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In this episode of Work in Progress, I'm joined by Rajiv Chandrasekaran, a managing director of the Schultz Family Foundation, to talk about the American Opportunity Index, a joint project of the Schultz Family Foundation, Harvard Business School, and Burning Glass Institute that ranks companies on how they are driving economic mobility and career advancement for their workers. Whether you're looking for a job or already have one, how do you know if your employer is interested in helping you get ahead in your career and, importantly, if they are interested in promoting talent from within? For the past two years, the American Opportunity Index has been looking at those questions, measuring the career trajectories of nearly 5 million employees at close to 400 of the nation's largest companies, and examining how those employers hire, pay, and promote workers. "Do employers value their human talent? Do they create pathways for them to advance? And do they see their people as real assets that they can continue to build and grow their businesses with?" Chandrasekaran says there are some of the core questions that the Index set out to answer. "What is so unique about the Index is that it's not looking at what companies say they do. There are plenty of other folks out there that try to compile lists of what corporate inputs are. That's all well and fine, but we decided to look at what's actually happening to workers. "For many workers, particularly those in lower wage jobs, those in mid-skill jobs, the reason that many workers get ahead and others don't isn't really because of their work ethic or their intelligence or their gumption. It's because of the practices of their employer," says Chandrasekaran. The American Opportunity Index measures a company's success in creating career advancement and economic mobility for its workers through five key components: hiring, pay, promotion, parity, and culture. During the podcast, we discuss all five. Here is some of what Chandrasekaran had to say about one of them: hiring. "We look at two critical things in hiring. We look at first jobs. We look at the percentage of open roles at a company that are open to people with little or no experience. How inclusive is this employer? Are they creating opportunities for people to enter the workforce? "And then we look at something we call 'degree barriers.' We're looking at the degree to which a company really hires for skills versus degrees. You've got a lot of companies out there that say, 'We are embracing skills-based hiring. We removed degree requirements.' "That is a policy that's made from on high and is intended to be cascaded down. But in reality, you have hiring managers, when choosing among the slate of candidates, will often still default to the candidate that has the degree, even if the job doesn't require it. And so assessing companies based on their policies, yes, you can learn something from it, but what's so unique about the Index is that it's actually examining what's happening within the workforce in these large corporations." We go into great details about each of the five measures that were used to create the index and which companies are performing best when it comes to economic mobility and career advancement. Which of the nation's top companies made the Top 10? What are some of the companies with the best initiatives and programs when it comes to helping promote workers from within? And why are the best companies helping their workers prepare for careers and jobs with other employers? Chandrasekaran answers all those questions and much more. Learn more about the American Opportunity Index, and how employers and employees can use the information to their advantages, by listening to the podcast here, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find the conversation on our new Work in Progress YouTube channel. . Episode 304: Rajiv Chandrasekaran, managing partner,
In this episode of Work in Progress, I'm joined by Rajiv Chandrasekaran, a managing director of the Schultz Family Foundation, to talk about the American Opportunity Index, a joint project of the Schultz Family Foundation, Harvard Business School, and Burning Glass Institute that ranks companies on how they are driving economic mobility and career advancement for their workers. Whether you're looking for a job or already have one, how do you know if your employer is interested in helping you get ahead in your career and, importantly, if they are interested in promoting talent from within? For the past two years, the American Opportunity Index has been looking at those questions, measuring the career trajectories of nearly 5 million employees at close to 400 of the nation's largest companies, and examining how those employers hire, pay, and promote workers. "Do employers value their human talent? Do they create pathways for them to advance? And do they see their people as real assets that they can continue to build and grow their businesses with?" Chandrasekaran says there are some of the core questions that the Index set out to answer. "What is so unique about the Index is that it's not looking at what companies say they do. There are plenty of other folks out there that try to compile lists of what corporate inputs are. That's all well and fine, but we decided to look at what's actually happening to workers. "For many workers, particularly those in lower wage jobs, those in mid-skill jobs, the reason that many workers get ahead and others don't isn't really because of their work ethic or their intelligence or their gumption. It's because of the practices of their employer," says Chandrasekaran. The American Opportunity Index measures a company's success in creating career advancement and economic mobility for its workers through five key components: hiring, pay, promotion, parity, and culture. During the podcast, we discuss all five. Here is some of what Chandrasekaran had to say about one of them: hiring. "We look at two critical things in hiring. We look at first jobs. We look at the percentage of open roles at a company that are open to people with little or no experience. How inclusive is this employer? Are they creating opportunities for people to enter the workforce? "And then we look at something we call 'degree barriers.' We're looking at the degree to which a company really hires for skills versus degrees. You've got a lot of companies out there that say, 'We are embracing skills-based hiring. We removed degree requirements.' "That is a policy that's made from on high and is intended to be cascaded down. But in reality, you have hiring managers, when choosing among the slate of candidates, will often still default to the candidate that has the degree, even if the job doesn't require it. And so assessing companies based on their policies, yes, you can learn something from it, but what's so unique about the Index is that it's actually examining what's happening within the workforce in these large corporations." We go into great details about each of the five measures that were used to create the index and which companies are performing best when it comes to economic mobility and career advancement. Which of the nation's top companies made the Top 10? What are some of the companies with the best initiatives and programs when it comes to helping promote workers from within? And why are the best companies helping their workers prepare for careers and jobs with other employers? Chandrasekaran answers all those questions and much more. Learn more about the American Opportunity Index, and how employers and employees can use the information to their advantages, by listening to the podcast here, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find the conversation on our new Work in Progress YouTube channel. . Episode 304: Rajiv Chandrasekaran, managing partner,
In its second iteration, the corporate scorecard draws on a wider range of worker outcomes to rank Fortune 500 employers on how well they boost career prospects. The index is a collaboration of the HBS Managing the Future of Work Project, the Burning Glass Institute, and the Schultz Family Foundation. Matt Sigelman, president of the Burning Glass Institute, and Rajiv Chandrasekaran, managing director of the Schultz Family Foundation, join host Bill Kerr.
