Opening Bid Unfiltered

Doing the game of baseball differently. Think an 11-rule system, one of them being that if a player bunts, they are automatically out. If a fan catches a ball, the player is out. All-in-ticket pricing means that food and your seat are included in one price. Players dancing out of the blue in the outfield. A person pitching while being on stilts. A two-hour time limit for the game. If you think this all sounds ridiculous, you are right — the thing is, it's being done already! Enter the Savannah Bananas, an independent baseball team founded officially in 2016 by Jesse Cole. The Bananas have gone from a sports sideshow to the real deal, filling out stadiums reserved for pro teams and appearing on ESPN. Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi talks on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with founder and owner Jesse Cole. Coles shares why he views Walt Disney as one of his ultimate business inspirations and how he got a business like the Bananas off the ground in a competitive sporting arena. Cole also details what’s next for his company after a transformational 2025. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves, and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor, before the stock market opens. Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid Unfiltered at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Please email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered is hosted by Brian Sozzi and produced by Langston Sessoms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jimmy Wales, co-founder of Wikipedia and author of The 7 Rules of Trust, explores the complexities of trust in the digital age. He discusses Wikipedia's unique nonprofit model and its commitment to neutrality amidst accusations of bias. Wales critiques social media's divisive nature, highlighting the toxic algorithms that undermine trust. He shares insights on rebuilding societal trust through transparency and community engagement, and envisions Wikipedia's enduring role as a reliable information source in the face of AI challenges.

One of the longest-serving CEOs in Corporate America is embarking on retirement, but not without imparting some wisdom to the next generation of leaders. Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi talks on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with former Royal Caribbean (RCL) CEO Richard Fain, who is out with a new book called ‘Delivering the WOW.' Fain served as the CEO of Royal Caribbean for 33 years, stepping aside in 2022. Fain helped grow Royal Caribbean into the world’s most valuable cruise line operator by building ever larger ships and doubling down on customer service. He also led the company through the COVID-19 pandemic, a historic time for the cruise industry that saw operations come to a sudden halt for an extended period. Fain shares his secrets to business success and reveals his predictions for the future of the cruise industry. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves, and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor, before the stock market opens. Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid Unfiltered at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Please email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered is hosted by Brian Sozzi and produced by Langston Sessoms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this lively discussion, Christian Toetzke, co-founder and CEO of HYROX, shares insights into the rapid rise of his global fitness-racing company. He delves into the gap in the fitness market that inspired HYROX, the strategy behind their unique event format, and their ambitious plans for expansion. Christian highlights their impressive growth without outside funding and teases the potential for HYROX to become an Olympic sport. With over 650,000 athletes already participating, the future looks bright for this innovative fitness competition!

Matt Baer, the new CEO of Stitch Fix, discusses his mission to transform the struggling company with technology and personalization. He highlights the chaotic experiences in retail and positions Stitch Fix as a curated alternative. Baer emphasizes the role of AI in enhancing customer service while maintaining a hybrid approach with human stylists. He also shares insights on expanding product offerings and the importance of convenience in shopping. With renewed strategies, Baer is optimistic about reclaiming market share and improving customer experiences.

Carter Reum, co-founder of venture firm M13, shares his insights on the booming market and the rise of AI-driven opportunities. He discusses the rapid evolution of investment trends, emphasizing the disruptive potential of AI in various industries. Reum predicts a future where automation impacts low-skill roles, freeing humans for more complex tasks. He also highlights the importance of founder qualities and the ethical imperative of diversity in venture portfolios. Expect a competitive landscape as big tech battles for dominance in AI.

Richard Thaler, a Nobel Prize-winning behavioral economist and co-author of "The Winner’s Curse," joins Brian Sozzi to unravel the quirks of market psychology. They explore why investors flock to weak companies and overlook strong ones. Thaler highlights the challenges of identifying bubbles and the role of FOMO in rallies, despite economic headwinds. He contrasts stock picking with index investing, emphasizing it should be a hobby. With insights on the AI bubble resembling the dot-com era, listeners gain a fascinating perspective on market behaviors.

Before it was known as Tapestry (TPR) and an owner of the Coach and Kate Spade Brands, Coach was just Coach — maker of handbags and accessories that dominated mall racks. But like with every retailer in business for decades, Coach has stories to tell. Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi sits on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with former longtime Coach CEO Lew Frankfort. Frankfort is out with a new memoir called Bag Man: The Story Behind the Improbable Rise of Coach. The book takes readers inside the history of the accessories maker founded in New York City in 1941. Frankfurt joined the company in 1979 with no background in the fashion industry. By 1985, he was the president of Coach, CEO by 1995, and then led the company’s IPO on the New York Stock Exchange in 2000. He departed Coach as CEO in January 2014, but has stayed close to the company and the broader retail industry. Frankfort shares his journey through the C-suite and the lessons he learned along the way. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves, and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor, before the stock market opens. Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid Unfiltered at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Please email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered is hosted by Brian Sozzi and produced by Langston Sessoms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It has been another money-making year for investors by and large. Crypto prices are near records, AI-exposed stocks continue to perform well, and Wall Street strategists have begun to come out more bullish for 2026 amid expectations for rate cuts. Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi talks on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with BlackRock’s chief investment and portfolio strategist for the Americas, Gargi Chaudhuri. Chaudhuri thinks investor portfolios are even riskier because of shifts in the foundational relationships between stocks and bonds. Despite more elevated valuations for stocks and expectations for slowing US economic growth, Chaudhuri still leans toward favoring growth stocks like those in the AI space. The veteran strategist also recommends having an allocation in digital assets such as crypto. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves, and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor, before the stock market opens. Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid Unfiltered at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Please email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered is hosted by Brian Sozzi and produced by Langston Sessoms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brian Niccol, the CEO of Starbucks, is on a mission to revitalize the coffee giant. He discusses innovative AI initiatives, including a secret barista that predicts orders. Niccol shares insights on their focus on enhancing customer experience and menu improvements like protein-infused coffee. He reveals plans for 1,000 store remodels and the importance of creating a social atmosphere for younger customers. With tough decisions on staffing and leadership, he emphasizes the need for a return to quality coffeehouse service.