Masters of Scale

Latest Episodes:

Disney’s Bob Iger: How acquisitions become an ecosystem, part 2 Nov 26, 2022

Show notes

From Pixar to Marvel to Lucasfilm, Disney's Bob Iger defied expectations, acquiring world-renowned brands and meshing them seamlessly with the House of Mouse. In Part 2 of our epic conversation with Iger – Disney's executive chair and former CEO – we delve into the next phase of the process, how he helped build a diverse, sustainable ecosystem for Disney companies in the China market, and how all the lessons learned played out in the massive acquisition of 20th Century Fox.

Read a transcript of this interview at: https://mastersofscale.com/

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Disney’s Bob Iger: How acquisitions become an ecosystem, part 1 Nov 23, 2022

Show notes

For any distinctive brand or business, it can be a challenge to expand reach without diluting what makes you special. No one has a keener understanding of this issue than Bob Iger, executive chair and former CEO of the Walt Disney Company. In this special two-part episode, Iger takes us through how he supercharged the House of Mouse while acquiring Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, and 21st Century Fox. The trick, he explains, is setting up a diverse ecosystem that preserves the culture, methods, and core talent of both old parts and new parts – and fitting them together in ways that make everyone more successful.

Read a transcript of this interview at: https://mastersofscale.com/bob-iger/

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How to unite a team around a shared mission: A story from Yo-Yo Ma on Spark & Fire Nov 21, 2022

Show notes

What can an entrepreneur learn from a world-class musician? How to create a world-class team, and unite around a clear mission. In this special crossover episode with our sister podcast, Spark & Fire, you’ll hear world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma tell the story of co-founding The Silk Road Project — amusical collective that brings together musicians from wildly different traditions to write and perform original music.

Yo-Yo Ma had to foster a collaborative atmosphere between musicians that didn’t speak the same language — literally or musically. This, of course, brought a set of unique challenges. So how did Yo-Yo build a shared vision that resonated with his whole team? He knew from the beginning that this project was bigger than just him.

On Spark & Fire, you’ll be led inside the creative process of high-achieving creators at the top of their game. These insights are relevant to anyone in any field – because creativity and innovation are just different words for the same idea.

Subscribe to the Spark & Fire weekly newsletter for images, stories and creative prompts: sparkandfire.com/silkroad

Spark & Fire is a WaitWhat original in partnership with the BBC. Follow us wherever you get your podcasts.

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Rapid Response: Don’t be a unicorn, be a dragon, w/Techstars CEO Maëlle Gavet Nov 17, 2022

Show notes

The tech industry and its investors have been captivated by the spell of the Unicorn for too long — and the ambitious goal of a billion-dollar valuation has done more harm than good. Instead, founders should aim to be resilient dragons. That's the view of Maëlle Gavet, who as CEO of early-stage investment business Techstars has unmatched insight into the hopes, dreams, and challenges of thousands of founders. Maëlle also shares her experience as a “Fixer and Scaler” and offers important lessons for all entrepreneurs, from pre-seed start-ups to corporate change agents.

Read a transcript of this episode: https://mastersofscale.com

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Nike’s Phil Knight: How to sell without selling Nov 15, 2022

Show notes

Great branding is about identity — and it’s about matchmaking too. No one knows this better than the legendary co-founder of Nike, Phil Knight. When he and his partner, Hall of Fame track coach Bill Bowerman, started the sneaker company, they never tried to force-feed customers a product just to drive up the bottom line. They focused on one thing: making an excellent product for people who believed in the edgy Nike ethos. Because they knew, when there’s a mismatch between product and market, the bottom usually drops out. Instead, they told the world who the are, and then did everything they could to find their ideal customers. And made history. Cameo appearance: Eddy Lu (GOAT).

Read a transcript of this episode: https://mastersofscale.com

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Rapid Response: Expand your definition of leadership, w/CNBC's Julia Boorstin Nov 10, 2022

Show notes

Despite only 8% of Fortune 500 companies with women CEOs, women leaders more often utilize leadership skills that are perfectly suited for the current business climate. Julia Boorstin, who created CNBC’s Disruptor 50 platform, argues in her new book When Women Lead that counterintuitive approaches used by women leaders can have a great impact on business, and can be learned by anyone. Julia, as a senior tech and media reporter, also offers her in-depth knowledge on big tech from Twitter, Meta, and TikTok.

Read a transcript of this episode: https://mastersofscale.com

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Brand while you build, w/Warby Parker’s Neil Blumenthal & Dave Gilboa Nov 08, 2022

Show notes

Some aspects of your brand will be defined by what customers tell you; others, by what you tell them. In their stories of how they scaled Warby Parker from scrappy e-commerce site to comprehensive eyewear and eye care juggernaut, co-founder and co-CEOs Neil Blumenthal and Dave Gilboa give a master class in how to articulate crystal-clear brand values while also building and iterating based on fast customer feedback. Their lesson? Branding isn’t static. It’s a conversation.

Read a transcript of this episode: https://mastersofscale.com

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Rapid Response: Why design matters more than ever, w/PepsiCo Chief Design Officer Mauro Porcini Nov 03, 2022

Show notes

Design is more than aesthetics. It is an essential competitive tool for an age of perpetual disruption. PepsiCo Chief Design Officer Mauro Porcini shares his 5-point system for sparking creativity at scale. Author of the new book The Human Side of Innovation, Porcini explains how anyone can deploy a designer’s mindset to improve their business and organization. Sharing stories from 3M to Mountain Dew, Porcini emphasizes the imperative of excellence and why innovation is "an act of love."

Read a transcript of this episode: https://mastersofscale.com

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Let waypoints guide you, w/Aurora's Chris Urmson Nov 01, 2022

Show notes

To complete an audacious journey, you need to set short, achievable goals — or waypoints — to avoid getting wildly lost. But waypoints also need to be flexible because when you're knocked off track, you need to be able to realign your waypoints to get back on course. Aurora's Chris Urmson shares how he keeps returning to short, flexible waypoints on his daunting journey to make autonomous vehicles part of our everyday lives.

Read a transcript of this episode: https://mastersofscale.com

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Rapid Response: Why we need to think again, w/Adam Grant Oct 27, 2022

Show notes

As we grapple with pandemic-charged change in business and as a society, we’ve become more fractured, more divisive, and more vulnerable. Adam Grant, best-selling author and professor at the Wharton School, argues that recognizing what we don't know is the key step on the road to insight, competitive advantage, and community peace. In his new book, "Think Again," Grant illuminates why taking a fresh look at our assumptions, about others and about ourselves, is such a powerful tool. His in-the-trenches research – from Silicon Valley's halls of power to the beliefs of anti-vaxxers – provides actionable advice for all of us.

Read a transcript of this episode: https://mastersofscale.com

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