In this episode of Work in Progress, I'm joined by Joseph Fuller, professor at Harvard Business School and co-head of the school's Managing the Future of Work Project, and Rajiv Chandrasekaran, head of strategy at the Schultz Family Foundation. Everybody benefits from an upwardly mobile workforce, So, how is corporate America doing when it comes to creating a culture of advancement for workers within their businesses, particularly those without a four-year college degree? That's the question at the heart of the American Opportunity Index (AOI), a dynamic analysis of the nation's top 250 biggest companies – and their investment in their employees and their careers – from Harvard Business School, Burning Glass Institute, and the Schultz Family Foundation. “American businesses are struggling to hire, grow and retain the workers they need to remain competitive. They lack visibility on how their workers advance and how their policies affect their employees' prospects. They are missing critical components of the big picture,” says Fuller, one of the authors of the report. He adds, “The Index assesses how effectively large corporations manage their human talent, identifies which companies are leading the way, and provides a framework for benchmarking progress." The Index focuses on worker outcomes and is based on the real-world experience of more than three million of their employees. AOI measures which companies are most likely to create opportunity for workers in roles open to non-college graduates across three criteria: access (who is able to join the company), wages (how well they are paid), and mobility (how far a worker will advance – either at that company or once they leave for another company). "Our objective is to get companies to ask 'Have we implemented policies that advance our workers prospects of growing with us? (Are we) creating an environment that creates opportunities for growth in all dimensions, growth in skills, growth in income potential, growth in promotability for their workforce? Are we tracking those metrics because you are what you track, you are what you measure? And are we pursuing best practice in light of what we can see other people are achieving?" adds Fuller. According to Chandrasekaran, the fundamental goal to give both employers and workers greater transparency into how workers can get ahead and how companies can most effectively use their human capital. "We believe that when workers can advance, when they can find upward mobility, they can achieve the pathways to continue to grow their careers, everybody benefits. It's not just the workers, but companies themselves. Turnover is reduced. Companies become more efficient. They can fill their talent needs more effectively from within," he adds. Chandrasekaran explains what the Index to "empower workers to make better decisions as to what positions to seek and what firms to prioritize in their job searches; recognize companies that are setting an example of how to create opportunity; and arm corporate executives and HR leaders alike with data they need to take meaningful action within their companies to boost the competitiveness of their workforce." The original American Opportunity Index was published last fall, identifying the 50 best firms across five different models of opportunity creation: the Best Workplaces to Advance Within, the Best Workplaces to Start From, the Best Workplaces to Stay and Thrive at One Company, the Best Workplaces to Advance Without a College Degree, and the Best Workplaces That Grow Their Own Talent. The highest-ranked companies overall include: AT&T, American Express, Cisco, PG&E, Microsoft, Fiserv, HF Sinclair, Liberty Mutual Insurance, International Paper, and Southwest Airlines. The 2023 American Opportunity Index will be released later this fall and Chandrasekaran says it will cover even more of the Fortune 500 and expand into several new categories of assessm...
