Thought Sparks

In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, speaks with Martin Reeves, Chair of the BCG Henderson Institute. Their conversation pulls from Reeves’ recent book "Like: The Button That Changed the World”, to explore how digital feedback has shaped our culture, political institutions, and innovation practices, with case studies from Cambridge Analytica, Apple, McDonald’s, TikTok, and more.00:00 Meet Martin Reeves: BCG's Chairman & Author of "Like: The Button That Changed the World00:58 7 to 100 Billion Uses Per Day: How Kids Define Status Through Digital Feedback03:01 The Roman Colosseum Myth That Fooled Silicon Valley03:49 From Ancient Painting to American Psyche: How Art Reproductions Shaped Culture06:49 The Disruption Hidden in Plain Sight: Why Cheap Reproductions Changed Everything07:42 From TV Set-Top Boxes to Digital Revolution: The Evolution of Feedback08:27 "Don't Make Me Think": Why the Apple Watch Isn't Actually a Watch09:24 The "Uber of Everything" Problem: Why Naming Your Innovation Is Strategic10:28 The 50-Company Secret: Why Innovation Heroes Don't Actually Exist12:29 The Innovation Nobody Predicted: How Tactical Problems Become Business Gold15:38 The Transistor Truth: Why Innovation Is Really Just Advanced Tinkering16:41 Why 70% of Scientists Can't Predict Their Own Breakthrough Discoveries20:03 The $2 Billion Advertising Bubble: Why 89% of Ads Vanish Into Thin Air22:09 When Cambridge Analytica Proved Digital Feedback Actually Works26:18 The McDonald's McLean Disaster: When Market Research Lies to You35:32 The TikTok Experiment: Manufacturing Sentiment at Government Scale38:45 When Bots Like Bots: The Hidden Economy of Manufactured Influence46:13 The Future of Corporations: Do We Still Need Mega-Companies?47:32 From Savannah to Silicon Valley: Why Our Brains Aren't Built for Modern Business54:23 Science Fiction Strategy: Using Imagined Futures to Plan for Today55:48 The Philanthropic Corporation: When Work Provides Purpose, Not Just Income59:20 Why Innovation Books Take on Lives of Their Own (And What's Next for AI)Thought Sparks are the brainchild of Rita McGrath. They are insightful actions, strategic ideas, actionable suggestions and innovative approaches that help organizations and leaders master the future with less fear and more confidence. New episodes of the Thought Sparks Podcast are released every other Tuesday at 11am Eastern. Want to learn more about Rita’s ideas and hear more of her conversations with business leaders and innovators? Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠  and ⁠Spotify⁠.Watch Thought Sparks episodes on ⁠YouTube⁠Follow Rita on ⁠LinkedIn⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠X⁠ and ⁠Blue Sky⁠.Connect with Rita on ⁠TikTok⁠Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on ⁠Substack⁠. Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com

In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, speaks with Robert Pasin, Chief Wagon Officer at Radio Flyer. They take a deep dive into the history of the iconic wagon brand and the three generations of Pasin’s family that have helmed the brand. Covering everything from the e-commerce revolution that transformed how retail operated to shutdowns that threatened the brand as a whole, they share strategic insights applicable across sectors. 00:00 Meet Robert Pasin: Chief Wagon Officer & 4th Generation Leader of Radio Flyer01:16 The 5-Year-Old's First Day at Work: A Magical Factory That Changed Everything02:09 From Italy to Chicago: The Immigrant Carpenter Who Built an American Icon03:46 The Mystery Behind the Name "Radio Flyer" Finally Solved04:41 The 45-Foot Giant That Launched a Brand at the 1933 World's Fair06:03 When a 100-Year Company Almost Died: The Early 90s Crisis07:31 The Plastic Revolution That Blindsided Radio Flyer09:24 From "We Make Wagons" to "We Create Warm Memories"11:36 The Bank Meeting That Taught a Young CEO About Cash Flow13:03 The Tricycle That Never Existed (But Everyone Remembered Having)14:38 Becoming CEO at 28: "Nobody Else Wanted the Job"18:59 "Plant a Lot of Seeds": How to Innovate Without Betting the Farm20:07 Inside Radio Flyer's Prototype Shop: Where Ideas Become Reality22:40 Why Radio Flyer Thinks "Quarter Century, Not Quarter"29:12 The Day They Shut Down the Factory: A Leadership Test38:04 From Toys"R"Us to Amazon: Adapting to Retail's Revolution41:47 Why Focus Groups Lie: The Power of Observing Real Behavior49:06 The 360 Feedback That Changed Everything52:50 Electric Bikes and the Next Chapter: Hauling Kids for Another 100 Years56:47 The One Leadership Skill That Matters Most58:20 Why Teenage Kids Are the Ultimate CEO Reality CheckThought Sparks are the brainchild of Rita McGrath. They are insightful actions, strategic ideas, actionable suggestions and innovative approaches that help organizations and leaders master the future with less fear and more confidence. New episodes of the Thought Sparks Podcast are released every other Tuesday at 11am Eastern. Want to learn more about Rita’s ideas and hear more of her conversations with business leaders and innovators? Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTubeFollow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky.Connect with Rita on TikTokSign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com

