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Jess Chan is the Founder and Executive Chair of Longplay Brands, a full-service retention and lifecycle marketing agency for DTC e-commerce brands. She is also the Founder and CEO of Backbone, an email strategy automation tool. As a former CMO of a multimillion-dollar DTC e-commerce company, Jess bootstrapped Longplay to seven figures in revenue within the first 18 months. She is a sought-after speaker, podcast guest, product developer, and consultant on topics like retention, lifecycle marketing, and progressive agency business modeling. Rachyl Neidecker is the CEO and Partner at Longplay Brands. She specializes in turning complex or broken business operations into scalable systems. Previously, Rachyl served as the COO and interim CEO of an eight-figure e-commerce brand, the Director of Operations at COO Alliance, and has consulted for companies with $10M–$100M+ in revenue. In this episode… E-commerce brands often chase stronger channels, faster tactics, or higher revenue goals without identifying whether the company's foundation can support the growth. When trust, profitability, and operations are misaligned, even strong marketing can amplify the wrong problems. So how can founders diagnose what's holding their business back? With expertise in lifecycle marketing and operational leadership, Jess Chan and Rachyl Neidecker point to a more disciplined way to scale. They recommend looking beyond surface metrics to identify root causes, such as brand inconsistency, product-market fit issues, over-discounting, weak customer education, bloated org structures, and hidden logistics costs. Instead of moving fast on foundational decisions, brands should slow down, inspect the full customer journey, build trust at every touchpoint, and optimize for profit and enterprise value — not just revenue. Sustainable growth comes from diagnosing the system before prescribing the tactic. In this episode of the Up Arrow Podcast, William Harris sits down with Jess Chan and Rachyl Neidecker of Longplay Brands to discuss diagnosing e-commerce growth problems. They cover DTC brands' costly misdiagnoses, lifecycle metrics that reveal root causes, and the difference between scaling revenue, profit, and enterprise value.
Emmet, in for Bobby, was joined in the Executive Chair this week by Zoe Kavanagh, Repak CEO.
Registration is now open for the Law Society's latest free online course exploring the fast-evolving world of social media, artificial intelligence (AI) and the law, with over 2,200 participants already signed up. Open to anyone with an interest in tech and legal innovation – and its real-world impact – the new on-demand course starts on Tuesday 9 June 2026. This year's course will provide participants with an insight into the rapidly developing impact and intersection of Social Media, AI and the Law, offering an overview of recent advancements, delving into issues surrounding liability, regulation, privacy and data protection, social media bans, cybercrime, and ecommerce. It will also explore the considerable impact on our work environment and daily lives including digital manipulation and surveillance. President of the Law Society, Rosemarie Loftus, said: "The Law Society is proud to deliver this year's course on Social Media, AI and the Law. As AI continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, understanding its impact and how this intersects with social media use, society, business, and the legal world is no longer optional. "Delivered by expert speakers with engaging content, this course will help participants become more informed about liability, risk, regulation, and the implications of using AI in our modern online world. "Whether you are already working in the legal sector, retired or in education, this course is open to anyone, anywhere. All participants will learn how to navigate social media and AI both ethically and responsibly, which will be of benefit to you and wider society." Expert speakers, lawyers, public figures and academics will review the current state of play, demystify concerns, discuss the potential impact in the coming years, and much more. The course will be addressed by guest speakers, including: Niamh Hodnett, Online Safety Commissioner, Coimisiún na Meán Aisling Kelly, Head of Cybercrime Division at the Council of Europe Prof. Terry Flew, Professor of Digital Communication & Culture, The University of Sydney; Co-Director of the Centre for AI, Trust and Governance Owen Bennett, International digital policy expert; former Head of Online Safety Ofcom Nicola Byrne, Founder, RiskEye; Executive Chair, SaferSocial Paul Delahunty, Chief Information Security Officer, Stryve Dr. Lollie Mancey, Anthropologist, Futurist and Innovation Advocate Philip Andrews, SC, Andrews Law Carlo Salizzo, Partner, Dentons Kieran Kelly, Partner, Flynn O'Driscoll Shane English BL Clare Daly, Legal Advisor, Tusla Hazel McDwyer, Partner, Mason Hayes and Curran Maureen Daly, Partner and Head of Intellectual property, data protection and AI department, Reddy Charlton LLP Simon McGarr, Solicitor, McGarr Solicitors Public legal education Each year, the Law Society brings free legal education to members of the public through its Massive Open Online Course. Since 2014, the annual five-week courses have attracted over 41,200 participants from 119 countries with a record-breaking 7,064 participants signed up last year. This year's Social Media, AI and the Law course features online recorded and streamed presentations, together with interactive discussion forums and quizzes that allow participants to engage directly with expert presenters. The course is on-demand making it easy for participants to catch up at any stage with new course content released every Tuesday. For more information and to register, visit: https://mooc2026.lawsociety.ie/ The Law Society of Ireland has representative, regulatory and educational functions in respect of the solicitors' profession. It delivers high-quality legal education and training, encourages and supports the highest professional standards, and places significant emphasis on civic engagement, supporting local community initiatives and driving diversity and inclusion within the profession. Law Society website: www.lawsociety.ie See more breaking stories here. Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Onl...
Bobby is joined in the Executive Chair this week by Seamus Hunt, Managing Director of Huntoffice.ie
In this episode, we chat with Ricus Grimbeek, an experienced mining executive with more than three decades of leadership across major mining operations and Executive Chair of Makor Resources, a company focused on building a district-scale copper platform in Zambia. Throughout the conversation, we explore what attracted Ricus to Makor at this stage of his career, why he believes Zambia remains one of the most misunderstood copper opportunities globally, and how long-term consolidation strategies differ from the traditional junior mining model. We also discuss the realities of building scalable mining businesses, the importance of social licence and stakeholder alignment, and what separates projects with genuine scale potential from those driven purely by market narrative. In addition, Ricus shares his thoughts on one of mining's biggest long-term challenges, responsibly integrating artisanal and small-scale mining into the broader mining economy through initiatives like Mine-Hive and why the industry must rethink how future copper supply is discovered, developed, and delivered if it's going to meet growing global demand over the coming decades. This episode is brought to you by Mining International, a global executive search partner to the mining industry. For bespoke search and advisory services, please visit www.mining-international.org KEY TAKEAWAYS True project scale in modern copper mining often relies on consolidating smaller, high-grade deposits across a specific district to feed a central processing facility, rather than searching for one rare mega-deposit. Securing a social license to operate is a privilege that must be actively earned from day one through genuine, hands-on community engagement, rather than treated as a distant, compliance-driven metric. The artisanal and small-scale mining sectors comprise ninety percent of the global mining workforce but remain severely underrepresented and locked out of crucial developmental capital. Mining company failures typically stem from systemic human leadership gaps and unaddressed operational risks during the execution phase, rather than a failure to find resources. BEST MOMENTS “We actually get asked to come and operate in certain communities because of the way we operate." "True scale in a lot of places will look like that... it's not necessarily going to be the one large, big asset that that makes a company." "You don't necessarily need to spend millions of dollars to make a big difference in people's lives" "Artisanal and small-scale mining is basically ninety percent of the mining industry's workforce... and they are totally underrepresented and they really struggle to get access to capital. GUEST RESOURCES https://www.makorresources.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/makorresources/ https://www.instagram.com/makorresources/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbitMzJC4TAd5ZY5f2toaHA VALUABLE RESOURCES Mail: rob@mining-international.org LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ X: https://twitter.com/MiningRobTyson YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast Web: http://www.mining-international.org CONTACT METHOD rob@mining-international.org https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ Podcast Description Rob Tyson is an established recruiter in the mining and quarrying sector and decided to produce the “Dig Deep” The Mining Podcast to provide valuable and informative content around the mining industry. He has a passion and desire to promote the industry and the podcast aims to offer the mining community an insight into people's experiences and careers covering any mining discipline, giving the listeners helpful advice and guidance on industry topics. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
This week, I sat down with Lord Walker, Executive Chair of Iceland Food Group, Founder and Chairman of Bywater, and the Prime Minister's Cost of Living Champion. Richard started his property career on the JLL graduate scheme in the West End before moving to Warsaw to build a value-add business across Eastern Europe. After returning to the UK, Bywater spent several years searching for its niche before the former Costa Roastery site in Lambeth became Paradise - one of the UK's largest CLT mass timber office buildings. That project helped bring in Sumitomo Forestry, a 400-year-old Japanese partner, and gave Bywater the platform to scale into timber-led workspaces and living assets. In this conversation, Richard talks about patient capital, building through the GFC, why "long term greedy" shapes both Bywater and Iceland, how purpose and profit can sit together, and what his new role in the House of Lords means for his work around the cost of living. We also discuss Iceland's growth into a £4.5bn family-owned retailer, his year working on the shop floor, climbing Everest in 2023, and why resilience has been central to every stage of his career. ⸻ Key Topics Covered in This Episode ✅ From The West End To Warsaw Lessons from the JLL grad scheme and building in Eastern Europe through the GFC. ✅ Paradise, Vauxhall & The Mass Timber Thesis How the CLT office in Vauxhall became the deal that defined Bywater. ✅ Sumitomo And The Power Of Patient Capital Why a 400-year-old Japanese partner is rewriting how Bywater thinks about cycles and product. ✅ Scaling Beyond Offices £1 billion GDV by year end, a new pension-fund vehicle, and the move into living. ✅ Long Term Greedy Why purpose-led businesses last longer and why Gen Z is voting with their feet. [This episode was recorded on 16th April 2026] If you have thoughts or questions about this episode, drop them in the comments. I'd love to hear your take. The People Property Place Podcast is powered by Rockbourne, recruiting leadership talent for real estate funds, owners, investors, and developers. LIKE SHARE SUBSCRIBE
