uncertainty that comes with change has been increasing exponentially over the past several decades, and organizations often have a difficult time keeping up and capitalizing on the opportunities that come with change. John Kotter is one of the preeminent voices on leadership and how companies can transform to keep pace with change. As Professor of Leadership, Emeritus, at the Harvard Business School and founder of Kotter International, a management consulting firm, Kotter is the author of 20+ books, including his latest, CHANGE: How Organizations Achieve Hard-to-Imagine Results Despite Uncertain and Volatile Times. Kotter joins the podcast to talk about why human beings and organizations have difficulty responding to change and what’s required to lead change in a complex, large-scale business environment.
Listen to this episode to learn:
• Why organizational rules established to reduce risk -- and our survival instincts -- often hamper our ability to see, feel, and respond to change as rapidly as we need to in today's world
• How a “dual system” inside an organization harnesses the entrepreneurial leadership required for collaboration and innovation, as well as the structures and rules meant to maintain efficiency and keep things running reliably
• Why a high sense of urgency is critical to undertake major change
• Why a “burning platform” is a great way to catch people’s attention but won’t keep them motivated for the long-term to solve complex business or social issues like climate change
• Why data can ensure you’re “not fooling yourself” but can also lead to information overload and anxiety
For more information: https://www.kotterinc.com/book/change/
Harry Potter. Batman. Looney Tunes. Game of Thrones. Each of these iconic franchises has shaped popular culture for years. Behind each one is a passionate fanbase with a strong emotional connection to the characters and stories. As the President of Global Brands and Experiences at Warner Bros., Pam Lifford oversees fan engagement, experiences, and consumer products for these and dozens of other beloved Warner Bros. franchises (there are so many, we can’t possibly list them all here). She also leads the publishing side of storytelling giant DC Comics, home to Superman and Wonder Woman. “Our goal is to have our products, no matter what type, enhance that story and that connection [with fans] versus derail it or create anxiety from it,” Pam says of the fan relationship. With so many responsibilities, you could easily call Pam a superhero. Her superpower? Listening. Pam joins the podcast to talk about the value of building strong relationships -- with fans, colleagues, consumers, and partners -- and growing the consumer products and experiences for the most popular and lucrative franchises in the world.
Listen to this episode to learn: • What goes into managing a global consumer products business that spans across apparel, toys, collectibles, homegoods, and much more
• The rules of fan engagement -- what you can and can’t do -- and learning from mistakes
• The value of building an ecosystem of connection points within the business and through different consumer products and experiences
• Advice on localizing global brands and embracing cultural nuances that make fans feel seen, heard, and understood
• Speed, data, e-commerce, storytelling, and what’s next for the future of fan engagement
Reshma Saujani founded Girls Who Code in 2012, with a mission to close the gender gap in computer science and educate and prepare girls for careers in the technology industry. While the non-profit grew and the amount of women earning degrees in computer science increased, gender equality continues to lag inside of tech companies. Women are still being denied the same career opportunities as men, regardless of their education level or skill set. Then came the pandemic, dealing a devastating blow to women and their careers. Since the start of Covid-19, more than 2.3 million women have been forced out of the U.S. workforce, undoing over three decades of progress towards gender equality. The lack of leadership on this crisis was the impetus for Reshma’s new initiative, the Marshall Plan for Moms, which calls for "long overdue policies like paid family leave, affordable childcare, and pay equity." She joins the podcast to talk about solving the cultural and systemic forces that exist inside of tech companies, and across greater society, that hold women back and inhibit the U.S. from realizing its full economic potential.
Listen to this episode to learn:
• Why tech companies should be addressing the problem of “unearned privilege” rather than the myth of the “pipeline problem”
• The cultural problem of toxic masculinity inside tech companies -- and how it’s forcing far too many women (especially younger women) to drop out of tech entirely
• How bravery can be the antidote to perfectionism
• How role models like Vice President Kamala Harris inspire women of color -- or, as Reshma says, “You cannot be what you cannot see.”
• Why true gender equality needs vocal male allies and advocates -- at home and at work
• What’s next for Reshma as she steps down as CEO of Girls Who Code and hands leadership over to Dr. Tarika Barrett
For more information: girlswhocode.com and marshallplanformoms.com
Before “Argo,” “Juno,” “Slumdog Millionaire,” and “The King’s Speech” became some of the most successful films in Hollywood (and subsequently went on to win Oscars), they were all on The Black List. Started in 2005 by Franklin Leonard, then a junior film executive at Leonardo DiCaprio’s production company, The Black List is an annual survey of film industry executives that aggregates their favorite unproduced movie scripts. Today, it’s become much more than just a list. The Black List has grown into a company with Franklin as its founder and CEO, on a mission to identify great screenplays and talented screenwriters wherever they can be found -- especially in places where Hollywood historically hasn't looked. “The goal is to open all of the windows and doors in the industry for people who have the talent, both for the benefit of those people but also for the industry,” Franklin says. He joins the podcast to talk about democratizing access to the motion picture industry -- traditionally an insular and biased system -- and how he’s creating a true Hollywood meritocracy by sourcing storytelling talent from around the world.
Listen to this episode to learn:
• From launching a database of new screenwriting talent to producing original films to brand partnerships, how The Black List is expanding the way it finds and celebrates a diversity of talent
• A recent McKinsey study reveals the massive opportunity costs of Hollywood’s anti-Black bias -- and highlights the positive financial outcomes of diversity, inclusion, and accessibility
• The methodology behind The Black List, and why you should consider it a “menu,” not a ranking
• Franklin’s thoughts about Martin Scorsese's essay on Hollywood degrading the art of cinema
• Why society will need storytellers coming out of the pandemic -- the values these stories embody, and the decisions made by those funding them, will be consequential
For more information: www.blcklst.com
When Steve Huffman co-founded Reddit, the 21-year-old engineer envisioned a place on the Internet where people around the world could connect with one another through common interests and passions. A place where anyone could find community and belonging. A place that embodied and exemplified the potential of the Internet. Established as a decidedly “anti-establishment” company, Reddit was built as a meritocracy where content was regulated by its community with a simple up or down vote — not by Reddit itself. But over time, as Reddit grew, it eventually had to confront the worst of the Internet: speech that destroys community and makes people feel unsafe. Huffman joins the podcast to talk about how Reddit has evolved, navigating the proliferation of hate speech and the spread of misinformation while also staying true to its mission. Huffman also shares how his perspective as a leader has changed and why he believes that “as long as community is universal, everybody will have a home on Reddit.”
Listen to this episode to learn: • The thinking behind Reddit’s content policy and the reasoning behind decisions to ban Reddit communities like r/The_Donald
• Why Huffman doesn’t want Reddit to grow too fast — and how the company is designed to grow authentically rather than artificially
• How Reddit co-creates its experiences and products with Redditors through their direct feedback and influence
• Why r/Wallstreetbets is an example of Reddit working well and why the retail investing community represents a global transition to people having more power than institutions
• Whether Reddit would have been better served to be a non-profit like Wikipedia
• Reddit’s plans to expand internationally and enable more people to find their sense of belonging
In 2005, when Sal Khan was tutoring his young cousins, he started to see a pattern: personalized education (in this case, tutoring) helped students to master concepts and fill in the gaps in their knowledge, making it easier to advance to the next level. Sal, a hedge fund manager at the time, next took his tutoring lessons to YouTube, where his pleasant and intuitive instruction style went viral, resonating with students worldwide. Millions of views later, Khan left his day job to become the founder and CEO of Khan Academy, a not-for-profit educational organization that today operates in more than 190 countries and has more than 120 million users. Khan joins the podcast to talk about why the old ways of education need to change to keep pace with our global economy. He also explains why we need to move towards an educational ecosystem where every student can receive a tailored education -- be it in-person, digitally, or both -- at a mass scale.
Listen to this episode to learn: • The backstory behind Khan Academy’s mission to provide a free world class education to anyone, anywhere
• How distance learning during the pandemic has revealed what works (and what doesn't) in both the physical and digital classroom
• The pros and cons of being a non-profit company in the competitive for-profit edtech sector
• The role platforms like TikTok can play in connecting with and educating students around the world
• How Sal’s new venture, schoolhouse.world, aims to offer free, live, online tutoring help to all students through a global network of volunteer tutors
For more information: www.khanacademy.org
Over the decades, the airline industry has had to grapple with the aftermath of several historical crises, including the Gulf War, 9/11, and the Great Recession. But none has unleashed as much economic devastation and created more uncertainty as the COVID-19 pandemic. Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Air Lines, calls it “the defining crisis of our generation.” To get through the early days of the pandemic, he knew the company had to move quickly and, above all else, protect the health and wellbeing of Delta’s employees and customers. His guiding principle: a crisis doesn’t build character, it reveals it. Bastian joins the podcast to give an inside look into how Delta is overcoming this once-in-a-lifetime crisis, the changes it’s making to give customers peace of mind about flying again, and his outlook for the future of air travel in the years ahead.
Listen to this episode to learn: • Why safety protocols like keeping the middle seat empty give customers peace of mind and are an extension of the premium nature of Delta’s brand
• Why Bastian proudly says, “We’ve never worked harder to accomplish so little yet achieve so much”
• What early booking data is suggesting about people’s confidence to travel again
• How a societal void in leadership has altered the role of CEO -- and why business leaders can no longer afford to sit on the political sidelines
• Whether international travel alliances will weaken or strengthen post-pandemic
• Why Delta remains committed to a sustainable future, spending $1 billion over the next 10 years to become the world’s first carbon-neutral airline
People often confuse the act of being mindful with the practice of meditation. But mindfulness isn’t a practice, says Ellen Langer, a Harvard University professor of psychology and author of the groundbreaking book, Mindfulness. “It’s an understanding of the inherent uncertainty in the world that leads you to pay attention.” But too often we operate in a state of mindlessness -- because we think we already know the right answers. We’re mostly oblivious to our mindlessness. But not knowing is a very good thing, indeed. Langer joins the podcast to talk about the energy begetting benefits of simply noticing new things -- or, being mindful. She discusses the power of being comfortable with uncertainty and how individuals and businesses can embrace mindfulness to see problems and create solutions from different perspectives.
Listen to this episode to learn: • The “psychology of possibility” and why the limits we see in our life -- even our physical health -- aren’t fixed or as real as we believe they are
• Mindlessness occurs because we fail to realize that everything that is was at one point a decision based on uncertainty
• Why 1 + 1 doesn’t always equal 2. (Context matters!)
• The benefits of replacing defensive pessimism (expecting or preparing for the worst but hoping for the best) with mindful optimism
• The limits of “work/life balance,” and why “work/life integration” is a better pathway towards being happier and more productive
• How increased mindfulness after living through a year of Covid-19 might impact our post-pandemic world
As an internationally recognized public health expert, Dr. Ashish Jha knew that a global pandemic wasn’t a matter of if, but when. In the early days of COVID-19, Dr. Jha predicted that the United States would handle the pandemic well because of the country’s advanced biomedical infrastructure, laboratory capabilities, healthcare system, and testing resources. A year later, his view on America’s ability to respond to a pandemic, both at the public and private sector level, has evolved. “I overemphasized technical capability and undervalued governance, leadership, communication, and social cohesion.” Dr. Jha, the Dean of the School of Public Health at Brown University, shares his thoughts on America’s botched response to COVID-19, what we can learn from it, and how to improve public health to better prepare us for when (not if) the next global pandemic emerges.
Listen to this episode to learn: • How environmental and climate change, as well as globalization, are causing more novel diseases to emerge and spread -- and why we should expect more pandemics in the future
• Why the politicalization of Covid-19 undermined public health messages and amplified conspiracy theories and misinformation
• Ways to improve communication and warnings during a public health emergency
• Why trust is currency and why what people believe is driven by who they trust
• How complex vaccine distribution plans create inequality, and why a simple lottery system might be more a equitable solution to get vaccines out faster
• Parallels between the pandemic and the climate crisis
• When will we get back to normal, and what will normal look like?
