Masters of Scale cover art
Podcast · 366 episodes

Masters of Scale, page 2

by WaitWhat · English

On Masters of Scale, iconic business leaders share lessons and strategies that have helped them grow the world's most fascinating companies. Founders, CEOs, and dynamic innovators join candid conversations about their triumphs and challenges with a set of luminary hosts, including founding host Reid Hoffman (LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock partner). From navigating early prototypes to expanding brands globally, Masters of Scale provides priceless insights to help anyone grow their dream enterprise.

All episodes, page 2

Delta's Ed Bastian on spiking fuel, summer travel, and a blunt reality check on AIDelta CEO Ed Bastian discusses 2026 challenges (spiking fuel/energy costs tied to the Strait of Hormuz, geopolitical uncertainty, evolving consumer preferences), what Delta’s booking data shows…21 Jul 2026 · 28 min · 15 chapters
Build better relationships at workEsther Perel discusses how relationship breakdowns drive workplace failure, especially in remote, distributed, multi-generational teams, and argues that “relational intelligence” is a competitive…16 Jul 2026 · 34 min · 20 chapters
The quiet reinvention of a $42b business, with Canva’s Cameron AdamsCanva’s shift from “design company” to “AI company,” how it’s shipping faster during AI disruption, and how to keep humans in control while amplifying creativity.14 Jul 2026 · 24 min · 14 chapters
Pioneers of AI: John Deere's AI vision for future farmsJohn Deere CTO Jamie Heineman explains how AI and sensors power “plant-level management” and farm autonomy, plus how generative AI, computer vision, and cloud/edge data turn into farmer-facing…11 Jul 2026 · 37 min · 14 chapters
Chef Marcus Samuelsson on the ingredients for successMarcus Samuelsson discusses “ingredients for success” through building integrated systems and, in his own career, using food and media to amplify diverse stories.9 Jul 2026 · 36 min · 16 chapters
Relevance is a sport: Gap’s Richard Dickson on swinging, missing, and winningGap Inc. CEO Richard Dickson explains how Gap revitalized relevance by “swinging” into pop culture, using brand-love metrics, and running an integrated, disciplined business—while continuing to take…7 Jul 2026 · 27 min · 16 chapters
How to build breakout products, with Mark Pincus & Reid HoffmanMark Pincus (Zynga founder) and Reid Hoffman discuss building breakout consumer products using “Proven Better New,” plus how to apply the framework in the AI era (where “proven” is scarce), and…2 Jul 2026 · 30 min · 15 chapters
Cannes Lions’ battle of the brands: Starbucks’ stumble, World Cup ads, and moreDara Treseder (CMO, Autodesk) discusses Cannes Lions trends: AI-driven marketing chaos, governance vs speed, transparent AI content, “priming and proving” for AI/search, and why earned…30 Jun 2026 · 31 min · 14 chapters
Pioneers of AI: Reid Hoffman says the AI race is not a cage matchReid Hoffman discusses the AI “race” (not a winner-take-all cage match), IPO/valuation signals, profitability vs strategic value, AI startup defensibility, hybrid human-AI organizations, U.S.27 Jun 2026 · 36 min · 17 chapters
How to balance a two-sided marketplace, with Care.com CEO Brad WilsonCare.com CEO Brad Wilson discusses balancing a two-sided marketplace (families needing care vs caregivers seeking fair wages) while scaling quality and affordability.25 Jun 2026 · 32 min · 19 chapters
$300m in year two. The controversy came free, with David Protein’s Peter RahalPeter Rahal, CEO of David protein bars, discusses scaling a high-protein, low-calorie product using EPG “hard fat,” and how David navigated controversies (lawsuits, labeling challenges, and an…23 Jun 2026 · 21 min · 14 chapters
IBM’s $10 billion bet on what comes after AIIBM CEO Arvind Krishna explains IBM’s “after AI” strategy—why enterprises shouldn’t use foundation models like one-size-fits-all “18-wheelers,” how to scale AI responsibly, why he expects foundation…18 Jun 2026 · 41 min · 20 chapters
The U.S. at 250: The case for reckoning and rebuild, with Ian BremmerIan Bremmer assesses the U.S. “brand” and political health at 250 years, arguing Americans are in a revolutionary mood due to a two-tier economy, eroding trust, and global unreliability; he also…16 Jun 2026 · 31 min · 12 chapters
The future of EVs, with Rivian’s RJ ScaringeRivian CEO RJ Scaringe discusses the future of EVs and software-defined vehicles, building and scaling a complex car company, competing with Tesla without copying, and accelerating self-driving and…11 Jun 2026 · 41 min · 19 chapters
World Cup kickoff: Goals, greed, and geopolitics, with ESPN’s Sam BordenPart 1 of a two-part World Cup preview with ESPN investigative reporter Sam Borden.9 Jun 2026 · 32 min · 18 chapters
Rapid Response: The Guardian’s secret weapon against media’s collapse, with CEO Anna BatesonHow The Guardian stays resilient amid media disruption—its digital-first strategy, reader-funded model, and the Scott Trust ownership structure that protects editorial independence while enabling…6 Jun 2026 · 31 min · 11 chapters
Rohan Oza: The playbook for building billion-dollar consumer brandsRohan Oza’s consumer-brand playbook—how to build “iconic” brands, use influencer/celebrity equity deals, and scale into multiple billion-dollar exits; includes his career path from Mars/Coca-Cola to…4 Jun 2026 · 28 min · 19 chapters
The race no one can win: AI’s anti-human crisis, with Aza RaskinAza Raskin argues AI deployment is driven by incentives that produce an “anti-human” future—runaway power, wealth inequality, surveillance, and autonomous weapons—unless society coordinates to…2 Jun 2026 · 39 min · 20 chapters
How to get better at money, with Carrie Joy GrimesHow to get better at money, blending “money is math and feelings” with practical guidance and scaling WorkMoney, a nonprofit financial education and discount platform.28 May 2026 · 31 min · 12 chapters
Why success destroys the companies we love, with Eric RiesEric Ries argues that “success” and shareholder/agency-driven governance structurally push companies toward extractive behavior, causing mission drift and “corruption” (making money without creating…26 May 2026 · 48 min · 23 chapters
Pioneers of AI: How fast can you upskill in AI? We did a sprint to find out.Wait What (Masters of Scale’s media company) ran a 3-day “AI sprint” to upskill the whole team in generative AI and test how fast they could integrate AI into real workflows for video, podcasting,…23 May 2026 · 34 min · 15 chapters
How Coach scaled from a single store into a global iconLou Frankfurt’s career path from public-service reform to scaling Coach from a $6M handbag maker into a global “accessible luxury” icon, including the Madison Avenue store breakthrough, the Sarah Lee…21 May 2026 · 28 min · 13 chapters
The “invisible army” behind Amazon’s robotaxi revolutionZoox CEO Aisha Evans explains how Amazon’s robotaxi subsidiary is moving from proof-of-safety to scaled, everyday robo-taxi service, and what it takes to commercialize without hype.19 May 2026 · 28 min · 17 chapters
Author David Epstein on why constraints fuel innovationDavid Epstein explains how visible constraints and “desirable difficulties” improve decision-making and execution, using examples from Pixar, NASA, and his own writing process.14 May 2026 · 31 min · 13 chapters