Dr. Stella Vnook, Co-Founder and Executive Chair of Kaida Biopharma, highlights the advantages for an early-stage biotech company to take a patient-centric perspective in drug development. She defines patient-centricity as focusing on whether a drug meaningfully improves a patient's life, which should influence decisions about trial design, endpoints, and side effects from the earliest stages. Kaida's work on a new treatment for ovarian cancer is designed to target tumor survival mechanisms and overcome treatment resistance, and has from the beginning taken into consideration the tolerability of treatments and the patient's quality of life. Stella explains, "We're so used to thinking drug-centric, and it's true that in the early stages of development, it's all about the molecule and the mechanism of action, and it's exciting to see how it works. But we really need to be thinking patient-centric because we will make decisions differently from the start. So it's not just about whether this drug works and how, but whether it meaningfully changes a patient's life. I think that's what patient-centric is or should be, because that would impact trial design, endpoints, and how we view tolerability or combination therapy." "For ovarian cancer, women today may receive a variety of treatments. Now, let's talk about this for a second. It's the cancer that's usually diagnosed very late. That means the patient's tumor has already gone into the lymph nodes, and it's what we call a stage three PO4. The patients after surgery receive a variety of drugs such as platinum therapies or PARP, but they still may relapse, and they may become resistant to the therapy. Now, that initial therapy has probably had significant toxicity. Because they've become resistant to the therapy they received, now they have limited options. So fortunately, there are drugs that potentially could be eligible for FRA positive. There's been a lot of news about ELAHERE, which is great, but it's only 25% of the population, and many patients may never qualify for this treatment. So that's where Kaida comes in, because we're focusing on 80% of the population." "Actually, the name Kaida is a dragon that eats its own tail. So that talks about the mechanism of action we've discussed: resistance. What we do is when the treatment has been given, it supports cell survival and actually eliminates the tumor's ability to replicate, which is called proliferation, causing it to destroy itself, which is called apoptosis. So in essence, the tumor disrupts itself because we're cutting off its support system." #Kaida #OvarianCancer #PatientCentric #OncologyInnovation #ProlactinReceptor #DrugDevelopment #AIinHealthcare #RealWorldEvidence #TolerabilityMatters #KaidaBiopharma #CancerCare Kaida-biopharma.com Download the transcript here
Dr. Stella Vnook, Co-Founder and Executive Chair of Kaida Biopharma, highlights the advantages for an early-stage biotech company to take a patient-centric perspective in drug development. She defines patient-centricity as focusing on whether a drug meaningfully improves a patient's life, which should influence decisions about trial design, endpoints, and side effects from the earliest stages. Kaida's work on a new treatment for ovarian cancer is designed to target tumor survival mechanisms and overcome treatment resistance, and has from the beginning taken into consideration the tolerability of treatments and the patient's quality of life. Stella explains, "We're so used to thinking drug-centric, and it's true that in the early stages of development, it's all about the molecule and the mechanism of action, and it's exciting to see how it works. But we really need to be thinking patient-centric because we will make decisions differently from the start. So it's not just about whether this drug works and how, but whether it meaningfully changes a patient's life. I think that's what patient-centric is or should be, because that would impact trial design, endpoints, and how we view tolerability or combination therapy." "For ovarian cancer, women today may receive a variety of treatments. Now, let's talk about this for a second. It's the cancer that's usually diagnosed very late. That means the patient's tumor has already gone into the lymph nodes, and it's what we call a stage three PO4. The patients after surgery receive a variety of drugs such as platinum therapies or PARP, but they still may relapse, and they may become resistant to the therapy. Now, that initial therapy has probably had significant toxicity. Because they've become resistant to the therapy they received, now they have limited options. So fortunately, there are drugs that potentially could be eligible for FRA positive. There's been a lot of news about ELAHERE, which is great, but it's only 25% of the population, and many patients may never qualify for this treatment. So that's where Kaida comes in, because we're focusing on 80% of the population." "Actually, the name Kaida is a dragon that eats its own tail. So that talks about the mechanism of action we've discussed: resistance. What we do is when the treatment has been given, it supports cell survival and actually eliminates the tumor's ability to replicate, which is called proliferation, causing it to destroy itself, which is called apoptosis. So in essence, the tumor disrupts itself because we're cutting off its support system." #Kaida #OvarianCancer #PatientCentric #OncologyInnovation #ProlactinReceptor #DrugDevelopment #AIinHealthcare #RealWorldEvidence #TolerabilityMatters #KaidaBiopharma #CancerCare Kaida-biopharma.com Listen to the podcast here
Breaking down misconceptions can be just as important as advancing the science. In this episode, Drs. Emily Lee and Jennifer Mabry sit down with Amy Breedlove, Executive Chair of the Peterson Foundation for Parkinson's, to discuss the realities of living with Parkinson's Disease and the mission behind the organization. Founded by Brent Peterson after his own diagnosis ended a decades-long career in the NHL, the foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of those affected by Parkinson's through awareness, support, and advocacy. Amy shares how she stepped into her role, what the work means to her personally, and how the foundation continues to push forward in the fight against this disease. The conversation also takes on common myths and misconceptions in a “Myth vs. Truth” segment, offering clarity, education, and a stronger understanding of what living with Parkinson's really looks like. Listen To The Local Matters Podcast Today! The UC Now · News Talk 94.1
Bobby is joined in the Executive Chair this week by Jean O'Sullivan, Chief Executive Officer, Bus Éireann.
CEO of Imagine Niall Tallon is next up in the Executive Chair and he joined Bobby this morning
Bobby is joined in the Executive Chair this week by Sean Mullaney, Founder & CEO, Seapoint
DR1In our 'And in the biggest leadership transition of 2026' headline of the week. RPM Announces Appointment of Thomas C. Gentile, III to Board of Directors*************** In our 'When we told shareholders that keeping Jay Hoag on the board was in the best interests of shareholders right after they voted him off the board. Haha, suckers.' headline of the week. Reed Hastings Reveals His 'All-Time Favorite Memory' At Netflix As He Steps Down*************** "My all-time favorite memory was January 2016, when we enabled nearly the entire planet to enjoy our service."In our 'Proxy analysts give up and openly announce laziness' headline of the week. AI as the New Proxy Advisor: Reshaping Shareholder Activism Communications*************** AI is currently more likely to support an activist's case for change than an incumbent Board and management team.Which sources most often shape AI analysis in proxy fights? frequently source lower-quality, but higher-volume, automated sites for retail financial analysisIn our 'Master Certified Life Coach and college dropout tells people that data centers are the new corporate coffin' headline of the week. A talent CEO says data centers are a 'massive opportunity' for office workers to pivot mid-career*************** Broadstaff CEO Carrie CharlesIn our 'Two MIT grads beg the Supreme Court to let them cause millions of addictions and bankruptcies and maybe even influence geopolitics' headline of the week. Kalshi's fight over sports betting is hurtling toward the Supreme Court—and the future of gambling is at stake*************** In our 'Switzerland calls Singapore to congratulate its success in diversity in leadership' headline of the week. Gender diversity, tenure length remain governance gaps among Singapore company chairpersons*************** 3 of 30 Sing: 1 in 30 switzMM1In our 'CHINA CHINA CHINA CHINA CHINA CHINA part 1' headline of the week. Ford's CEO said he chose to test-drive a Xiaomi and not a Tesla because the latter doesn't have an 'updated vehicle'"We flew one from Shanghai to Chicago, and I've been driving it for six months now, and I don't want to give it up,"In our 'CHINA CHINA CHINA CHINA CHINA CHINA part 2' headline of the week. Ford CEO Draws Line In Sand: Keep Chinese EVs Out Of US – 'Should Not Let Them Into Our Country'Allowing the Chinese companies in would be "devastating” to American manufacturing, which Farley calls "the heart and soul of our country.”In our 'When we say, "Endless", you say, "Temporary"!' headline of the week. Red Lobster's Endless Shrimp Is Back—With a Few Strings AttachedUnlike the promotion's previous iteration, this time Red Lobster plans to offer Endless Shrimp on a limited-time basis at participating locations. The chain won't serve it to-go, for delivery, or on holidays.In our 'When we say "Standard", you say, "What standards?"' headline of the week. Standard Dental Labs Inc. Appoints Brendan Cummins to Board of DirectorsBrendan Cummins, finance and trading dude, joins the board that includes founder James Brooks, whose prior work in "financial leadership" and Claire Ambrosio, lawyer to James Brooks. The management team listed includes Kristin Triplett, accountant, David Acosta, finance acquisitions, and Tiffany Boulton, communications. Not listed at Standard Dental Labs: a standard dentist.In our 'When we say, "Your nurse", you say, "You mean Gary, the gig nurse who also works as a DoorDash delivery guy?"!' headline of the week. ‘Uber for nurses': gig-work apps lobby to deregulate healthcare, report findsDR2In our 'Exclusive-horses are horses' headline of the week. Exclusive-Musk and insiders to retain voting control of SpaceX after IPO*************** In our 'Hey Ma, another headline where big tech screws up big but won't be held liable, you know, because of free speech or china or trans people or DEI or whatever, tell Dad!' headline of the week. Barclays CEO Flags Anthropic's Mythos AI As Potential Catalyst For Cyberattacks On Global Banks: 'A Serious Issue'*************** In our 'Blah blah founder blah blah chairman blah blah nepobabies blah blah activist investor blah blah blah how did this board even exist in the first place blah blah blah founder let's get rid of the only woman blah blah blah founder blah blah blah investors' headline of the week. Activist Investor Value Base has joined forces with the late founder's children in efforts to oust the chairman and most of the board, including the late founder's second wife.*************** Radcom: 7 directors: 1WIn our 'The meritocracy is for wussies' headline of the week. Elon Musk bans résumés and cover letters in hiring for his chip team. These are the 3 bullet points he's looking for instead***************In our 'The meritocracy is for pussies' headline of the week. The FBI is easing hiring requirements and turning to social media to attract applicants to rebuild workforce depleted by firings and resignations***************In our 'About 1,000 activist investors tried to storm a Veterinary Diagnostics company protected by a classified board, a dual class stock structure, and an independent lead director that has been on the board for 24 years' headline of the week. About 1,000 animal welfare activists tried to storm a beagle research facility protected by a manure-filled trench, hay bales and a barbed-wire fence***************MM2In our 'After careful consideration, after considering Craig, Johny, Kevan, Eddy, Steve, Mike, Phil, and Adrian, we settled on John to succeed Tim who succeeded Steve.' headline of the week. Apple names John Ternus as CEO to replace Tim CookIn our 'What Jeff Garcia taught us about succeeding Steve Young' headline of the week. What Tim Cook taught us about succeeding a legendIn our 'When we say "Exit", you say, "Executive Chair!"' headline of the week. Tim Cook's exit is part of a CEO reckoning sweeping Corporate AmericaIn our 'Though shareholders voted against mustard, the board thinks the vote results reflect a general view that hot dogs are not delicious, and so the board has rejected the resignation of mustard.' headline of the week. A. O. Smith board rejects director resignation after shareholder voteFollowing the tender of offer of resignation by Dr. Kadri and in accordance with the Policy, the Committee (with Dr. Kadri recusing herself) considered the offer of resignation at a meeting on April 14, 2026. Based upon, among other things, the skills and qualifications of Dr. Kadri to be a member of the Board, her past contributions to the Board, and the belief that the “withheld” votes for Dr. Kadri, who is a highly valued member of the Committee, were primarily reflective of stockholder views regarding the Company's dual class capital structure and not because of any specific objection to Dr. Kadri, the Committee recommended that the Board reject the offer of resignationIn our 'If Chief Legal Officer is the calf of companies, are Chief Human Resource Officers the groin?' headline of the week. C.E.O.s Are the Heads of Companies. Should They Also Be the Face?
Bobby is joined in the Executive Chair this week by Peter Hyland, CEO of Carroll's Irish Gifts.
