Zillow co-founder Spencer Rascoff and Dotloop founder Austin Allison both knew that owning a vacation home was a great privilege — and an expensive hassle. They’re leveraging their decades of experience in real estate to reshape how owning a vacation home works with a new business: Pacaso. They join host Jeff Berman to reveal how it became the fastest U.S. company to ever reach unicorn status. Read a transcript of this episode: https://mastersofscale.com Subscribe to the Masters of Scale weekly ...
Jun 26, 2025•33 min
Even after the fighting stops, the impact of war is felt for generations. Dr. Samantha Nutt, President of War Child USA and Canada, joins Rapid Response to share how the nonprofit is serving families in conflict zones around the world — from Sudan to Afghanistan, utilizing local leaders and community organizers to spark meaningful and long term change. In the wake of Trump’s sweeping USAID divestment, Dr. Nutt reveals how nonprofits are adapting to a new climate, and why she’s surprisingly optim...
Jun 24, 2025•29 min
After wildly successful stints at Google, as CEO of Taskrabbit, and on prominent boards, Stacy Brown-Philpot decided it was time to start her own venture capital fund. She talks with host Jeff Berman about how she raised $172 million for Cherryrock Capital, why she’s focusing on underinvested founders, and how she owes it all to a six-day silent retreat. Read a transcript of this episode: https://mastersofscale.com Subscribe to the Masters of Scale weekly newsletter: https://mastersofscale.com/s...
Jun 19, 2025•33 min
Amid global conflict, domestic unrest, and AI’s surging impact in all corners of business, it’s getting harder than ever to decipher noise from substance. To help us navigate this challenge, Reid Hoffman returns to Rapid Response, sharing valuable insights about Trump’s public spat with Elon Musk, the crisis in the Middle East, and how his new AI healthcare startup functions in the age of RFK Jr. Plus, Hoffman assesses Meta and Apple’s recent strategy to compete with OpenAI, and whether AI is re...
Jun 17, 2025•33 min
A group of graduating students asked Reid Hoffman the biggest questions looming in their minds as they venture out into their careers. Plus, we asked a dozen incredible CEOs, founders and authors for the one piece of advice they’d give to a new graduate. It’s excellent wisdom whether you’re a new graduate or not. Read a transcript of this episode: https://mastersofscale.com Subscribe to the Masters of Scale weekly newsletter: https://mastersofscale.com/subscribe See Privacy Policy at https://art...
Jun 14, 2025•24 min
What started as five friends filming trick shot videos 16 years ago has become a new media empire. Dude Perfect has more than 61 million followers on YouTube alone. CEO Andrew Yaffe talks with host Jeff Berman about how he and the dudes are leveraging the Disney playbook to build a vertically integrated business that spans, content, products, events and maybe someday … their own theme park. Read a transcript of this episode: https://mastersofscale.com Subscribe to the Masters of Scale weekly new...
Jun 12, 2025•33 min
While the first family engage in their own memecoin ventures, the crypto market is booming. Crypto expert and host of the podcast Unchained, Laura Shin joins Rapid Response to reveal the sector’s emerging economic, political and geopolitical implications. Shin also provides a primer on how to best experiment with crypto today, why Stablecoin is growing so fast, and what Coinbase joining the S&P 500 means for the industry’s future. Visit the Rapid Response website here: https://www.rapidrespo...
Jun 10, 2025•28 min
Author Simon Sinek joins host Reid Hoffman for a lively chat about how to identify good leaders, scale ideas, and leverage the “ultimate hack” for success. They also discuss why missionaries beat mercenaries in Silicon Valley and whether AI can ever really be your friend. Simon Sinek’s 15th anniversary edition of “Start With Why”: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/304046/start-with-why-15th-anniversary-edition-by-simon-sinek/ Synthetic voiceover of Reid Hoffman used in this episode was pr...
Jun 05, 2025•36 min
Sports business has never had higher stakes—for every league, every team, every streaming service, and every player. Sarah Spain, host of the podcast Good Game with Sarah Spain , longtime ESPN personality and sports journalist, joins Rapid Response to unpack the complexities behind the WNBA’s mainstream moment, the future of ESPN’s streaming, and the looming legal settlement that could transform college athletics forever. She argues that the men’s playbook isn’t the way forward for pro women’s l...
Jun 03, 2025•35 min
Reid Hoffman recently stopped by Pioneers of AI to talk with host Rana el Kaliouby, and we didn’t want you to miss their fascinating conversation on AI’s environmental impact. They discuss AI’s potential for help and harm, explore what sustainable AI could look like, and predict how it could unlock scientific solutions to climate change. Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/ Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofai Subscribe to the Masters of Scale w...