In this episode of Work in Progress, I'm joined by Joseph Fuller, professor at Harvard Business School and co-head of the school's Managing the Future of Work Project, and Rajiv Chandrasekaran, head of strategy at the Schultz Family Foundation. Everybody benefits from an upwardly mobile workforce, So, how is corporate America doing when it comes to creating a culture of advancement for workers within their businesses, particularly those without a four-year college degree? That's the question at the heart of the American Opportunity Index (AOI), a dynamic analysis of the nation's top 250 biggest companies – and their investment in their employees and their careers – from Harvard Business School, Burning Glass Institute, and the Schultz Family Foundation. “American businesses are struggling to hire, grow and retain the workers they need to remain competitive. They lack visibility on how their workers advance and how their policies affect their employees' prospects. They are missing critical components of the big picture,” says Fuller, one of the authors of the report. He adds, “The Index assesses how effectively large corporations manage their human talent, identifies which companies are leading the way, and provides a framework for benchmarking progress." The Index focuses on worker outcomes and is based on the real-world experience of more than three million of their employees. AOI measures which companies are most likely to create opportunity for workers in roles open to non-college graduates across three criteria: access (who is able to join the company), wages (how well they are paid), and mobility (how far a worker will advance – either at that company or once they leave for another company). "Our objective is to get companies to ask 'Have we implemented policies that advance our workers prospects of growing with us? (Are we) creating an environment that creates opportunities for growth in all dimensions, growth in skills, growth in income potential, growth in promotability for their workforce? Are we tracking those metrics because you are what you track, you are what you measure? And are we pursuing best practice in light of what we can see other people are achieving?" adds Fuller. According to Chandrasekaran, the fundamental goal to give both employers and workers greater transparency into how workers can get ahead and how companies can most effectively use their human capital. "We believe that when workers can advance, when they can find upward mobility, they can achieve the pathways to continue to grow their careers, everybody benefits. It's not just the workers, but companies themselves. Turnover is reduced. Companies become more efficient. They can fill their talent needs more effectively from within," he adds. Chandrasekaran explains what the Index to "empower workers to make better decisions as to what positions to seek and what firms to prioritize in their job searches; recognize companies that are setting an example of how to create opportunity; and arm corporate executives and HR leaders alike with data they need to take meaningful action within their companies to boost the competitiveness of their workforce." The original American Opportunity Index was published last fall, identifying the 50 best firms across five different models of opportunity creation: the Best Workplaces to Advance Within, the Best Workplaces to Start From, the Best Workplaces to Stay and Thrive at One Company, the Best Workplaces to Advance Without a College Degree, and the Best Workplaces That Grow Their Own Talent. The highest-ranked companies overall include: AT&T, American Express, Cisco, PG&E, Microsoft, Fiserv, HF Sinclair, Liberty Mutual Insurance, International Paper, and Southwest Airlines. The 2023 American Opportunity Index will be released later this fall and Chandrasekaran says it will cover even more of the Fortune 500 and expand into several new categories of assessm...
The two journalists discuss how the decisions following the attacks of Sept. 11 led to distrust and division. Racism, inequity and political polarization have been a part of American history since the beginning of the country. And yet, all of the issues have exploded in the past few years as Americans have become more polarized than they have been in generations. There is no single reason for the division and political mistrust that have become endemic to public life, but there is an argument to be made that the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, served as an animating force of this difficult era. This is the idea behind the latest installment of PBS's Frontline series, America After 9/11. For this episode of the Crosscut Talks podcast, we speak with Michael Kirk, the filmmaker behind the documentary, and journalist Rajiv Chandrasekaran about how that one day and the decisions that followed transformed the country. --- Credits Host: Mark Baumgarten Event producers: Jake Newman, Andrea O'Meara Engineers: Seth Halleran, Resti Bagcal, Viktoria Ralph
California's recall makes sense, but the electoral system as a whole needs reform, according to columnist Joe Matthews. Also in this episode, author Rajiv Chandrasekaran says Afghanistan once had an American-style suburb in the 1950s until the Soviet Union took over. Meanwhile, Colonel Andrew Bacevich calls America's latest intervention in Afghanistan “preposterous” and insists the U.S. needs a new role on the global stage.
California's recall makes sense, but the electoral system as a whole needs reform, according to columnist Joe Matthews. Also in this episode, author Rajiv Chandrasekaran says Afghanistan once had an American-style suburb in the 1950s until the Soviet Union took over. Meanwhile, Colonel Andrew Bacevich calls America's latest intervention in Afghanistan “preposterous” and insists the U.S. needs a new role on the global stage.
California's recall makes sense, but the electoral system as a whole needs reform, according to columnist Joe Matthews. Also in this episode, author Rajiv Chandrasekaran says Afghanistan once had an American-style suburb in the 1950s until the Soviet Union took over. Meanwhile, Colonel Andrew Bacevich calls America's latest intervention in Afghanistan “preposterous” and insists the U.S. needs a new role on the global stage.
Tony Award–winning playwright J.T. Rogers (Oslo) and seasoned foreign correspondent Rajiv Chandrasekaran (National Book Award finalist for Imperial Life in the Emerald City) sat together on June 9, 2018 in the Hawthorne Barn to discuss the intersection of politics, war, journalism, and art. J.T. Rogers’s plays include Oslo, Blood and Gifts, The Overwhelming, White People, and Madagascar. For Oslo he won the Tony, New York Critics, Outer Critics, Drama Desk, Drama League, Lortel, and Obie awards. As one of the playwrights for the Tricycle Theatre of London’s The Great Game: Afghanistan he was nominated for an Olivier Award. His works have been staged throughout the United States and in Germany, Canada, Australia, and Israel. He is a Guggenheim fellow and has received three NYFA fellowships in playwriting. Rogers is a member of the Dramatist Guild, where he is a founding board member of the Dramatists Legal Defense Fund. He is an alum of New Dramatists and holds an honorary doctorate from his alma mater, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Rajiv Chandrasekaran is a senior vice president for Public Affairs at Starbucks and the executive producer of the company’s social impact media initiatives. Prior to joining Starbucks in 2015, Rajiv was a senior correspondent and associate editor of The Washington Post, where he worked for two decades. During his newspaper career, he reported from more than three dozen countries and was bureau chief in Baghdad, Cairo and Southeast Asia. He also served as the Post’s national editor and as an assistant managing editor. In 2014, he and Howard Schultz wrote the bestselling book, "For Love of Country: What Our Veterans Can Teach Us About Citizenship, Heroism and Sacrifice." He also is the author of two other bestselling books: "Little America: The War Within the War for Afghanistan" and "Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq's Green Zone," which was named one of the 10 best books of 2007 by The New York Times and inspired the movie Green Zone. He is a native of the San Francisco Bay Area and a graduate of Stanford University.