Markets can surge for years, but history shows momentum rarely lasts forever. How should investors respond? Host William John sits down with John Nicola, Founder, Executive Chair, and Chief Investment Officer of Nicola Wealth, to explore mean reversion, the idea that over time highs come down and lows move up, and what it means for today's investors. Drawing on decades of experience across public equities, private capital, real estate, infrastructure, and fixed income, John explains why asset classes often drift back toward long-term averages and what typically follows strong market performance. You'll hear: • Why markets can overshoot in both directions after big moves • How investor behavior can amplify market swings • How diversified portfolios and disciplined rebalancing help manage risk • Why patience, long-term thinking, and a balanced approach matter If you want to understand market cycles and how portfolios are managed through ups and downs, this episode gives you a helpful perspective on why patience, diversification, and long-term thinking matter. Watch the full presentation here: https://youtu.be/J7w8zkFzl38
Bobby is joined in the Executive Chair this week by Louise Whelan, MD of Pioneer Homecare.
International Women's Month SeriesOnly child. Daughter of two scientists. Now majority owner of the longest-standing multicultural advertising agency in the United States.Monique Nelson is the Executive Chair and majority owner of UWG Inc., recently named Multicultural Agency of the Year for 2026. Since acquiring UWG in 2012, she's expanded the agency into Canada and Africa and co-founded Black Week, celebrating culture, creativity, and commerce. She's been at UWG for 19 years.What I love about this conversation is how Monique traces everything back to her upbringing. Her parents were scientists who taught her that you can do just about anything as long as you have a plan. Put out a hypothesis, then plot your path.Her grandmother was an entrepreneur. West Indian. Day job plus five more. Monique spent summers with her in Houston checking on properties, learning to drywall, hang shelving, use a level. They did the hard work in the morning, then something fun after. That became her formula: eat the peas first because peas suck cold.Her path to UWG wasn't planned. She was at Motorola when everything shifted at once. Divorce. Industry disruption. And the pull to go home and be near her parents while she still could. A dinner with a friend led to an interview. She was captivated by the founder, Byron Lewis, and the mission he had built. And then the COO said the thing that changed everything: I think you could run this place.Monique did it backwards by traditional standards. Bought the business, then got married, then had kids. No regrets. Her husband knew exactly what he was getting into.On leadership, she breaks it into three modes. Leading. Bossing. Listening. And listening, she says, is where most friction comes from when it's missing.Her advice: be coachable. Ask for help. And do the hard things first so you can enjoy what comes after.P.S. Monique is one of my dearest friends. I've watched her journey for years, and I'm so proud to share her with you.Connect with Monique:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monique-nelson-1082b9/THE RE:INVENTION EXCHANGE - for more Inspired Content, Blogs, Podcasts, RE:INVENTION Virtual Chats, or to buy a copy of my book RE:INVENT YOUR LIFE! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? by Kathi Sharpe-Ross, visit https://www.thereinventionexchange.comIG: https://www.instagram.com/kathisr_chief_reinventor/FB: https://www.facebook.com/kathi.sharpeross/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathisharpeross
Recording date: 7th April 2026The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered significant disruptions across global energy markets, creating what Samuel Pelaez, President & CEO, and Derek Macpherson, Executive Chair at Olive Resource Capital, view as structural investment opportunities extending well beyond the immediate crisis.While the Strait handles 20% of global crude oil, the more consequential impacts affect liquefied natural gas, petrochemicals, and fertilizers, where 20-50% of certain products originate from the Persian Gulf region. This supply shock is forcing countries like Japan and South Korea to fundamentally reassess their energy security strategies.Glencore emerged as the primary beneficiary in thermal coal, as reduced Qatari LNG availability extends the operational life of existing coal-fired power plants. The company controls 30% of seaborne coal trade and recently expanded its portfolio by acquiring Teck Resources' coal assets in 2025. Coal represents 30% of Glencore's EBITDA, with additional upside from its commodity trading division, which profits from supply chain disruptions.Woodside Energy and Santos offer compelling value propositions for Asian LNG markets. Australian producers sit 40% closer to key importers than Qatar, reducing shipping costs and insurance premiums, yet trade at half the valuation multiples of US peers like ExxonMobil and Chevron. Rolling spot contracts should reflect elevated pricing in second-half 2026 results.The disruption of 20% of global ammonia supply coincides with Northern Hemisphere planting season, driving dramatic appreciation in fertilizer stocks. CF Industries has gained 40% since the Strait closure, while Woodside's recently acquired Texas ammonia facility enters production at opportune timing.The team emphasizes discipline, separating conviction from entry points. They anticipate any diplomatic resolution could trigger profit-taking in names that have appreciated 40%+, providing better risk-adjusted entry opportunities. The core thesis rests on structural supply chain shifts prioritizing security over cost optimization—a behavioral change likely to persist for years regardless of near-term geopolitical developments.Sign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com
Bobby is joined in the Executive Chair this week by Rory O'Hanlon, CEO of NetZero Group.
04/03/26: Joel Heitkamp and Jack Michaels are broadcasting live from Target Field in Minneapolis for the Minnesota Twins Home Opener, and are joined by the Executive Chair, Tom Pohlad. (Joel Heitkamp is a talk show host on the Mighty 790 KFGO in Fargo-Moorhead. His award-winning program, “News & Views,” can be heard weekdays from 8 – 11 a.m. Follow Joel on X/Twitter @JoelKFGO.)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
As a clinical psychologist, best-selling author, and founder and Executive Chair of Multi-Health Systems (MHS), Dr. Steven Stein spent over four decades advancing the science and application of emotional intelligence and psychological assessment. At MHS, they've built a global reputation for delivering scientifically validated tools used by governments, militaries, Fortune 500 companies, and elite sports teams. Their work has earned recognition as a three-time Profit 100 winner, one of Canada's Best Managed Companies, one of the 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures, and an E&Y Entrepreneur of the year in Health Care. Dr. Stein also brought psychological expertise and candidate selection assessments to reality TV, consulting on shows that include Beast Games, Big Brother Canada, Yes Chef, The Amazing Race Canada, MasterChef Canada, and many, many more. Whether Dr. Stein is speaking on stage, consulting with leaders, teaching at The Directors College, or conducting psychological evaluations for reality TV, his mission is to help people and organizations thrive through emotional intelligence, resilience, and evidence-based insight. In episode 663 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out what a psychologist does behind the scenes of a reality show, why reality TV resonates so strongly with college students, what inspired Dr. Stein to to start studying these personality patterns, when does healthy competition become unhealthy, what does "The Strategist / Mastermind" bring to a team, how these personality archetypes can help you navigate friendships, leadership roles, and conflicts on campus, how emotional intelligence will influence whether someone becomes a respected leader in a group, three habits college students should start practicing today, what skills will matter most for students entering the workforce, and what advice he would give his 20 year old self. Enjoy!
Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair this week is Maurice Pratt, Chairman at Uniphar Group.
Story of the Week (DR):Meta and YouTube Found Negligent in Landmark Social Media Addiction Case: A jury found the companies harmed a young user with design features that were addictive and led to her mental health distress. DRHistoric Financial PenaltiesNew Mexico: A jury ordered Meta to pay $375M in civil penalties ($5,000 per violation) for misleading the public about child safety.Los Angeles: In the first social media addiction trial of its kind, the jury awarded $6M in total damages (compensatory and punitive) to a single 20-year-old plaintiff, with Meta ordered to pay 70% and YouTube 30%.Section 230 "Immunity" is CrackingThese trials successfully sidestepped Section 230 by focusing on product design (like infinite scroll and autoplay) rather than the content itself. The juries ruled that the "addictive" nature of the apps was a design defect, not a speech issue.Direct Liability for "Addictive" FeaturesFor the first time, a jury found that features like infinite scrolling, notifications, and video autoplay were intentionally designed to "hook" young users.In the Los Angeles "KGM" trial, the jury found both Meta and YouTube negligent for creating products that they knew would harm children's mental health while failing to provide adequate warnings to parents.Evidence of "Profits Over Safety"The trials featured internal documents and depositions from Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram head Adam Mosseri. The evidence convinced jurors that executives were warned by their own employees about risks to children—including sexual exploitation and mental health "problematic use"—but chose to prioritize engagement and profits over implementing safety guardrails.A "Big Tobacco" Moment for TechLegal experts are comparing these verdicts to the 1990s lawsuits against the tobacco industry. Because the California trial was a "bellwether" (a test case), the win for the plaintiff opens the floodgates for thousands of similar pending lawsuits from families and school districts. It signals that social media companies can now be sued for the health consequences of their platforms, just like cigarette manufacturers.Elon Sux 2:Elon Musk loses big in court; X boycott perfectly legal: X admonished for “fishing expedition” as judge dismisses ad boycott lawsuit.Elon Musk Found Liable By Jury For Misleading Twitter Investors In $44 Billion Deal, Faces Potential $2.5 Billion DamagesElon Musk's Grok ordered to stop creating AI nudes by Dutch court as legal pressure mountsOn March 25, 2026, President Trump officially appointed the first 13 members to his President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST). While the council is designed to hold up to 24 members, the initial "dream team" lineup is dominated by Silicon Valley titans and leaders in AI, crypto, and fusion energy. The Chips and TechBro ClubhouseCo-Chair David Sacks (the White House AI and Crypto Czar)Stepping aside from his role as AI and crypto czar for Trump.Sacks told Bloomberg on Thursday that he has “used up” his 130 days as a special government employee: “I think moving forward as co-chair of PCAST, I can now make recommendations on not just AI but an expanded range of technology topics. So yes, this is how I'll be involved moving forward.”Co-Chair Michael Kratsios (Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy).Mark Zuckerberg: founder/CEO MetaJensen Huang: CEO NvidiaLarry Ellison: Founder/Exec Chair OracleSergey Brin: Co-founder GoogleLisa Su: CEO AMDMichael Dell: CEO/founder Dell TechnologiesSafra Catz: former CEO (current Exec Vice Chair) OracleMarc Andreessen: Co-founder Andreessen HorowitzFred Ehrsam: Co-founder Coinbase and ParadigmDavid Friedberg: CEO of The Production Board (and All-In podcast co-host)Jacob DeWitte: CEO Oklo (nuclear fission)Bob Mumgaard: CEO