

Rapid Response
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The pace of change in our culture is unprecedented and shows no signs of slowing. So what is most important to pay attention to when striving to innovate, create, and lead? From the team behind Masters of Scale, Rapid Response features candid conversations with today's top business leaders navigating real-time challenges. Hosted by the former editor-in-chief of Fast Company, Bob Safian.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 10, 2024 • 32min
Bluesky’s bold plan beyond the ‘X-odus’, with COO Rose Wang
Millions of users have joined social media platform Bluesky in recent weeks, as an alternative to Elon Musk's X. It’s sparking new opportunities and challenges for Bluesky's tiny 20-person team, and COO Rose Wang joins Rapid Response to discuss a major shift underway in social media. As dissatisfaction with the big platforms grows, she explains why the open network of Bluesky isn't just X by another name, nor a liberal refuge, but instead part of a new decentralized social web that prioritizes closer personal connections, data privacy, and democratization.Visit the Rapid Response website here: https://www.rapidresponseshow.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dec 6, 2024 • 31min
An epic energy shift is underway, with Cipher News’ Amy Harder
The energy industry – from fossil fuels to clean power – is poised for major change. From US president-elect Donald Trump’s support for oil and gas to Big Tech’s rising support for nuclear power to the recent UN talks on climate change in Baku, Azerbaijan, Cipher News executive editor and longtime energy reporter Amy Harder joins Rapid Response to cut through the noise, breaking down the most important lessons and insights. Plus: how AI really impacts energy use, Elon Musk’s evolving role in EV adoption, China’s clean-energy priorities, and more. Visit the Rapid Response website here: https://www.rapidresponseshow.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dec 3, 2024 • 29min
How Cost Plus Drugs is revolutionizing pharma, with CEO Alex Oshmyansky
With the help of co-founder Mark Cuban, Cost Plus Drugs CEO Alex Oshmyansky is radically re-engineering the pharma marketplace and dramatically cutting the price for many prescription drugs. Oshmyansky joins Rapid Response host Bob Safian to share his amazing journey — from struggling as an immigrant in primary school to starting college at age 13, how medical practice led to entrepreneurship, plus reimagining his original plan on advice from the legendary incubator Y Combinator. Oshmyansky explains how Cost Plus Drugs stumbled into success, turning adversaries into allies and harnessing patience as a superpower.Visit the Rapid Response website here: https://www.rapidresponseshow.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nov 26, 2024 • 26min
Why Apple defies gravity and AI is God, with Guy Kawasaki, host of Remarkable People
Apple defies gravity, and AI is Divine. That’s how Guy Kawasaki, who worked closely with Steve Jobs and is now chief evangelist at Canva and host of the podcast Remarkable People, describes the state of tech now. Guy argues that Jobs would thrive in today’s business climate, muses about Tim Cook’s limitations, and explains what he means when he says “AI is God.” Plus unconventional advice about what it means to be remarkable in modern life, and why entrepreneurship is like surfing in the ocean.Visit the Rapid Response website here: https://www.rapidresponseshow.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nov 22, 2024 • 38min
What a Trump second term means for business, with Ian Bremmer
Potential tariff wars, market movements, allies in big tech … About two months out from Trump’s return to office, there’s rampant speculation about the new administration’s impact on the business world. To cut through the noise, Eurasia Group’s Ian Bremmer joins Rapid Response to share what he’s hearing from individuals in global governments and boardrooms. Bremmer reveals which industries are poised to thrive under a second Trump term, how China is strategizing trade and investment in the US, and what Elon Musk’s new role says about the eroding free market economy. Visit the Rapid Response website here: https://www.rapidresponseshow.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nov 19, 2024 • 32min
Iggy Azalea on crypto’s biggest myths and mistakes
Rapper and musician Iggy Azalea wants you to know that her crypto token $MOTHER isn’t just another ‘pump and dump’ celebrity crypto play. She believes in the future of cryptocurrency and the potential for fostering a new engaged community of followers — or ‘stans’ as she calls them. Azalea sits down with Rapid Response host Bob Safian to reveal why she retired from music and made the pivot into cryptocurrency, as well as founding an online gifting platform and telecommunication company. For any business looking to strengthen their brand around human connection, Iggy shares valuable advice for taking advantage of this digital age.Visit the Rapid Response website here: https://www.rapidresponseshow.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nov 15, 2024 • 28min
The mirage of workplace meritocracy, with Hello Monday’s Jessi Hempel, Meta’s Maxine Williams, Lean In’s Rachel Thomas, and Girls Who Code’s Reshma Saujani
Gender equity suddenly cuts both ways in 2024: Some argue that men are being unfairly demonized, while data shows a continuing gap in opportunity for women. Live from the Masters of Scale Summit in San Francisco, Jessi Hempel, host of the Hello Monday podcast, leads a thought-provoking panel with the CEO of Lean In, Rachel Thomas; the chief diversity officer at Meta, Maxine Williams; and the founder of Girls Who Code and Moms First, Reshma Saujani. They get real on meritocracy in the workplace and who gets ahead, whether it’s truly harder to be a white man in 2024, and more, offering a sobering reality check on corporate diversity programs.Visit the Rapid Response website here: https://www.rapidresponseshow.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nov 12, 2024 • 22min
Cultivate loyalty at every level, with Chewy’s Sumit Singh and former Exos CEO Sarah Robb O’Hagan
How do you cultivate loyalty, from investors to team members and, of course, customers? Business leaders have long debated this. Host Bob Safian invites two guests to weigh in with their secrets to brand and company loyalty. Chewy CEO Sumit Singh has built his pet-centric business around customer service and care. And seasoned CEO Sarah Robb O’Hagan has led at Exos, Equinox, Nike, and more – all brands with deep reliance on genuine connections. Hear their conversation recorded live at the 2024 Masters of Scale Summit in San Francisco. Visit the Rapid Response website here: https://www.rapidresponseshow.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nov 8, 2024 • 32min
Reid Hoffman on Trump's election and what's next
Following Donald Trump’s victory in this week’s US presidential election, Reid Hoffman (a major donor to Vice President Harris’ campaign) is figuring out where business, tech, and his own energy go from here. Hoffman joins Rapid Response host Bob Safian to share his reaction to the election and what the outcome means for Silicon Valley, the overall economy, and more. Despite being a vocal critic of Trump, Hoffman is committed to driving US prosperity over the next four years, assuring “we’re all in this boat together”.Visit the Rapid Response website here: https://www.rapidresponseshow.com/Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vS4zI-LvQigSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nov 5, 2024 • 30min
Rapid fire fun: Slutty Vegan’s Pinky Cole + ocean educator Philippe Cousteau Jr., live from the Masters of Scale Summit
In this special 2-for-1 episode, we offer two segments of rapid-fire fun from the 2024 Masters of Scale Summit. First, Slutty Vegan’s Pinky Cole joins Rapid Response host Bob Safian for a gamified session on capturing consumer attention that delivers lessons on the power of joy, building celebrity, and competing with stalwarts like McDonald’s. Then, ocean storyteller and entrepreneur Philippe Cousteau Jr. has 10 minutes to convince Safian (as a faux VC) to invest in our oceans — encouraging that the future of humanity lies not in the stars, but much closer to home. Visit the Rapid Response website here: https://www.rapidresponseshow.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.