About 13 years ago, I climbed on the bandwagon and, like lots of other folks, read several books to better understand our history in Afghanistan and Iraq and with Al Quaeda — how we got into the mess and, maybe how we’d get out.You may recall – it was a bit of a golden age of reporting and writing. Among them: “The Looming Tower” by Lawrence Wright; “Fiasco,” by Thomas Ricks; “Imperial Life In The Emerald City,” by Rajiv Chandrasekaran; “The Places in Between,” Rory Stewart’s crazy story of walking across Afghanistan, as well as his follow-up "The Prince of Marshes." But the first one I read has long stayed with me, and set the context for the all the others to come: That was the Pulitzer prizewinning “Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001” by Steve Coll.“Ghost Wars” outlined the CIA’s secret history in Afghanistan, the Taliban’s rise, the emergence of Osama bin Laden, and the failed efforts by U.S. forces to find and assassinate him in Afghanistan. It ends the day before 9/11.Now, finally, Steve Coll is back on the beat. His new book is "Directorate S: The C.I.A. and America's Secret Wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan.” It tells the story of America's intelligence, military, and diplomatic efforts to defeat Al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan since 9/11.The book is as powerful and relevant and urgent as Ghost Wars was. It mixes details and insights and analysis that, once again makes plain — in painful ways — what happened after those planes hit the World Trade Center.More about Steve Coll — somehow, writing some of the most important books on our most important foreign policies is not all he does. Coll’s day job is serving as Dean of the Columbia School of Journalism. He is also a staff writer at The New Yorker, author of seven books, and a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner. There’s a lot more, but you get the idea. That’s also why at the end of our talk, I picked up on my conversation last week with Harvard professors Steve Levitsky & Daniel Ziblatt. They wrote the outstanding “How Democracies Die.” My question for journalism Dean Coll, rather than the author: How does democracy work with people who think facts are alternative facts, that real news is fake news? How does it work with people who believe anything – or nothing at all?
Spreaker Live Show #107 for April 12th, 2017Our Topics This Week: - Reasons To Start A Podcast- NAB Show in Las Vegas April 23-27- Tip of the Week: Have Advertisers Found a Secret Weapon, called Podcasts? Show Duration: 47 minutesHost: Rob Greenlee, Head of Content, Spreaker @robgreenlee - rob(at)spreaker(dotcom)Co-Host: Alex Exum, Host of “The Exum Experience Podcast” on Spreaker-NAB Show (National Association of Broadcasters) in Las Vegas - April 23-27th-3 Panel sessions at the event about Podcasting-The main session is with Rob Walch, Libsyn, Todd Cochrane, Blubrry, Rob McCracken, EW Scripps-Lead off for the broadcaster radio track- http://nab17.mapyourshow.com/7_0/sessions/speaker-details.cfm?speakerid=11328Reasons To Start A Podcast:-Audio content is convenient for the listener:Audio can be consumed anywhere and anytime. Listen to podcasts while cleaning their house, driving in their car, jogging, or exercising at the gym. Audio content is portable and convenient.-Great Medium To Build an Audience:As podcast grows in popularity, the size of your audience increases. Not everyone who listens to your show will come back for more, but the ones who like your style and your content will become loyal listeners. They will recommend your show to others. Easy to reach millions on iTunes or Stitcher and find your show by searching for specific topics on those platforms. -Cost to get started is Low:If you wanted to start podcast 10 years ago, you would have likely had to spend several thousand dollars on equipment just to get started. Fortunately, this is no longer the case. -To increase the size and value of your personal network:Every person who becomes a listener and who you invite to be a guest on your show can potentially become a valuable contact for life. Some of them have become very close friends, and in many cases we have worked together on certain projects or simply shared ideas to help each other succeed.-You can make money from your show:A podcast doesn’t have to be a hobby, but it can be. There are a few ways you can monetize your podcast. If your download numbers are high enough, you can charge sponsors to be mentioned on your show. You can also use your show to promote your own products or services (books, courses, or consulting, for example). Another option is to include a recommended resources section on your show’s main website, and include affiliate links in each of the recommendations. This way, when someone clicks on a recommended resources and decides to buy, your earn a commission from the sale.-To position yourself as an authority in your industrySharing helpful advice on a specific topic on a consistent basis helps position you as an authority in your industry/niche. It helps develop your reputation as an expert. As you increase your authority in your market, you attract other opportunities to you (invited to speak at events or conferences in your industry). You may also consider coaching or consulting services on your area of expertise.-To promote your own products or services:A podcast can be a great tool to attract your ideal customers or clients. You can use your show to help promote your own products and services, or even consulting services. You can mention these things in your episodes, or simply tell your listeners to visit your website to learn more about what you offer.-Hearing your voice makes it more personal:When someone hears your voice, it is incredibly personal. When someone listens to your voice while exercising at the gym, or driving their car for example, it is the closest thing to having you right there next to them and having a conversation. As your audience listens to more of your episodes, they begin to develop a connection to you. People will begin to like you.-It doesn’t take too much time to maintain:Most shows publish an episode once per week, sometimes less, and that seems to be the current norm. The good news is that once a podcast has been launched, maintaining it isn’t as time consuming as most people think it is.-Few steps: The first being planning the episode, followed by recording it, then editing it, then creating a page for the episode on your website, then publishing it, and finally, promoting it. A typical episode on my show is 45 minutes long.