Frank Rose, a senior fellow at Columbia University and author of "The Sea We Swim In," joins Rita McGrath to dive into the art of storytelling in the digital age. They discuss how technological advances have reshaped narratives, citing examples like James Cameron's film innovations and Trent Reznor's storytelling in music. The duo also explores the emotional aspects of persuasion, the critical role of audience engagement, and how brands can create lasting loyalty through immersive storytelling.

In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, speaks with Karla Trotman, CEO of ElectroSoft, Inc, the largest Black- and woman-owned electronics contract manufacturer in the United States, and author of “Dark, Dirty, Dangerous”. They shed light on the unique challenges that family business face and how Karla broke barriers in the manufacturing industry to lead true innovation. 00:00 Meet Karla Trotman: Manufacturing CEO & Author of "Dark, Dirty, Dangerous" 01:16 From Kitchen Table to Corporate Empire: An Accidental Manufacturing Dynasty 02:20 Why Smart Kids Reject Family Businesses (And How One Changed Her Mind) 03:20 The E-Commerce Pivot That Led Back Home: When Amazon Changed Everything 04:44 Family Business Drama: When Three Siblings Want the Same Company 08:07 The Brutal Honesty That Saved a Family Legacy 09:56 Presidential Training Wheels: Learning to Lead Alongside Your Predecessor 12:13 Breaking Into the Boys' Club: A Woman of Color's Manufacturing Journey 15:46 Busting the Manufacturing Myth: It's Not Dark, Dirty, or Dangerous Anymore 16:36 The Great American Manufacturing Mistake: How We Made Other Countries Rich 20:02 The $70K High School Graduate: When Welding Beats Wall Street 20:38 Why Parents Are Finally Coming to Their Senses About College vs. Trades 22:16 Building Submarines and Changing Lives: The Military's Manufacturing Campaign 40:09 From Windows XP to AI: The Digital Transformation That Almost Broke the Bank 43:01 You Have to Be Crazy to Be an Entrepreneur: Why Everything is a Bet 46:57 The Light Fixture Philosophy: Investing in People, Not Waste 49:02 The DEI Backlash: Why Treating People Equally Became Controversial 51:17 The Blind Spot Solution: Why Diverse Teams Win (Despite Feeling Worse) 55:31 The Wrestling Match: What It's Really Like Being the Only One in the Room 1:00:48 The Conference That Saved Her Company: Why Leaders Must Leave Their Desks 1:01:57 Doing President vs. Being President: The Real Work of Leadership Thought Sparks are the brainchild of Rita McGrath. They are insightful actions, strategic ideas, actionable suggestions and innovative approaches that help organizations and leaders master the future with less fear and more confidence. New episodes of the Thought Sparks Podcast are released every other Tuesday at 11am Eastern. Want to learn more about Rita’s ideas and hear more of her conversations with business leaders and innovators? Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTubeFollow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky.Connect with Rita on TikTokSign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com

