The streaming wars have reached a new inflection, as Netflix and Disney+ jostle for position, and in the process disrupt post-strike Hollywood. Paramount+ invested heavily in blockbuster veteran Alex Kurtzman to turn Star Trek into a distinguishing franchise. Now Kurtzman talks with Rapid Response host Bob Safian about the future of streaming, the end of TV’s golden age, and how courting Trekkies offers lessons for all customer engagement. Plus, Kurtzman shares behind the scenes stories of Star ...
Apr 18, 2024•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast Generative AI is advancing at a breakneck pace, prompting questions on risk and opportunity, from content creation to personal data management. In a special live recording, we delve into the ways AI can augment human work and spur innovation, instead of simply using AI to cut costs or replace jobs. Host Jeff Berman joined a seasoned AI researcher, Intel's Lama Nachman, and a young start-up founder, Scale AI's Alexandr Wang, on stage at the Intel Vision event in April 2024. They explore topics li...
Apr 16, 2024•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast Is the state of the U.S. economy good or bad right now? Stock markets have soared, but consumers remain wary. Are CEOs and investors deluding themselves? Or do Main Street Americans expect too much? Suzanne Clark, CEO of the US Chamber of Commerce, has uncommon insight into this perplexing dichotomy. She talks with Rapid Response host Bob Safian about what she’s hearing from businesses in the U.S. and abroad. Plus, she shares details from her recent high-profile visit to China. Also: why bringin...
Apr 11, 2024•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast John Mackey, co-founder and former CEO of Whole Foods Market, started in the grocery business as a Texas undergraduate seeking the keys to a happy life. The self-described “hippie” opened one natural foods store in Austin and scaled beyond imagination from there. In his 44 years as CEO, Whole Foods grew to more than 500 locations and to a $13.7 billion valuation. Mackey shares how tapping into passion and purpose can align an entrepreneur with larger waves of change. Even as traditional grocery ...
Apr 09, 2024•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast We are biologically wired to focus on the near-term, and that’s often a good thing. But in this moment — with global conflict, fast-evolving tech, and climate change dominating our present — we need to also prioritize long-term impacts. Futurist Ari Wallach joins Rapid Response host Bob Safian to dive into our biological and business motivations around what he calls “futuring.” Host of the new PBS docuseries, A Brief History of the Future , Wallach shares lessons from the longest-standing corpor...
Apr 04, 2024•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast With his trademark wit and wisdom, Guy Kawasaki shares lessons from his trailblazing journeys in tech and investing. He was “software evangelist” at Apple when the company launched its revolutionary Macintosh line. He went on to lead his own wide-ranging ventures, and today has reprised his role as “evangelist” at the graphic design platform Canva. Guy has also written 16 books and hosts the “Remarkable People” podcast, which is now a book of the same name. He offers valuable insights on fosteri...
Apr 02, 2024•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast If the U.S. government bans TikTok, a generation of content creators and brands who have built businesses on the platform will be radically disrupted. With 17 million social followers — 3.5 million of which on TikTok — fitness and lifestyle entrepreneur Cassey Ho is in the heart of that storm. Founder of athleisure brands Blogilates and POPFLEX, she joins Rapid Response host Bob Safian to discuss the fast-changing game of social engagement and what’s required right now. Plus, she offers personal...
Mar 28, 2024•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast The high-flying Angel City Football Club is rising to a historic valuation in professional women’s soccer, nearing $200 million. When the Los Angeles team started four years ago, franchises in its league went for as little as $2 million. Co-founders Kara Nortman and Julie Uhrman reveal the game-changing strategies behind this seismic shift, created with a third co-founder, actor and activist Natalie Portman. The tale of ACFC holds valuable lessons, from harnessing an outsider's advantage to tapp...
Mar 26, 2024•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast Rabid demand for weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy is altering US society and transforming the healthcare industry. Rapid Response host Bob Safian guides us through the upheaval and lessons, talking with CEO Zach Reitano of Ro, a telehealth platform that has ridden the wave to a $7 billion valuation. Reitano shares why he chose obesity-treatment as his company’s “hero product,” the impact of weight-loss drugs on industries beyond health-care, and why the potential of GLP-1s like Ozempic ...
Mar 21, 2024•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast Just like private companies, many not-for-profit organizations begin when a founder sees a gap in the market and makes something new to fill it. Ian Bassin is a lawyer, former White House counsel and not-for-profit leader who saw a need to better protect and preserve the building blocks of America’s democratic systems, and steer things away from authoritarianism. His organization, Protect Democracy, brings together stakeholders across political divides to develop products, systems and services r...