-Hosting a podcast is fun!The last reason you should start your own podcast is because hosting a podcast is a lot of fun! -Tip of the Week: Have Advertisers Found a Secret Weapon, called Podcasts?See http://Blog.Spreaker.com for article by Charlotte Micklewright. Here are the highlights from the article.-Audiences and advertising are finding common ground: a passion for audio.-Last year a study by Bridge Ratings predicted marketers will gain more and more confidence in podcasts.-The market spend for the platform will grow at a consistent 25% a year through to 2020. Advertising Age predicts that advertisers will push for their content marketing strategies to produce audience-oriented content that aligns with their brand’s purpose and values.The Age of Branded Podcasts: A big trend that is gaining momentum in 2017 is branded podcast.Many businesses have started to create their own podcast as an alternative to paying for ads in external podcasts. What makes branded audio content great is they allow brands to create an entire experience.One of the first of these types of podcasts to reach #1 on iTunes was The Message, a collaboration between General Electric and Slate Magazine. Each episode brings a new installment of fictional Sci-Fi tale that revolves around sound technology.The aim is to associate the brand with a powerful message. That’s how Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and Starbucks executive producer Rajiv Chandrasekaran launched Upstanders, a podcast that celebrates true American spirit through stories of compassion, optimism inspiring individuals.The key is also understanding your audience and expanding the brand’s ethos into everyday life.What, even banks are in on this?! Umpqua describes itself as “the West Coast’s largest, and most unconventional, community bank.” So it’s unsurprising that its podcast Open Account addresses in very frank terms one of American culture’s greatest taboos – money.It Pays to Speak UpMany other businesses are finding that it pays to invest in audio advertising on podcasts networks.A recent report from Triton Digital revealed that 65% of podcast listeners would be more willing to buy products from companies that they’ve heard advertised on their favorite podcast.The same study, that includes data of nearly 1,000 podcast fans, found that a whopping 45% of listeners claimed they visited a sponsor’s website after hearing a sponsorship message or advertisement during a favorite podcast.What’s the Secret to This Success?Marketing strategists and data analysts alike have no doubts over the particular pulling power of podcasts.Podcast audiences are devoted fans whose enthusiasm carries over to the companies that sponsor their favorite shows. That ‘halo-effect’ is impressive. It is no surprise that more and more brands are including podcast strategies as part of their marketing mix.And the beauty of it is that it taps into a hard-to-reach audience – unlike other advertising avenues.70% of podcast fans usually avoid visual advertising by using ad blockers online and ad-free services like Spotify subscriptions. But accepting audio content comes more naturally. “It’s a market that other kinds of digital media just aren’t penetrating.”Spreaker Links:http://Adore.fmhttp://blog.spreaker.comhttp://SpreakerLiveShow.comhttps://Spreaker.comrob at spreaker.comSend Questions and Comments to:Twitter: http://twitter.com/spreaker using #SpreakerLiveTwitter: http://twitter.com/robgreenleeTwitter: http://twitter.com/alexeum Tech Support: support at spreaker.com
Spreaker Live Show #107 for April 12th, 2017Our Topics This Week: - Reasons To Start A Podcast- NAB Show in Las Vegas April 23-27- Tip of the Week: Have Advertisers Found a Secret Weapon, called Podcasts? Show Duration: 47 minutesHost: Rob Greenlee, Head of Content, Spreaker @robgreenlee - rob(at)spreaker(dotcom)Co-Host: Alex Exum, Host of “The Exum Experience Podcast” on Spreaker-NAB Show (National Association of Broadcasters) in Las Vegas - April 23-27th-3 Panel sessions at the event about Podcasting-The main session is with Rob Walch, Libsyn, Todd Cochrane, Blubrry, Rob McCracken, EW Scripps-Lead off for the broadcaster radio track- http://nab17.mapyourshow.com/7_0/sessions/speaker-details.cfm?speakerid=11328Reasons To Start A Podcast:-Audio content is convenient for the listener:Audio can be consumed anywhere and anytime. Listen to podcasts while cleaning their house, driving in their car, jogging, or exercising at the gym. Audio content is portable and convenient.-Great Medium To Build an Audience:As podcast grows in popularity, the size of your audience increases. Not everyone who listens to your show will come back for more, but the ones who like your style and your content will become loyal listeners. They will recommend your show to others. Easy to reach millions on iTunes or Stitcher and find your show by searching for specific topics on those platforms. -Cost to get started is Low:If you wanted to start podcast 10 years ago, you would have likely had to spend several thousand dollars on equipment just to get started. Fortunately, this is no longer the case. -To increase the size and value of your personal network:Every person who becomes a listener and who you invite to be a guest on your show can potentially become a valuable contact for life. Some of them have become very close friends, and in many cases we have worked together on certain projects or simply shared ideas to help each other succeed.-You can make money from your show:A podcast doesn’t have to be a hobby, but it can be. There are a few ways you can monetize your podcast. If your download numbers are high enough, you can charge sponsors to be mentioned on your show. You can also use your show to promote your own products or services (books, courses, or consulting, for example). Another option is to include a recommended resources section on your show’s main website, and include affiliate links in each of the recommendations. This way, when someone clicks on a recommended resources and decides to buy, your earn a commission from the sale.-To position yourself as an authority in your industrySharing helpful advice on a specific topic on a consistent basis helps position you as an authority in your industry/niche. It helps develop your reputation as an expert. As you increase your authority in your market, you attract other opportunities to you (invited to speak at events or conferences in your industry). You may also consider coaching or consulting services on your area of expertise.