Follow Dr. Jha: www.twitter.com/ashishkjha
When Lorraine Twohill joined Google in 2003, the nascent tech company was just beginning to expand beyond the United States into other countries. Google was also expanding beyond search, building new products like Gmail and Google Maps. Twohill’s role at the time was to help engineers get these products right for each country, taking into account local differences and cultural nuances. Today, as Google’s Chief Marketing Officer, Twohill says those early days built the foundation for the company’s ability to understand multicultural audiences and build diversity and representation into Google’s products and marketing. But there’s more work to be done and diversity needs to exist inside the company, too. “I don't think you can fully represent the world unless you have the world working for you,” she says. Twohill joins the podcast to share how Google’s diverse global marketing team takes thoughtful steps to put great work out into the world that makes you feel something, helps make life easier, and represents us all.
Listen to this episode to learn:
• Why, in tech, if you fail at product marketing, you will fail at all marketing
• How machine learning and a partnership with the Geena Davis Institute helped Google identify stereotypes in their advertising and improve racial, age, and gender representation
• The thinking behind some of Google’s most famous ads, and why showing the company’s humanity, playfulness, and empathy is so important
• How Google is partnering with the WHO, the CDC, and the Ad Council to promote COVID-19 safety and vaccination efforts
• Why Google aims to be for everyone but will always fight against injustices that are antithetical to its values, like xenophobia, homophobia, and racial and gender inequality
• Why a career in tech gives people an extraordinary opportunity to create impact at scale in the world -- and advice for those who want to enter or advance their careers in the industry
For a century, Tesco has been synonymous with British life. Today, the grocery retailer serves 80 million customers a week from the UK to Malaysia. But in the 2010s the business was faltering and becoming disconnected from its customers. The Tesco brand had become a drag on people’s perception of the quality of the food it sold. In 2014, Dave Lewis joined Tesco to turn the business around and in 2017, Alessandra Bellini joined the team as Chief Customer Officer, charged with revitalizing the brand and re-engaging Tesco with its shoppers. Bellini joins the podcast to take us inside how the retailer turned around its business by simplifying its product lines and shifting its focus towards customers and their love for food. She also talks about how Tesco responded to the Covid-19 crisis with unprecedented speed at scale -- from implementing safety protocols to hiring and training thousands of new colleagues -- forcing the company to flex its 100-year-old “memory muscle” where everyone instinctively knew what to do to help customers and colleagues.
Listen to this episode to learn:
• A brief history of Tesco and how it earned a reputation for innovative retail experiences
• The difference in responsibility and scope between a Chief Customer Officer and a Chief Marketing Officer
• How Tesco changed its brand strategy and simplified its value own-label brands to remove confusion and regain customer trust
• How Tesco responded fast in the early days of the pandemic -- including daily customer sentiment check-ins and launching a multi-channel campaign in 72 hours
• How values guide Tesco’s decisions to take a stand on social and political issues
Many people are skeptical that companies set out to achieve a higher purpose other than profit and serve any group other than shareholders. But John Mackey, founder and CEO of Whole Foods Market, has always pushed back against this notion. In 2013, he co-wrote the best-selling book, “Conscious Capitalism,” which laid out a philosophy that businesses should be guided by the value and good they can contribute to the world, not solely the profits they generate. His new book, “Conscious Leadership,” applies this thinking to leadership and building purpose-driven cultures. Mackey joins the podcast to explain how leaders can become more awake and intentional (that is, more conscious) -- creating greater value for companies and their employees, the customers they serve, and the communities they live in.
Listen to this episode to learn: • How to lead with love and create cultures in which people can flourish and maximize their potential -- and how it’s done at Whole Foods Market
• What Mackey told Milton Friedman he got wrong about the purpose of a business
• Why applying a “win-win-win” framework to your thinking can open up creativity and innovation and reveal higher purpose
• Why appreciation is the “gateway” to love -- and companies could use a lot more of it these days
• How to apply the Jungian psychological concept of “the shadow” to business and leadership
• How an animal rights activist opened Mackey’s eyes to what needed to be changed at Whole Foods Market
Five years ago, PayPal was considered a dinosaur in Silicon Valley. With an antiquated structure and business model, and new competitors like Apple Pay entering the market, the digital payments company’s future looked questionable. But in 2015, Dan Schulman took over as PayPal’s CEO. He brought with him a philosophy shaped by his experience studying the Israeli martial art of Krav Maga: never stand still. To constantly move forward, always be learning, and think expansively about the challenges you face. Today, PayPal is “a radically different company” than it once was, says Schulman. Under his leadership, PayPal has become one of the most successful tech companies in the world. He joins the podcast to talk about the mission to democratize financial services, why profit and purpose should never be at odds, and why being a “customer champion” means sometimes going against your own business model to do what’s right for customers.
Listen to this episode to learn: • Why a company’s single biggest competitive advantage is its ability to attract and retain the best talent -- and pay them enough to be financially healthy
• How PayPal created the “Net Disposable Income” metric to measure its employees’ financial well-being, and why other companies should do the same
• Lessons from Schulman’s working relationship and kinship with Sir Richard Branson
• How understanding someone’s life through experiencing it (rather than reading a report about it) engenders the authenticity and insight to design relevant products and services
• Why CEOs shouldn’t be focused on politics, but rather consistently standing for a set of values
Humanity is facing an existential threat. The destruction of ecosystems and rainforests, the extraction and burning of fossil fuels, rising carbon emissions and sea levels -- these wounds to our planet have dire consequences that affect us all. Since 1971, Greenpeace has been bringing attention to these threats through peaceful, direct action and standing up to the people and companies who are destroying the planet -- while risking arrest and harsh penalty. “You have to stand up for what you believe in and hope that people will support you and that ultimately you will prevail,” says John Sauven, the Executive Director at Greenpeace UK. He’s worked in various roles at Greenpeace for nearly 30 years and has been an instrumental figure in the organization’s success. John joins the podcast to talk about Greenpeace’s mission and fierce independence; the interconnectedness between Covid-19, racial justice, and climate; and how governments, companies, and consumers each have a critical role to play in the fight against climate change.
Listen to this episode to learn: • The current state of the environment and why we’re leaving “the Garden of Eden”
• Why no matter what climate deniers believe or say, market forces are already driving us away from fossil fuels towards cheaper renewable sources of energy
• Why confronting the animal agriculture industry is the next chapter in the fight to save the rainforest and biodiverse ecosystems
• How Greenpeace stands up to multinational corporations like Unilever and BP, while also working with some companies to create positive change
• Lessons the climate change movement can learn from the global response to the Covid-19 pandemic
• How the younger generation is leading, organizing, and acting on climate issues
Our 100th Episode Early in his career, Chris Capossela got an inside look into Microsoft that few, if any, 20-somethings get. As a speechwriter for Bill Gates, Chris traveled the world and learned about the company and its leadership through the perspective of the CEO. Today, he’s Microsoft’s CMO, working under the leadership of Satya Nadella. After a 30-year tenure at Microsoft, Chris believes the last six years have been an “awesome transformation” for the company, as it’s shifted from a know-it-all culture to a learn-it-all culture. He joins the podcast to talk about how Microsoft discovered its new purpose and how the company is helping enterprise and small business customers recover from the pandemic crisis, and, for some, enter a new phase of reimagining their business for a post-Covid world.
Listen to this podcast episode to learn:
• How, at Microsoft, it’s all about culture and mission -- and the brand is embedded in that mission
• Why there is no simple path to cultural reinvention
• Why marketers should avoid layering too many high-level frameworks over their mission and brand
• The importance of having a growth mindset inside an organization
• Why Microsoft has changed its physical retail strategy, as more of its products are cloud-based and purchases are made digitally
• Why everything you read about Bill Gates’ humility and curiosity is true
During the years Tiffani Bova was advising startups and Fortune 500 companies, she kept coming up against the same questions: how do we accelerate growth? And, more importantly, how do we recover from slow, flat, or even negative growth? The answers to these questions were complex, and they inspired Bova to write the best-selling book, Growth IQ, which details the ten paths to growth that any company can take. Today, Bova is the global customer growth and innovation evangelist at Salesforce and host of the business podcast, What’s Next! She joins us to talk about how companies can put the systems, people, and processes in place to spot the signs of what she calls a “growth stall” early -- and the many ways companies across industries can take a customer-led, rather than a product-led, path to growth.
Listen to this podcast to learn: • Why focusing squarely on the competition can be paralyzing for companies - and what they should be focusing on instead
• How McDonald’s recovered from a growth stall by streamlining the menu, re-organizing the kitchen, and listening to customers who were asking for all day breakfast
• How partnerships -- even the most unlikely ones -- are an important and powerful source of growth
• The unintended consequences of proclaiming that you are customer-led, but not actually acting on it
• Why “the fastest way to get a customer to love your brand is to get employees to love their job”
For more information: www.tiffanibova.com
Ninety-five years ago, an economist named Paul "Doc" Smelser was working for Procter & Gamble when he set out to answer a simple question: What percentage of Ivory soap were people using to wash their face and hands vs. for washing dishes? The journey to answering that question was the catalyst for what is today known as consumer insights and market research. Today, 5 billion consumers around the world use P&G products everyday. Trusted brands like Gillette razors. Crest toothpaste. Tide detergent. And, of course, Ivory soap. Now, as COVID-19 has forced the world to stay home, these household staple brands have become an even more trusted and central part of our lives. Kirti Singh is the Chief Analytics & Insights Officer at P&G where he leads a consumer insights department, which has been named as one of the world’s most innovative client-side research teams. Kirti joins us to talk about the philosophy and purpose behind P&G’s insights team, and how advancements in technology and research methodologies have transformed how they understand human behavior, emotion, and consumption.
Listen to this episode to learn: • How the pandemic has changed P&G’s consumer research methods and accelerated virtual engagement
• How P&G uses consumer insights to discover growth opportunities, keep a consumer focus within the business and its brands, and activate growth drivers
• How advancements in data analytics, machine learning, behavioral sciences, and other methodologies have transformed P&G’s research capabilities
• Why Tide Pods are an example of “constructive disruption”
• How the economic downturn will affect consumers’ choices and likely move them towards brands that are trustworthy, reliable, and provide value
• Why being a successful insights leader requires curiosity, a growth mindset, and continuous reinvention
It seems impossible: replace the animal-based meat industry with plant-based alternatives by 2035. But that’s what Impossible Foods believes it will do. Why such an audacious mission? Because the animal agriculture industry is depleting the world's natural resources and releasing harmful greenhouse gases into our environment. The key to the fulfilling Impossible’s mission isn’t targeting vegetarians or vegans, but hardcore meat-eaters. Give them everything they crave about meat...just make it plant-based. Impossible Foods CFO David Lee joins the podcast to talk about how the company is taking a product- and market-based approach to solving the climate crisis; and the company's rapid growth in the U.S. and globally, partnering with chains like Burger King and Starbucks, and expanding into grocery retailers like Trader Joe’s and Walmart.
Listen to this podcast to learn: • Why the plant-based food industry is poised for multi-billion dollar growth over the next decade
• How the animal agriculture industry is contributing to the climate crisis, and why plant-based meat is the solution
• The molecule called “heme” that makes meat taste like meat, and how Impossible was able to recreate it in its cravable plant-based meats
• The difference in marketing to meat-eaters at a restaurant vs. in the grocery aisle
• How support from celebrity chef David Chang and Katy Perry’s “Impossible” Met Gala burger-gown raised awareness and helped create a loyal following
America was founded on principles of justice and equality. Yet, it has never lived up to these ideals in regards to how citizens of color are treated. The same can be said for many U.S. businesses, which, despite investing billions in ‘diversity and inclusion’ training programs, have also failed to truly diversify their workforces and leadership teams. Pamela Newkirk is an award-winning journalist, an NYU professor of journalism, and author of the critically-acclaimed book Diversity, Inc., which examines the efforts over the last 50 years to diversify the American workforce. She joins the podcast to talk about corporate America’s diversity problem, and why she believes we’re living in a “moment of reckoning” where we might be finally ready to confront the reality of racism and start fostering genuinely diverse workplaces.
