Pivot

Latest Episodes:

Disney open doors to the NBA, NYSE rings the bell, plus former Facebook Exec on Zuckerberg's WFH move May 26, 2020

Show notes

Kara and Scott talk about Disney open its doors to the NBA as professional sports leagues attempt to resume their seasons. Meanwhile, the New York Stock Exchange will be open to traders again this week. Scott thinks there will be a strong class of IPOs by the end of the years. Then we hear from Caryn Marooney, the former VP of Global Communications at Facebook. She gives an insider's look at Mark Zuckerberg's new work from home policy. Jacinda Arden is Kara's win and Joe Biden's lack of momentum is Scott's fail.

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Spotify’s podcast boom, Amazon checks out JCPenny, Kara loves TikTok and a prediction on Shopify May 22, 2020

Show notes

Kara and Scott talk about Spotify's new deal with Joe Rogan and the implications for the podcast industry. They also discuss Amazon reportedly in talks with bankrupt JCPenny about a potential sale. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund has been buying up stocks from major companies over the course of the pandemic. In Listener Mail, Kara and Scott talk about TikTok's future as a Disney executive comes on as CEO. Scott predicts that Shopify is going to make a big retail acquisition.

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The DOJ readies a lawsuit against Google, Amazon tries to get into designer retail again, and a Friend of Pivot on the “plandemic” May 19, 2020

Show notes

Kara and Scott talk about Facebook purchasing Giphy and reports the DOJ is likely to sue Google for antitrust violations in the digital ad space. They also discuss Amazon swooping in to "save" designer fashion by teaming up with Vogue. The "everything store" has been trying to corner this market for years. Then we are joined by Phil Howard the Director of the Oxford Internet Institute, where he studies the spread of misinformation. He takes Kara and Scott through some of the latest conspiracies on the internet and how to stop them.

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Uber offers to gobble up GrubHub, Elon Musk is “Re-open America guy”, and a prediction on mergers in digital media May 15, 2020

Show notes

Kara and Scott talk about Uber's offer to buy GrubHub, which would give the company a majority of food delivery market share. They talk about whether this merger would be good for Uber (yes) and whether it would be bad for the commonwealth (also, yes). Meanwhile, Elon Musk is reopening the Tesla factory in California, and his mother is texting Kara about how harsh she's being on her son. In Listener Mail we get a question about companies taking back their upfront ad deals with the major television networks and how that will shake things up in the industry. Scott's prediction is that we are about to see mergers in smaller digital media companies.

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Amazon might acquire AMC theaters and Friend of Pivot Stephanie Ruhle on business, CARES Act, wins and fails May 12, 2020

Show notes

Kara and Scott talk about Amazon in talks to acquire AMC theaters, Uber earnings and how education will change with white collar workers at home. Scott thinks this may be an opportunity for public schools to gain more resources. Then MSNBC Anchor Stephanie Ruhle joins the show to break down some of the major policy holes in the CARES Act.

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Facebook's oversight board is the "League of Nations", Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky's master class on leadership, and a prediction about Uber's numbers May 08, 2020

Show notes

Kara and Scott talk about Facebook's new oversight board and whether it will be effective in controlling content on the platform. They discuss layoffs at Airbnb and Uber, as well as Uber's investment in the scooter company, Lime. We take a moment of "Comic Relief" with writer and comedian Sarah Cooper whose videos lip syncing Trump's press conferences have gone viral. Scott predicts that Uber is having fast numbers recovery after Covid-19 declines.

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Congress weighs liability for businesses, Amazon will put its $4billion profit into its supply chain, and Anand Giridharadas on "Rich Corona; Poor Corona" May 05, 2020

Show notes

Kara and Scott talk about whether or not Congress should give businesses legal protections against lawsuits from workers who contract COVID-19. They discuss Amazon's earnings and Jeff Bezos' strategy to put $4billion in profits towards vaccinating and socially distancing the company fulfillment supply chain. Also, they talk about whether Bezos should, and whether he will, testify in front of Congress after the House Judiciary Committee asked for his appearance. In Friend of Pivot we hear from Anand Giridharadas about how the American public system might change post-pandemic.

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Facebook pushes e-commerce business, Uber in trouble, eyes on Amazon Media Group… and a prediction: Sonos gets acquired May 01, 2020

Show notes

Kara and Scott talk about Facebook earnings during the pandemic and the company's push into e-commerce. They discuss Uber's reported lay-offs and other issues facing the ride-share company as their longtime CTO steps down. In Listener Mail and fan from New Zealand asks what the US can do to salvage our brand after our failure to deal with COVID-19 effectively. In predictions, Scott says Amazon is about to be the 2nd most valuable company in the world and that Sonos will get acquired. Meanwhile, Kara thinks movie theaters will get bought by and vertically integrated into studio systems.

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Amazon under scrutiny; Zoom security expert Alex Stamos explains it all (and talks Facebook), plus some special Wins and Fails Apr 28, 2020

Show notes

Kara and Scott talk about Senate Democrats being vocal about breaking up Amazon, after a report that the company lied to the House Judiciary Committee. They talk about the Wall Street Journal investigation into Amazon's use of data from third-party sellers. Meanwhile, France upholds a ruling that is keeping Amazon warehouses in the country shuttered until they address workers' health protection concerns. Privacy expert Alex Stamos joins the show to talk about the $5 billion FTC/Facebook settlement and Zoom's new approach to privacy. Clorox is Kara's win and fail.

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Netflix’s Reed Hastings has a huge quarter, Facebook makes big investment in India, Bezos takes the reins at Amazon Apr 24, 2020

Show notes

Kara and Scott talk about Netflix's biggest quarter yet. The company doubled its projections for how many new subscribers it would acquire. They discuss Facebook's single biggest company investment into Jio – an Indian service provider. Meanwhile, Jeff Bezos is back at the wheel at Amazon. Kara and Scott talk about Jeff Bezos' most recent letter to shareholders, as Amazon get an even bigger hold on US commerce. A listener asks if face-masks will become high fashion and if that can save more retailers from going bankrupt. Plus Scott gives us some Algebra of Happiness advice.

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