In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, speaks with Sharon Price John, CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop and author of “Stories and Heart: Unlock the Power of Personal Stories to Create a Life You Love”.  This special live episode was taped at Columbia Business School, where Sharon Price John delivered a keynote as part of Columbia Women in Business’s Women’s History Month celebration. They discuss confidence, and how lack of confidence can hamper both personal and professional growth. They identify the 3 reasons for the lack of confidence – fear of failure, pursuit of perfectionism, and negative self talk – and give actionable strategies for how to overcome low self esteem. How striking the balance between confidence and competence is key to success. Thought Sparks are the brainchild of Rita McGrath. They are insightful actions, strategic ideas, actionable suggestions and innovative approaches that help organizations and leaders master the future with less fear and more confidence. New episodes of the Thought Sparks Podcast are released every other Tuesday at 11am Eastern. Want to learn more about Rita’s ideas and hear more of her conversations with business leaders and innovators? Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠  and ⁠Spotify⁠.Watch Thought Sparks episodes on ⁠YouTube⁠Follow Rita on ⁠LinkedIn⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠X⁠ and ⁠Blue Sky⁠.Connect with Rita on ⁠TikTok⁠Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on ⁠Substack⁠. Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com

In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, speaks with Peter Georgescu, chairman emeritus of Young & Rubicam and author of 3 books: Capitalists, Arise!, The Source of Success, and The Constant Choice. Their conversation covers how business leaders can take action in an increasingly divided society, how multi-stakeholder capitalism unlocks long-term value creation, and how passionately caring for your customers and your employees is crucial to your success as a leader.  Key Takeaways: (Add description and time codes)0:00 - Introducing Peter Georgescu: From Young & Rubicam to Capitalists, Arise!1:14 - Surviving WWII: Peter's Extraordinary Early Life Story4:40 - Child Labor Under Communism: Peter's Five Years of Forced Work7:55 - The Blackmail Ultimatum: Spy For Us or Never See Your Children Again9:40 - The Power of Public Opinion: How America Rallied to Save Two Boys11:36 - From Prison to Exeter Academy: Arriving in America Without English13:56 - Peter's Definition of the American Dream: Becoming His Best Self16:11 - The Hurricane Metaphor: Understanding Capitalism as a Powerful Force19:19 - The 1982 Turning Point: When Shareholder Value Became the Only Goal21:07 - Two Americas: The Growing Divide Between Haves and Have-Nots23:55 - $50 Trillion Transfer: The Staggering Cost of Worker Exploitation27:40 - Historical Warning Signs: Why Social Instability Always Follows Inequality29:41 - Workers as Leverageable Assets: The Secret to Business Success33:08 - Profit Sharing in Action: How Costco Revolutionized Retail34:55 - The PayPal Revelation: When 50% of Workers Needed Food Stamps42:40 - The Business Case for Multiple Stakeholders: Everyone Wins44:12 - The Planet as Stakeholder: Why Climate Action is Good Business47:09 - Education's Role in Reviving the American Dream50:21 - The Barber and the Top Surgeon: A Heartwarming Healthcare Story52:21 - The KKR Transformation: Rethinking Private Equity with Pete Stavros53:43 - The Garage Door Success Story: Workers Who Transformed Their Company56:49 - Dignity in the Workplace: Creating Meaningful Work Cultures1:01:23 - Our Shared Mission: A Call for Business Leaders to Take Action1:01:56 - Lucky Us: Final Thoughts on Making a Difference in the WorldThought Sparks are the brainchild of Rita McGrath. They are insightful actions, strategic ideas, actionable suggestions and innovative approaches that help organizations and leaders master the future with less fear and more confidence. New episodes of the Thought Sparks Podcast are released every other Tuesday at 11am Eastern. Want to learn more about Rita’s ideas and hear more of her conversations with business leaders and innovators? Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts  and Spotify.Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTubeFollow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky.Connect with Rita on TikTokSign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com