Commonwealth Fusion SystemsJohn Martinis: Nobel Laureate and physicist (formerly of Google Quantum AI)Trump's Billion-Dollar French Boondoggle Gets Even DumberThe "Billion-Dollar Bribe" to Kill Clean EnergyThe Trump administration is paying French energy giant TotalEnergies nearly $928M to walk away from two major offshore wind projects off the coasts of New York and North Carolina. In exchange, the company has pledged to stop developing any new offshore wind in the U.S. entirely.Paying for Investments Already in ProgressCritics call the deal a "boondoggle" because the $1 billion "refund" is earmarked for natural gas and oil projects—specifically the Rio Grande LNG plant in Texas—that TotalEnergies was already heavily invested in. The article argues the government is essentially handing over taxpayer money for business moves the company was making anyway.A Tactical Pivot After Court LossesAfter the administration's previous attempts to block offshore wind were repeatedly struck down by federal judges, they've switched strategies. Instead of using executive orders that get tied up in court, they are now using "settlements" and "refunds" as a backdoor way to dismantle the renewable energy industry.Economic Irony During a Global Fuel CrisisThe payout comes at a time when global energy prices are spiking due to the war in the Middle East, highlighting the irony of spending $1B to kill domestic, zero-carbon wind power—which would provide long-term price stability—in favor of volatile fossil fuel markets.The "America First" ParadoxDespite the "America First" rhetoric, the administration is transferring a massive sum of U.S. taxpayer money to a foreign (French) corporation. Legal experts and advocates suggest this sets a "dangerous precedent," essentially signaling to other energy companies that they can get paid by the government not to build the green infrastructure they already bought leases for.Major outgoing CEOs are citing AI as a factor in their decisions to step downCoca-Cola CEO James Quincey (61) and former Walmart CEO Doug McMillon (59) have told CNBC that the next wave of artificial intelligence is a reason for their departures.Both CEOs said they believed their companies needed someone with new energy and understanding of AI to helm the companies' futures.Who is next?Apple/Tim Cook (63): long tenure; Apple needs rapid AI product pivots; investor impatience could risePepsi/Ramon Laguarta (60): consumer packaged goods facing AI-driven marketing/supply chain changeMcDonald's/Chris Kempczinski (55): operations + AI in ordering, automationAir Canada CEO [Michael Rousseau] Apologizes For Lack of French Language Skills But Refuses to Resign Over ‘Insulting' Crash Video MessageSunday night: an Air Canada plane collided with a fire truck while landing at LGA: the pilot and copilot were killed and both fire officers were injuredMany possible reasons for crash: but worth noting that: Only two controllers were working in the tower overnight, combining multiple roles including ground and local control. The NTSB says that setup is standard for the midnight shift but there have been long-standing concerns about workload and fatigue.POPULIST MATH TIME: Using a recent-year estimate of airports with scheduled overnight service: 450 airports; adding one additional air traffic controller fully loaded annual cost: $180,000 per controller (approximate — $120k salary + ~50% benefits/overhead). Annual cost = 450 airports × $180,000 = $81,000,000.The embattled chief executive of Air Canada has publicly apologized for his lack of French language skills after he was slammed for releasing an English-only video message about the fatal crash of an Air Canada Express regional jet at LaGuardia Airport late on Sunday.Headquartered in French-speaking Quebec, Air Canada is subject to Canada's Official Languages Act, which means that it must serve passengers in both English and French.Because Air Canada is the national flag carrier, it is subject to the Canada Transportation Act and the Air Canada Public Participation Act. These laws mandate that:At least 75% of the voting interests must be owned and controlled by Canadians.The company must maintain its head office in Montreal.No single non-resident (or group of non-residents) can own more than 25% of the voting interests.Under the Official Languages Act and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, English and French have "equality of status" in all institutions of the Parliament and Government of Canada.Quebec: The only province that is officially unilingual (French). While some services are available in English, the "official" language of the government, courts, and commerce is French under the Charter of the French Language.Quebec Demands Air Canada's CEO Resignation in 92 to 0 VoteQuebec's legislature, known as the National AssemblyGoodliest of the Week (MM/DR):DR: Meta and YouTube Found Negligent in Landmark Social Media Addiction CaseMM: Meta and YouTube Found Negligent in Landmark Social Media Addiction CaseAssholiest of the Week (MM):Unbelievably stupid fat mouthed CEO asshole run sheet:FedEx and UPS charged fees for collecting tariffs. Now, customers want that money back. DRThe plaintiff in Yanchunis' lawsuit, a South Florida resident who ordered a pair of tennis shoes from Germany with a declared value of $140, received a $36 bill from FedEx. The bill included $21 in now-unconstitutional tariffs and $15 in "FedEx's customs brokerage and duty advancement fees," according to the complaint.Unbeknownst to many, companies are likely layering in fees on top of the tariffs and just calling it part of the tariffs - for FedEx and UPS, they ALREADY DEALT WITH TARIFFS because they existed before, but now they just charged you extra fees for funsiesBut don't get angry at FedEx's CEO Rajesh Subramaniam - FedEx founder and dictator Fred Smith is Executive Chair of the board and has 57% influence over the companyNetflix raises prices across all streaming plansThe price hike comes as Netflix has been investing heavily in its content, including new ventures into the live events space and into video podcasts.Netflix has 325m subscribers and generated 10.9bn in profit in 2025That's $33.53 per subscriber in profit - and they now want to charge an extra $12/year per subscriber = $3.9bn in extra revenueThey planned to spend an extra $2bn on content in 2026(does math)... leaving $1.9bn in us giving money to Netflix for nothing new - and the standard and premium plans are going up by $2, not $1! Fun! So we're giving them more!But don't get angry at Netflix CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters - Reed Hastings, who sold most of his shares but is the founder, still chairs the board and has the majority of influence at the company! In fact, Hastings close confident and early investor Jay Hoag, who is lead “independent” director after 27 YEARS on the board, was voted out and just stuck around and has the second most influence!Major outgoing CEOs are citing AI as a factor in their decisions to step downOutgoing Coca Cola CEO James Quincey said the company needs, “someone with the energy to pursue a completely new transformation of the enterprise”Quincey is 61 years old, being succeeded by the perfect AI leader: COO Henrique Braun who got a bachelors in architecture and an MBA and is 59 years oldBut wait, don't get sad! James Quincey is so happy to gaslight you with AI and “transformative” yadayada, he forgot to mention he's staying on as Executive Chair and will retain the highest influence on the board!Outgoing Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said he wanted to give the CEO role to someone “faster”McMillon, 59, who has a bachelor's in accounting and an MBA, handed the company over to John Furner, 52, who studied marketing and got an MBABut wait, don't get sad! Doug McMillon is so happy to gaslight you with AI and “transformative” yadayada, he forgot to mention he's staying on as Executive Chair and will retain the highest influence on the board!Perplexity CEO says AI layoffs aren't so bad because people hate their jobs anyways: ‘That sort of glorious future is what we should look forward to'Aravind Srinivas - previously of OpenAI - is doing his best Sam Altman impressionOpenAI Foundation pledges $1 billion to mitigate some of the jobs that it thinks AI will destroyHeadliniest of the WeekDR: Larry Fink says today's economic anxiety stems from people increasingly feeling like capitalism isn't working for them, warns AI boom could widen wealth divide without broader participationMM: The SpaceX IPO Will Be Just as Unconventional as Musk HimselfSo the IPO will be a racist, misogynistic, narcissistic asshat?Who Won the Week?DR: the State of New Mexico (led by Attorney General Raúl Torrez and Governor Michelle Grisham) and 20-year-old “Kaley” from Los AngelesMM: Sex. Japanese geneticists recloned mice over and over for over 50 generations to test the idea that cloning could be “infinite” - like in Star Wars with the clone army. Turns out by the 58th generation, every mouse died immediately after birth for unknown reasons, and they had totally bizarre and massive genetic abnormalities. The study concluded that mammals need to have sex for genetic diversity. MM: TotalEnergiesPredictionsDR: Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau blames both China and Bad Bunny for his inability to speak FrenchMM: SpaceX will definitely IPO, listing 666m shares priced at $8008 per share under the ticker “P-E-N-1-5” and the logo will be an X with REALLY LONG serifs (not to be mistaken for a swastika)
Growth can feel lighter when your business starts working with you, not against you.In this episode, Al Zdenek, Executive Chair of CakeClub, breaks down why most service-based businesses struggle with profitability, cash flow management, financial planning, and sustainable growth. You learn how to manage cash flow, build cash reserves, improve pricing, make better financial decisions, and align your business goals with your personal financial goals. The focus is on profit strategy, cash flow systems, financial clarity, business growth, and building a service business that supports your lifestyle and long-term wealth.Key takeaways:Cash flow is the foundation of survival. Most businesses fail because they do not track or manage cash flow properly.Breaking even is not enough. Break-even as covering expenses, paying yourself, and covering taxes.Build strong cash reserves and backup plans. Having 2 to 6 months access to lines of credit can protect your business during uncertainty.Pay yourself and diversify. Taking money out of your business reduces risk and increases long-term security.Use other people's money strategically. Partnerships, private funding, and creative financing can support growth without draining your cash.Tune in to the full episode of ▶️ Why Most Service Businesses Struggle to Grow Profitably with Al Zdenek.Find more podcast episodes on our website: anderscpa.com/learn/podcasts/ Episode resources:● Anders Virtual CFO website: anderscpa.com ● Love our content? Sign up for our newsletter: https://anderscpa.com/learn/ ● Check out the Virtual CFO Playbook Course: https://anderscpa.com/virtual-cfo-services/vcfo-playbook/ Quotes-Al Zdenek: "Breaking even means covering expenses, paying yourself, handling taxes, and saving for the future."-Jamie Nau: "Cash is the first thing we look at. Understanding reserves is critical for every business."Al Zdenek is the Executive Chair of CakeClub and a seasoned entrepreneur with over 40 years of experience in wealth management and business growth. He is the bestselling author of Master Your Cash Flow and Master Your Business Cash Flow, where he teaches how to grow profitable businesses while living the life you want now. Website: https://alzdenek.com/ LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/albertjzdenek/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/albertjzdenek/ X: https://x.com/alzdenek YT: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXCYeD34e-PybZQHwIvmLCA CakeClubWebsite: https://www.cakeclubapp.com/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/people/Cakeclub/61571930199558/ LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cakeclubapp/ IG:
Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair this week is Rory King, Founder of Rory's Travel Club.