May 31, 2025•35 min
Trilith Studios CEO Frank Patterson joined host Jeff Berman on stage at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta as part of our Masters of Scale live tour in May. Patterson shares insights for thriving as a creative entrepreneur and reveals the philosophy behind the success of Trilith’s growing influence in the entertainment industry. Later in the conversation, actress and filmmaker Christina Wren joins the stage to talk about building a startup production company. This live event series is presented by Capit...
May 29, 2025•29 min
OLIPOP’s surging popularity has taken the $60 billion soda industry by storm. As Gen Z and millennials ditch sugary sodas, OLIPOP is leading the pre-biotic beverage trend, sparking the likes of Coca Cola and PepsiCo to enter the fray. OLIPOP’s co-founder, CEO and formulator, Ben Goodwin, joins Rapid Response to share how the brand is navigating the turbulence of rapid growth and rising competition, what leadership lessons he's had to embrace along the way, and whether healthy soda is actually he...
May 27, 2025•30 min
Therapist Esther Perel wants us all to build stronger relationships at work. Her coveted advice is the centerpiece of her books, TED talks and podcast “Where Should We Begin?” During the pandemic, she launched a conversational card game. Now, she joins host Jeff Berman to talk about why she just released a new edition, Where Should We Begin? At Work , designed specifically for coworkers. They also go deep on why stronger relational intelligence is essential for businesses, how AI is rewiring our...
May 22, 2025•34 min
The buzz in Silicon Valley around AI agents has many asking: What’s real and what’s hype? Box’s co-founder and CEO, Aaron Levie, joins Rapid Response to help decipher between fact and fiction, taking listeners inside the fast-paced evolution of agents and its impact on the future of enterprise AI. Plus, Levie unpacks how AI is really being adopted in the workplace, what it takes to legitimately build an AI-first organization, and what political leaders across both parties misunderstand about cre...
May 20, 2025•34 min
John Green has spent his career telling stories — through novels, YouTube videos, and educational projects like Crash Course. Now, he’s on a mission to eliminate tuberculosis: a curable disease that still kills more than a million people every year. In this episode, Green joins host Jeff Berman to talk about how we could scale solutions to this global health crisis — and how to leverage obsession, creativity, and community to take on monumental challenges. Link to Everything is Tuberculosis Link...
May 15, 2025•30 min
Amid polarization, AI disruption, and eroding trust in institutions, retired four-star general, Stanley McChrystal, argues that what leaders need now more than ever, is character. Head of the business consulting firm McChrystal Group, Gen. McChrystal returns to Rapid Response to discuss his new book on the subject of character. From AI ethics and modern warfare to hot-button issues like Signalgate and transgender service in the military, McChrystal explains why character is the foundation of las...
May 13, 2025•29 min
To scale sustainably, founders must not neglect their mental health. Arianna Huffington learned this the hard way after collapsing from burnout while leading The Huffington Post. She talked with host Reid Hoffman about how that wake-up call sparked her next venture, Thrive Global, which helps companies build cultures that prioritize well-being. With work wellness insights from Huffington, Chris Yeh and Dr. Matt Walker, this 2018 episode feels more essential than ever. Subscribe to the Masters of...
May 10, 2025•37 min
When Ju Rhyu moved to South Korea for a corporate job, she noticed people unapologetically wearing hydrocolloid pimple patches on their faces — on the street, at the office, anywhere. She soon realized no one had cornered the US market yet on this skincare secret, and Hero Cosmetics was born. Rhyu joins host Jeff Berman this week to reveal the lessons she learned as a first-time entrepreneur who built a brand that earned a $630 million exit. Subscribe to the Masters of Scale weekly newsletter: h...
May 08, 2025•30 min
Bill Gates announced this week that he will shutter his philanthropic foundation in 20 years – but not before using it to give away $200 billion to fight global diseases. In this archival episode from 2019, he tells host Reid Hoffman the story of how it all started – and how he learned to scale his impact as a philanthropist. In Part 2 of this special two-part conversation, we’re talking with Bill Gates about the biggest success story ever told on the podcast. It was achieved not through Microso...
May 08, 2025•42 min
When Elon Musk stepped into the White House spotlight and brought his DOGE chainsaw, no one was better poised to cover the fallout than WIRED. The tech journalism outlet knew Musk’s playbook from the get-go, from years of covering his companies and his takeover of Twitter. WIRED’s Global Editorial Director Katie Drummond joins Rapid Response to take us inside Musk’s transformative, head-spinning time at President Trump’s side thus far. Drummond weighs the lasting impact of DOGE’s efforts 100 day...