Mar 19, 2024•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Oscars aren’t just Hollywood’s biggest night. The ceremony and the scrutiny around it captures the trends and evolving values of American culture. Rapid Response host Bob Safian digs into the business implications of the Academy Awards with incisive Hollywood observer Franklin Leonard, founder and CEO of The Black List, an independent platform connecting screenwriters with studios. From Oppenheimer’s near-sweep to Killers of the Flower Moon’s donut – and how Barbie arguably won the night wit...
Mar 12, 2024•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast In tackling our own moonshots, few businesses can offer inspiration like Intuitive Machines. When the company’s Odysseus lander touched down on the moon on February 22, Intuitive Machines became the first private enterprise ever to reach the moon — and the first U.S. presence on the surface in 52 years. CEO Steve Altemus joins Rapid Response host Bob Safian to share how his team navigated multiple last-minute challenges, with lessons about both meticulous planning and swift adaptability. From au...
Mar 07, 2024•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast Reid Hoffman thinks visionary leaders should pursue a "re-founder" state of mind. In this episode he welcomes the newest host of Masters of Scale, Jeff Berman, for a dialogue that digs into a re-founder's mission: evolving an organization while staying true to core values. As the re-founder of WaitWhat, the media company that brings this podcast to life, Jeff explores with Reid their own experiences with leadership succession. And they draw on re-founding insight from all-stars like Microsoft's ...
Mar 05, 2024•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast Will OpenAI’s new text-to-video tool Sora revolutionize content creation? In this episode of Masters of Scale, Reid Hoffman joins Bob Safian to discuss Sam Altman’s fundraising, Meta’s dramatic resurgence, and three catalysts driving the recent tech layoffs. In this rapidly evolving world, Reid makes a case for how AI is redefining the game of scale, and why entrepreneurs shouldn’t buy into the myth of a “right moment” to engage with a new opportunity or challenge. Register for AI Day (Feb...
Feb 27, 2024•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast Cyber war is raging, and the culprit is AI. Poppy Gustafsson, CEO of cybersecurity firm Darktrace shares new, proprietary info about how cybercrime has become professionalized across the Dark Web, and why deepfakes could soon find their way into your Slack or Zoom calls. But AI is also a powerful new weapon against attackers: Poppy tells Rapid Response host Bob Safian how to protect the most exposed areas of a business, why the unique digital DNA of an organization offers a shield, and...
Feb 22, 2024•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast Krista Tippett and our friends at On Being welcomed Masters of Scale host Reid Hoffman for an inspiring conversation about all things philosophy, AI, and technology’s impact on the human condition. We loved the episode so we’re sharing it with our listeners too. Reid opens up about his progressive upbringing and the power of friendship throughout his life. Plus, the pair experiment with Reid’s chatbot, Pi, and explore how being an AI optimist or pessimist will evolve the future of humanity. ...
Feb 20, 2024•1 hr 23 min•Transcript available on Metacast The on-field Super Bowl went down to the wire, but the TV ads battle was a rout. That’s what one of the ad world’s most influential leaders, Autodesk chief marketing officer Dara Treseder, tells Rapid Response host Bob Safian, arguing that when brands spend $7 million for a 30-second slot, it’s winner-take-all. She also explains how the Super Bowl sets the tone for the year ahead in marketing, and outlines why three metrics — being memorable, ownable, and relevant — matter most in delivering a p...
Feb 13, 2024•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast Some of the most vital and overlooked entrepreneurial resources might just be stored away in your family games cupboard… It’s no secret that host Reid Hoffman is a lifelong game fanatic. But this admiration extends beyond just a hobby. Games are one of the biggest influences on Reid as a business leader. In this special episode of Masters of Scale, Reid dissects five popular games and extracts the hidden entrepreneurial wisdom they contain. From strategic thinking in Settlers of Cata...
Feb 06, 2024•23 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the entrepreneurial journey, facing rejection is not just a possibility, but a certainty. However, it's the ability to perceive these rejections not as setbacks, but as stepping stones, that sets apart the most successful entrepreneurs. Each 'no' offers a unique opportunity to refine an idea, sharpen a pitch, and foster resilience. It can even be a sign that your idea is so contrarian that it could be truly transformative. This is a theory we've explored before on Masters of Scale. And ...
Jan 30, 2024•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast President Biden is the first president to face the full force of the AI revolution. In this special episode, Reid Hoffman joins Rapid Response host Bob Safian for an exclusive inside look into the closed-door meeting between Reid and President Biden. From regulation and economic impact to the potential dangers of AI in the wrong hands, Reid and Biden’s wide-ranging conversation explored the complex challenges that come with this groundbreaking technology. Reid reveals his thoughts on the pr...