Will Zell — Founder and Managing Partner of Vessel, founding CEO and now Executive Chair of AssetWatch, and a leading voice in rethinking how venture capital works across Ohio.Will's path into technology and venture isn't conventional. He grew up — and still lives — in Bellefontaine, Ohio. At 17, he ran for city council under the slogan “A Voice for the Future.” He spent time in ministry, built a real estate portfolio during the financial crisis, and ultimately found his way into technology startups — learning firsthand what it means to raise capital in a state that consistently punches below its weight in venture investment. After early startup failures, Will co-founded what became AssetWatch, a predictive maintenance platform serving global manufacturers. The company has since raised more than $100 million in venture capital and scaled into a high-growth industrial technology business employing hundreds.But perhaps more interesting than breaking through Ohio's capital gap is Will's effort to redesign it. In 2020, he founded Vessel — a diversified venture platform focused on investing in and building category-defining companies in Middle America. Through Vessel and the Ohio Angel Collective, Will is working to expand access to early-stage capital, grow the top of Ohio's innovation funnel, and shift the ecosystem from scarcity to abundance.In our conversation, we unpack:The structural capital gap facing Ohio foundersWhat it took to navigate AssetWatch through near-zero runway momentsWhy democratizing venture access mattersHow to build a multi-stage venture platform outside the coastsAnd what it would mean for Ohio to invest in innovation proportionally to the size of its economyThis is a conversation about capital formation, ecosystem design, and the long-term work required to build a venture-backed innovation economy in Ohio.00:00:00 Introduction & Show Disclaimer00:00:58 Will Zell's Background & Early Influences00:04:26 Path to Entrepreneurship & Community Impact00:11:11 Transition from Curiosity to Entrepreneurship00:13:03 Early Business Ventures & Real Estate00:20:01 Entry into Technology Startups00:22:01First Tech Swings & Lessons Learned00:25:58 The Ohio Capital Gap00:31:08 Breaking Through with AssetWatch00:36:59 AssetWatch Product & Impact00:40:22 Transition to Vessel & Venture Capital Access00:45:34 Vessel's Mission & Structure00:49:07 Goals for Success & Midwest Venture Landscape00:55:16 Power of Community & Culture Change01:00:25 What's Next: Curiosity and Culture Change01:04:35 Founders, Opportunity, and Encouragement01:06:08 Bellefontaine Highlights & Closing01:08:39 Farewell & Closing Credits-----LINKS:https://www.linkedin.com/in/willzell/https://www.ohioangelcollective.com/https://buildvessel.com/https://spiltsocial.com/-----SPONSOR:Cerity PartnersCerity Partners, a full-service investment and wealth management firm serving high-net-worth individuals, entrepreneurs, and business owners, is proud to sponsor Lay of The Land. The firm has local roots in Cleveland and across Ohio, and like this podcast, Cerity Partners advisors specialize in serving the interests of local entrepreneurs and business leaders. They understand how to manage the total picture of wealth, both personal and professional. Cerity Partners has a unified team of specialists who collaborate on almost every aspect of a client's financial life, including business ownership. The firm's national presence means it can offer the resources and specialized knowledge of the largest institutions with the independence and service of a neighbor. The Cerity Partners Cleveland team understands the complexity that comes with wealth, and they adhere to fiduciary standards. Discover the financial lay of your land.Learn more at ceritypartners.com/NPR or call 216-464-6266.Roundstone InsuranceRoundstone Insurance is proud to sponsor Lay of The Land. Founder and CEO, Michael Schroeder, has committed full-year support for the podcast, recognizing its alignment with the company's passion for entrepreneurship, innovation, and community leadership.Headquartered in Rocky River, Ohio, Roundstone was founded in 2005 with a vision to deliver better healthcare outcomes at a more affordable cost. To bring that vision to life, the company pioneered the group medical captive model — a self-funded health insurance solution that provides small and mid-sized businesses with greater control and significant savings.Over the past two decades, Roundstone has grown rapidly, creating nearly 200 jobs in Northeast Ohio. The company works closely with employers and benefits advisors to navigate the complexities of commercial health insurance and build custom plans that prioritize employee well-being over shareholder returns. By focusing on aligned incentives and better health outcomes, Roundstone is helping businesses save thousands in Per Employee Per Year healthcare costs. Roundstone Insurance — Built for entrepreneurs. Backed by innovation. Committed to Cleveland.-----Stay up to date by signing up for Lay of The Land's weekly newsletter — sign up here: https://layoftheland.ck.page/5f0c1e28faConnect with Jeffrey Stern on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreypstern/Follow Lay of The Land on X @podlayofthelandhttps://www.jeffreys.page/
Town Centre Securities (TOWN) is one of the UK market's oldest names. Founded, managed and largely controlled by the Ziffs of Leeds since its listing in 1960, it is a typical John Lee stock: a cash-generative, dividend-paying, and storied family business with roots in the North.Another factor explains John's recent decision to start building a stake in the group. At £1.15p, Town Centre's share price trades well below half of the company's net asset value.In this latest CEO interview, John and IC associate editor Alex Newman speak with Town Centre's chief executive and chairman, Edward Ziff, about the business's past and present, and the prospects for closing that enormous valuation gap.Let us know your thoughts, or if you have any questions or any suggestions for future guests, by emailing alex.newman@ft.com.Listen to more podcasts from Investors' Chronicle by clicking here or heading to Apple, Spotify and YouTube.Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction00:30 - How developments in Iran are affecting Lord Lee's investing plans03:25 - Dr. Edward Ziff explains Town Centre Securities business07:13 - How Town Centre Securities real estate assets are spread11:44 - Recent performance of Town Centre Securities15:40 - Lord Lee's previous dealings with Town Centre Securities19:07 - How important leverage and loan-to-value ratio is to the business23:36 - Town Centre Securities' Debenture 28:49 - Moving out of REIT status34:01 - Succession plans and family-run businesses39:29 - Lord Lee discusses his portfolioInvestors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair this week is Richard Tierney, CEO of the St Patrick's Festival.
Ray Day, Vice Chair of Stagwell and Executive Chair of Allison Worldwide, joins AMA's CEO and podcast host, Bennie F. Johnson, for a conversation about finding the nexus of communications and marketing, why we need to be using data in predictive ways, and writing your own rule book.
Alexis Ohanian is the General Partner and Founder of Seven Seven Six, an early-stage venture capital firm with $1 billion under management that he describes as a technology company that deploys venture capital. Alexis was the co-founder of Reddit, one of the most popular online forums in the world, which he sold 18 months after its 2005 launch for $10 million and returned as Executive Chair in 2014 to help lead the turnaround of the business. In between and since, he has invested in early-stage ventures as a partner at Y Combinator, a co-founder of Initialized Capital, and most recently founder of 776. Despite his success in entrepreneurship and investing, Alexis is most well known in the world at large as the husband of tennis star Serena Williams. Our conversation covers Alexis' initial ride at Reddit, taste of early-stage venture capital, and return to Reddit to scale the business alongside the challenges of managing a modern social media platform. We then turn to his investing as a technology company, including Cerebro – 776's transparent operating system, thematic ideas, traits of successful founders, social media engagement, investments in women's sports, and lessons learned from his wife Serena. Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair this week is Alan Coleman, Chief Product Officer of Plume Design.
DAMIONBroadcom CEO Pay Soars to $205.3 Million After AI-Fueled Rally. WHO DO YOU BLAME?The workers: “The median of the annual total compensation of all our employees is $378,281. Therefore, the Ratio calculated in accordance with Item 402(u) of Regulation S-K is 543 to 1.”Board chair Henry Samueli: completely non-independent.Owns $27B of Broadcom stockDirector Since: 2016. Chairman of the Board since 2018. served as Chief Technical Officer (2016-2018)co-founded Broadcom Corporation in 1991 and held several executive leadership positions at Broadcom Corporation until its acquisition by Broadcom Inc.Compensation Committee chair Harry L. You337,162,605 against votes at 2025 AGMThe other 8 directors combined: 252,626,537Annoyingly preoccupied:Current RolesChairman: Rain Enhancement Technologies Holdco, Inc.Executive Chairman: Berto Acquisition Corp. (2025 – Present)Interim CEO: dMY Squared Technology Group, Inc. (2025 – Present)CFO: dMY Squared Technology Group, Inc. (2022 – Present)Chairman: dMY Squared Technology Group, Inc.Past Roles (Operating Companies)Vice Chairman: GTY Technology (2019 – 2022)Director: IonQ, Inc. (2021 – 2025)Director: Coupang, Inc. (2021 – 2023)Director: Genius Sports Limited (2021 – 2022)Director: Rush Street Interactive, Inc. (2019 – 2022)Director: Korn/Ferry International (2005 – 2016)Past Roles (SPACs)Co-CEO: dMY Squared Technology Group, Inc. (2022 – 2023)Director: Coliseum Acquisition Corp. (2023 – 2024)Director: dMY Technology Group, Inc. VI (2021 – 2023)Director: dMY Technology Group, Inc. II (2020 – 2021)Director: dMY Technology Group, Inc. IV (2020 – 2021)CEO Hock E. TanMcDonald's CEO awkwardly samples his company's new burger in viral videoThe disgusting food at McDonald'sHyper-Salinity: Contains up to 75% of daily sodium in one meal, causing immediate "salt bloat" and dehydration.Low Moisture: High salt and thin patties "mummify" the meat, preventing natural decay and creating a "plastic" texture.Dough Conditioners: Buns use enzymes and monoglycerides to stay unnaturally soft and shelf-stable for weeks.Insulin Spikes: Added sugars (dextrose/HFCS) in the buns trigger rapid blood sugar crashes and lethargy.Industrial Additives: Use of sodium citrate (for plastic-like cheese melt) and antifoaming agents (in frying oils).Flash-Freezing: Destroys meat cell structures, resulting in a gray, rubbery texture rather than a juicy sear.The McDonald's attack on societyThe "Bliss Point": Engineered ratios of salt/sugar/fat that override the brain's "full" signal, feeling predatory rather than nourishing.The Uncanny Valley: Extreme consistency makes the food feel "fake" or "soulless" compared to artisanal, imperfect meals.Industrial Stigma: Global face of factory farming, mass land use, and high methane emissions.Disposable Culture: The lack of dining ritual (eating fast in a car/bag) leads to a psychological "guilt" or "grossness" post-consumption.Commodity Perception: Ultra-low pricing subconsciously signals "low quality" or "trash" ingredients to the brain.The controversial stain of CEO Chris Kempczinski"Failed Parents" Texts (2021): Leaked texts to Chicago's Mayor blaming the parents of Jaslyn Adams (7) and Adam Toledo (13) for their shooting deaths, stating they "failed those kids."The "Numbers Don't Matter" Remark: Reportedly told Black executives "numbers don't matter" when confronted with the decline of Black leadership from 42 to 7 executives.$10B Byron Allen Settlement (2025): Settled a massive racial stereotyping lawsuit regarding the company's refusal to contract with Black-owned media.VP "Purge" Allegations: Lawsuits from high-ranking female executives alleging a "war against the African American community" via demotions and ad-spend cuts.Peaster Retaliation Case: Allegations that Kempczinski "shunned" his Head of Security for challenging his "racist" texts during a company town hall.The "Franchisee Gap": Confirmed a $400,000 annual cash-flow deficit between Black-owned and White-owned franchises.Enforcement Loophole: Revealed that "Global Brand Standards" are largely unenforceable suggestions for the 95% of restaurants owned by franchisees.DEI Backsliding: Criticized for quietly removing DEI goals from executive bonus structures shortly after the audit concluded."Tough Love" Comments (2026): Blasted for "corporate gaslighting" after telling workers "nobody cares about your career as much as you do.""Broke Customer" Blame: Attributed declining sales to "low-income/broke" consumers while simultaneously defending aggressive menu price hikes.Predatory Pricing Tactics: Leaked internal documents showed teams targeting "budget-constrained" families with high-margin "add-on" items.Extreme Pay Inequality: Scrutiny over an $18–$20M compensation package, creating a 1,200:1 pay ratio compared to median workers.Franchisee Revolts: Intense friction over $70M in new tech fees and the 2025 cut of $100M in subsidies for worker tuition and Happy Meals.Cultural Legacy: Ongoing criticism for failing to dismantle the "boys' club" atmosphere inherited from predecessor Steve Easterbrook.Lead Independent Director Miles D. WhiteDirector since 2009.What was really behind Jack Dorsey laying off nearly half of Block's staff? CEO cited AI advances in cutting 4,000 workers, but a weak crypto market and declining stock price may also be at play. WHO DO YOU BLAME?Co-founder and CEO and Chair Jack Dorsey: 46% influence/41% voting powerIt is also the Board's duty to oversee senior management in the competent and ethical operation of the Company … ensure that the Company is committed to business excellence, ethical and honest conduct, and the highest levels of integrity.”Gender Diversity: The benchmark we reference for gender diversity is 50% representation for women.Board is 30% with 5% influenceLeadership is 27%Co-founder and director James McKelvey: 35% influence/10% voting powerThe Classified board structureThe Class B shares worth 10 votes (co-founders control 99.6% of these shares, Dorsey with 80%)Would have lost management vote on 2025 Equity Incentive Plan769,264,245:171,645,010… 171,343,335:171,645,010Jay-ZGEO Group leadership transitionOn February 6, 2026, J. David Donahue, the Company's Chief Executive Officer, provided notice to The GEO Group, Inc. (“GEO” or the “Company”) of his retirement effective February 28, 2026 (the “Separation Date”).