May 06, 2025•37 min
Dr. Iman Abuzeid didn’t set out to disrupt the healthcare hiring system. But after she began listening more closely — especially to nurses — what she heard was an industry full of friction, delays, and burnout. Fixing that friction became the foundation for Incredible Health, a hiring marketplace now used by more than a million healthcare workers. In this episode, Dr. Abuzeid talks with host Jeff Berman about her strategic approach to expansion and how scaling allows her to have more impact — an...
May 01, 2025•32 min
In his return to Rapid Response, the billionaire entrepreneur, NBA owner, and CEO of Wonder, Marc Lore, told us he plans all his meals with AI – and he loves it. It’s just one part of his vision for transforming our relationship to food and health. His startup Wonder has already acquired Blue Apron, Grubhub and the media brand Tastemade, and he shares how that’s all laddering up to a superapp for meal time. Plus, while many businesses are raising prices in the face of today’s volatility, Lore re...
Apr 29, 2025•26 min
Spring cleaning season is in full swing, and this week, we’re revisiting Reid Hoffman’s chat with Adi Tatarko, co-founder and CEO of Houzz, an online platform for home remodeling and design. In this episode recorded in 2021, Tatarko tells the story of founding Houzz with her husband after their own home renovation project turned into a nightmare. They’ve grown Houzz into a bustling platform and marketplace for homeowners, designers, architects, and craftspeople. Tatarko’s story shows how followi...
Apr 24, 2025•35 min
As the founder of World Central Kitchen, renowned chef and humanitarian José Andrés has truly mastered the art of leading through crisis. José returns to Rapid Response to share insights from his new book, Change the Recipe — a candid collection of personal stories that doubles as a playbook for navigating uncertainty, breaking rules, and leading with heart. José also explores how AI is poised to reshape the food industry, the importance of unplugging, and more. In a world seemingly on fire, Jos...
Apr 22, 2025•33 min
As CEO and co-founder of Modern Animal, Steven Eidelman is challenging the status quo of veterinary care — an industry long overdue for innovation. In this episode, Eidelman unpacks how Modern Animal is rebuilding the system to better serve vets, pet owners, and their furry companions. With about 600 employees and a rapidly expanding footprint, it’s a scale story full of lessons for anyone who is tired of business as usual. Subscribe to the Masters of Scale weekly newsletter: https://mastersofsc...
Apr 17, 2025•35 min
Amid tariff whiplash and the rejuggling of global trade, GE Vernova’s CEO Scott Strazik is finding a way to stay “relentlessly optimistic.” Strazik returns to Rapid Response to share how the company plans to continue its success as one of Wall Street’s top-performing stocks, despite looming supply chain disruption, and an evolving conversation about climate and the energy transition. Strazik also reflects on rising trends in wind and nuclear energy, and why staying agile matters more than ever. ...
Apr 15, 2025•31 min
Wellness is no longer just an employee perk — it’s an imperative business strategy. Cesar Carvalho, co-founder and CEO of Wellhub (formerly Gympass), joins host Jeff Berman to make that case and share his vision for the B2B platform providing wellness services and gym access to people worldwide via their employers. Hear why he quit his consulting job and Harvard Business School to start the company, now valued at $2.4 billion. Cesar reveals how personal pain points became the blueprint for globa...
Apr 10, 2025•31 min
Many prominent law firms have recently found themselves in President Trump’s crosshairs. Skadden Arps’ attorney, Rachel Cohen, encouraged the firm to fight the government’s pressure, only to have her attempts rebuffed and to be effectively forced out from the firm. Cohen joins Rapid Response to share her dramatic story, and fears about how the rule of law is changing in America. Rachel’s experience raises questions about the legal industry’s role in the checks and balances of the US system, and ...
Apr 08, 2025•27 min
Reid Hoffman shares the inside story this week of his bold new venture to disrupt cancer drug development: Manas AI. He chats with Jeff Berman to reflect on why he co-founded the company, the lessons he’s using to scale it, and what advice he has for fellow entrepreneurs and investors about how to make the most of AI in any industry. Rapid Response podcast conversation on Superagency: https://mastersofscale.com/reid-hoffman-on-ai-superagency/ Subscribe to the Masters of Scale weekly newsletter: ...
Apr 03, 2025•30 min
It's been a wild few years for Snowflake, from a record-breaking IPO to a plummeting stock price to a data-breach scandal. Sridhar Ramaswamy took over in the heat of the turmoil and helped steady the ship, in part by betting big on AI. Ramaswamy returns to Rapid Response to share lessons from the company's turnaround, including insights behind high profile partnerships with OpenAI and Anthropic, how Snowflake embraced China's Deepseek early, and why Ramaswamy calls Snowflake the most consequenti...
Apr 01, 2025•29 min
