In this episode of the 'Pfeffer on Power' podcast, host Jeffrey Pfeffer, a professor at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, is joined by Alex Rodriguez, CEO and Chairman of investment firm Arod Corp, and is known as one of the greatest baseball players of all time, and Matt Abrahams, of the Think Fast Talk Smart podcast to co-host this interview. Alex discusses his transition to business and teaching at Stanford. Rodriguez, who co-teaches a class on Strategic Pivoting with Profess...
Mar 26, 2025•39 min•Ep. 41
In this episode of the 'Pfeffer on Power' podcast, host Jeffrey Pfeffer, a professor at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, is joined by Sarah Friar, CFO of OpenAI and former CEO of Nextdoor. Sarah shares her impressive career journey from engineering in Northern Ireland, to McKinsey, Goldman Sachs, and various leadership roles, notably CEO of Nextdoor and CFO at OpenAI. Sarah offers insights into switching roles within the C-Suite, the challenges women face in tech, and the impor...
Oct 23, 2024•27 min•Ep. 40
In this episode of the 'Pfeffer on Power' podcast, host Jeffrey Pfeffer, a professor at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, is joined by James da Costa, co-founder of Fingo Africa, and also author of the book Fintech Wars: Tech Titans, Complex Crypto and the Future of Money . James relays his journey growing up in Sheffield, England, and studying economics. From working at McKinsey, to founding a digital banking startup in Kenya and finally joining Andreessen Horowitz as a partner...
Oct 09, 2024•20 min•Ep. 39
In this episode of the 'Pfeffer on Power' podcast, host Jeffrey Pfeffer, a professor at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, is joined by Christine Hung, VP, Head of Client Solutions - Real-world Evidence. Christine shares her experiences as an Asian immigrant from Taiwan with an exemplary career in data science and analytics. Christine’s journey includes overcoming job discrimination and still coming out on top at prestigious companies like Apple, the New York Times, and Spotify, ...
Sep 25, 2024•22 min•Ep. 38
In this episode of the 'Pfeffer on Power' podcast, host Jeffrey Pfeffer, a professor at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, is joined by Omar Shaya, the founder of MultiOn, an AI company that develops autonomous agents. Omar shares his inspiring journey from growing up in Syria and studying computer science in Germany to working at top tech companies, Microsoft and Meta. He delves into the philosophy and goals behind his startup, which aims to democratize access to personal AI ass...
Sep 11, 2024•26 min•Ep. 37
In this episode of the 'Pfeffer on Power' podcast, host Jeffrey Pfeffer, a professor at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, is joined by Gina Bianchini, CEO & Co-Founder Mighty Networks. Gina brings her expertise on how effective communication can elevate your leadership. Drawing fascinating parallels between political figures and startup founders, Gina and Jeffrey explore the importance of inspiring confidence and maintaining energy, even in the face of setbacks. Gina reveals the...
Aug 28, 2024•29 min•Ep. 36
In this episode of the 'Pfeffer on Power' podcast, host Jeffrey Pfeffer, a professor at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, holds a live Question and Answer session with an audience on both Crowdcast and LinkedIn. Podcast producer Scot Maupin does hosting duties as Jeffrey answers questions about power from listeners. Jeffrey fields questions on power dynamics and leadership, giving tips on how to build sustainable power, how to empower yourself and others, and a discussion on who...
Aug 14, 2024•52 min•Ep. 35
In this episode of the 'Pfeffer on Power' podcast, host Jeffrey Pfeffer, a professor at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, is joined by Jed Simon, an experienced CEO with a background in the FinTech and Media industries. First, Jed talks about Stanford’s MSx program, from which he is a recent graduate. Then, Jed takes us through his remarkable career journey, including his roles in investment banking at Morgan Stanley, corporate strategy at DreamWorks, and founding/selling a succ...
Jul 31, 2024•24 min•Ep. 34
In this episode of the 'Pfeffer on Power' podcast, host Jeffrey Pfeffer, a professor at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, is joined by Amir Rubin, CEO and founding managing partner of Healthier Capital, a fund that advances healthcare by supporting innovative companies creating significant impact and value. Amir is a trailblazing leader who has revolutionized healthcare giants like Stanford Healthcare and One Medical. Curious about how to build influence without direct control? ...
Jul 17, 2024•26 min•Ep. 33
In this episode of the 'Pfeffer on Power' podcast, host Jeffrey Pfeffer, a professor at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, is joined by Rene Caissie, CEO and co-founder of Medeloop.ai, a company dedicated to revolutionizing clinical research and trials through innovative AI technology. Rene is also an Adjunct Professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Rene, a former maxillofacial surgeon, shares how his personal experiences, including those of his children’s illness...