Listen to this podcast to learn: • A brief history of systemic racism in America, and why the nation is becoming “post-White,” which makes race more of an issue than ever
• Why the everyday decisions made in our racially homogeneous worlds perpetuate the system of racism and injustice and denies opportunity to non-white people
• Reasons why the most progressive industries like entertainment, academia, and fashion are the least diverse
• How, after a 2000 landmark class-action discrimination lawsuit against Coca Cola, the company embarked on one of the most successful diversity transformations ever seen in corporate America
• The delusion of the colorblind or post-race mindset that many progressives fell into after the election of Barack Obama
• The reasons why diversity programs and mandatory anti-bias training in companies often do more harm than good
• Why progress comes not from having more strategies for change, but rather the will to change
The importance of this moment isn’t lost on Scott Uzzell, the CEO of Converse. “How do I bring the unique experiences of being a Black man in America to help people around me, other executives, society, the consumers that care about and love our brand...to make us better?” Uzzell also recognizes that, as the CEO of a global brand, he has a responsibility to listen and learn from others from diverse backgrounds with different perspectives -- and then, take bold action to create a more diverse and inclusive culture inside Converse and fight injustice and inequality outside of it. Uzzell joins the podcast to talk about what this moment means for him, what he’s learned while leading his company through unprecedented change, and why he thinks we’re about to see way more progress than we've seen before.
Listen to this podcast to learn: • Why the urgency of this moment demands that all CEOs “get off the couch” and do something
• What Uzzell learned about being “color brave” from Mellody Hobson, Vice Chair of the Board of Starbucks
• Why companies must confront and address tough political and racial issues
• How influencers help shape the Converse brand in local markets and inspire product innovation
• Why the original basketball sneaker is returning to the NBA -- and aligning with creatively-driven athletes like Draymond Green and Kelly Oubre Jr.
• The effects Covid-19 has had on the business and why Uzzell is optimistic about the future
For decades, market research was considered an “auditing function” -- a department inside the business that looks backwards at an ad campaign or a product, and identifies all the reasons why it performed either well or poorly. But as organic growth became more important to a company’s success, market research transformed into a forward-looking insights function. “You can't have organic growth unless you understand your customers,” says Ravi Dhar, professor at Yale School of Management and Director of Yale’s Center for Customer Insights. He joins the podcast to talk about the evolution and role of insights and how to fix the tension that exists between insights departments and the C-suite.
Listen to this podcast to learn: • The four stages of insights, based on Ravi’s research with Boston Consulting Group
• Why insights leaders should be in the room when strategic decisions are being made
• Changes in consumer behavior during the pandemic, and which new behaviors might persist
• The effects that two concepts -- “out of sight, out of mind” and “absence makes the heart grow fonder” -- could have on consumer demand after the pandemic subsides
• The inherent risk in looking to “consumers as scientists”
• Why insights require a collaboration of analytics, anthropology, and psychology
• The skills you need to become a successful insights professional now and in the future
For more information: https://som.yale.edu/faculty/ravi-dhar
Nicholas Thompson once wrote that WIRED’s purview is the future and that “the only way to think creatively about the future is with something like optimism.” But it’s hard to think optimistically right now. Our old ways of living have been fundamentally altered -- and may never return. Nicholas joins the podcast to talk about the profound changes we’re all living through and the broad implications this pandemic will have for society, businesses, technology, governments, and our environment.
Listen to this podcast episode to learn:
• Reasons to feel optimistic about our future (and challenges that will need to be solved)
• People’s perceptions of and attitudes towards Big Tech during this crisis
• The perilous state of data privacy when our health is on the line
• Are we experiencing a “work from home bubble” and overestimating the value of remote work?
• Whether the environmental movement may lose momentum in the years ahead
• How technologies like AI and blockchain may help build stronger governments and smarter policy
• Why coronavirus has been bad for (poorly run) democracies
For more info: www.nickthompson.com
Mathew Sweezey is a marketing futurist for Salesforce. Based on his research, he discovered that June 24, 2009, was a tipping point for media and marketing. That’s the day consumers officially overtook brands and businesses as the dominant media creators. Since then, an infinite and uncontrollable stream of noise -- tweets, Facebook updates, texts, blog posts, Amazon reviews -- has been the foundation of the new media environment. It has inspired new consumer behaviors and forced marketers to play by new rules. Matt joins the podcast to talk about his new book, Context Marketing Revolution: How to Motivate Buyers in the Age of Infinite Media, and why brands can no longer simply force messaging into the marketplace and expect that will be enough to persuade people to buy. Instead, brands must now market with context in mind and co-create with the very people who create and consume.
Listen to this podcast episode to learn:
• What is contextual marketing and how does it differ from what has worked in the past?
• How brands have shifted to a new business model of “market, sell, build, market”
• Mercedes vs. Tesla: two starkly different approaches to marketing
• How high-performing brands like Oreo have co-created with the marketplace to establish demand for new products before they launch
• How LEGO designed around the context of people’s holiday shopping pains in order to boost online sales
• The downside of A/B testing
• How companies like Room and Board use AI to create “headless commerce”
• What’s next in marketing as AI, video, and voice take center stage
For more information: mathewsweezey.com
In luxury, “cookie cutter” doesn’t cut it. And for a luxury hotel brand, it has to strike a delicate balance between delivering a guest experience that’s both consistent and one-of-a-kind. Bill Walshe, CEO at Viceroy Hotel Group, says that consistency shouldn’t stifle the things that guests remember: spontaneity, authenticity, individuality, and creativity. He calls his philosophy “consistent individuality.” Viceroy Hotel Group maintains 15 properties around the world, from St. Lucia to Los Cabos to Beverly Hills and beyond, with another 8 soon to enter the brand’s portfolio. Each maintains its own distinct sense of location and destination while also sharing Viceroy’s brand essence. Walshe joins the podcast to give his take on what luxury means in the service industry today, and how Viceroy designs its experience around changing guest preferences, new technologies, brand partnerships, and shared values.
Listen to this podcast episode to learn:
• Why hotels aren’t just service providers; they’re content providers with Instagrammable moments in mind
• From celebrity chefs to spin studios, how the right brand partnerships and alliances add value to the guest experience and future-proof the business
• Why guests want to stay at hotels where they feel they're making a positive impact on the world through a “contribution without compromise”
• Why Viceroy decided to open the first-ever hotel designed around celebrating female achievement and empowerment (Hotel Zena in Washington, DC)
• Is luxury’s assumed exclusivity a “historically passé” notion?
When Google embarked on an extensive study to understand what makes for a high-performing team, it was Amy Edmondson’s research on “psychological safety” that became the foundation of the company’s findings. Edmondson, a Harvard Business School professor and organizational behavior expert, joins the podcast to talk about her latest book, The Fearless Organization. She says that “psychological safety describes a climate at work where one believes that you can freely speak up with any idea, concern, question, even mistakes.” It’s “a sense of permission for candor.” She explains the benefits of creating psychological safety in the workplace and why it’s essential for learning, innovation, and growth in the knowledge economy.
Listen to this podcast episode to learn:
• Do better teams make fewer mistakes, or are they more willing to talk about them?
• Why “problems are gems” and how leaders can use mistakes to improve performance
• Why customer truths don’t always tend to make it up the corporate hierarchy
• Differences between the “comfort zone” and the “anxiety zone” at work, and why the latter is more dangerous
• Misconceptions about what psychological safety is (and what it isn’t)
• Actions we can all take to create greater psychological safety at work and in our personal lives
In 2013, Steve Blank, adjunct professor at Stanford University, and one of three co-founders of the Lean Startup Movement, wrote a front-cover article for Harvard Business Review entitled, “Why the Lean Start-Up Changes Everything.” It was a call to action for large companies to embrace the lean startup methodology of innovation. But after spending the past seven years working with large companies, Blank now believes his initial thesis was wrong. Large companies are not bigger versions of startups anymore so than startups are smaller versions of large companies. Applying lean startup methods in large companies creates “innovation theater” and not real innovation. Blank joins the podcast to talk about his next big idea for business: the Innovation Doctrine. He describes the fundamental changes large organizations need to make to their thinking, leadership, and structure to innovate faster than competitors and the perpetual disruption happening around them.
Listen to this podcast episode to learn:
• The core differences between startups and big companies
• The origins of the Customer Development Method and a brief overview of the Lean Startup Movement
• The key aspects of the Innovation Doctrine and how it aligns with current business methodologies
• Why companies need rule books to draw innovation from the “frozen middle”
• Why a dysfunctional upbringing can be an asset for entrepreneurs or anyone operating in a chaotic environment
• Life and work lessons Steve learned from serving in the Vietnam War
The demand for sports betting has existed for decades in the United States, but it has traditionally been confined to the black market and Nevada, the only state where sports betting is legal. That all changed on May 14, 2018, when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), effectively legalizing sports betting in the United States – as long as a state government allows for it. The removal of regulations have opened up a new market (and created a huge opportunity) for online gaming companies like DraftKings. Jason Robins, CEO of DraftKings, joins the podcast to talk about the evolution of his company and why a deep understanding of customers is the key to leading in the new era of legalized sports betting.
Listen to this podcast episode to learn:
• How DraftKings is managing its transformation from a daily fantasy sports provider to a sports betting and online gaming company
• How the culture, regulations, and attitudes around sports betting have changed in the United States
• Why the most impactful insights emerge from a combination of listening to customers and data analysis
• How legalizing a market that was once in the shadows helps create more transparency and responsible practices
• The business value of “not being fully prepared,” and why entrepreneurs should expect to waste their first marketing dollars
• What lies ahead for DraftKings and the industry
Our cultural obsession with flying cars has been well-documented: the 1927 film Metropolis, the 1960s cartoon The Jetsons, the 1980s Back to the Future movies. But flying cars have always been a sci-fi fantasy, not a reality. That may be changing sooner than we realize. At CES 2020, Uber and Hyundai announced the first air taxi, the all-electric S-A1. According to Eric Allison, Head of Uber Elevate, this is just the beginning. He joins the podcast to talk about the vision of Uber Elevate, how Uber is integrating air travel into our end-to-end mobility experience, and using partners, data, and people to make flying taxis a reality.
Listen to this podcast episode to learn:
• How Uber is working to build the “operating system for cities” through partnership-driven strategy and a deep understanding of urban mobility
• How both human insight and data analysis are informing the design, operation, and “inside out” passenger experience
• Why local community engagement is so important to understanding and addressing the concerns of those affected (e.g., citizens, policy makers, and governments)
• How Uber Copter and VR simulations have served as a rich testing ground for passenger feedback
• The environmental, safety, and consumer cost challenges -- and how is Uber addressing them
• When will we really be able to hop in an air taxi?
Leadership is not a role. It’s a process. A process of exercising influence in order to bring about a desired outcome. So says Bernie Banks. He’s the Associate Dean for Leadership Development and a Clinical Professor of Management at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. He served as a U.S. Army Officer for more than 30 years, retiring from the Army as a Brigadier General in 2016 after having successfully led West Point’s Department of Behavioral Sciences & Leadership. Banks joins the podcast to explain his eight core leadership principles and draws parallels between effective leadership in the military and in business.