-To promote your own products or services:A podcast can be a great tool to attract your ideal customers or clients. You can use your show to help promote your own products and services, or even consulting services. You can mention these things in your episodes, or simply tell your listeners to visit your website to learn more about what you offer.-Hearing your voice makes it more personal:When someone hears your voice, it is incredibly personal. When someone listens to your voice while exercising at the gym, or driving their car for example, it is the closest thing to having you right there next to them and having a conversation. As your audience listens to more of your episodes, they begin to develop a connection to you. People will begin to like you.-It doesn’t take too much time to maintain:Most shows publish an episode once per week, sometimes less, and that seems to be the current norm. The good news is that once a podcast has been launched, maintaining it isn’t as time consuming as most people think it is.-Few steps: The first being planning the episode, followed by recording it, then editing it, then creating a page for the episode on your website, then publishing it, and finally, promoting it. A typical episode on my show is 45 minutes long.-Hosting a podcast is fun!The last reason you should start your own podcast is because hosting a podcast is a lot of fun! -Tip of the Week: Have Advertisers Found a Secret Weapon, called Podcasts?See http://Blog.Spreaker.com for article by Charlotte Micklewright. Here are the highlights from the article.-Audiences and advertising are finding common ground: a passion for audio.-Last year a study by Bridge Ratings predicted marketers will gain more and more confidence in podcasts.-The market spend for the platform will grow at a consistent 25% a year through to 2020. Advertising Age predicts that advertisers will push for their content marketing strategies to produce audience-oriented content that aligns with their brand’s purpose and values.The Age of Branded Podcasts: A big trend that is gaining momentum in 2017 is branded podcast.Many businesses have started to create their own podcast as an alternative to paying for ads in external podcasts. What makes branded audio content great is they allow brands to create an entire experience.One of the first of these types of podcasts to reach #1 on iTunes was The Message, a collaboration between General Electric and Slate Magazine. Each episode brings a new installment of fictional Sci-Fi tale that revolves around sound technology.The aim is to associate the brand with a powerful message. That’s how Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and Starbucks executive producer Rajiv Chandrasekaran launched Upstanders, a podcast that celebrates true American spirit through stories of compassion, optimism inspiring individuals.The key is also understanding your audience and expanding the brand’s ethos into everyday life.What, even banks are in on this?! Umpqua describes itself as “the West Coast’s largest, and most unconventional, community bank.” So it’s unsurprising that its podcast Open Account addresses in very frank terms one of American culture’s greatest taboos – money.It Pays to Speak UpMany other businesses are finding that it pays to invest in audio advertising on podcasts networks.A recent report from Triton Digital revealed that 65% of podcast listeners would be more willing to buy products from companies that they’ve heard advertised on their favorite podcast.The same study, that includes data of nearly 1,000 podcast fans, found that a whopping 45% of listeners claimed they visited a sponsor’s website after hearing a sponsorship message or advertisement during a favorite podcast.What’s the Secret to This Success?Marketing strategists and data analysts alike have no doubts over the particular pulling power of podcasts.Podcast audiences are devoted fans whose enthusiasm carries over to the companies that sponsor their favorite shows. That ‘halo-effect’ is impressive. It is no surprise that more and more brands are including podcast strategies as part of their marketing mix.And the beauty of it is that it taps into a hard-to-reach audience – unlike other advertising avenues.70% of podcast fans usually avoid visual advertising by using ad blockers online and ad-free services like Spotify subscriptions. But accepting audio content comes more naturally. “It’s a market that other kinds of digital media just aren’t penetrating.”Spreaker Links:http://Adore.fmhttp://blog.spreaker.comhttp://SpreakerLiveShow.comhttps://Spreaker.comrob at spreaker.comSend Questions and Comments to:Twitter: http://twitter.com/spreaker using #SpreakerLiveTwitter: http://twitter.com/robgreenleeTwitter: http://twitter.com/alexeum Tech Support: support at spreaker.com
On this episode of Represent, Slate culture writer, Aisha Harris talks to actor Joe Seo about his new film, Spa Night, and Vulture writer Alex Jung comes on to chat race and class in Season 3 of Transparent. Check out: -Radio Raheem’s “love, hate” monologue in Do the Right Thing -Will & Grace scene about the 2016 election -Fences teaser trailer -Alex Jung’s interview with Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge Check out other Panoply podcasts at itunes.com/panoply. Email: represent@slate.com Facebook: Slate Represent Twitter: @SlateRepresent, @craftingmystyle Production by Veralyn Williams Represent is brought to you by Upstanders, a new podcast from Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and Rajiv Chandrasekaran. Hear stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things to create positive change in their communities. Listen and subscribe to Upstanders on iTunes now. And by Denial. From the screenwriter of The Hours and The Reader comes the true story of one woman’s court battle for historical truth against a Holocaust denier. Starring Rachel Weisz and Tom Wilkinson. Denial: Now playing in select theaters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Slate culture writer, Aisha Harris talks to actor Joe Seo about his new film, Spa Night, and Vulture writer Alex Jung comes on to chat race and class in Season 3 of Transparent. Check out: -Radio Raheem’s “love, hate” monologue in Do the Right Thing -Will & Grace scene about the 2016 election -Fences teaser trailer -Alex Jung’s interview with Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge Tell a friend to subscribe! Share this link: megaphone.link/represent Email: represent@slate.com Facebook: Slate Represent Twitter: @SlateRepresent, @craftingmystyle Production by Veralyn Williams Represent is brought to you by