(i) $104,167 per month commencing on March 1, 2026 and continuing through February 28, 2028 in accordance with the terms of the Consultant Agreement(ii) health insurance premiums for himself and any covered dependents for up to twenty-four (24) months(iii) the outstanding unvested stock options and restricted stock previously granted to Mr. Donahue will continue to vestOn February 9, 2026, George C. Zoley, GEO's founder and Executive Chairman, was appointed Chief Executive Officer effective March 1, 2026$1.2M/200%/300%Days after Trump's 2024 reelection—which private prison companies funded to the tune of over $1 million—Zoley hailed the “unprecedented opportunity” of the incoming administration's mass deportation campaign.“The GEO Group was built for this unique moment in our company's [and] country's history, and the opportunity that it will bring,” he beamed.George C. Zoley founded GEO in 1984; was appointed Executive Chairman on July 1, 2021; served as CEO from the time the Company went public in 1994 through June 2021; served as Chairman since May 2002; served as Vice Chair from January 1997 to May 2002. Prior to 1994, he served as President and Director from the Company's incorporation in 1988Feb 2026: completed a US$92.45 million share buybackWHO DO YOU BLAME?The GEO Group Emperor: George C. Zoley 84% influence!founded GEO in 1984; Chair (2002-2021); Executive Chair (2021-present); CEO (1994-2021); Vice Chair (1997-2002). Prior to 1994, Director (1988-)3% stock ownerThe Trump bromance:Days after Trump's 2024 reelection—which private prison companies funded to the tune of over $1 million—Zoley hailed the “unprecedented opportunity” of the incoming administration's mass deportation campaign: “The GEO Group was built for this unique moment in our company's [and] country's history, and the opportunity that it will bring,” he beamed.Pam Bondi: The current Attorney General was a former lobbyist for The GEO GroupA GEO Group subsidiary, GEO Acquisition II Inc., donated $1 million to a pro-Trump Super PAC. Additionally, the company contributed $500,000 to the 2025 inaugural committee—double what it gave for the 2017 inaugurationThe economic opportunism of private prisons with ICE contracts2/13/26: Private prison company GEO Group on Thursday reported a company record of $254 million in profit last year—a roughly 700% increase over 2024—driven by asset sales and contracts with the Trump administration to build several new US Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facilities across the US.The top 4 sleepy institutional investors (34%)Blackrock 13.8% Vanguard 9.5% Wolf Hill Capital Management 5.5% FMR 5.0%The CEO clown car after June 2021 meant to keep Zoley powerfulJose Gordo (1/1/21-12/31/23); was also directorBrian Evans (1/1/24-12/31/24); was not directorJ. David Donahue CEO (1/1/25-2/28/26); was not directorThe intentionally incompetent Compensation Committee in charge of succession planning2025 proxy: Jack Brewer (Chairman), Thomas C. Bartzokis, Scott Kernan, Terry MayotteBrewer is former NFL playerBartzokis is cardiologistKernan is Agency Secretary of the California Department of Corrections and RehabilitationMayotte has stepped down2024 proxy: Terry Mayotte (Chairman), Thomas C. Bartzokis, Scott Kernan, Andrew Shapiro2023 proxy: Terry Mayotte (Chairman), Anne N. Foreman, Andrew Shapiro2022 proxy: Richard H. Glanton (Chairman), Anne N. Foreman, Terry Mayotte2021 proxy: Richard H. Glanton (Chairman), Jose Gordo, Duane Helkowski, Guido Van HauwermeirenGEO Group's weird lack of transparency: maybe the only public website or investors website i've ever seen that does not list management or board membershttps://www.geogroup.com/about-us/management_team/Page not found :(Sam Altman Is Realizing He Made a Gigantic Mistake"Opportunistic and sloppy."OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is continuing his apology tour, conceding OpenAI "shouldn't have rushed" its Department of Defense deal.OpenAI CEO Sam Altman went into full damage control mode over the weekend. A day before the United States attacked Iran, the embattled CEO announced that the company had signed a new agreement with the Pentagon over how its AI models could be used — and the blowback is clearly impacting the company's bottom line, because Altman is sounding deeply defensive.Many users saw the military terms move as an attempt to swoop in and yank a multibillion-dollar government contract from the clutches of its rival, Anthropic. Last week, Anthropic's CEO Dario Amodei refused to give in to the Department of Defense's demands, drawing a line in the sand and insisting that its AI models may not be used for autonomous killing machines or mass surveillance of Americans, a decision lauded by many users of its chatbot Claude.WHO DO YOU BLAME?Sam AltmanWAR WITH IRANA “business”-”man” (baby) running the country used to transaction approach to everything, including trading young girls with Epstein, leads the US into war with Iran for speculative and imaginary reasons - WHO DO YOU BLAME??Founder fetish (President/CEO!)Sycophantic boards (Congress!)Investors (Voters!)China! (China!)
Recording date: 25th February 2026The gold mining sector stands at a critical juncture as major producers generate unprecedented free cash flow while consolidation activity remains notably absent. Samuel Pelaez, President & CEO, and Derek Macpherson, Executive Chair at Olive Resource Capital, discussed this disconnect during their February 25, 2026 industry commentary.The BMO Capital Markets conference in Hollywood, Florida concluded without the major corporate announcements typically expected at such gatherings, bringing only B2 Gold's leadership transition instead of the anticipated mega mergers or strategic acquisitions. This surprised both executives given the industry's exceptionally strong financial position.Major producers are now generating extraordinary cash flow. Agnico Eagle reported approximately $11 million in daily free cash flow during Q4 2025, while AngloGold Ashanti posted similar figures. With gold prices having climbed to above $5,000 per ounce, these companies could potentially generate an additional $7-8 million daily. Pelaez characterized the industry as becoming "over capitalized," with substantial cash accumulating on producer balance sheets faster than it can be deployed through dividends and buybacks alone.The executives emphasized that M&A activity must eventually materialize, noting that producer stocks have appreciated approximately 5x since the Great Bear Resources acquisition. This suggests $10 billion takeouts are now mathematically feasible, compared to the $2 billion Great Bear precedent. However, both acknowledged being wrong about timing, with developer valuations remaining "long overdue" to catch up with producers.The key signal they're monitoring is competitive bidding situations with multiple parties pursuing single assets. Once this dynamic emerges, a "herd mentality" should drive rapid consolidation as companies move quickly to secure remaining quality targets.Looking ahead to the PDAC conference in Toronto, both executives plan to identify new opportunities, particularly in copper development assets and Argentina's emerging mining sector. The conference represents a key test of whether the industry will finally deploy its substantial cash reserves toward strategic acquisitions.Sign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com
Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair this week are Tom O'Connor & Leo Crawford of the Petal Group.
Jack is the Co‑Founder and Executive Chair of Income Research + Management (IR+M), a specialist fixed income firm managing approximately $131B (as of 12/31/25). We cover his father‑son origin, first‑principles discipline, and how focus and culture power a client‑first edge—plus independence, balance, succession, and where their portfolio construction diverges.-This podcast/webcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal, tax, investment, or business advice. It is not a solicitation, recommendation, or endorsement. All opinions expressed by participants are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Evoke Advisors Division of MAI Capital Management, LLC ("Evoke”), its affiliates, or any companies mentioned. Information shared has not been independently verified by MAI or its affiliates. MAI Capital Management, LLC (“MAI”) is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), which does not imply any particular level of skill or training.Certain information contained herein has been obtained from third party sources and such information has not been independently verified. No representation, warranty, or undertaking, expressed or implied, is given to the accuracy or completeness of such information by any person.While such sources are believed to be reliable, Evoke does not assume any responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of such information. Evoke does not undertake any obligation to update the information contained herein as of any future date.The content is intended for a general audience and does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell securities or adopt any investment strategy. Any examples or scenarios discussed are illustrative only, involve risks and uncertainties, and do not guarantee future results. Non-traditional assets carry significant risks and may not be suitable for all investors. Decisions should be based on individual objectives, risk tolerance, and circumstances.Statements herein are general and may not reflect an individual's or entity's specific circumstances or applicable laws, which vary by jurisdiction. Further, speakers' views are personal and may differ from Evoke and MAI recommendations and are not specific investment advice; and do not consider client objectives, risk tolerance, and diversification. Guests may have current or past relationships with Evoke and MAI, its affiliates, or the host, including as clients, service providers, or business partners. Participation does not constitute an endorsement or testimonial. No compensation has been paid or received for guest participation unless disclosed. MAI and its affiliates may have business relationships with entities mentioned in this podcast, which could create potential conflicts of interest. These relationships may include advisory services, investment management, or other arrangements. MAI seeks to manage such conflicts consistent with its fiduciary obligations and policies.(As of December 22, 2025)
In this episode of Talking Architecture & Design, host Clémence Carayol heads to Melbourne's west to unpack one of Australia's most ambitious health projects: the new Footscray Hospital. More than a deep dive into a major piece of infrastructure, the conversation explores how architecture can reshape the experience of healthcare itself.The $1.5 billion hospital, designed by COX Architecture in collaboration with Billard Leece Partnership, is delivered by the Plenary Health consortium with Multiplex as builder, alongside the Victorian Government and Western Health. Joining the podcast are COX Executive Chair Patrick Ness and BLP Principal Mark Mitchell, who reflect on the ideas behind what has become affectionately known as “the People's Hospital”.Central to the discussion is the decision to conceive the hospital as a campus rather than a monolithic building. Five interconnected structures are organised around a village green, forming a civic heart that prioritises clarity, orientation and connection. This landscape-led approach reframes the hospital as a place people might visit for a coffee or a walk, not only in moments of illness, reinforcing its role as social and civic infrastructure.Ness and Mitchell also discuss how human-centred design principles shaped everything from intuitive wayfinding and daylight-filled interiors to the careful management of scale in such a vast facility. Access to nature, cultural inclusion informed by collaboration with First Nations Elders, and a strong emphasis on staff wellbeing emerge as critical drivers of the design.The episode also tackles future-facing challenges. Sustainability targets, including Green Star and WELL aspirations, influenced material choices and building performance, while lessons from COVID-19 informed flexibility and pandemic preparedness.As the Footscray Hospital opens, this episode positions it as a powerful benchmark for healthcare architecture: a place where clinical excellence, community identity and long-term resilience are designed to coexist.
Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair is Ursula Kelly, Managing Director at Cormac Tagging.
As National Vice President of Marketing at Coldwell Banker Realty, Lindsay leads one of the largest marketing organizations in residential real estate. She essentially was born into the business, as she grew up with both of her parents in real estate! Now with 14+ years in the business she helps promote the brand and it's agents to grow their business. Lindsay's passion for inclusive growth is reflected in her leadership of Coldwell Banker's Inclusive Ownership Program and her role as Executive Chair of What Moves Her, helping women in the real estate industry develop their leadership skills and realize their professional development goals A proud mom of three boys Lindsay is also obsessed with AI! She uses it in both her personal and professional life daily. During our conversation she shares her current go-to apps that can be used by anyone in business to help things run smoother and to be more organized. What Moves Her
Joining Bobby in the Executive Chaor this week is John O'Neill, CEO & Co-founder of SeatFair.
What does it take to lead eight iconic fashion brands generating over $6 billion in revenue? Lizanne Kindler's journey began at age 11 in a Washington D.C. department store, where her aunt—then president of the Garfinckles chain—gave her a glimpse into the magic of retail. "I remember feeling the buzz, the energy, the beauty," she recalls. That transformative summer set a young Danish girl on an unlikely path: move to America and build a career in fashion retail. Today, as Executive Chair and CEO of KnitWell Group, Kindler oversees Ann Taylor, Loft, Talbot's, Lane Bryant, Chico's, White House Black Market, and Soma—proving that childhood dreams fueled by curiosity and determination can reshape an entire industry.In this episode you'll learn:-How a childhood experience in a D.C. department store sparked a lifelong passion for fashion retail-The strategy behind merging three separate companies into one unified $6+ billion powerhouse-Why brand marketing is "really back at the center" after years of performance-focused strategies-How growing up with deaf parents shaped Kindler's leadership style and ability to synthesize complex information-Why 75% of retail sales still happen in physical stores despite the digital revolution-The secrets behind Loft's "Summer of Loft" campaign and its massive customer acquisition success-How to maintain distinct brand DNA while managing eight different fashion brands-Micro-influencer strategies and the return of cultural relevance in marketingWhether you're interested in brand building, modern marketing strategies, organizational integration, or want insider insights on leading a multi-brand retail empire, this conversation offers actionable lessons on managing complexity at scale.Don't forget to subscribe to The Retail Pilot podcast for more conversations with retail industry leaders and visionaries shaping the future of commerce.If you missed our last episode, where Amy Errett shares how she built Madison Reed into a high‑growth, tech‑powered beauty company with hundreds of millions in revenue and a fiercely loyal customer base, be sure to tune in.Connect with Ken:-Follow Ken Pilot Ventures on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
The founder of CityJet, Pat Byrne, joins Bobby in this week's Executive Chair.
Story of the Week (DR):Trump's ICE tactics force CEOs to choose between staying silent and risking White House backlash MMCEOs of Target and Minnesota's Biggest Companies Call for ‘De-Escalation' After ShootingMinnesota workers pressure employers to take action against ICE operationsCEOs, long silent on Trump's immigration crackdown, seem to hit their breaking point over killing of Alex Pretti in MinnesotaTarget's incoming CEO tells staff violence in Minneapolis is 'incredibly painful' – without naming Trump or ICEJan 28: Target Unveils Largest Spring Beauty Assortment Ever — Making Trend-Driven, Expert-Backed Beauty More AccessibleTech's top CEOs mum after ICE killings, while leaders like Reid Hoffman, Yann LeCun speak outICE is going too far': Sam Altman, Jamie Dimon, and more CEOs on the unrest in MinnesotaReid Hoffman says business leaders are wrong to stay silent about the Trump administrationApple's Cook says he's 'heartbroken' by Minneapolis events and has spoken with TrumpCompanies reap $22bn from Trump's immigration crackdownMeta blocks links to ICE List across Facebook, Instagram, and ThreadsAs Big Tech CEOs speak up about violence in Minneapolis, 1 in 3 corporate leaders think ICE tensions are ‘not relevant to their business'How ICE Already Knows Who Minneapolis Protesters AreAgents use facial recognition, social media monitoring and other tech tools not only to identify undocumented immigrants but also to track protesters, current and former officials said.Freefloatanalytics data blast:Palantir Technologies: Continues to be a primary partner. In 2025, they were awarded a $30 million contract to build "ImmigrationOS," a platform designed to provide "near real-time visibility" on individuals for the purpose of streamlining apprehensions and tracking self-deportations. Gender Influence Gap -26%RELX: LexisNexis Risk Solutions: Provides ICE with investigative databases used to track, vet, and target individuals. Their current contract is valued at over $22 million. Gender Influence Gap -24%Thomson Reuters: Supplies ICE with access to massive databases, including over 20 billion license plate scans. This data allows agents to track vehicle movement history and identify where individuals may be living or working. Gender Influence Gap -28%Clearview AI: Recently signed a $3.75 million contract (September 2025) to provide facial recognition technology. While officially limited to certain types of investigations, procurement records suggest its use is expanding. Gender Influence Infinity% (no women on advisory board; Hal Lambert and Richard Schwartz as co-CEOs)King “Bumps”JPMorgan's Dimon sees 10.3% pay bump to $43MDisney CEO Bob Iger's Pay Increased 11.5% to $45.8 Million in 2025Goldman Sachs hikes CEO David Solomon's pay 21% to record $47 millionWells Fargo CEO Charlie Scharf Gets 28% Pay Boost to $40 MillionWhy Starbucks is letting Brian Niccol use the company plane for more personal travel“Following a security review of risks, the Starbucks board of directors made the decision to enhance security measures for Brian,” a company spokesperson said. “This included a decision by the board to require Brian to use private aircraft for all travel.”$96M in 2024; $31M in 2024, including temporary housing expenses in the amount of $371,536; and security expenses in the amount of $1,142,700; and $997,392 in expenses related to his use of Starbucks aircraft for commuting and personal usemedian employee: $17,279. CEO Pay ratio 1,794 to 1 (January 1st: 10:10am)Temporary housing expense ratio: 22:1The docu-bribe: At ‘Melania' Premiere, the President Sees ‘Glamour' and Others See GraftAmazon paid Melania Trump's production company $40 million for the movie and then paid another $35 million to promote it.Guests included:Jordan Belfort: The real-life "Wolf of Wall Street."Director Brett Ratner, accused of rape, sexual assault, sexual harrassment, and homophobic abuse by at least 9 women:Melania Trump documentary marks a post-#MeToo comeback for its directorBrett Ratner was all but exiled from Hollywood after facing sexual misconduct allegations. Trump's win gave him an opening to return.Tim Cook (Apple)Andy Jassy (Amazon)Lisa Su (AMD)Eric Yuan (Zoom)Lynn Martin (President of the NYSE)Larry Culp (GE)Sam Altman (OpenAISatya Nadella (Microsoft)Sundar Pichai (Google)Safra Catz (Oracle):David Brown (Victory Capital)David Ellison (Skydance/Paramount)Marc Benioff (Salesforce)Goodliest of the Week (MM/DR):DR: Diversity on Fortune 50 boards: white men haven't been a majority for 3 years in a rowWhereas about a decade ago, white men held two-thirds of the seats on the top 50 Fortune boards, in 2023, for the first time, they held fewer than 50%. In 2024, that number dropped to 48.4%, but this year it climbed back to 49.7%.Since white men make up about 31% of the U.S. population, they still have been very much overrepresented in all three years.DR: National Shutdown: General strike on January 30 aims to push ICE out of Minnesota. Stores closed, protests scheduled in all 50 statesMM: Delivery Robot Gets Stuck on Train Tracks, Gets Obliterated by LocomotiveMM: Judge greenlights Massachusetts offshore wind project halted by Trump administrationVineyard Wind, which joins Revolution Wind, Empire Wind, and Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind in restarted because lawsAssholiest of the Week (MM):WHICH ASSHOLE DO YOU BLAME: Trump's ICE tactics force CEOs to choose between staying silent and risking White House backlashTrump/ICEHis personal military got orders to be “ethical”, but to fuck up everyone - and recruited specifically targeting Call of Duty players and lonely, angry men who wish they could call their friends “retarded” again but it isn't politically correctPalantir and the ICE industrial complexAlex Karp went out of his way to insist to his disgusted employees that AI and Palantir “bolsters civil liberties”Meanwhile, Palantir employees signed a letter from tech employees pondering whether or not they are actively destroying our country and abetting oligarchsBut Palantir, while making some of the creepiest, most heinous software known to man (I mean, worse than CHINA! And we all HATE CHINA, RIGHT???), has $100m in contracts with ICEIn fact, there's a whole private infrastructure complex that's largely not politically agnostic that's made $22bn from ICE and immigration crackdowns - and it's only been a year! That's some awesome shareholder value illegally sending weeping mothers to countries they don't live in with no due process!CEOs (Target, looking at you) DRThey managed to find a pen and craft a strongly worded letter that asked, pretty please, for “de-escalation”, calling ICE out not by NAME of course, but as a “recent challenge” that created “widespread disruption” - and named the White House only as someone they are “communicating” with. Signed by 60 Minnesota CEOs, co-signed in spirit by the Business Roundtable (though not like, officially), they managed to write a whole 199 words about the execution of a VA nurse whose crime was filming the Gestapo in actionTarget's incoming CEO (obviously not the CURRENT CEO Brian Cornell, he's busy polishing his mahogany chair for board meetings where he will be Executive Chair, making as much as a CEO with none of the responsibilities) also addressed the unlawful and unwarranted arrests of Target employees in Minneapolis by thugs - oh, wait, no he didn't - he said, “The violence and loss of life in our community is incredibly painful.” - IT WAS YOUR EMPLOYEES IN THE CROSSHAIRS, SCHMUCK. Target employees are currently skipping work in Minnesota, but solid leadership.Boards of directorsOur analysis of the boards of the Minnesota 60 showed that nearly half of them sit on each other's boards. Basically, you have a massive groupcoward problem - about 25 of the CEOs sit on some other CEOs board or overlap in some way, and the lawyers that carefully crafted the letter absolutely had to have it run through every other board and company lawyer, a task made easier when half of you are on the board with each other. No need for authenticity when you have collective ass covering.Jeffrey EpsteinIf not for those files, there wouldn't NEED TO BE MURDERS so you look somewhere else!InvestorsIf not for “shareholder value”, we could pay attention to humanity and authentic real world values!WHICH ASSHOLE DO YOU BLAME: As You Sow leads criticism of SEC's updated restrictions on smaller shareholdersSmaller investors!For three decades, small investors have used precatory proposals either as a means to extract more data, a means to improve governance, or a means of advertising - many of the non profits use it as a fundraising tool as much as a means of changeMeanwhile, those proposals have almost entirely failed at the vote - though they HAVE succeeded in increasing our data over time (the