Listen to this podcast episode to learn:
• Why leaders can’t default to exerting formal authority and a “do it because I said so” approach
• Why leadership is about establishing credibility, building empathy, earning trust, and aligning interests
• The West Point Honor Code and what business could gain from following it
• Charisma doesn’t guarantee great leadership (though, it can help)
• Reasons why we distrust our leaders the decline in trust in institutions and our growing distrust in leadership
• Why companies should accept that different leaders may be required at different phases of an organization’s growth
• Why disciplined execution is perhaps the most important leadership principle of all
The Cluetrain Manifesto, published at the turn of 21st century, was one of the most prophetic and important books written about the internet. It was a call to arms -- and a warning for businesses -- that the internet is a place where human beings want to connect with one another, not be marketed to. One of the co-authors of the Manifesto, David Weinberger, is now a senior researcher at Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society. His most recent book is Everyday Chaos. He joins the podcast to talk about machine learning and how it helps us make better predictions and why it reveals how profoundly complex and chaotic our world is.
Listen to this episode to learn:
• What the Cluetrain Manifesto got right -- and wrong -- about the internet, 20 years on
• What machine learning is and how it’s a radically new way of thinking about how the world works and our place in it
• The danger of algorithmic bias when left unchecked
• Why making decisions without knowing “why” is actually a good thing
• The benefits of following a “Minimum Viable Strategy” and using “unanticipation” to navigate and capitalize on uncertainty
• Why Milton Friedman gave cover to the worst impulses of business (and the hope that the Business Roundtable will give cover to the far better ones)
For more information: www.everydaychaosbook.com
All around us, risk is increasing along with growing instability and volatility. Cyber crime, climate change, and social division are just some of the major threats we face. Thomas Buberl, CEO of AXA, one of the world’s largest insurance and financial services companies, says that the company’s success hinges on helping customers reduce their risk to threats. In an industry that has historically leveraged risk to its own advantage, Buberl believes it’s time for a new approach: move from payer to partner. Building a partnership with customers, he says, helps them to live better (and less risky) lives. For a Fortune 50 company like AXA, which serves more than 100 million customers in 63 countries, how exactly does that happen? Buberl joins the podcast to explain how his role and the company mission is changing in “the golden age of insurance.”
Listen to this podcast episode to learn:
• Real-world applications of moving from payer to partner
• How the consequences of issues like climate change and societal division affect the risk in our lives
• Why Buberl became a founding member of the Climate Finance Leadership Initiative, and the purpose behind the organization
• The shifting purpose of CEOs (should they focus on “excitement”?)
• Why “iconic moves” can make a brand promise tangible and visible
• Strategies and advice for how business leaders can stay close to global employees
Founded in 1847, the American Medical Association has a long history of advocating for physicians and advancing medicine in the United States. Today, more than 250,000 physicians are AMA members, all hailing from a cross-section of medical specialties. Todd Unger, the AMA’s Chief Experience Officer and SVP of Physician Engagement, is leading a massive digital transformation to expand the AMA’s membership and support its mission. Unger joins the podcast to talk about the ways the AMA is changing how it interacts with its members -- adopting a new content strategy and creating a more human brand.
Listen to this podcast episode to learn:
• What is the AMA, who is its audience, and what is its mission
• How the AMA is transitioning from a “membership” experience to a “subscription-based” experience
• How a lunch with a physician changed sparked Unger’s “ah ha” moment
• How the House of Delegates shapes the AMA’s unifying voice
• The problem of burnout and other obstacles physicians face in getting to patient outcomes
• Lessons from building a member experience infrastructure from the ground up
The Second City is arguably the most renowned and important improv institution in the world. Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Stephen Colbert all honed their craft in Chicago on The Second City stage. Kelly Leonard hired each of them, along with many other budding stars throughout the 1990s and 2000s, when he oversaw Second City’s creative expansion and development. In 2015 he co-authored the book, Yes, And. Today, Leonard is the executive director of applied improvisation at Second City Works, the business arm of The Second City, and he’s the host of the Getting to Yes, And podcast. He joins us to talk about how applying improv to business teaches us to listen and focus effectively, collaborate with others, and be ready for change. Because business life isn’t any different from human life. We just need to listen to each other more, embrace our failures, and keep improvising.
Listen to this podcast episode to learn:
• Why improv is essentially “human being practice” that teaches us how to make something out of nothing -- and that’s what we do in business, too
• How rehearsals and synchronicity create “peak performers” in the arts...and in business
• Why organizations (and the humans within them) have a listening problem, and what we can do to fix it
• How isolation and a “conspiracy of silence” around suffering ultimately hurt us at work
• Why it’s better to incorporate many failures into your success narrative rather than try to beat failure out of you
• The one improv technique you can start using today to create a better connection with your coworkers
For more information: www.secondcityworks.com
Disruptive innovation. Visionary leaders. Innovative culture. All phrases you’ve likely seen before in your LinkedIn feed, heard in TED Talks, or read in business book titles. Forget them all. The one neologism you need to know: loonshot. Unlike its celebrated etymological parent, the moonshot, a loonshot is a great idea that’s widely dismissed as too crazy to ever succeed. That’s according to physicist, former biotech CEO, and ex-Obama Administration science advisor, Safi Bahcall. He joins the podcast to talk about his new book, Loonshots, and discuss why we need leaders with heart who boldly make changes to the structure of a company (not the culture) in order to nurture those crazy ideas.
Listen to this podcast episode to learn:
• The difference between a moonshot and a loonshot, and how to get the latter off the ground
• How business leaders can bridge the divide between a company’s “soldiers” (the doers) and its “artists” (the creators) — while loving them equally
• Why we should all erase the term “disruptive innovation” from our business vernacular
• How the film industry has mastered maximizing franchises and nurturing loonshots
• The need for leaders to be “careful gardeners” and to always avoid the “Moses trap”
• What the physics of a glass of water can reveal about the dynamics of group behavior
For more information: www.bahcall.com
Companies like Disney, Nike, Amazon, and Netflix are all creating continuous relationships with customers by implementing a “connected strategy” — a way to reduce customer barriers; create a better customer experience; all at a lower cost. Any company can do the same, but there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Christian Terwiesch and Nicolaj Siggelkow, professors at the Wharton School and co-directors of Penn’s Mack Institute for Innovation Management, join the podcast to talk about their latest book, Connected Strategy: Building Continuous Customer Relationships for Competitive Advantage. They walk through the four primary types of connected strategies companies use today -- respond to desire, curated offering, coach behavior, and automatic execution — and why connected strategies are the future of business.
Listen to this podcast episode to learn:
• What is a connected strategy, and what are the benefits for companies and customers alike?
• The differences between the four types of connected strategies, and how and when to implement them
• Why effective connected strategies can anticipate certain customer needs — sometimes before customers even know they have one!
• The implications of privacy and trust when building a connected strategy — how do companies even begin to understand what’s acceptable vs. what’s creepy?
• Challenges organizations face when designing and implementing a connected strategy
• Why trust can only be earned when a company shows how it creates value for the customer — it happens incrementally over time
• Examples of successful connected strategies in different industries, including health care, transportation, retail, and entertainment
For more information: www.connected-strategy.com
From direct-to-consumer to augmented reality shopping, the retail industry is experiencing massive – and rapid – change. It’s not just new retailers that are disrupting the industry. Some of the best and most innovative retail experiences are happening at iconic brands that have been around for generations. The Hudson’s Bay Company, founded in 1670, is the oldest company in North America. It has more than 3,00 stores, 40,000 employees, and iconic brands like Saks Fifth Avenue and Hudson’s Bay. Bari Harlam, Chief Marketing Officer at Hudson’s Bay Company, joins the podcast to take us inside the company’s “radically better” customer-centric culture. She explains how the company is merging online and in-store experiences to create a highly personalized, “unified shopping” experience.
Listen to this podcast episode to learn: • Why the physical store and the personal sales associate are even more important in a digital world
• What went into the company’s biggest research project ever: understanding the entire customer journey
• The value of being “vaguely right” vs. “precisely wrong” when it comes to data
• How General Stanley McChrystal’s “team of teams” strategy has helped Hudson’s Bay launch pilot programs across its stores that keep the company nimble
• Why how you use loyalty data is what matters most
An identity theorist is someone who studies how people come to adopt certain visions or desired images of themselves. It’s a term created by Americus Reed II, Professor of Marketing at the Wharton School of Business. Branding and marketing are fundamentally about persuasion, he says, but both can have implications beyond traditional tactics and thinking. Reed joins the podcast to talk about “identity loyalty” -- how a person’s psychological and emotional connection to what a brand means and stands for gets internalized and becomes a part of who they are.
Listen to this podcast episode to learn: • The upside for brands that are willing to take a leap of faith and relinquish control
• Why “segmentation” and “targeting” aren’t bad things, it just depends on how marketers treat them
• Was Milton Friedman wrong? Or has our moral imperative changed?
• How innovation can be part of a brand’s story and identity
• How to use branding as a meaning system inside a company, to create employee buy-in and strengthen culture
• Amid politicization of brands and business, when (and should) brands take a stand?
• Why consumers are demanding a new skill set in the C-suite: authentic communication of vision and values
For more information: americusreed.com
These days, it seems like most companies are talking about their “purpose.’ Those that aren’t are searching for one. But how does purpose get defined? Who defines it? And how can a company make sure its purpose isn’t just “words on a wall”? Jeremy Schwartz has some thoughts on the matter. He’s the former CEO at The Body Shop and the former joint CEO at Pandora. He’s also held leadership roles at Coca-Cola, Sainsbury’s, and L'Oréal UK. Schwartz visits the podcast to share his perspective on how, when properly crafted around customers, purpose provides a reference point that can springboard new ideas and innovation. He says companies should ditch hollow “mission,” “values,” and “vision” statements and instead replace them with a clear, timeless, and actionable purpose.
Listen to this podcast episode to learn: • Why creating a purpose takes guts, courage, and, above all, the willingness to listen to – and learn from – customers
• What all companies (especially FMCGs) can learn from the Silicon Valley tech giants about customer-centricity
• How brands like Costa Coffee are getting purpose right
• Why big companies can no longer afford to operate with a “production mindset”
• The value of “intrapreneurship” and how it can accelerate growth at big companies competing with nimble disruptors
• What Jeremy has learned from Tesco’s Terry Leahy and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos
Any company can detect early warning signs of a looming inflection point. They just need to know where to look and when to act. So says Columbia Business School professor and author Rita McGrath. She returns to the podcast for a discussion about her new book, Seeing Around Corners – giving advice on how to spot inflection points early, decide what to do, and get an organization on board. She shares stories of how companies like Nike, Netflix, and Microsoft have all taken advantage of inflection points, and common barriers to spotting them.
Listen to this podcast episode to learn: • What is an inflection point?
• Advice for business leaders on how to position yourself at the “edges” of your organization
• How inflection points make the “taken-for-granted assumptions about a business irrelevant”
• The three inflection points that propelled Netflix to success -- and the fourth one on the horizon
• How Satya Nadella transformed Microsoft’s future by rethinking its “leading indicators”
• Why climate change is one inflection point businesses can no longer afford to ignore
For more information: seeingaroundcornersbook.com
Money isn’t “male.” But men certainly have more of it. Without enough money to live independently and fund their retirement, it’s women who will suffer. After spending more than 20 years as one of Wall Street’s top executives, Sallie Krawcheck is now on a mission to put more money in the hands — and retirement accounts — of women. She’s CEO and co-founder of Ellevest, a digital investing platform for women. Krawcheck joins the podcast for a frank discussion about how the financial industry has failed women, and what she and her diverse team at Ellevest are doing differently to close the gender investment gap and empower “Elles” everywhere.
Listen to this episode to learn: • Why the retirement savings crisis in America is a women’s crisis
• What financial companies get wrong about female investors
• Why it’s not about marketing existing investment products to women, it’s about designing better ones for them
• That despite concrete economic benefits, gender diversity on Wall Street has regressed since the financial crash
• The relationship between the gender pay gap and the gender investment gap — and what we can do to fix it
• Who is “Elle,” and what does she mean for Ellevest?