Jul 01, 2024•21 min•Ep. 32
In this episode of the 'Pfeffer on Power' podcast, host Jeffrey Pfeffer, a professor at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, is joined by Luciana Doria Wilson, co-founder of Managrow, a boutique member of AICA global corporate advisors. Luciana opens up about her experience in Jeffrey Pfeffer's "Leading with Power" course, which shifted her perspective from execution to leadership, revealing the critical role of resilience, discipline, and strategic understanding of power dynamics,...
Jun 21, 2024•19 min•Ep. 31
In this episode of the 'Pfeffer on Power' podcast, host Jeffrey Pfeffer, a professor at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, is joined by Deepti Pahwa, advisor of corporate venture studios, government-led start-up accelerators, and also the author of the book, Trailblazer Founders . Deepti brings us lessons in power distilled to "three superpowers" of courage, creativity, and determination. Her inspiring journey showcases how you can exploit structural holes in professional network...
Apr 23, 2024•22 min•Ep. 30
In this episode of the 'Pfeffer on Power' podcast, host Jeffrey Pfeffer, a professor at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, is joined by John Rossman, author of four books on leadership and business innovation, including The Amazon Way and his new book Big Bet Leadership. He is an early Amazon executive who played a key role in launching the Amazon marketplace business in 2002. Today, he is a leading keynote speaker on leadership for innovation and transformation. He has served as...
Apr 10, 2024•26 min•Ep. 29
In this episode of the 'Pfeffer on Power' podcast, host Jeffrey Pfeffer, a professor at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, is joined by Deborah Gruenfeld, professor at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business and author of the book Acting with Power: Why We Are More Powerful Than We Believe . Deborah emphasizes the impact of physical body language and personal presence on the perception of power. The discussion further delves into the utilization of 'outside-in' and 'ins...
Mar 27, 2024•29 min•Ep. 28
In this episode of the 'Pfeffer on Power' podcast, host Jeffrey Pfeffer, a professor at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, is joined by Steve Westly, a venture capitalist and entrepreneur - he was employee number 22 at Ebay, lecturer in Management at Stanford University, and politician. He is also the former State Controller of California and can call some of the most powerful people in the world his friend. In this episode, Steve unpacks the stark contrasts and surprising simila...
Mar 13, 2024•26 min•Ep. 28
In this episode of the 'Pfeffer on Power' podcast, host Jeffrey Pfeffer, a professor at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, is joined by Matt Abrahams, a lecturer at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, podcast host of Think Fast, Talk Smart, and author of both 'Speaking Up Without Freaking Out' and 'Think Faster, Talk Smarter.' The discussion centers around effective communication strategies to navigate through challenging situations and accelerate career growth. To...
Feb 28, 2024•21 min•Ep. 27
In this episode of the Pfeffer on Power podcast, host Jeffrey Pfeffer is joined by Tony Levitan, CEO of InWhack and the co-founder of Egreetings. The discussion delves into Levitan's experiences as a startup founder, specifically the challenges faced during his journey with Egreetings which ended up transforming from a 300 million-dollar business to a 30 million-dollar one. Levitan speaks about the lessons he learned and the importance of retaining the company’s culture even amidst leadership ch...
Feb 14, 2024•25 min•Ep. 26
In this episode of 'Pfeffer on Power,' host Jeffrey Pfeffer, a Stanford University professor, converses with education expert and influential figure, Dr. Rudy Crew. Dr. Crew is the Clinical Education Professor at USC Rossier School of Education, and has had notable former roles as Chancellor of New York City Schools, superintendent of the Miami-Dade County School District, and Chief Education Officer for the State of Oregon. After having a long successful career in the education sector in these ...
Jan 31, 2024•24 min•Ep. 26
Welcome to the Pfeffer on Power podcast. I'm your host, Jeffrey Pfeffer, a professor at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, where I teach a popular course on developing and using your power and organizations to get things done and advance your career. In this podcast, we interview people who have successfully implemented power principles to accelerate their career successes. We include startup founders and people from diverse backgrounds working around the globe. We talk about bui...
Jan 19, 2024•1 min
Learn more about Jeffrey Pfeffer and where you can buy or listen to his books: JeffreyPfeffer.com EPISODE 25 – Dana Carney, Professor & Director of the Institute for Personality and Social Research at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business SHOW NOTES: Dana Carney, a world-leading expert on body language, is a professor at the Haas School at UC Berkeley who also runs the Institute of Personality and Social Research. She shares the most up-to-date tips on the strategic use of body language and faci...
Jul 25, 2023•21 min•Ep. 25
Learn more about Jeffrey Pfeffer and where you can buy or listen to his books: JeffreyPfeffer.com EPISODE 24 – Tosin Joel, Founder, GTBOOL SHOW NOTES: Meet Tosin Joel, a leader of businesses, organizations and cross-functional leadership teams who, using the 7 Rules of Power, creates centers of change for herself and others around her. A Nigerian-born woman who was the first in her city to attend university, Joel has learned how to leverage her differences and become successful in the oil indust...
