The Soul of Enterprise: Business in the Transformation Economy by THRESHOLD

In this episode, we sit down with Adam Thierer, Resident Senior Fellow at the R Street Institute, to unpack his recent analysis—AI Policy in Congress Mid‑2025: Where Are We Headed Next? We explore shifting congressional priorities, from the AI–China strategic race to the rising friction with state-level AI regulations. Adam also shares how policymakers are evolving from a fear-driven stance to one increasingly open to AI’s broader benefits. Dive in for thoughtful insight on the road ahead in federal AI governance. Biography Adam Thierer is a Resident Senior Fellow on the Technology & Innovation team at the R Street Institute, dedicated to advancing "permissionless innovation" for a safer, more entrepreneurial world. Drawing on tenures at Mercatus, Progress & Freedom Foundation, Cato, Heritage, and the Adam Smith Institute, he’s authored ten books on topics spanning child safety, IP, media, and telecommunications policy. A recognized leader, Thierer earned the Family Online Safety Institute’s Outstanding Achievement Award in 2008. Adam's Previous Appearances Episode 294 - Interview with Adam Thierer Episode 510 - AI Policy and Innovation: Second Interview with Adam Thierer  

Ron and Ed are thrilled to welcome back Kimberlee Josephson for the sixth time, diving into her fascinating latest piece: “Superman, Sneaking Snacks into Movies, and the Mystery of Social Order”. In it, Kimberlee reflects on how seemingly small acts—like sneaking snacks into a film screening—reveal the spontaneous, emergent structures that bind society�—drawing on themes of personal norms, subtle coordination, and the texture of social order.  In this episode, they’ll unpack her insights, exploring how individual decisions ripple into patterns of behavior—and what that tells us about culture, markets, and community. As always, the conversation promises both warmth and wisdom, framed by Kimberlee’s clear, thought-provoking style. Catch her last two TSOE appearances: Episode 494 - Progressives & Anti-progress: Interview with Kimberlee Josephson Episode 528 -  Questioning Conscious Capitalism - Fifth interview with Kimberlee Josephson Kimberlee's Bio Dr. Kimberlee Josephson is an Associate Professor of Business Administration at Lebanon Valley College in Pennsylvania, specializing in international studies, strategic management, and marketing. She holds a Ph.D. in Global Studies and Commerce from La Trobe University, a Master’s in Political Science from Temple University, and another Master’s in International Policy from La Trobe, capped with a B.S. in Business Administration from Bloomsburg University. Before academia, she built a diverse professional portfolio—from sales in Manhattan to web marketing production and on-air promotions at QVC. Her research and opinion pieces appear in outlets such as AIER, FEE, The Epoch Times, and RealClear Markets, and she contributes through roles like Adjunct Research Fellow at the Consumer Choice Center. Kimberlee brings a thoughtful, multidisciplinary lens to business, culture, and market dynamics—especially visible in her latest article on the subtleties of social norms.

We throw the word strategy around so much that it risks becoming meaningless. Is it a plan? A budget? A list of goals? In this episode of The Soul of Enterprise, Ron and Ed revisit the meaning of strategy through the lens of John Hillen’s book The Strategy Dialogues: A Primer on Business Strategy and Strategic Management. Strategy, Hillen argues, is not chosen — it’s designed. It’s not about squeezing more juice from today’s orange but positioning for tomorrow’s orchard. From Netflix’s reinvention to Hilti’s leap into tool leasing, from LEGO’s brand extensions to Cirque du Soleil’s circus transformation, we’ll explore how strategy creates sustainable advantage by being different, not just better. Join us as we unpack the difference between strategy and business models, between planning and thinking, and between reacting to the present and shaping the future. If you’ve ever wondered whether your “strategic plan” is really a strategy, this conversation will challenge, clarify, and inspire.  