In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, speaks with Lori Rosenkopf, Vice Dean of Entrepreneurship at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and author of “Unstoppable Entrepreneurs: 7 Paths for Unleashing Successful Startups and Creating Value through Innovation”. Their conversation covers how to succeed and persist as an entrepreneur and what it takes to bring innovation to fruition, including case studies from Madison Reed, Nokia, and Square. Key Takeaways: (Add description and time codes)0:00 Meet Lori Rosenkopf: Author of Unstoppable Entrepreneurs 00:59 Columbia to Wharton: Two Scholars' Parallel Journeys 3:31 The Six R's That Make Entrepreneurs Truly Unstoppable 4:12 Passionate vs. Pragmatic Entrepreneurs: Two Different Paths to Success 6:55 Recombination: Why Most Successful Innovations Are 90% Familiar, 10% New 8:20 "Unstoppable" vs. "Resilient" – The Psychology Behind Entrepreneurial Persistence 10:29 Madison Reed: Disrupting the Hair Color Industry 13:38 The Bootstrapper's Advantage: Why 80% of Enterprises Avoid Outside Funding 15:36 The Shocking Truth: Only 0.5% of Businesses Take Venture Funding 19:23 Intrapreneurship: How Jackie Reese Built a Bank Inside Square 22:06 The Innovation Arms Race: How Entrepreneurs Drive Corporate Change 23:21 Nokia's Surprising Pivot: Life Beyond Consumer Phones 24:52 From Bell Labs to Co-Working Space: The Evolution of Corporate Innovation 26:28 GenHERation: How COVID Transformed a Bus Tour Into a Thriving EdTech Platform 28:48 Beyond Profit: The Cultural Value Entrepreneurs Create for Society 32:49 Technology Commercialization: Bringing Life-Changing Ideas to Market 35:41 Harlem Capital: Transforming VC Funding for Underrepresented Entrepreneurs 38:31 Search Funds: The Little-Known Path to Business Ownership 40:24 From Funeral Homes to Tech: Unexpected Acquisition Opportunities 43:46 The Real Age of Successful Founders: Why Most Entrepreneurs Aren’t 22-Year-Olds 44:48 Inside Wharton’s VentureLab: Building the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs 49:43 AI’s Impact on Jobs: Why Entrepreneurial Thinking Is More Important Than Ever 53:47 How Top Entrepreneurs Navigate Innovation: Risk Is Not an R 54:47 The Madison Reed COVID Pivot: From 12 Stores to 100+ Through Contrarian Thinking 56:09 The Next Chapter: Promoting Unstoppable Entrepreneurs and Its Message 57:52 Breaking Free: Why Entrepreneurship Can Be More Stable Than Corporate Life Thought Sparks are the brainchild of Rita McGrath. They are insightful actions, strategic ideas, actionable suggestions and innovative approaches that help organizations and leaders master the future with less fear and more confidence. New episodes of the Thought Sparks Podcast are released every other Tuesday at 11am Eastern. Want to learn more about Rita’s ideas and hear more of her conversations with business leaders and innovators? Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts  and Spotify.Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTubeFollow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky.Connect with Rita on TikTokSign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com

In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, speaks with Garry Ridge, the former CEO of WD-40, and author of “Any Dumb-Ass Can Do It: Learning Moments from an Everyday CEO of a Multi-Billion-Dollar Company”. They share lessons from Garry’s 25-year tenure at WD-40 on how leaders can foster a supportive, positive workplace, and create cultures of belonging. Key Takeaways: 00:00 Meet Garry Ridge: WD-40 Chairman Emeritus & "Dean of Dumbassery"01:19 Business as a Force for Good: Creating Cultures Where People Go Home Happy02:29 “Smart Alec” the Doll: Identifying Soul-Sucking Leadership Behaviors03:19 The Tribal Concept: Why "Belonging" Is the Foundation of Great Organizations06:56 The Maniac Pledge: Eliminating the Finger-Pointing Disease in Organizations11:26 "I Hate the Word Manager": Why Coaching Beats Management Every Time13:53 Learning Moments vs. Failures: Building Psychological Safety in Your Team18:13 WD-40's Origin Story: How 39 Failed Attempts Led to a Global Brand19:59 Beyond Squeaks: Why Your Product Isn't Your Purpose22:32 Values as Decision-Making Tools: How Hierarchical Values Empower Employees24:41 The $4 Million Decision: How Values Protected WD-40 from a Toxic Opportunity30:36 Market Research in China: How Curiosity Transformed a Failed Product Launch33:41 "Don't Understand? Get Curious!": How to Identify Your Customers' Real Needs36:09 From CEO to "Refirement": Planning Your Leadership Exit with Purpose40:33 Leading Through Uncertainty: Six Principles for Navigating Crisis43:31 The Leadership Risk: Why Absorbing Uncertainty Is Your Most Important Job49:47 The Remote Work Dilemma: Why In-Person Connection Drives Innovation55:06 "97% of My Assets Drive Out the Gate": Treating People as Your Greatest ValueThought Sparks are the brainchild of Rita McGrath. They are insightful actions, strategic ideas, actionable suggestions and innovative approaches that help organizations and leaders master the future with less fear and more confidence. New episodes of the Thought Sparks Podcast are released every other Tuesday at 11am Eastern. Want to learn more about Rita’s ideas and hear more of her conversations with business leaders and innovators? Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTubeFollow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky.Connect with Rita on TikTokSign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com