Upstanders, a new podcast from Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and Rajiv Chandrasekaran. Hear stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things to create positive change in their communities. Listen and subscribe to Upstanders on iTunes now. And by Denial. From the screenwriter of The Hours and The Reader comes the true story of one woman’s court battle for historical truth against a Holocaust denier. Starring Rachel Weisz and Tom Wilkinson. Denial: Now playing in select theaters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The world is not flat, Google hasn’t yet mapped everything, and there are yet places in the world that don’t take your AmEx card. Atlas Obscura: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders is the immense catalog of the world’s curiosities, from the rainbow river of South America to the medical device museum in Minnesota. On The Gist, editors Dylan Thuras and Ella Morton of Atlas Obscura explain their taxonomy of awe-inspiring sights. In the Spiel, the return of the Trump Anxiety Hotline. Today’s sponsors: The Girl on the Train, in theaters Oct. 7. Upstanders, a new podcast from Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and Rajiv Chandrasekaran. Hear stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things to create positive change in their communities. Listen and subscribe to Upstanders on iTunes starting Sept. 7. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The world is not flat, Google hasn’t yet mapped everything, and there are yet places in the world that don’t take your AmEx card. Atlas Obscura: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders is the immense catalog of the world’s curiosities, from the rainbow river of South America to the medical device museum in Minnesota. On The Gist, editors Dylan Thuras and Ella Morton of Atlas Obscura explain their taxonomy of awe-inspiring sights. In the Spiel, the return of the Trump Anxiety Hotline. Today’s sponsors: The Girl on the Train, in theaters Oct. 7. Upstanders, a new podcast from Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and Rajiv Chandrasekaran. Hear stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things to create positive change in their communities. Listen and subscribe to Upstanderson iTunes starting Sept. 7. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jacob Weisberg talks to Evan Osnos of The New Yorker about his latest story in this week's magazine about the prospect of a Donald Trump presidency. Trumpcast is brought to you by Upstanders, a new podcast from Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and Rajiv Chandrasekaran. Hear stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things to create positive change in their communities. Listen and subscribe to Upstanders on iTunes now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jacob Weisberg talks to Evan Osnos of The New Yorker about his latest story in this week's magazine about the prospect of a Donald Trump presidency. Trumpcast is brought to you by Upstanders, a new podcast from Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and Rajiv Chandrasekaran. Hear stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things to create positive change in their communities. Listen and subscribe to Upstanders on iTunes now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Back for his 3rd appearance on the show - New York Times best-selling author and entrepreneur, Seth Godin, joins Brian this week to talk about his upcoming book, "What Does It Sound Like When You Change Your Mind?" (3:00). You can preorder Seth's book by clicking here. To start things off, Seth and Brian discuss the concept of "certainty" in creation (11:00), whether or not writer's block really exists (20:00), and why Seth used to ask the question "How many gas stations are there in the United States?" when interviewing potential employees (36:00). To round out the conversation, the two reflect on different artists and how they approached creating their art (40:00) and why fear is signal that you're doing something right (54:00). The Moment is brought to you by Upstanders, a new podcast from Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and Rajiv Chandrasekaran. Hear stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things to create positive change in their communities. Listen and subscribe to Upstanders on iTunes now. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Back for his 3rd appearance on the show – New York Times best-selling author and entrepreneur, Seth Godin, joins Brian this week to talk about his upcoming book, "What Does It Sound Like When You Change Your Mind?" (3:00). You can preorder Seth's book by clicking here. To start things off, Seth and Brian discuss the concept of "certainty" in creation (11:00), whether or not writer's block really exists (20:00), and why Seth used to ask the question "How many gas stations are there in the United States?" when interviewing potential employees (36:00). To round out the conversation, the two reflect on different artists and how they approached creating their art (40:00) and why fear is signal that you're doing something right (54:00). The Moment is brought to you by Upstanders, a new podcast from Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and Rajiv Chandrasekaran. Hear stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things to create positive change in their communities. Listen and subscribe to Upstanders on iTunes now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Back for his 3rd appearance on the show – New York Times best-selling author and entrepreneur, Seth Godin, joins Brian this week to talk about his upcoming book, "What Does It Sound Like When You Change Your Mind?" (3:00). You can preorder Seth's book by clicking here. To start things off, Seth and Brian discuss the concept of "certainty" in creation (11:00), whether or not writer's block really exists (20:00), and why Seth used to ask the question "How many gas stations are there in the United States?" when interviewing potential employees (36:00). To round out the conversation, the two reflect on different artists and how they approached creating their art (40:00) and why fear is signal that you're doing something right (54:00). The Moment is brought to you by Upstanders, a new podcast from Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and Rajiv Chandrasekaran. Hear stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things to create positive change in their communities. Listen and subscribe to Upstanders on iTunes now.
