Becker Private Equity & Business Podcast – Episode Summary
Episode: 15 Stories We Are Following Today 10-23-25
Host: Scott Becker
Date: October 23, 2025

Episode Overview

In this brisk and informative episode, Scott Becker runs through 15 current stories that are shaping markets, private equity, business, and leadership thinking. With a conversational, energetic tone, Becker delivers concise takes on earnings updates, market moves, industry insights, and a few favorite business philosophies. The episode is a daily rundown designed for busy professionals who want a fast but thorough snapshot of what matters in business and investing today.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Market Update

[00:15]

• Markets were up slightly today after a difficult previous day.
• “The S&P 500 dropped .53% and the NASDAQ dropped .93. So yesterday, a tough day today, looking better.”

2. Tesla Earnings

[00:30]

• Tesla missed earnings expectations but posted record revenue growth.
• Stock is “trending down early today by just a few percent. They hit record sales but profit fell.”

3. Netflix Earnings Miss

[00:45]

• Netflix stock dropped 10% on earnings miss.
• “Its stock went reeling after it missed on its earnings.”

4. Carvana Downturn

[01:00]

• Carvana shares fell sharply, perplexing Becker.
• “Carvana … the car dealer that I can hardly figure out, dropped .15 yesterday.”

5. General Motors (GM)

[01:12]

• GM is scaling back EV ambitions but stock is up nearly 70% this week.
• “It's scaling back its EV ambitions. Its stock is up nearly 70% this week on reports of improved earnings and … its profits outlook.”

6. Intuitive Surgical’s Success

[01:35]

• Shares surged 14% after outstanding earnings.
• “A great story as to why it's up 21 [percent] after record Da Vinci growth, but really it finished up 14%.”

7. IBM’s Stock Falls

[01:50]

• IBM to open much lower due to disappointing cloud segment results.
• “It's drugging a little bit. It was down 7% earlier today as it saw a decline in its core cloud software segment spooked investors.”

8. US National Debt

[02:07]

• U.S. debt hits $38 trillion, fastest $1 trillion accumulation since the pandemic.
• “Debt as we see often kills companies, families, countries. We got to get the debt under control.”

9. American Express Praised

[02:27]

• Jim Cramer praised AXP’s quarter as “spectacular,” a view Becker shares.
• “God knows I should have invested in American Express. It's one of the stocks we watch closely. They get enough of our money, they're doing great.”

10. Private Equity Giants Down Year-to-Date

[02:44]

• Apollo down 23%; KKR down 16% for the year.
• “We'll see if they're still struggling in the PA business to get exits where they need them to be.”

11. Palantir’s Surge and Market Wisdom

[03:00]

• Palantir up 132% YTD; Motley Fool suggests TSM might be a smarter play.
• “Palantir and Nvidia are great, but Taiwan Semiconductor might be the real stock to invest in.”

12. Amazon’s Uncertain Future

[03:15]

• Amazon is near flat on the year; Becker questions its growth story.
• “We are direct investors in Amazon … I do have a hard time understanding if its fast-growth days are behind it or whether it still has some future … we'll hold on forever I think on Amazon, but lots of concerns.”

13. Thoughts on Busyness and Purpose

[03:35]

• Becker reflects on the value of purposeful busyness:

  “Not being busy equals depressed and anxious. Busy is better than not busy. Busy with purpose is the goal. That's where self-actualization comes from.”

14. Concept of Channel Capacity

[03:55]

• Importance of focusing on a limited set of priorities, citing Jason Selk’s book Organize Tomorrow Today.
• “The idea that you must focus on just a few things and not spread your energies and focus too wide.”

15. The “Bullets not Cannons” Approach

[04:08]

• Advocates for small tests and incremental risk-taking, referencing Jim Collins’ Good to Great.
• “Fire bullets when testing things, not cannons, and that small failures are okay.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Market Struggles:
  “Yesterday, a tough day; today, looking better.” [00:18]

• On Debt:
  “Debt as we see often kills companies, families, countries. We got to get the debt under control.” [02:10]

• On American Express:
  “Jim Cramer calls American Express their quarter a spectacular quarter. Could not agree with him more.” [02:30]

• On Purposeful Living:
  “Busy with purpose is the goal. That's where self-actualization comes from.” [03:38]

• On Focus:
  “You must focus on just a few things and not spread your energies and focus too wide.” [03:56]

• On Testing and Innovation:
  “Fire bullets when testing things, not cannons, and that small failures are okay.” [04:10]

Episode Flow & Structure

• Rapid-fire update: Each “story” receives a tight, insightful treatment—rarely more than 15-20 seconds each.
• Primary tone: Direct, conversational, infused with personal opinions and practical business wisdom.
• Themes: Market performance, corporate earnings, behavioral finance, and leadership lessons.

Final Takeaway:
Scott Becker presents a punchy, actionable summary of the financial and business landscape as of October 23, 2025, balancing hard data with practical leadership philosophies. A must-listen (or read) for professionals seeking to stay ahead—and stay purposeful—in a fast-moving market.