In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, speaks with Steve Mandell, founder of party goods retail giant Party City. With recent headlines about Party City’s bankruptcy after nearly 40 years in business, they discuss Steve’s journey to founding the company, including the passion, hard work, and attention to detail that established Party City as a powerhouse. They discuss the future of retail, as online shopping continues to dominate over brick-and-mortar stores, and the impact of US tariffs remains to be seen.  Key Takeaways: (Add description and time codes)00:00 Meet Steve Mandell: Party City Founder & Serial Entrepreneur00:55 The Birth of Party City: One Store and a Simple Dream02:59 From Brooklyn Street Corner to Retail Empire: Steve's Entrepreneurial Roots 04:09 Retail is Detail: The Obsession That Built an Empire06:10 Listening to the Customer: The Secret to Party City's Evolution08:30 The Revolutionary Picture Wall That Experts Called 'Crazy'11:31 Accidental Franchising: The Surprise Visitor That Changed Everything13:14 Three Times the Expected Sales: The First Day That Proved the Concept15:40 The Entrepreneur's Mindset: 'What Are We Going to Do for an Encore?'19:56 The Vendor Connection: Creating a Retail Category Together21:17 Culture Through Mentorship: The Sam and Joe Story23:55 The Secret Hiring Formula: Three Traits of Exceptional Performers28:11 Culture of Caring: The Human Touch Behind Business Success30:16 When Success Turns to Crisis: The Audit That Changed Everything34:29 'Don't Run the Business for Wall Street': The Advice That Guided Party City 35:14 The Model That Couldn't Be Killed: Party City's Lasting Legacy38:19 Reinvention: From Party Stores to Online Costume Empire41:54 Hurricane Sandy and the Warehouse Under Water: When Nature Forces Change 43:20 The Entrepreneur's Idea Inventory: How Opportunities Take Shape45:05 The Cookie Wall: Bringing Retail Innovation to E-Commerce48:59 Solving the Hard Problems: Why Difficult Industries Create Opportunities 51:03 'I Don't Like It, I LOVE It': Passion as the Ultimate Driver51:58 No Free Rides: Advice for Young Entrepreneurs56:13 The Mandell Formula for Success: Luck, Luck, and Getting Off the Couch 57:38 Incrediblecookies.com: The Next Chapter of Retail InnovationThought Sparks are the brainchild of Rita McGrath. They are insightful actions, strategic ideas, actionable suggestions and innovative approaches that help organizations and leaders master the future with less fear and more confidence. New episodes of the Thought Sparks Podcast are released every other Tuesday at 11am Eastern. Want to learn more about Rita’s ideas and hear more of her conversations with business leaders and innovators? Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts  and Spotify.Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTubeFollow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky.Connect with Rita on TikTokSign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com

When should you stay the course in life, and when should you shift with changing tides? This week, we bring you case studies from the world of business to explore the science of inflection points — changes that dramatically transform the course of events. Researcher Rita McGrath of Columbia University explains why we fail to see impending moments of upheaval, and what we can do to be more adept at spotting them.What you’ll learn from this week’s episode:The definition of an inflection point, and how to identify it in your own professional or personal life.The four stages of inflection points, and how to take advantage of them.The warning signs that an inflection point might be passing you by.  Originally published by Hidden Brain https://hiddenbrain.org/podcast/when-to-pivot/