For years, GDP has been treated as the ultimate scorecard of economic performance. But GDP only measures final goods and services. It’s like judging a business by gross margin while ignoring sales. Economist Mark Skousen’s innovation, Gross Output (GO), fixes that. GO is the “Top Line” of the economy—capturing total sales and revenues at every stage of production, from raw materials to finished goods. GDP, in contrast, is the “Bottom Line,” measuring only what reaches final use. Together, they tell the full story, just as accountants need both revenue and profit to understand a business. This broader lens matters. GO reveals that business spending and investment drive about 60% of economic activity, with consumer spending closer to 30%—not the oft-quoted two-thirds. It also serves as a leading indicator: GO plunges deeper in recessions and rises faster in recoveries, signaling turning points before GDP does. For accounting and finance professionals, GO restores the supply chain to center stage and gives us a more accurate, dynamic picture of economic life. If GDP is the bottom line, GO is the top line—and both are needed to grasp the true soul of enterprise. ICYMI: Mark Skousen first appeared on The Soul of Enterprise in Episode #205 (August 18, 2018), where he discussed the origins of GO, its adoption by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), and how GO often doubles GDP in scale—even suggesting a leading indicator role for GO over GDP.

Sometimes the best conversations come from the stories that don’t neatly fit into a single theme—but are too good to ignore. In this week’s episode of The Soul of Enterprise, Ron and Ed bring you a lively grab bag of pricing and business news, insights, and oddities they’ve collected from around the world. From surprising trends in how companies set prices, to cautionary tales in leadership, to the occasional “you-can’t-make-this-up” moment from the marketplace, no topic is off limits. Tune in for sharp commentary, unexpected connections, and a little controlled chaos.

On their first independent episode, Ron and Ed will share some thoughts on the new format, the transformation economy, their new entity (THRESHOLD), and their Jerry Maguire mission statement to the professions entitled The REVELATION.  From the Preamble We affirm that the raison d’être of business is not profit, but human flourishing. Profit is the echo of value well delivered, the index of one's contribution to the health, wealth, wisdom, purpose, and meaning of others. It is a signal of trust earned and lives elevated. But profit is not the aim. It is the applause, not the performance. It is evidence, not essence.

Ron and Ed (well, just Ed, really) announced their transition from VoiceAmerica to their own platform. The show will continue streaming on Fridays at 3 PM Eastern/Noon PT, with the streams available at thesoulofenterprise.com or thresholdnow.com/tsoe. In addition to a few announcements, Ed shares the audio version of the Preamble to the REVELATION - a mission statement outlining their vision for the Transformation Economy focused on human flourishing. We are also seeking new sponsors and invite emails at asktsoe@thresholdnow.com. 

Despite Ben Franklin’s witticism, time is not money. In economic reality, money is time. That’s because we buy things with money, but we pay for them with time. In this episode of The Soul of Enterprise, Ed and Ron explore how consumers, firms, and even the Federal Reserve are starting to measure value not in dollars, but in time well spent. Drawing on a May 2025 article in the White Hutchinson Leisure eNewsletter, and the 1997 Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas report Time Well Spent: The Declining Real Cost of Living in America, the conversation covers: Why experience-based businesses have been flourishing since Joe Pine and James Gilmore identified the Experience Economy How to think about “valueflation” The profound economic insight that goods are getting cheaper, freeing up more time to enjoy life, and spend on experiences and transformations Whether you’re an accountant, entrepreneur, or simply a lover of liberty and leisure, this episode will challenge how you think about time, productivity, and pricing.

Ron and Ed explore the legacy and leadership lessons of Fred Smith, the visionary founder of Federal Express. From a bold undergraduate paper (legend has it that he only got a C+) to building one of the world’s most transformative logistics companies, Smith’s journey is a case study in perseverance, innovation, and strategic execution. We’ll unpack what made him not just a successful entrepreneur but a memorable mentor, both to his team and to an entire generation of business leaders. Tune in to discover the values, decisions, and mindset that helped shape the global economy, one overnight delivery at a time.

In his unprecedented ninth appearance with Ron and Ed, Joe Woodard will share his thoughts on the learning from the Woodard Group's Scaling New Heights 2025 event and also give a small sneak peek at next year! As always, the conversation will be fast, furious, and wide-ranging. More specifically, with hundreds of billions being invested in agentic AI, the next six months might see more change than the last six years!