• How algorithmic bias hurts women, society, and the economy
• What is the “Pink Tax”?
• Career advice for entrepreneurs and young women
In the corporate world, it’s evolve or die. Since 2000, 52% of Fortune 500 companies have either been acquired, merged, or gone bankrupt. Tom Siebel believes digital transformation is to the corporate world what a “mass extinction event” is to the evolution of life on Earth. That’s the thesis the tech industry icon and CEO of C3.ai lays out in his new book, Digital Transformation: Survive and Thrive in an Era of Mass Extinction. Siebel’s aim is to create a common understanding of digital transformation -- what it is and how organizations can take advantage of it. He joins the podcast to discuss how the application of a new generation of information technology -- comprised of elastic cloud computing, big data, the Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence -- will completely change business as we know it.
Listen to this podcast episode to learn: • How “punctuated equilibrium” explains today’s massive disruption and change in how businesses operate, create and deliver products to customers
• The one thing that all successful digital transformation initiatives have in common
• How organizations like 3M, Amazon, and the U.S. Air Force are successfully transforming
• Why precision medicine will revolutionize healthcare but also open up major privacy and security concerns
• The consumer and citizen benefits -- and dangers -- of our digital era
• Common reasons why CEOs fail or succeed at transforming their company
• Tom’s advice on leadership and how to create a culture that unites and inspires a diverse and multigenerational workforce
For more information on Tom Siebel's new book: digitaltransformation.ai
Matt Wallaert believes “behavioral science can change the world.” In his new book, Start at the End, he argues that too many business leaders approach change by asking the wrong question: “What are we going to do?” The right question is, “What do we want to happen?” and then how do you build backwards towards that behavior change? Wallaert is a behavioral scientist, author, speaker, entrepreneur, and Chief Behavioral Officer at Clover Health. He joins the podcast to talk about why companies need to put behavior at the center of everything they do.
Listen to this podcast episode to learn: • Why advertising and marketing should focus on behavior change rather than just attention and presentation
• What M&Ms vs. Snickers can teach us about “promoting pressures” and “inhibiting pressures” on human behavior
• Why market research needs to be forward looking and, possibly, split into two primary functions
• The value of a behavioral statement and why companies should articulate one
• Why every company needs (but likely doesn’t have) a Chief Behavioral Officer
• More from Wallaert’s book about his process for creating behavioral change
Fore more information: mattwallaert.com
Stories are the great unifier. When told well, they create a powerful connection to the human experience. No organization knows this better than The Moth. Since 1997, the nonprofit has shared more than 30,000 true personal stories in front of live audiences around the world. The Peabody Award-winning Moth Radio Hour airs on more than 500 public radio stations, and The Moth Podcast is one of the world’s most listened-to podcasts. There’s even three critically acclaimed Moth books, the most recent of which debuted at #12 on The New York Times bestsellers list.
Kate Tellers is a master storyteller, host, and director of MothWorks at The Moth, a program that’s worked with companies like Google, Nike, and Ford to teach employees and executives how, through personal stories, they can communicate better, celebrate shared values, and connect with each other. Tellers joins the podcast to talk about the principles of Moth storytelling and why a great story can make us understand ourselves and empathize with others.
Listen to this episode to learn:
• The origin of The Moth and how this female-led organization has become such a beloved platform for storytelling
• Why vulnerability, authenticity, and transformation are the essential elements in a powerful story
• Why “specificity breeds universality” and other practical tips you can use to craft your next story
• Avoiding “And then, and then, and then…” and other storytelling don’ts
• How leaders like Melinda Gates and Al Gore effectively use stories to create change
• False vulnerability, misleading your audience, and whether we can avoid the “dark side” of storytelling
For more information: themoth.org Follow MothWorks on Instagram: instagram.com/mothworks97/
Photo by Jason Falchook
Wharton School Professor of Marketing Peter Fader sometimes wishes he never used the words “Customer Centricity” in his first book, Customer Centricity, and his latest, The Customer Centricity Playbook. Because, to him, it’s not about THE customer, or even all customers. Rather, it’s about using data to figure out who are your most valuable customers. Those are the ones to center around. Fader joins the podcast for a discussion about the quantitative (or math) side of customer centricity and why we should all be celebrating “customer heterogeneity.”
Listen to this episode to learn: • Why CMOs should be thinking like CFOs and embrace customer-based corporate valuation and customer lifetime value (CLTV)
• The actuarial science of predicting customer behavior and “buy till you die” models
• Why many companies are paralyzed with fear that they might suffer a viral customer service mishap and become the next “United Breaks Guitars”
• How the valuations of IPOs like Lyft, Slack, Blue Apron, and Uber look different when you filter them through the customer lens
• The one piece of advice Fader would give to marketers and executives
For more information: petefader.com
How does anything become popular? And what are the influences that dictate our decisions – whether we’re conscious of it or not? Wharton School Professor Jonah Berger is a world-renowned expert on social influence, consumer behavior, and why things spread or go viral. He’s also written two bestselling books: Contagious: Why Things Catch On and Invisible Influence: The Hidden Forces that Shape Behavior. Berger joins the podcast to explain why, at its core, word of mouth marketing is about understanding your audience’s needs and motivations. While you “can’t cheat the system” with word of mouth, you can create it and get people sharing and talking about your stuff.
Listen to this episode to learn: • Why social currency makes people feel like insiders
• The impact of word of mouth, and why it happens less online than you think
• How triggers like “peanut butter and…” or the Snickers “Hangry” ad campaign can serve as reminders for brands and products
• How emotions (both positive and negative) can motivate us to share, or hold us back from sharing
• The brand strategy behind “same, but different” – or, why “optimal distinctiveness” has been so successful for companies like Apple, Chobani, and others
• A preview of Berger’s next book about how to change anyone's mind • Will the “royal” baby name Archie catch on, and how long until it falls out of fashion?
For more information on Jonah Berger: jonahberger.com
Innovation. It’s the most overused buzzword in business. It’s also a catalyst for growth. But is it possible for big companies to be truly innovative? Or are they destined for creative destruction? Gary Pisano, Professor and Senior Associate Dean at Harvard Business School, has spent his career studying and working with innovative companies. His book, Creative Construction: The DNA of Sustained Innovation, unpacks the three pillars of innovation: strategy, systems, and culture. He joins the podcast to bust the myth that “big is ugly” when it comes to innovation. And he explains how even the biggest companies can be designed and led in ways that turn them into forces of transformative innovation.
Listen to this episode to learn: • The unique challenges larger companies face when it comes to innovation • Why culture is the “software of the organization” that drives innovation
• The importance of “absorptive capacity” and the influence of the outside world on innovative organizations
• Underestimating the value of improving an existing technology when threatened by a disruptor
• How every employee in an organization can be innovative, impact culture, and create value for customers
• The problem with “innovation fatigue”
More information on Creative Construction: gpisano.com/book/creative-construction/
Is Hudson Yards the future of urban living? New York City’s newest neighborhood is now home to L’Oréal, SAP, Blackrock, Time Warner, and Coach, just to name a few. Famous chefs are opening restaurants. There’s residential space, public art, green space, retail shops, and a huge arts center called The Shed. Jeff Blau is the CEO of Related, the company behind Hudson Yards. He joins the podcast to talk about what went into the 10+ year process of planning, designing, and “curating” the world’s most ambitious real estate project.
Listen to this episode to learn: • How Related built “critical mass” by designing areas that complement each other
• The thinking that went into the Vessel, the beehive-looking experiential art piece you’ve seen on Instagram
• How Jeff and his team pivoted from their original marketing strategy after learning the top priority of hundreds of CEOs
• Why brick and mortar retail is alive and well
• The insight that inspired the first-ever Equinox hotel, and why it’s primed to disrupt the hospitality industry
• What’s next in Related’s pipeline, including new developments in London, Chicago, Silicon Valley, and Boston’s Seaport neighborhood
Understanding what makes humans “human” is an essential question for any company today. Especially the ones embarking on a digital transformation -- or any tech initiative. This is the subject of Kate O'Neill’s book, Tech Humanist: How You Can Make Technology Better for Business and Better for Humans. O’Neill, an author, keynote speaker, and strategic advisor, joins the podcast to explain why we need a new type of leader: the Tech Humanist. And why human experience, perspective, and empathy are the best guides for digital innovation.
Listen to this episode to learn: • What Best Buy, Starbucks, Apple, and Southwest Airlines get right about customer experience
• Why the act of “creating meaning” is so important to designing digital experiences
• The trade-offs between convenience and data privacy
• Why we need “benevolent business,” not “benevolent robots”
• Why measuring a company’s success based on profit alone is inherently one-dimensional
• The flaws and risks in taking a tech-led, rather than a research-led, approach to digital transformation
More information on Tech Humanist: www.koinsights.com/techhumanistbook/
David Bowie sang about one. Star Wars had an Alliance of them. James Dean portrayed one. Why is it that we admire rebels? Is there value in breaking the rules? Harvard Business School Professor Francesca Gino has studied rebels past and present, hailing from all walks of life, all around the world. She even wrote a book about it: Rebel Talent: Why it Pays to Break the Rules at Work and in Life. In our first-ever live recording at the Interbrand Academy Masterclass, Gino explains why nonconformity and rule breaking brings more joy, creativity, and meaning into our lives – professionally and personally.
Listen to this episode to learn: • The five defining characteristics of a rebel talent
• The difference between constructive rebelliousness and toxic arrogance
• What rule breakers like three-Michelin-star Italian chef, Massimo Bottura, Captain Sully Sullenberger, and other rebellious leaders teach us about the value of perspective
• How embracing novelty frees us from the grinding routines we blindly follow at work and in life
• Why fearless curiosity and reconnecting with childlike questions of “why?” are the ultimate rebel moves
• How to be a rebel, even in companies and cultures where breaking the rules is discouraged
More information on Rebel Talent: www.rebeltalents.org
How bright or dark will our future be with artificial intelligence? Who will control it? Amy Webb is a quantitative futurist and author of the book, The Big Nine: How the Tech Titans and Their Thinking Machines Could Warp Humanity. She joins the podcast to describe how AI is being controlled by just nine companies. In the U.S., the “G-Mafia”: Google, Microsoft Apple, Facebook, IBM, and Amazon. In China, the “BAT”: Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent. Webb explains why the future depends on courageous leaders, informed citizens, and collaboration on a global scale now...before it’s too late.
Listen to this episode to learn: • What AI is -- and what it isn’t
• The two developmental tracks of AI -- one in China driven by the government, the other in the US driven by markets -- and the consequences of each
• China’s “Social Credit System” and the potential deleterious impact it could have on the world
• What Amazon’s Alexa-powered microwave can tell us about the future
• The importance of every consumer to have an AI education (that means you!)
Lots of companies copy what’s cool and relevant in youth culture. But what about the ones defining it? The brands that are starting -- and owning -- the conversation. Since the mid-2000s, Complex Networks has driven the cultural ethos behind hip hop, style, sneakers, music, sports, food, art, and design. With a catalogue of original content that includes shows like Hot Ones and Sneaker Shopping, licensing deals, live events, and a distribution strategy that reaches millions of loyal fans, Complex Networks is an entirely different type of media brand. CEO Rich Antoniello joins the podcast to explain just how the company does it and how Complex has an unapologetically “inside out” influence on what’s cool now...and what’s cool next.
Listen to this episode to learn: • The story behind ComplexCon and how it changed the perspective of the Complex brand
• Why segmentation and fragmentation are permanent cultural shifts -- so you better embrace constant iteration!
• What building a dock can teach us about increasing reach without losing credibility and authenticity
• Will expertise and the “magic” of creativity suffer at the expense of speed?
