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For “The Walking Dead’s” Scott Gimple, a story needs sadness to make the happiness real Oct 30, 2019

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Scott Gimple was the showrunner for five seasons of “The Walking Dead” before becoming chief content officer for the entire franchise. And in that time, the series has become a content universe, with a spinoff series, video games and both a movie and another spinoff in the works. Kai Ryssdal interviewed Gimple in his Burbank office, not too far from a life-sized statue of Han Solo frozen in carbonite. They talked horror what it’s like to direct the storyline for an entire franchise. And Gimple made a passionate pitch for Ryssdal to give the series a shot.

Powerhouse producer Eva Price on the business of Broadway Oct 18, 2019

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Eva Price quit her job at ABC News at 26 to chase her dream of becoming a theater producer. Fifteen years later, with three Tony Awards, more than 18 Broadway credits and a place on the Broadway League’s board of governors, she’s a theater powerhouse. She took home a Tony this year for an edgy new version of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!” and she’s leading production of a new musical, “Jagged Little Pill,” inspired by the Alanis Morissette album. Kai Ryssdal sat down with Price inside Sardi’s restaurant in New York City, a place as synonymous with Broadway as the Tonys themselves. They talked about what a producer does, how the industry is changing and why Broadway matters.

Dick’s Sporting Goods’ Ed Stack on taking a stand Oct 07, 2019

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When Dick’s Sporting Goods CEO Ed Stack took over the family business, it was only two stores. Now the company has over 700 stores, making it one of the biggest sports retailers in the country. Stack recounts all this, as well as the company’s decision to cut back on gun sales following the Parkland, Florida, shooting, in his new book “It’s How We Play the Game.” Stack and Kai Ryssdal talk about the book, the gun sale controversy and corporate responsibility.

Dany Garcia runs one of the most influential companies you probably haven’t heard of Sep 25, 2019

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Competitive bodybuilding, The Rock, and how you build an enterprise around a person: a conversation with Dany Garcia, CEO of The Garcia Companies.

What if all learning happened online? Sep 18, 2019

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Coursera is one of the largest companies offering “MOOCs” — that is, massive open online courses. Launched in 2012 by two Stanford professors, Coursera partnered with universities to offer college courses for free. In the years since, Coursera has grown to offer certificates and even full college degrees for a fraction of the cost of on-campus degrees offered by its partner universities. It has also expanded into offering employee training for businesses. Coursera CEO Jeff Maggioncalda says he thinks online learning could just be the future of higher education.

How the CEO of Slack uses Slack Aug 28, 2019

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Slack is a workplace messaging platform that allows users to communicate with co-workers across the country, share files instantaneously and react to news about free doughnuts with the perfect GIF. Since its launch in 2013, it’s been popularized in workplaces around the country and around the world. Slack boasts 10 million users and went public in a direct listing on the New York Stock Exchange earlier this summer. Things get philosophical as we talked with Stewart Butterfield, Slack’s co-founder and CEO, about what his company does, the future of email and how technology changes human behavior.

Would you drink whiskey made by Pabst? Aug 15, 2019

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Pabst Brewing company is perhaps best known for Pabst Blue Ribbon or PBR, a beer the 175-year-old company has sold for over a century. But while the beer name and its signature blue ribbon label may have stayed pretty much the same for decades, the company itself hasn’t. Nearly two decades ago, the company nearly disappeared…then hipsters picked PBR as their signature drink and the company came roaring back. Today, general manager Matt Bruhn has been tasked with transforming Pabst from a beer company to a beverage company. And he’s starting with hard coffee and clear whiskey. Check out the taste test he did with Kai Ryssdal over at Marketplace.org.

Hearst’s Steven Swartz on going digital and diversifying Jul 23, 2019

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Hearst was founded in 1887 by William Randolph Hearst, it started out as a single newspaper, the San Francisco Examiner. Now, Hearst is one of the largest media companies in the world, with holdings in dozens of magazines, newspapers, and television networks. Some might be surprised to know that Hearst also has its hand in healthcare and business information, as well. Hearst President and CEO Steve Swartz talked with us at the Hearst Tower in New York City.

Poshmark’s Manish Chandra talks resale at scale Jul 11, 2019

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Poshmark is an app where you can either buy items from other users or try to sell unwanted items like clothes, handbags, shoes, or home decor. Think of eBay, but with more social aspects where people could follow each other’s “closets,” and comment or share the listings they like. It started bak in 2011, and has grown to 50 million users and paid out more than a billion dollars to sellers. We talked with CEO Manish Chandra about his fashion magazine background, this year’s decluttering trend and how he kept the company from growing too fast.

How to build a streetwear brand without selling out Jul 03, 2019

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The word “streetwear” might summon a few images in your head — Kanye West and his high-end Yeezy sneakers, stylish Supreme T-shirts and more. But once upon a time, streetwear was less a mainstream fashion statement and more of an expression of smaller, alternative subcultures like skateboarding, punk rock and surfing. That’s the world into which Bobby Kim, a.k.a Bobby Hundreds, launched a T-shirt business that eventually became the Los Angeles streetwear company The Hundreds. He spoke with Kai Ryssdal about how he kept his streetwear brand successful without “selling out” and his new book, “This Is Not a T-Shirt.”