Jan 23, 2024•13 min•Transcript available on Metacast The backlash against remote work is in full swing, with 90% of CEOs reportedly rewarding in-office workers with more promotions and raises. But to Scott Farquhar, co-CEO of Atlassian, that’s a big mistake — and in a just-released study, he’s got hard numbers to back him up. Scott talks with Rapid Response host Bob Safian about how the 10,000-person collaboration-software company — Australia’s premier tech startup — is defying the trend with a bold gambit called Team Anywhere. Adhering to an Atla...
Jan 18, 2024•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast Telling a clear story about your product is a basic entrepreneurial skill. But to build enduring impact, you need to help amplify other stories — those that surround you in your community and your customers. Marcus Samuelsson has done just this with beloved restaurants such as Hav & Mar and Red Rooster, and through his media group that celebrates the richness of the world's cuisines and the stories embedded within them. Marcus shares how embracing a diversity of stories has let him cre...
Jan 16, 2024•36 min•Transcript available on Metacast One of the biggest strikes against the tech industry is too much noise and not enough signal. But does it always pay to "show, not tell," — even about the most innovative of products? Austin Russell of Luminar Technologies believes so. At just 17 years old, Austin created revolutionary tech that would unlock autonomous driving in the future, and make safer passenger cars today. Almost as startling is how he kept his breakthrough close to his chest for five years — carefully choosing trusted team...
Jan 09, 2024•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast As we settle into 2024, the Masters of Scale team reflect on their favorite moments from the past year during which host Reid Hoffman sat down with inspiring and iconic leaders across the business world. They explored numerous entrepreneurial lessons including how to make your networking more impactful, evolving your creative process, and keeping ideas simple and adaptable. Featuring guest appearances from Ron Howard, Daymond John, Reshma Saujani, and more. Read a transcript of this episode:&nbs...
Jan 02, 2024•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast To survive your entrepreneurial journey, you have to learn to recharge. Knowing when to turn the lights out may be the only way to keep the lights on. Few know this better than Arianna Huffington, who dramatically scaled the Huffington Post – and then experienced profound physical burnout. Her venture, Thrive Global, scales the idea of balance across an organization. With cameo appearances from Chris Yeh (co-author, Blitzscaling ) and Dr. Matt Walker (author of Why We Sleep ). Read a...
Dec 26, 2023•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast There’s no better way to prepare for 2024 than to look back at the year that was. 2023 offered a slew of challenges and opportunities, from AI mania to inflation to Taylor Swift obsession. In this special episode, Rapid Response host Bob Safian shares the most impactful business lessons from the year, exploring the importance of an experimentation mindset, empathy-driven leadership, and adapting to the modern workplace. Featuring guest appearances from Gary Vaynerchuk, Bozoma Saint-John, Rana el...
Dec 19, 2023•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast The AI boom in 2023 left Intel chasing rival Nvidia, whose chips — and shares — have been in high demand. Like other laggards amid this year’s AI mania, Intel is now fighting back, announcing the first-ever AI PC. Intel’s CEO Pat Gelsinger sits down with Rapid Response host Bob Safian to discuss how the company is working to re-establish itself — and sharing lessons for leaders everywhere about the long-term trajectory of the AI wave and how to practically position yourself to ride it. Plus, Pat...
Dec 14, 2023•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast What lessons can business leaders learn from the games industry? Elan Lee, co-founder of Exploding Kittens Inc., joins Reid Hoffman to discuss how Exploding Kittens became one of the most successful Kickstarter campaigns of all time. Elan shares how creativity and diverse expertise were essential for scaling a potential one-off success into a prolific games studio. And he reveals how he cultivated a community by transforming casual colleagues, partners and customers into key stakeholders. Read a...
Dec 12, 2023•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast There's no perfect process for achieving your goals. Accepting that the rules you play by need to be constantly tweaked, hacked or reinvented will open you up to new ways of innovating. Instilling this attitude throughout your organization will help you be boldly differential in your experimentation. Ed Catmull literally wrote the book on creating a dynamic and sustainable creative culture. Drawing on his experience as co-founder of celebrated animation studio Pixar, and president of Walt Disney...
Dec 05, 2023•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast How do you restore confidence after a high-profile leadership uproar? Web Summit’s new CEO Katherine Maher joins Rapid Response host Bob Safian to discuss taking over after the sudden, forced resignation of founding CEO Paddy Cosgrave. With echoes of the drama at OpenAI, Maher describes how she navigated the tumult, calming partners like Amazon and Google and enabling Web Summit’s signature event in Lisbon to draw 70,000 attendees. Plus, Maher shares lessons from her time at the helm of the Wiki...
Nov 30, 2023•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