• Why we’re about to experience the biggest shift in media and advertising we’ve ever seen -- and why most aren’t prepared for it
• Advice for those willing to “attack the white space”
Guy Kawasaki pioneered evangelism marketing. Starting in the mid-1980s as Chief Evangelist at Apple, Kawasaki spread the good gospel of the Macintosh computer. The product itself, Kawasaki says, made his job easier: “One of the lessons in my life is that it's easy to evangelize good stuff, but it's hard to evangelize crap.” Since his years working for Steve Jobs, Kawasaki has become a bestselling author, speaker, and evangelist for Canva, an online graphic design service, and ambassador for Mercedes-Benz. Kawasaki joins the podcast for a funny and heartwarming discussion about lessons from his life of evangelism and some stories from his new book, Wise Guy: Lessons from a Life.
Listen to this episode to learn: • Was Steve Jobs right when he said, “People don't know what they want until you show it to them”?
• How to bring brand evangelism and customer benefit together
• The problem with “Steve Jobs emulation mode,” and why it’s better to be like Sir Richard Branson
• The legitimizing power of a “second follower”
• What could happen if Silicon Valley continues to operate unchecked
• How, despite popular opinion, fear can be a powerful motivating force
• The tension between what a customer actually wants and what they think you want to hear
• The joy of sports cars, family time, and catching the perfect wave
Tom Colicchio is a James Beard Award-winning chef and owner of Crafted Hospitality, a restaurant group with restaurants across the U.S. He’s also a judge on “Top Chef,” Bravo’s Emmy-winning reality cooking competition show. Tom has seen and accomplished a lot since entering the culinary scene in 1980s New York City. He joins the podcast to talk about what he’s learned along the way, why people today are so food obsessed, and what goes into mastering the business and creative side of food.
Listen to this episode to learn: • A brief history of the rise of today’s food-centric culture
• Lessons from a career that spans opening the iconic Gramercy Tavern in NYC, to starting Crafted Hospitality, to being a Top Chef judge for 16+ years
• Why the restaurant experience (and any customer experience) must always push boundaries, even if it’s already exceptional
• How to manage a culture and creatives, ensuring they embody the same core values
• How success atrophied Tom’s creative “muscle,” and how he re-trained it (on Tuesdays and in the garden)
• Are food halls where Americans are dining out next?
• Advice for those looking to enter and/or move up in the restaurant industry
It started with a filmmaker’s audacious idea: establish one day of global unity, intercultural cooperation, and ceasefire. Now, 20 years later, 1.2 billion people around the world celebrate Peace Day on September 21st. Jeremy Gilley, founder of the non-profit organization Peace One Day, talks about how he turned his idea to institutionalize peace into a global movement. He also explains the organization's newest effort to launch Impact Profile, a “LinkedIn for change makers” that tracks and showcases an individual's positive contribution to humanity.
Listen to this episode to learn: • The story behind how Peace Day got started, confronting cynics and challenges, and the goal of getting 3 billion people to recognize Peace Day by 2025
• How the Dalai Lama, Kofi Annan, Jude Law, the United Nations, UNICEF, NATO, Burger King, and others have worked to grow the movement
• Why companies have the biggest role to play in fostering peace, and how they can connect impact and values with profit
• Why establishing “a day” has the power to be the rallying focal point of a budding movement
• The tangible benefits of Peace Day, like getting the Taliban to stop fighting for one day, allowing 4.5 million children to receive polio vaccinations
To learn more about Peace One Day, email Jeremy at Jeremy.Gilley@peaceoneday.org
Tina Sharkey is an entrepreneurial force. Since the days of the dial-up modem, she has been building communities, companies, and brands “with soul.” Today, she’s co-founder and CEO of Brandless, a fast-growing startup that’s putting everything from gluten-free hand cream to healthy snacks into the hands of more people at affordable prices. Sharkey says she’s “so done” with false narratives. Instead, she’s focused on scaling kindness. On the podcast, she explains the DNA of Brandless and how its success is rooted in trust, transparency, and community.
Listen to this episode to learn: • How to build a values-driven brand in a world where trust is eroding • Tools and tips for building a culture around customers (including handwritten thank-you notes!) • How the Brandless team looks to its community for insights, on everything from lifestyle choice to what’s on the label • What’s next for Sharkey, Brandless, and the growing do-good ethos
Trend chasing does not make for great advertising. It’s not a business model, either. As Jeff Beer, staff editor at Fast Company sees it, advertising is everything a brand does -- from creative execution to the CEO’s political donations. Recorded on location at the 2019 NRF Retail’s Big Show conference, Beer talks about what he’s learned from a career spent reporting on brand advertising and creativity, and what to look out for in the year ahead.
Listen to this episode to learn: • Purpose is as unique in a company as it is in humans; with examples from Salesforce, Unilever, Toms, and Patagonia • The customer value of utility versus purpose; and the business impact of scale versus intensity • Does Gillette’s toxic masculinity ad embody the best and worst of modern advertising? • Why Scott Galloway’s prediction of “woke” as a business strategy will dominate in 2019 • Examples of great work from brands (they all use a mix of creativity, distribution, storytelling, and outside-in thinking)
Additional reading: Jeff Beer’s Fast Company articles: https://bit.ly/2NWINWd
2019 NRF Retail’s Big Show recap: https://bit.ly/2DMR3D3
Scott Galloway's 2019 business predictions: https://bit.ly/2VL1WyD
As Beth Comstock sees it, most companies simply aren’t ready for the massive change happening in the world. After nearly three decades in senior leadership roles at GE and NBC Universal, she’s learned a lot from her successes (and failures) in navigating change and fostering creativity. It’s why she wrote her book, Imagine It Forward: Courage, Creativity, and the Power of Change. Comstock joins the podcast to share ideas from her book and why she describes herself as an “outsider inside.”
Listen to this podcast to learn: • Why fear hinders your ability to change and innovate • From Hulu to green tech: stories about how to push for change and fight for the future • How to inspire innovators (even when they think they’re Steve Jobs) • What Saudi women and Brooklyn entrepreneurs taught her about innovation • Comstock’s GE legacy and where her journey (or, walkabout) will take her next
Author and Columbia Business School Professor Rita Gunther McGrath is a world-renowned expert on strategy, innovation, and growth. Her work has been a beacon for companies during times of uncertainty. She and Ian MacMillan created “discovery-driven planning,” a foundational idea for the lean startup methodology — and her bestselling book, The End of Competitive Advantage, is considered the definitive strategy playbook. McGrath joins the podcast to talk about how growth strategies and innovation have changed over the last few decades, how companies should be responding to these changes, and why spotting “strategic inflection points” can open a world of opportunities for businesses.
Listen to this podcast to learn: • Why “arena thinking” is an imperative and should be prioritized over industry thinking • What inspired the thinking behind “discovery-driven planning” • Why aiming for a sustainable competitive advantage is actually a disadvantage for companies • Why blockchain will change a lot less in the short run, and a lot more in the long run • How technology has opened up the “marketization” of more business functions • A preview of McGrath’s forthcoming book about strategic inflection points: how to spot them, what to do about them, and how to convince your organization to act on them
From Asia to the Americas, there are 320+ million esports fans around the world -- and the audience is expected to double by 2020. But the professional sport of competitive gaming is not just another sport. It’s a new type of global entertainment. Mike Sepso is one of the pioneers of the modern esports movement. He and his partner, Sundance DiGiovanni, founded Major League Gaming, and, as SVP at Activision Blizzard, Sepso helped create and launch the Overwatch League, a new type of city-based, global esports league. Sepso joins the podcast to explain the origins of the esports phenomenon, why it’s poised for more incredible growth in the future, and why gamers are more welcoming for brands to play along than you’d expect.
Listen to this podcast to learn: • A brief history of modern esports -- from South Korea’s Starleague to the Overwatch League • Who are esports fans, and what is their culture? • Why a “fear of authenticity” should not stop brands from marketing to esports fans -- as long as marketers don’t break one simple rule
Play is a product of our imagination and creativity. It’s up to play companies to turn great play ideas into fun experiences, then get them to market, fast. And there’s no bigger “play company” in the world than Hasbro. It owns classics like Nerf, Transformers, My Little Pony, Play-Doh, and Monopoly. Jane Ritson-Parsons leads Hasbro’s global brand and consumer teams. She visits the podcast to talk about how her team observes what’s trending in consumers’ worlds and works with them to design play into every part of their lives.
Listen to this episode to learn: • Why storytelling and consumers are at the center of Hasbro’s “brand blueprint” • How inspiration for new products can come from unexpected sources • How Hasbro stays close to consumers -- from “HasLab” to “HasCon” • The Alexa effect, cheating at Monopoly, and the future of play
We often hear stories about the genesis of a brilliant idea. Or we celebrate we the end result of a big, creative endeavor. But what about all the stuff that happens in between? The volatile moments of a project when there’s no clear end in sight, but the moments that are nonetheless critical to success. Scott Belsky, founder of Behance and the Chief Product Officer at Adobe, talks about his new book, “The Messy Middle,” and gives advice for how to navigate the highs, lows, and uncertain moments when embarking on a big, ambitious project.
Listen to this podcast to learn: • Why the overlap of a product team’s “last mile” and a customer’s “first mile” is so important for utilization and adoption • How to manage the effects “organizational debt” and a team’s “immune system” • The value of “conviction over consensus” when it comes to doing anything innovative • The tendency of data to cause lowest common denominator thinking, and how intuition and empathy can get us out
Randall Lane has interviewed the world’s power players. Jeff Bezos, Emmanuel Macron, Donald Trump. Just to name a few. Now we’re interviewing him. As the chief content officer and editor of Forbes Magazine, Lane is reinventing Forbes’s editorial coverage -- and its business -- to reach its highest-ever readership. Lane talks about Forbes’ new emphasis on young entrepreneurs, “microbeats,” expanding global coverage, and how he’s building the “biggest newsroom in the world.”
Listen to this podcast to learn: • Why Forbes focuses on the people behind capitalism -- from those who are succeeding to those who are polluting the system • Why Lane believes entrepreneurial capitalism -- and the free exchange of ideas -- has always been the best way to distribute and create mass prosperity • How the Forbes “30 Under 30” is a harbinger for where the world is headed and who will be leading it for the next 50 years • What famous figures like Jeff Bezos, Warren Buffett, and Kylie Jenner all have in common
More than a decade ago, Hamdi Ulukaya, Chobani’s founder and CEO, took out a loan to buy an old food factory. At the time, nobody predicted that he was about to start a Greek yogurt revolution. But he did. Greek yogurt today accounts for more than 50% of all yogurt sold in the U.S. Chobani remains one of the most successful CPG companies in the grocery aisle. It’s privately owned and growing at an unprecedented pace. Peter McGuinness, Chief Demand Officer at Chobani, explains the brand’s success and why it’s not just about yogurt, but about the purpose and authenticity.
Listen to this podcast to learn: • The origin story of the Chobani brand • Why taking a stand on social issues is an advantage that outweighs the risk of alienating some • Ways his team understands the real world of customers • How Chobani’s not-for-profit incubator helps startups and food tech make natural food more accessible for more people
Scott Galloway is an expert on the companies that rule our world: Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Apple. He wrote a bestselling book about it, called The Four. Galloway joins the podcast to discuss themes from the book, including how these companies rose to power, why each is so successful (and, in many ways, unstoppable), and what every marketer, brand, and business can learn from them.
Listen to this podcast to learn: • How Amazon uses capital and customer centricity as its advantage • How Apple tapped the luxury playbook to get to a $1 trillion market cap • Is the duopoly of Facebook and Google too powerful? • Why physical experiences and distribution will soon replace traditional advertising • Netflix? Disney? What company will be part of “The Five”?
TED is more than just TED Talks. It’s a global nonprofit committed to curating and spreading ideas — from science to business to global issues. Lisa Choi Owens, Chief Revenue Officer & Head of Global Partnerships at TED, joins the podcast to give a behind-the-scenes look at the TED organization, its mission, and how the nonprofit is partnering with big companies to find new perspectives that inspire change.