We kick off a brand new season of our podcast with an episode devoted to the member of the Supreme Court bench who has garnered by far the most headlines since our last episode. That’s right, it’s the slavish fangirl edition of Amicus, in which we cave to the pressure of our listeners and fête the woman who had the temerity to call Donald Trump a “faker” this past July. Joining us to discuss the cultural phenomenon that is Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is MSNBC national reporter Irin Carmon, co-author of the bestselling biography Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. We also hear from Cooper Sirwatka, a New York attorney and proud wearer of a full-color RBG tattoo. Amicus is brought to you by Upstanders, a new podcast from Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and Rajiv Chandrasekaran. Hear stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things to create positive change in their communities. Listen and subscribe to Upstanders on iTunes now. Transcripts of Amicus are available to Slate Plus members. Consider signing up today! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today here. Please let us know what you think of Amicus. Our email is amicus@slate.com. Podcast production by Tony Field. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We kick off a brand new season of our podcast with an episode devoted to the member of the Supreme Court bench who has garnered by far the most headlines since our last episode. That’s right, it’s the slavish fangirl edition of Amicus, in which we cave to the pressure of our listeners and fête the woman who had the temerity to call Donald Trump a “faker” this past July. Joining us to discuss the cultural phenomenon that is Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is MSNBC national reporter Irin Carmon, co-author of the bestselling biography Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. We also hear from Cooper Sirwatka, a New York attorney and proud wearer of a full-color RBG tattoo. Amicus is brought to you by Upstanders, a new podcast from Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and Rajiv Chandrasekaran. Hear stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things to create positive change in their communities. Listen and subscribe to Upstanders on iTunes now. Transcripts of Amicus are available to Slate Plus members. Consider signing up today! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today here. Please let us know what you think of Amicus. Our email is amicus@slate.com. Podcast production by Tony Field. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jacob Weisberg talks to McKay Coppins of BuzzFeed News about Mr. Trump's upcoming check up on Dr. Oz, Colin Powell's leaked emails, and why we need to constantly remind ourselves how difficult it will be for Trump to win. Trumpcast is brought to you by Upstanders, a new podcast from Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and Rajiv Chandrasekaran. Hear stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things to create positive change in their communities. Listen and subscribe to Upstanders on iTunes now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jacob Weisberg talks to McKay Coppins of BuzzFeed News about Mr. Trump's upcoming check up on Dr. Oz, Colin Powell's leaked emails, and why we need to constantly remind ourselves how difficult it will be for Trump to win. Trumpcast is brought to you by Upstanders, a new podcast from Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and Rajiv Chandrasekaran. Hear stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things to create positive change in their communities. Listen and subscribe to Upstanders on iTunes now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep.5, 2015. Rajiv Chandrasekaran discusses "For Love of Country: What Our Veterans Can Teach Us About Citizenship, Heroism and Sacrifice" as part of a special presentation on the human side of war at the 2015 Library of Congress National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. Speaker Biography: Rajiv Chandrasekaran is a former senior correspondent and associate editor at The Washington Post, where he had worked since 1994. He has served as the newspaper’s bureau chief in Baghdad, Cairo and Southeast Asia, and as a correspondent covering the war in Afghanistan off and on for a decade. He is currently leading a new media venture for Starbucks. Chandrasekaran is the author of “Little America: The War Within the War for Afghanistan” and “Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq’s Green Zone,” a best-selling account of the troubled American effort to reconstruct Iraq. The book won the Overseas Press Club book award, was named one of the 10 Best Books of 2007 by The New York Times and was a finalist for the National Book Award. Chandrasekaran has also received honors for his journalism from the Overseas Press Club, the Society of Professional Journalists and the American Academy of Diplomacy, which awarded him the Arthur Ross Award for Distinguished Reporting and Analysis of Foreign Affairs. His latest book, “For Love of Country: What Our Veterans Can Teach Us About Citizenship, Heroism and Sacrifice,” is a celebration of the extraordinary courage, dedication and sacrifice of this generation of American veterans. For transcript, captions, and more information, visit http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=7020
Forty plus years ago, in Vietnam, we saw how the best and the brightest could ignore history, ignore truths and facts and conduct one of our nation's most disastrous wars. Ten years ago this month, we saw how lies, inept personnel and poor and corrupt execution destroyed any hope of success in Iraq. These decisions still plague us today. Four years ago, back into 2009, we thought that the Obama administration was fighting "The Good War," when it decided to surge US troops and civilians in Afghanistan. Yet again, we ignored history, didn’t send the best personnel, engaged in bureaucratic infighting and thought money could buy our way out. It did not. Why do we keep making these same mistakes? Is it that the fault is not in stars, but in ourselves? These are some of the issues examined by esteemed and award winning journalist Rajiv Chandrasekaran in his book Little America: The War Within the War for Afghanistan. My conversation with Rajiv Chandrasekaran:
Owen Johnson interviews Rajiv Chandrasekaran, senior correspondent and associate editor at The Washington Post.