Jul 11, 2023•24 min•Ep. 24
Learn more about Jeffrey Pfeffer and where you can buy or listen to his books: JeffreyPfeffer.com EPISODE 23 – Michael Gruen, Co-Founder & CSO, DominateX SHOW NOTES: Meet the amazing and insightful Michael Gruen, a prodigy and social influencer who has started companies by breaking the rules, not getting in his own way, and only following what he knows to be true. His questioning of the status quo and not taking anything for granted are just two of the traits this free thinker employs to create ...
Jun 20, 2023•29 min•Ep. 23
Learn more about Jeffrey Pfeffer and where you can buy or listen to his books: JeffreyPfeffer.com Ep 22 – Dafina Toncheva, General Partner, USVP SHOW NOTES: Dafina Toncheva, General Partner at USVP, discusses how she’s strategically used the Rules of Power concepts to manage her career. From a small town in Bulgaria to now being a major figure in Silicon Valley, she has succeeded in an industry that has not traditionally welcomed women. Join us and learn how the principles of power apply to wome...
Jun 06, 2023•23 min•Ep. 22
Learn more about Jeffrey Pfeffer and where you can buy or listen to his books: JeffreyPfeffer.com Ep 21 – Nick Binkley, Singer-Songwriter, Former Banking Executive SHOW NOTES: My old friend and very successful financial executive, Nick Binkley, talks about his career in finance, rising to the position of vice chair of Security Pacific Bank, and then vice chair of the Bank of America, and then a partner in a very successful venture capital firm. Nick has a lot of lessons around the 7 Rules of Pow...
May 23, 2023•28 min•Ep. 21
Learn more about Jeffrey Pfeffer and where you can buy or listen to his books: JeffreyPfeffer.com EPISODE 20 – Tadia James, Managing Partner, Aligned Generation SHOW NOTES: Tadia James is the Managing Partner at Aligned Generation. Tadia shares the rules of power which have helped her excel in the financial industry, where women or people of color manage less than 2% of global assets. In this episode, you will learn: How Tadia has consciously built her career How her jobs at JPMorgan and Gingerb...
May 09, 2023•15 min•Ep. 20
Learn more about Jeffrey Pfeffer and where you can buy or listen to his books: JeffreyPfeffer.com EPISODE 19 – Andrew Yang, Entrepreneur & Author. Humanity Forward SHOW NOTES: My guest today is Andrew Yang, the 2020 Democratic presidential candidate and a 2021 candidate for mayor of New York City. Named by President Obama as a Presidential Ambassador of Global Entrepreneurship, he is the founder of Humanity Forward, Venture for America, and the Forward Party. Yang’s New York Times bestselling bo...
Apr 25, 2023•24 min•Ep. 19
Learn more about Jeffrey Pfeffer and where you can buy or listen to his books: JeffreyPfeffer.com Episode 18 – Gary Loveman, Co-Founder, Chairman & CEO SHOW NOTES: Meet Gary Loveman, the former CEO of Caesars, the large casino company, and a former senior executive at Aetna, and now running Well, a health-related startup. Gary made the remarkable transition from being a professor to running a company. He is extraordinarily thoughtful on issues of power and influence, coming in as an outsider and...
Apr 11, 2023•21 min•Ep. 18
Learn more about Jeffrey Pfeffer and where you can buy or listen to his books: JeffreyPfeffer.com Episode 17 – Robin Lumsden, Founder & Managing Partner, Lumsden & Partners Today, we meet Dr. Robert Lumsden, who has gone from a tennis player to the Special Forces, to law, to business, and now to owning a sports franchise. He is always paying attention to building his brand, getting out of his comfort zone, and thinking about what he can do for other people to build the relationships that will, i...
Mar 28, 2023•26 min•Ep. 17
Learn more about Jeffrey Pfeffer and where you can buy or listen to his books: JeffreyPfeffer.com Episode 16 – Dr. Laura Esserman, Professor of Surgery and Radiology UCSF, Director of the UCSF Breast Care Clinic Dr. Laura Esserman is a leading figure in the transformation of American medicine. Named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World, Laura is dedicated to increasing the speed at which we learn about new cancer drugs and treatments. She discusses her transformation i...
Mar 14, 2023•22 min•Ep. 16
Learn more about Jeffrey Pfeffer and where you can buy or listen to his books: JeffreyPfeffer.com Episode 15 – Phillip Mohabir, Co-Founder & CEO Vivo Surgery Phillip Mohabir is an executive with IMAX and is the Co-Founder and CEO of Vivo Surgery. He shares how he has used my power materials to accelerate his career, along with the lessons learned from his experience coaching graduate school students and how these lessons are helpful to you. Topics in this episode: The Rules of Power used to acce...
Feb 28, 2023•19 min•Ep. 15