Listen to this podcast to learn: • How companies like UPS, Merck, and Timmy Hilfiger are discovering brilliant and unexpected ideas from every corner of the company • What TED looks for in a TED Talk - and what it avoids • Why a commitment to change and curiosity is essential to tackling the universal problems and opportunities facing all companies
It’s been called Macy’s “secret weapon,” its engine for innovation and growth. Since Barry Beck and his wife Marla Beck started Bluemercury in 1999, and sold it to Macy’s in 2015, the luxury beauty retailer has been disrupting the beauty-sphere. In this episode, Barry Beck reveals the art behind the science of growing a luxury retail powerhouse and why Bluemercury’s obsessive focus on people, product and place has the beauty industry blushing with envy.
Listen to this episode to learn: • How a retail store can be an innovation laboratory • Why hiring “beauty junkies” was a major breakthrough • An anthropological approach to customer engagement • Is men’s makeup where beauty’s headed next?
Netflix. Spotify. Amazon Prime. These days, we don’t buy, we subscribe. Tien Tzuo, founder and CEO of Zuora, has a name for it: the Subscription Economy. Subscription models open up more choices and new experiences for consumers, and huge financial opportunities for companies that rethink their entire business model around the customer. On the podcast, Tzuo talks about his new book, “SUBSCRIBED: Why the Subscription Model Will be Your Company’s Future – and What to Do About It,” and explains what it will take for any company to thrive in the Subscription Economy.
Listen to this podcast to learn: • Why the subscription model isn’t about “renting” your product, but rethinking business around customers’ needs • How companies like Fender and Ford are transforming their business models into subscription-based • What Tzuo learned about subscriptions as employee #11 at Salesforce • Why governments -- and citizens -- can benefit from the subscription model • Why the old ways of market research will die in the subscription economy
Monster is the original disruptor. But, over the years, the site that changed the way that people search for jobs itself got disrupted. Elliott Seaborn, SVP of Integrated Marketing at Monster, talks about how the company is using its strong brand and customers to regain its purpose of advancing lives.
Listen to this podcast to learn: • How Monster is turning itself around from a “vicious circle to a virtuous cycle” • How customer insights and ideas became the company’s “connective tissue” • Advice for people making the switch from agency-side to client-side
It seems like everyone in the world is on Twitter. Including brands. But what works, and what doesn’t? Alex Josephson knows. As Head of Global Brand Strategy, Alex and his team are helping brands to create outsized impact and get attention on the platform. He joins the podcast to describe how Twitter, and the way brands use it, has changed over the years, and what it takes to get noticed in the Twitterverse.
Listen to this episode to learn: • What sets Twitter apart from other social media platforms • The “discovery mindset” of Twitter users and how to tap into it • The promise and power of a video tweet • How brands are using Twitter during live events like the World Cup to engage audiences and become a part of the conversation
Consumer Reports has been on the consumer’s side for more than 80 years. The non-profit organization serves more than six million paying members, accepts no ads, and buys every product it reviews -- from cars to food to smartphones. CR also has an award-winning investigative reporting team that rigorously exposes unsafe products and services, and an advocacy division that secures strong pro-consumer policies and practices in government and across industries. President and CEO Marta Tellado, Ph.D., gives an inside look into the organization and how it works with consumers and manufacturers to create greater transparency and better products.
Listen to this episode to learn: • How emotional and functional values are both at play when a consumer makes a decision • How data privacy concerns and the digital world are changing how we judge products • Why marketing can be effective and educational -- until it misleads • How Consumer Reports works directly with manufacturers to make products safer
As an SVP at Marriott International, Julius W. Robinson is the global brand leader for Marriott Hotels and Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, two iconic brands. He explains why it takes a lot more than a slick advertising campaign to create a world-class “brand.” It’s about creating emotional connections and guest experiences that will inspire customers to make a brand their own.
Listen to this episode to learn: • What goes into being one of the “Most Innovative” companies in the world • Why personalization -- and experimenting with guest room innovations -- is the future of hospitality • How two former competitors, Marriott Hotels and Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, are now complementing each other under one corporate umbrella • Lessons in leadership from Julius’ 25-year career at Marriott International
Jodi Rudoren is a veteran journalist and an associate managing editor of The New York Times. She oversees the NYT’s new gender initiative and a team trying to grow and engage audiences outside the United States. She was also one of seven NYT journalists that made up Project 2020, a group tasked with advising the editor on how to change the structure and priorities of the newsroom to meet the challenges of the future. She joins the podcast to talk about profound changes happening at the NYT – in its business and in its journalism, as both get more focused on readers.
Listen to this episode to learn: • The future of reporting and storytelling at the NYT • Where journalism is headed as new platforms and technologies, like AI, emerge • Why “fake news” is good for business for those who sell authority and integrity • How the NYT Reader Center is giving readers a voice and empowering them to co-create stories • Journalism’s influence on the #MeToo movement, and vice versa • The challenge of covering every perspective in a polarized world
Joy Falotico has been with Ford for 29 years. But she’s been Ford’s new CMO and head of the Lincoln brand for just a few weeks. Joy joins us at the New York International Auto Show, minutes after the unveiling of Lincoln’s new luxury SUV, the Aviator -- and shares how her background with finance and customer service has prepared her for what’s ahead.
Listen to this episode to learn: • New technology trends that are reshaping the driving experience • Insights that inform the design of luxury vehicles for Chinese and millennial consumers • The role dealers play in shaping the future of the buying experience
Jonathan Reichental, Ph.D. is a world-renowned “smart city” expert, working for a city at the heart of Silicon Valley. A professor, author and speaker, Dr. Reichental discusses the future of urban living and explains the consequences of a future built around software, data and algorithms.
Listen to this episode to learn: • Technology’s impact on transportation, economy, climate and democracy • What is a “smart city,” and why innovations like self-driving cars and solar energy could be societal game changers • The urgency for “technoethics” as a 21st century leadership competency • What blockchain technology is, what it isn’t, and its potential to be “a system of trust”
Charlie Herrin, Chief Customer Experience Officer at Comcast Cable, is doing the impossible: turning America’s largest cable company into a customer experience leader. A product guy at heart, Herrin shares wisdom that anyone embarking on a CX transformation will want to hear.
In this episode you’ll learn: • How Comcast is embedding customer service and experience into its technology • Why NPS is most useful as a system, rather than a score • Why you should never overlook employee engagement as a powerful CX tool • Advice for approaching and overcoming common CX challenges
Martin George has been a customer experience and brand innovator for more than 30 years. Now, he’s bringing his expertise to Waitrose, one of Britain’s largest grocery retailers. He explains his role as Customer Director, the evolution of marketing, and the forces that are driving change in business and consumer behavior.
In this episode you’ll learn: • Advice and best practices that George has learned in his 30+ year career • How his team and customers co-created a breakthrough innovation for British Airways • Why, increasingly, marketing is about a combination of brands, employees, service and customers • How a customer director influences an organization by acting as a customer advocate
A pioneer in the online medical space, Dr. Thom Van Every brings a unique perspective to his role as Executive Director of the hive innovation unit for ViiV Healthcare. He and his team are thinking differently, tapping into the patient perspective to help advance innovations in HIV research, treatment and care worldwide.
Listen to this episode to learn: • How a successful innovation lab partners with patients to help advance care for others • Why innovation at a startup or corporation requires a deep understanding of the end user • How a community of people living with HIV have inspired new tools that help them manage their care • Why the entrepreneurial journey can feel like “running a race of unknown distance”
Metro Bank is the U.K.’s first high street retail bank in more than a century. CEO Craig Donaldson, named the ‘Most People-Focused CEO of the Year’ and ‘Most Highly Rated UK CEO’, shares how Metro Bank is creating fans by promising a lot and delivering even more.
Listen to this episode to learn: • Tips for any CEO on how to communicate better, be present, and lead a customer-inspired organization • Why fan bases are the result of brand experiences, not advertising and sales targets • The long-term strategic value of nurturing and protecting culture • Why using a common language is so important
Sheryl Connelly, futurist at Ford Motor Company, shares key insights from the 2018 Ford Trends Report and connects the dots on how global issues are changing our lives and shaping business.
Listen to this episode to learn: • Social, technological, economic, environmental, and political trends impacting the world • What a growing global sense of anxiety and activism means for brands • What it’s like being a futurist at a big global company like Ford
Visit FordTrends.com to learn more about the 2018 Fords Trends Report.
Walgreens Boots Alliance is one of the world’s largest pharmacy, beauty, and wellness retail brands. It makes a range of its own products, too. Paul Bosher, Global Head of Consumer Planning & Insights at Walgreens Boots Alliance, explains how his team serves as the voice of the consumer, holding the business to account, and helping the company grow its brand business portfolio.
Listen to this episode to learn: • Methods that WBA uses as a retailer and a manufacturer to understand shoppers • How to use data in combination with human understanding to launch and market new products • WBA products and in-store experiences that differentiate and delight in the era of Amazon • WBA’s mission to create “the world’s best insights team”
Chegg may have a funny name, but this fast growing company is breaking all the “stupid rules” of education. It hinges on one mission: students first. Dan Rosensweig, Chegg’s CEO, shares how his company is aligning education with modern life.
Listen to this episode to learn: • How Chegg grew from a textbook rental company to a leading digital education platform • The shortcomings of traditional institutions and systems of education • How technology like AI is making learning easier and more accessible • Chegg’s student-first culture that attracts, retains, and motivates employees
David Robertson, MIT Sloan Senior Lecturer, speaker, and author explains why any innovation success – whether it’s a sports drink or a plastic brick toy – is cyclical and requires looking both inward, at the brand’s essence, and outward, at customers.
Listen to this episode to learn: • How Lego, Gatorade, and GoPro have overcome adversity by innovating around their core brand offerings • The key question every brand must ask themselves before innovation • Why brands must look at innovation as “dating not fighting" - "dating" your customers not fighting your competitors • How to innovate within the boundaries of the brand
Hyatt Hotels Corporation is one of the world’s leading hospitality brands. Jennifer Kirby, Managing Director of Innovation at Hyatt, talks about how her team finds, tests, and prioritizes which new ideas to pursue in order to create and deliver the very best guest experiences.
Listen to this episode to learn: · How to balance customers’ desires against financial feasibility and scalability · Why adopting technology for technology’s sake is never a good idea · How to promote innovation ideas internally to create buy-in · The “megatrends” on Hyatt’s innovation agenda
JetBlue is one of those rare companies that customers simply love. Jamie Perry, Vice President of Marketing at JetBlue, talks about how the company does it through a mission of “Inspiring Humanity” – creating a better flying experience that’s accessible to all.
Listen to this episode to learn: • How a framework of values can empower employees to do right by customers • How JetBlue developed its first premium service while staying true to its ethos • Why breaking from constraints of the industry can spur innovation
Ali Velshi, MSNBC Anchor and Business Correspondent for NBC News and MSNBC, joins the podcast to talk about the big issues of our time: fake news, the global decline in trust, corporate responsibility, wealth inequality, and Donald Trump. It’s all on the table.
Listen to this episode to learn: • Why we all have to “triangulate” our news from a variety of sources • What’s contributing to society’s rapid decline in trust, and what we can do about it • The consequences of wealth inequality and globalism • Why Donald Trump might be a “brilliant” communicator
Great leaders are made, not born. Harvard Business School professor and historian Nancy Koehn shares lessons in leadership from her new book, Forged in Crisis: The Power of Courageous Leadership in Turbulent Times.
Listen to this episode to learn: • How leaders like Abraham Lincoln, Howard Schultz, and Ernest Shackleton have overcome great adversity to succeed • The characteristics and behaviors that all successful leaders share • Guidance for all who aspire to be great leaders
The Boston Celtics are one of the world’s most popular and valuable pro sports teams. Celtics President Rich Gotham shares how he engages with passionate fans, turning them into profitable customers.
