Podcast
Masters of Scale
Hosted by WaitWhat · EN
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.
98episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
How to get better at money, with Carrie Joy Grimes
5d ago00:30:55Summary readyMoney = Math + Feelings. That’s the equation at the heart of Carrie Joy (CJ) Grimes’ nonprofit WorkMoney, which has scaled to more than 9 million members since it started during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Grimes joins host Jeff Berman to reveal the strategies that can improve not just how much money we have, but our relationship with it. CJ’s book: The Joy of MoneySubscribe to the Masters of Scale weekly newsletter: https://mastersofscale.com/subscribeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Summary
Why success destroys the companies we love, with Eric Ries
1w ago00:48:23Summary readyWhat if the way we think about business value, trust, and capitalism itself is fundamentally broken? Eric Ries’ The Lean Startup changed how a generation of entrepreneurs build companies. Now, Ries takes aim at some of the most sacred business assumptions today in his new book, Incorruptible. Ries joins Rapid Response to share what he witnessed firsthand in the clash between Anthropic and the US government, and why he believes the current system is failing the very people it's supposed to serve. He also brings in-the-trenches stories from Cloudflare, Novo Nordisk, and Whole Foods to make the case that courage, not capital, may be the most undervalued asset in business right now.Visit the Rapid Response website here: https://www.rapidresponseshow.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Summary
Pioneers of AI: How fast can you upskill in AI? We did a sprint to find out.
1w ago00:34:06Summary readyWe all feel the urgency: learn to use AI, or risk falling behind at work. And we all know there's an upside: AI can reduce tedious tasks, streamline operations, and boost output. But knowing is half the battle (maybe even less) and implementing AI needs to happen across an entire organization. So what does it take to start?Well, here at WaitWhat (the company behind this podcast!) we paused all operations for three days to find out. From editorial curation to visual design to event planning, we split into teams for an “AI Sprint.” And this Pioneers of AI episode takes you to the starting blocks on the track with us, as we test new tools, discover their limitations, and find where AI can deliver on its promise.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
SummaryHow Coach scaled from a single store into a global icon
2w ago00:28:27Summary readyWhen Lew Frankfort joined Coach half a century ago, it was a small NYC handbag maker without a single storefront. Frankfort reveals how he scaled the brand into a global icon worth more than 20 billion dollars with a signature blend of “magic and logic”. Lew’s memoir is Bag Man. Find it at: https://lewfrankfort.com/Subscribe to the Masters of Scale weekly newsletter: https://mastersofscale.com/subscribeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Summary
The “invisible army” behind Amazon’s robotaxi revolution
2w ago00:27:34Summary readyRobotaxis are multiplying across American cities… But are consumers actually ready to trust them? Zoox CEO Aicha Evans joins Rapid Response to talk about the company’s strategy as an Amazon subsidiary, its intensifying rivalry with Waymo, and why a new partnership with Uber could be the key to getting autonomous rides from novelty to scale. Evans also reveals why she recruits what she calls an “invisible army of rebels” inside Zoox, and what Marie Curie and Nelson Mandela have to do with leading through uncertainty.Visit the Rapid Response website here: https://www.rapidresponseshow.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
SummaryAuthor David Epstein on why constraints fuel innovation
3w ago00:30:34Summary readyIn a new follow-up to his bestselling book Range, author David Epstein reveals his new contrarian take: The best thing for innovation is actually constraints. Epstein talks with host Jeff Berman about the fascinating research he did to prove out this idea, with examples from Silicon Valley, Pixar and more. Subscribe to the Masters of Scale weekly newsletter: https://mastersofscale.com/subscribeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Summary
Duolingo’s battle for learning in an AI world, with Luis von Ahn
3w ago00:31:38Summary readyWhen Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn sent an internal memo about AI last year, he didn't expect it to go viral — or to ignite a firestorm about the future of work. Now he joins Rapid Response to unpack what he got right, what he got wrong, and what the backlash taught him about the real limitations of AI. Von Ahn also reveals why he's made a deliberate pivot in 2026: chasing users, not revenue — and what that bet says about how big Duolingo can get before ads become inevitable. It's a candid reckoning with hype, growth, and the surprisingly complicated promise of technology in education.Visit the Rapid Response website here: https://www.rapidresponseshow.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
SummaryRaising Cane’s secret recipe for scaling, with CEO Todd Graves
4w ago00:35:10Summary readyTodd Graves built Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers into a nearly 1,000 restaurant empire worth billions. It’s well known for both its deliciously simple menu and its refreshingly friendly staff. The founder and CEO talks with host Jeff Berman about how he perfected the recipe for success, why he thinks restaurants should be wary of private equity, and much more.Subscribe to the Masters of Scale weekly newsletter: https://mastersofscale.com/subscribeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Summary
Mellody Hobson: When investors head for the exit, run to the fire
4w ago00:31:07Summary readyWhen markets drop and chaos hits, Mellody Hobson is determined to be brave. The co-CEO of Ariel Investments and former chair of Starbucks and DreamWorks joins Rapid Response to make the case that volatility isn't something to survive but to exploit. She shares the financial lessons she lives by, including a surprising admonition against making choices based on money, and why she sees women's sports as the investment opportunity of a generation. Plus, why math has no opinion, and how that changes everything.Visit the Rapid Response website here: https://www.rapidresponseshow.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Summary
The Devil Wears Prada workplace: Toxic or timeless?
May 200:40:00Summary readyAs The Devil Wears Prada 2 hits theaters this weekend, Rapid Response explores the enduring business lessons inside the now 20-year-old original. Host Bob Safian is joined by two insiders who built their careers in the world the film depicts: Janice Min, CEO of The Ankler, and Sarah Ball, editor-in-chief of WSJ Magazine. Together they track how publishing, fashion and power have all shifted over the past two decades — and dig into what the original got right about ambition, success, and the bosses who shape us. Plus, shocking personal stories from the magazine industry, and why Miranda Priestly's management style wouldn't survive a week in 2026.Visit the Rapid Response website here: https://www.rapidresponseshow.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Summary