China’s Shadow Moves: Ukraine, State Capitalism, and AI Ambitions

Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, the senior associate dean of leadership programs for the Yale School of Management, joins Scott to discuss leadership during a time of COVID-19 and the characteristics that make great business leaders. Follow Jeffrey on Twitter, @JeffSonnenfeld. (9:50) Scott opens with his thoughts on the second coronavirus relief package and Walmart’s shoppable live stream on TikTok.  This Week’s Office Hours: whether music labels might put their catalogs behind a wall, brand likability, and the bifurcation of an Android vs. iOS world. Have a question for Scott? Email a voice recording to officehours@section4.com. (36:44) Algebra of Happiness: Prof G’s Person of the Year. (48:05) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

24 Dec 202051min

Michael Saylor, the co-founder and CEO of MicroStrategy, joins Scott to give us the 411 on Bitcoin and the cryptocurrency space. Michael explains why he’s been making big bets on Bitcoin and investing his company’s treasury into the cryptocurrency. He also shares his advice on navigating our world of superabundance. Follow Michael on Twitter, @michael_saylor. (14:47) Scott opens with his thoughts on Tesla joining the S&P 500 on December 21st and Disney’s mammoth content announcements.  This Week’s Office Hours: why WhatsApp is Facebook’s most valuable asset, investing in the cannabis industry, and the second-order effects of remote work. Have a question for Scott? Email a voice recording to officehours@section4.com. (45:35) Algebra of Happiness: a call to arms. (57:26) Subscribe to The Prof G Show on YouTube here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

17 Dec 20201h 2min

Dambisa Moyo, a global economist and bestselling author, joins Scott to discuss the five trends she believes will define the post-pandemic world economy. They discuss all sorts of topics like the private sector, deglobalization, and public policy. Dambisa also explains what board members can be doing better. She is a trusted advisor on macroeconomics, geopolitics, and technology themes and serves on a number of global corporate boards including 3M Corporation, Chevron, and Condé Nast. Follow her on Twitter, @dambisamoyo. (13:29) Scott opens with his thoughts on the big IPO week and how Airbnb achieves three hurdles: differentiation, relevance, and sustainability, while DoorDash does not. He also explains why he believes WarnerMedia’s decision to release its slate of 2021 films in theaters and on HBO Max the same day is a baller move.  This week’s Office Hours: the future of the podcast industry and whether CrossFit could take on Peloton’s business model. Have a question for Scott? Email a voice recording to officehours@section4.com.  Algebra of Happiness: advice for giving care at the end of a loved one’s life.  Dambisa’s book recommendations: This Time Is Different: Eight Centuries of Financial Folly by Carmen Reinhart and Kenneth Rogoff The Art of Thinking Clearly by Rolf Dobelli Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

10 Dec 20201h 2min

Nick Molnar, the co-founder and CEO of Afterpay, joins Scott to discuss the company’s ‘buy now, take now, pay later’ business model, how millennials' spending habits are changing, and Nick’s experience as an entrepreneur. Nick also compares and contrasts running a startup in San Francisco vs. Sydney. (7:48) Scott opens with his thoughts on the acceleration of e-commerce.  This week’s Office Hours: Airbnb and tax regulations, deciding whether to get an M.B.A, and why experiential retail can’t save every retailer. (30:54) Algebra of Happiness: the vulnerability of capitalism. (41:24) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

3 Dec 202047min

Scott shares two audio excerpts from his latest book, “Post-Corona: From Crisis to Opportunity,” which is out now. You’ll hear chapter one, The Covid Gangster Move: Variable Cost Structures, and chapter four, Twenty-First-Century Higher Ed. You can find the book here or on Scott’s Twitter, @profgalloway.  Scott also brings on his literary agent, Jim Levine, to hear about COVID-19’s impact on the book industry, Amazon’s position in this space, and what Jim looks for in talent. Jim also shares his advice for finding moments of engagement with your loved ones. Jim is the founder of LGR Literary Agency in New York City.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

26 Nov 202046min

Joost van Dreunen joins Scott to give the lowdown on the video game industry. We hear about the trends, the major players, and predictions around live streaming, user-generated content, advertisers entering the space, Big Tech’s role, and Asia’s influence on the global games’ economy. Joost teaches at NYU’s Stern School of Business and his book, One Up: Creativity, Competition, and the Global Business of Video Games, is out now. Follow Joost on Twitter, @joosterizer. (18:00) Scott opens with his thoughts on Airbnb’s IPO, Disney’s earnings, and Netflix testing out a linear channel in France.  This week’s Office Hours: why Amazon gets hit with antitrust before other big retailers, the value of experiential retail, and who should fix remote learning. (46:00) Related Links:  Read: AirbnBaller Watch: Airbnb: A $100 Billion Story  Have a question for Prof G? Email a voice recording to officehours@section4.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

19 Nov 202056min

Tom Rogers, the executive chairman of Engine Media and the first president of NBC Cable, joins Scott to discuss everything concerning media trends, streaming VoD, and cutting the cord with cable. Tom shares why he’s bullish on Netflix, the challenges he sees for Disney, and his thoughts on a new model for news. Scott opens with his election takeaways, Pfizer’s vaccine announcement, and his thoughts on Shopify’s partnership with TikTok.  This week’s Office Hours: Apple’s decision to get into search, changing Facebook’s business model, and advice to young entrepreneurs.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

12 Nov 20201h 3min

Niall Ferguson, a historian, author, and senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, joins Scott to discuss the state of play around the tech war between the U.S. and China. Niall talks about each of the country’s strengths and weaknesses, and why he thinks we’re moving toward Cold War II. Niall also shares his thoughts on the fintech space as it relates to Ant Group’s suspended IPO. Follow Niall on Twitter, @nfergus.  Niall’s reading recommendations:  We by Yevgeny Zamyatin Sir Walter Scott novels The Last Days of Mankind by Karl Kraus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

5 Nov 202054min