Listen to this episode to learn: • How Gotham helped turn the Celtics from “an under-managed asset” to a high-functioning business operation • Why the value of pro sports is increasingly about “creating experiences and access through content” • How the NBA and the sport of basketball is growing internationally
Citizens Bank CMO and Head of Consumer Strategy Beth Johnson doesn’t rely on a score to get closer to customers. She uses data, insight, and company culture to think differently and grow the business.
Listen to this episode to learn: • Why Net Promoter Score is one tool in a system to drive customer loyalty • Practical ways to encourage mid-level colleagues to feel invested in customer success • Why companies need to think differently about customers and challenge assumptions
Michael Solomon, Professor of Marketing at Saint Joseph's University, is with us to explain why marketing isn’t about finding data patterns and segmentation. It’s about emotions, feelings, and connecting with the human mind.
Listen to this episode to learn: • Why big data can sometimes mislead • The value of marketers giving up control of their brand • Why the line between consumer and producer is blurry • How consumers’ desires for perfection can work in a brand’s favor
Jaguar Land Rover, the UK’s biggest car maker, is a global icon in luxury, performance, and style. Joanne Pearson, the company’s director of global customer insights, is with us to talk about how Jaguar Land Rover runs a fine-tuned, “customer-first” machine.
Listen to this episode to learn: • Why “customer-first” is an advantage in the competitive global luxury automotive space • How to build internal collaborative teams around empathy for the customer • Practical techniques to employ for getting inside the lives of global customers
Innovation is hard. At big companies, that’s an understatement. Scott Kirsner, journalist, author, and editor & co-founder of Innovation Leader, helps us understand why, and what big companies can do about it.
Listen to this episode to learn: ● The cultural barriers that inhibit innovation at large organizations ● Real-world strategies for bringing out the best ideas from employees and customers ● Where innovation at large organizations is headed
With 10 million loyalty members spanning 76 countries around the world, Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) is a force in the hospitality industry. CEO Christopher Hartley discusses GHA’s collaborative approach to building loyalty and a different kind of guest experience.
Listen to this episode to learn: ● Why it’s important to innovate with consumers and stop chasing the competition ● How to create a loyalty program that isn’t just about the points ● What it means to provide local experiences on a global scale
PepsiCo’s President of Global Nutrition and acting North American CMO, Lisa Mann, is on a mission: promote health, wellness, and innovation at one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies. Is that even possible for a company known for soda and salty snacks?
Listen to this episode to learn: • Why simplicity is such an innovative concept in the food and beverage industry • The effectiveness of transparency and authenticity in marketing • Advice on transforming the perception of a multinational company
Jet.com has built its e-commerce business on transparency, fairness, and trust. Jet President Liza Landsman joins the podcast to share how Jet, now part of Walmart, is making online shopping more efficient and a lot more fun.
Listen to this episode to learn: • How Jet.com creates “last mile” supply chain efficiencies by putting shoppers in control • Why pivoting is less risky when customers drive the decision • Ways Jet ensures senior leaders and employees stay connected to shoppers
Professor Patrick Barwise of London Business School is an expert on brand marketing, an accomplished speaker, and award-winning author. He joins the podcast to share advice and perspectives on the state of marketing today.
Listen to this episode to learn: • How having a deep understanding of customers increases marketing’s efficacy • Why marketers need to shift their mindset away from brand differentiation • Why marketing leaders are in a unique position to close the customer empathy gap
At Oracle, customer success is company success. We’re with Jeb Dasteel, Chief Customer Officer at Oracle, to learn how one of the world’s largest software and technology companies keeps this promise.
Listen to this episode to learn: ● Practical advice for anyone in the role of Chief Customer Officer ● How to listen, engage, and ensure that customers know the value of your product or service ● Why it’s important to target, track, and measure throughout the customer partnership
Jeff Platt is the 32-year-old CEO responsible for growing Sky Zone’s business. It’s the world’s first indoor trampoline park. Jeff stops by the podcast to talk global growth and share advice for entrepreneurs.
Listen to this episode to learn: ● How a group of skateboarders inspired a pivot that launched a multi-million dollar brand ● Why customer co-creation and listening is critical for success in new global markets ● Advice for entrepreneurs on taking risks and embracing failure
From aviation to healthcare to renewable energy, General Electric is world renowned as an innovation powerhouse. But, is “innovation” a dirty word at GE? We’re with Ann Marie Dumais, Open Innovation Leader at GE’s GENIUSLINK™, to learn more.
Listen to this episode to learn: ● Why innovation demands democratization ● Why GE’s entrepreneurial culture is not afraid to question assumptions, celebrate risk, and learn from failure ● How to increase agility and create buy-in using innovative thinking and methods
Paul Logue, Vice President of Growth Analytics, Market Insights and Customer Experience leads a team at Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) tasked with unearthing hidden customer insights. Just don’t call them the research department.
Listen to this episode to learn: • How to take an integrated approach to delivering actionable customer intelligence across the business • Why conditioning the organization to partner with you as an “agency” is worthwhile • Why sometimes saying “no” delivers the best outcomes
Charles Schwab is the largest brokerage firm in the U.S. It leads the industry by running its business “Through Clients’ Eyes.” Schwab CMO Jonathan Craig joins the podcast to explain.
Listen to this episode to learn: • How Schwab maintains a challenger mentality • The CMO’s management philosophy • Why trust is critical for future growth
Alice Milligan, Chief Customer & Digital Experience Officer for Citi’s Global Cards business, explains how Citi is making banking more seamless and simple by putting customers at the center of everything.
Listen to this episode to learn: ● How Citi is testing assumptions with customers to design next-gen digital banking experiences, fast ● Why broad ownership and accountability gets employees more invested in a customer-centric company vision ● Why it’s so important to align with passionate people inside and outside the organization
Since 1916, Keds has a built its iconic footwear brand on understanding what women want. Keds CMO Emily Culp visits the podcast to talk fashion, female empowerment, and understanding “her.”
Listen to this episode to learn: ● How a centenarian brand stays relevant and desirable in 2017 ● The nuances of understanding and connecting with modern female consumers ● How to maintain a culture of fast learning and constant testing
Panera Bread president Blaine Hurst joins the podcast to talk about how America’s ninth largest restaurant chain has made a commitment to “clean food” and to innovating the restaurant experience.
Listen to this episode to learn: ● What it took for Panera to reformulate 120+ ingredients to be free of artificial additives ● Why the restaurant experience hinges on the “desire-to-friction ratio” ● How technology is an intermediary between speed and joy
Marriott, the world’s largest hotel company, has been around since the 1950s. How is this old company still an innovation leader? This week, we’re at Marriott headquarters with Jennifer Hsieh, Vice President of Insight, Strategy & Innovation at Marriott International.
Listen to this episode to learn: -How Marriott designs a deep customer understanding into its concepts and guest experiences -Some of the challenges and perils of human-centered innovation in a global company -Advice for customer experience and innovation leaders about how to balance creativity, strategic thinking, and an unrelenting focus on customers
Why are so many stores closing now? Forbes contributor Richard Kestenbaum says it’s because they don't meet consumers' needs. End of discussion. On the podcast, he explains why things are changing so much, what consumers want, and what existing retailers can do about it.
Listen to this episode to learn: • The biggest reason why stores are closing now • Why the importance of retail stores has declined as technology has grown • How different generations impact the evolution of the retail industry
For Wells Fargo, winning back customer trust requires becoming “more human.” What does that mean for a bank, and how is Wells Fargo doing it? Robin Beers, Head of Customer Experience Insights for Wells Fargo’s commercial banking business, joins the podcast to explain.
Listen to this episode to learn: • Design thinking techniques used by Wells Fargo that spark imagination and creative problem-solving in employees’ minds • How “integrated insights” can create an emotional connection to customers and introduce diverse perspectives • Why getting the most out of customer data requires storytelling and synthesis
Technology is changing our lives, and our lives are changing technology. This week, we’re in Silicon Valley with Scott Shute, VP of Global Customer Operations at LinkedIn. He shares why the right digital experience is a constant balancing act between big data and human empathy.
Listen to this episode to learn: • How LinkedIn manages massive amounts of customer behavior data • How it helps developers and product managers empathize with an understand ~500M users worldwide • Why compassion is a big part of LinkedIn’s current and future digital experience
Harvard Business School professor Len Schlesinger has been around the business block – from 30+ years of teaching, to C-level positions within organizations, to advising the world’s biggest brands. Len joins the podcast and gets candid about the truth behind customer centricity.
Listen to this episode to learn: -How leadership and culture should drive customer centricity -Advice for understanding customers – and why it’s not necessarily about just NPS and customer data -Why it’s ALWAYS the “Year of the Customer”
Global investment in fintech has reached $19 billion. What role do customers play in shaping this new world of digital banking? Ruth Handcock, Chief Customer Officer of Tandem Bank, a new “challenger bank,” visits the podcast to explain.
Listen to this episode to learn:
How transparency, trust, and customized experiences are recalibrating retail banking Why customers are gravitating towards retail banking startups that provide choice, flexibility, and positive reinforcement Advice on how banks can partner with customers to ease their financial stress and empower successful money management
Chief Customer Officers are the latest addition to the C-suite. Jose Vergara, CCO at McKesson Medical Imaging, joins the podcast to share how he’s finding success in this newly-minted position.
Listen to this episode to learn:
How the role of the Chief Customer Officer is evolving around the changing needs of customers Why partnering with customers to enable and nurture their own success is a competitive advantage Advice on how to balance customer and company expectations in order to transform company culture, differentiate against competitors, and grow
It’s an exciting time for the travel and tourism industry and for Travelport’s place in it. A seasoned professional in design thinking and user experience, Noel shared his thoughtful and creative approach to engaging customers and employees to design the very best experiences.
Listen to this episode to learn: -Why partnering with customers throughout the design, testing, and development process is a smart, affordable approach to customer experience design -The real difference between user experience and customer experience, and what elevates them both -Creative techniques and tangible practices for building greater customer empathy amongst employees
The Nature’s Bounty Co. is a health and wellness company. Verizon, telecommunications. Customer centricity is an operational imperative for both. Chief Customer Officer at The Nature’s Bounty Co., Andrew Archambault, and Verizon’s Head of Customer Experience Innovation, Justin Reilly, explain why customers are the ultimate disruptors.
Listen to this episode to learn: -Advice from two leaders operating in different industries about how to make customer centricity a core operational imperative within an organization -How Nature’s Bounty Co. spends a lot of time with two key customer groups, shoppers and retail partners, to make the point-of-purchase experience less overwhelming and more rewarding -Why Verizon regularly co-creates with customers and how these “largely transformative” co-creation sessions add a human element to the company's products and experiences
People have grown leery of big banks. But some are restoring public confidence with customer-driven agendas. SunTrust is one of them. Jeff VanDeVelde, the bank’s head of Customer Experience, discusses banking with authenticity and purpose.
Listen to this episode to learn: -Why finding SunTrust’s authentic purpose was so crucial in improving the customer experience and delivering on its brand promise -How SunTrust took an “outside in” approach to create a customer-centric culture while avoiding some common pitfalls -Why having a purpose-driven mission means making some big changes to the customer experience journey, and how companies can start by leveraging authenticity and empathy
C Space CEO, Charles Trevail, hosts this inaugural podcast to discuss the business world, changing customer needs, and the convergence of the two. He’s joined by The New York Times’ Ejieme Eromosele, Managing Director of Customer Experience, to explore the evolution of customer experience at the Gray Lady.
Listen to this episode to learn: -How a focus on subscribers and customer experience is aiding The New York Times’ shifting business model from advertising-based to subscription-based -What leaders across the organization are doing to align goals that prioritize the customer experience -How journalists in the newsroom are building stronger relationships with readers and why they are embracing the “customer” like never before