long arc of disclosure)Then the zone gets flooded by the anti-woke shareholders looking to de-trans companies, and now we have a massive influx of performative proposalsNow that the insiders are in charge (vs. career bureaucrats), in a six month period, virtually all rights have been revoked with threats of paperwork for non complianceAs a final cherry, they are now trying to keep EXEMPT SOLICITATIONS off the filing docket unless you have $5m in stock, so you can't even file your intent to vote directionally unless you're super richJohn CheveddenThe gadflyfather - if not for being the winningest shareholder in history with a nearly obsessive focus on improving shareholder rights, the most boring of topics, the SEC would probably have ignored the whole thingBut the data shows the SEC is taking the time to blanket ignore everyone BUT Chevedden, responding to affirmatively say no to his proposalsJC, no one likes a repeat champion dynastyThe SECBrain Daly at the SEC is out there suggesting maybe NO ONE should vote proxies while SEC Chair Atkins tried to gaslight the entire investment community by claiming the “government shutdown” made it too hard for the poor ole SEC to do its job, so they just gave companies immunity from proposals in lieu of doing their jobsMeanwhile, Atkins has overseen a steep drop in enforcement of accounting irregularities and reporting while simultaneously green lighting crypto scams and Exxon's new “retail vote” capture plan (which gives management anywhere from 5-20% of the company vote depending on the company by auto voting retail that opts in)All with Trump family in the backdrop raking in 1.4bn in the first year of the presidency from crypto token bullshit, asset seizures and sales, and pure graft - none of which will obviously be investigated despite Trump's son actively on a public board of directorsBigger investors!THEY NEVER REALLY CARED ABOUT VOTING ANYWAY! 96% average support for directors, 0.2% of directors globally voted out annually, and of those that are voted out (~20 a year), MORE THAN HALF STAY ON THE BOARD either by bylaw (cumulative voting) or as zombies (Jay Hoag!)And still, NO ONE CARES!WHICH ASSHOLE DO YOU BLAME: Marc Andreessen says the real crisis isn't AI job losses — it's what would have happened without AIThe powerless AI makersSam Altman: Sam Altman Says AI Will Cause Massive Deflation, Making Money Worth Vastly More - that's pretty good if you're already a billionaire, yeah?Dario Amodei: Anthropic CEO Warns That the AI Tech He's Creating Could Ravage Human Civilization - uh, don't create itThe CEO of Microsoft Suddenly Sounds Extremely Nervous About AIAI anxiety is so widespread that veteran Microsoft researchers are having panic attacks because they're making themselves obsoleteThe VC Navel Gazing Manchild EconomyAndreessen's genius was investing in manchildren: Facebook, Roblox, AirBnBVCs actually are giving LESS MONEY to women than the INCREDIBLY LOW AMOUNT they already gave during the AI raceYOU - you should have been a plumber or a peasant or a construction workerHeadliniest of the WeekDR: Cracker Barrel Wants Its Staff to Eat One Thing on Work Trips: Cracker BarrelMM: The company Americans say is the best place to work in 2026 isn't who you thinkCrew Carwash - washing cars is better than tech bro manbaby festsMM: The Worst People Alive Are Obsessed With Meta's Video Recording GlassesWho Won the Week?DR: Resistance in Minnesota and Maine (I'm attempting to be optimistic here, give me a break)MM: 33% of corporate leaders: As Big Tech CEOs speak up about violence in Minneapolis, 1 in 3 corporate leaders think ICE tensions are ‘not relevant to their business'PredictionsDR: January 1st will officially be recognized by the Business Roundtable as "Equality Day"—celebrating the grueling minutes it takes a CEO to earn more than their average worker for the year. Engraved badges with the exact time (10:10 for SBUX) will be created to honor the achievement.Ok, maybe that's silly, my real one is that Target announces its "De-Escalation" Collection: a "Minneapolis-Inspired" line of high-fashion neutral-tone hoodies, specifically marketed as "non-threatening" to ICE agents and heartbroken CEOsMM: Alex Karp, social justice warrior out for the little guy, mass fires his staff at Palantir and replaces it with an AI robot named “The Job Displacer”, does a road show claiming he's “freed” his employees using AI and now they can really have authentic jobs like “bagger at grocery store” and “guy who mixes paint”
In this episode of Mining Stock Daily, host Michael McCrae is joined by Craig Parry, CEO and Executive Chair of Vizsla Copper (TSX-V: VCU), who lays out next steps for the company's Palmer asset, which the company acquired in December for $25 million. The two discussed gaining government support and looking ahead to where copper prices will settle. The two also discussed the company's plans for Vizsla Copper's B.C. assets.
In this episode, Ian Wagner interviews Cesar Gonzalez, Executive Chair of Bonterra Resources, discussing the company's recent developments, including a CRA audit related to flow-through financing, the upcoming drilling plans for 2026, and the future prospects of the joint venture with Gold Fields. The conversation highlights the challenges and opportunities in the gold mining sector, particularly in the Abitibi region of Canada, amidst rising gold prices.
Recording date: 28th December 2025Samuel Pelaez, President & CEO, and Derek Macpherson, Executive Chair, at Olive Resource Capital conducted a comprehensive year-end review of their investment decisions spanning July 2024 through September 2025, providing transparent insights into both successful calls and missed opportunities during a significant precious metals bull market.The portfolio's standout performer was Omai Gold Mines, delivering a 10x return from an initial $0.125 position established in July 2024. Pelaez emphasized that success stemmed not merely from stock selection but from conviction-based holding through the development phase. "We had conviction for it as well, right? We held," Macpherson explained, highlighting their philosophy of establishing positions in quality juniors before momentum develops rather than chasing running stocks.Mid-tier producers with embedded growth optionality proved highly profitable. K92 Mining, Aris Mining, and AngloGold Ashanti each delivered 220-260% returns, outperforming the GDX benchmark's 130% gain by a 2:1 ratio. These companies shared underappreciated expansion projects with capital already invested that markets had failed to recognize.Post-U.S. election investments capitalized on anticipated permitting improvements. Arizona Sonoran Copper appreciated from $1.29 to over $5.00, while AngloGold Ashanti surged from $21 to $91—a remarkable 300% return on a multi-billion dollar company.The managers candidly acknowledged execution shortfalls. They missed substantial returns on Fresnillo, which appreciated 500% after they correctly identified it as undervalued but failed to act. Position sizing emerged as a recurring issue, with inadequate allocations to highest-conviction names limiting overall portfolio impact.Olive's perpetual capital structure proved advantageous during April 2025's tariff-related volatility. Without redemption pressures, the managers deployed cash opportunistically during market dislocations, capturing the subsequent rally that traditional funds missed.Macpherson cautioned against overconfidence: "It's very easy when you get into a market like this to confuse a bull market for brains." Both managers emphasized systematic portfolio review as essential for understanding investment discipline, risk tolerance, and identifying areas for improvement in future market cycles.Sign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com
Why is Britain's innovation economy is the strongest in Europe? What can the government do to strengthen it further? And can the UK outperform even America and China? Steph and Robert sit down with 'professional optimist' Saul Klein, Co-Founder & Executive Chair of Phoenix Court and venture capital investor, who explains why the foundations of new UK enterprise are stronger than at any time since the late 19th century Email: therestismoney@goalhanger.com X: @TheRestIsMoney Instagram: @TheRestIsMoney TikTok: @RestIsMoney https://goalhanger.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
This and all episodes at: https://aiandyou.net/ . It's that time to visit the - ghosts? - of AI past, present, and future, in our traditional retrospective/predictions episode. Forming the panel are Dan Turchin, CEO of PeopleReign, the AI platform automating HR and host of the “AI and the Future of Work” podcast. And Richard Foster-Fletcher, the Founder and Executive Chair of MKAI, the inclusive Artificial Intelligence Community, and leader of the MKAI Centre for Digital Trust and host of the Boundless podcast. Both have been on the show before, as guest experts and year-end panelists, and both are good friends. We'll talk about surprises from 2025, ways companies have used AI productively and ways it has been oversold, whether an AI bubble may pop next year, what'll happen next with AI slop, and how much AI may advance human progress next year and the emergence of AI nation states. All this plus our usual look at today's AI headlines. Transcript and URLs referenced at HumanCusp Blog.
In this episode, panelists discuss examples of U.S. presidents leveraging executive power to confront political violence, human rights abuses, and other global challenges, highlighting the ways in which presidential leadership has shaped the United States' legacy of responsibility. Host: Jacob M. Weisberg, Executive Chair, Pushkin Industries; Chair, Committee to Protect Journalists Guests: Meena Bose, Executive Dean, Public Policy and Public Service Programs and Director, Peter S. Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency, Kalikow School of Government, Public Policy and International Affairs, Hofstra University; CFR Member David J. Scheffer, Senior Fellow, CFR Ruti G. Teitel, Ernst C. Stiefel Professor of Comparative Law and Codirector, Center for International Law, New York Law School Want more comprehensive analysis of global news and events straight to your inbox? Subscribe to CFR's Daily News Brief newsletter. To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit it on our YouTube channel: Reckoning with History: Presidential Leadership and Moral Responsibility.
On The DeRush-Hour... new minority owners and a new Executive Chair for the Twins... get your new kids their Trump accounts... and is there a lack of transparency in immigration courts? Then Jason goes "In Depth" with John Wolhaupter from the Anoka-Hennepin teachers union to talk about their ongoing strike vote. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
This episode of Food Talk features two conversations from Food Tank's recent Summit in Phoenix, Arizona to uplift the partnerships that will help us eat for health while supporting the wellbeing of farmers and the planet. First Crystal FitzSimons, President of the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) talks about human impact of the policies threatening food and nutrition security as well as the bright spots we shouldn't overlook in a conversation moderated by Kathleen Merrigan, Executive Director of the Arizona State University Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems. Then Michel Nischan, a Chef and the Founder and Executive Chair of Wholesome Wave, sits down with Clara Migoya, the Agriculture and Water Reporter at The Arizona Republic, for a conversation about filling the gaps left by federal funding cuts and finding common ground to improve food and farming systems. This event was held in partnership with the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, the Arizona State University Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems, and the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation. While you're listening, subscribe, rate, and review the show; it would mean the world to us to have your feedback. You can listen to “Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg” wherever you consume your podcasts.