Rapid Response

Latest Episodes:

United Airlines’ CEO on Newark, safety, Jet Blue and customer care Jun 06, 2025

Show notes

When a major air traffic outage briefly paralyzed operations at Newark Airport, United Airlines found itself at the center of the storm. CEO Scott Kirby joins Rapid Response to explain how the crisis unfolded — and why even he was surprised by the level of attention it received. Kirby shares his perspective on the state of U.S. air safety, United’s new partnership with JetBlue, and why the airline is backing what he calls “the plane of the future.” He also opens up about the rollout of Starlink Wi-Fi and gives exclusive insight into why United’s check-in deadlines have been in flux. It’s a candid look inside one of the world’s largest airlines, navigating turbulence in more ways than one.

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.

Sports biz at a crossroads, from the WNBA to the NCAA to ESPN, with Sarah Spain of Good Game Jun 03, 2025

Show notes

Sports business has never had higher stakes—for every league, every team, every streaming service, and every player. Sarah Spain, host of the podcast Good Game with Sarah Spain, longtime ESPN personality and sports journalist, joins Rapid Response to unpack the complexities behind the WNBA’s mainstream moment, the future of ESPN’s streaming, and the looming legal settlement that could transform college athletics forever. She argues that the men’s playbook isn’t the way forward for pro women’s leagues and breaks down how culture is key to any winning strategy—from the locker room to the C-suite.

You can find Sarah’s new book Runs in the Family here.

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.

Hollywood eyes big business at the box office, with The Ankler’s Janice Min May 30, 2025

Show notes

Fresh off a successful Memorial Day weekend, fuelled by excitement around Mission Impossible and Lilo & Stitch, Hollywood anticipates a season of surprising blockbusters and bold bets from studios hungry for a hit. The Ankler’s CEO Janice Min returns to Rapid Response to peel back the curtain on Disney’s gripe with Youtube, Netflix’s revamped homepage, and Google’s jaw-dropping AI video creator. Plus, Min explores the mounting pressure plaguing Warner Brothers Discovery – from Trump’s attacks on 60 Minutes and CBS News, to a rebranding U-turn at HBO Max.

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.

OLIPOP’s gutsy play to dethrone Coke and Pepsi, with Ben Goodwin May 27, 2025

Show notes

OLIPOP’s surging popularity has taken the $60 billion soda industry by storm. As Gen Z and millennials ditch sugary sodas, OLIPOP is leading the pre-biotic beverage trend, sparking the likes of Coca Cola and PepsiCo to enter the fray. OLIPOP’s co-founder, CEO and formulator, Ben Goodwin, joins Rapid Response to share how the brand is navigating the turbulence of rapid growth and rising competition, what leadership lessons he's had to embrace along the way, and whether healthy soda is actually healthy or just a TikTok-fueled fad.

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.

The 2 million volunteers fixing immigration, with Welcome.US' Nazanin Ash May 23, 2025

Show notes

As the global migrant crisis continues to dominate our airwaves, Welcome.US has triggered a dramatic impact on US immigration, resettling 800,000 refugees across all 50 states. The organization’s co-founder and CEO, Nazanin Ash, joins Rapid Response to share how her team developed an effective and efficient model, unlocking a nonpartisan, corporate-backed community of 2 million volunteers. Welcome.US is a story of both business innovation and human inspiration.

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.

The enterprise AI revolution is underway, with Box’s Aaron Levie May 20, 2025

Show notes

The buzz in Silicon Valley around AI agents has many asking: What’s real and what’s hype? Box’s co-founder and CEO, Aaron Levie, joins Rapid Response to help decipher between fact and fiction, taking listeners inside the fast-paced evolution of agents and its impact on the future of enterprise AI. Plus, Levie unpacks how AI is really being adopted in the workplace, what it takes to legitimately build an AI-first organization, and what political leaders across both parties misunderstand about creating the best environment for technology to thrive.

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.

Inside Trump’s crackdown on colleges, with The Chronicle of Higher Education’s Evan Goldstein May 16, 2025

Show notes

Higher education is the latest victim of the culture wars. At prestigious institutions like Harvard and Columbia, the Trump administration is cracking down on research budgets amid accusations of antisemitism on campus. Evan Goldstein, managing editor at The Chronicle of Higher Education, joins Rapid Response to reveal what’s really driving the attacks — and why colleges have struggled to present a united defense. Goldstein unpacks the deeper political motives, the economic consequences for colleges, and what’s at stake for the future of 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.

The one trait every leader needs today, with General Stanley McChrystal May 13, 2025

Show notes

Amid polarization, AI disruption, and eroding trust in institutions, retired four-star general, Stanley McChrystal, argues that what leaders need now more than ever, is character. Head of the business consulting firm McChrystal Group, Gen. McChrystal returns to Rapid Response to discuss his new book on the subject of character. From AI ethics and modern warfare to hot-button issues like Signalgate and transgender service in the military, McChrystal explains why character is the foundation of lasting leadership. Drawing from decades of experience, he urges today’s leaders to start standing up for what matters and “be not afraid”.

Visit the Rapid Response website here: https://www.rapidresponseshow.com/

More details about On Character: Choices that Define a Life here.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lyft’s bold plan to overtake Uber in the race for rideshare’s future, with CEO David Risher May 09, 2025

Show notes

The rideshare market has reached a crossroads. Autonomous vehicles are on the rise, driver unrest is mounting, and customers are questioning everything from pricing to trust and safety. In the midst of it all, Lyft is mounting a comeback. CEO David Risher, who took over the wheel at Lyft two years ago, is pushing to reposition the company squarely against Uber — with faster execution, bold new programs, and Lyft’s biggest international acquisition to date. A former Amazon executive, Risher isn’t shy about calling out the “enshittification” of tech platforms, or borrowing a few lessons from Jeff Bezos. He joins Rapid Response to unpack his high-speed strategy and explain why Lyft’s comeback story is just getting started.

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.

Musk and DOGE: Inside 100 days of chaos, with WIRED’s Global Editorial Director Katie Drummond May 06, 2025

Show notes

When Elon Musk stepped into the White House spotlight and brought his DOGE chainsaw, no one was better poised to cover the fallout than WIRED. The tech journalism outlet knew Musk’s playbook from the get-go, from years of covering his companies and his takeover of Twitter. WIRED’s Global Editorial Director Katie Drummond joins Rapid Response to take us inside Musk’s transformative, head-spinning time at President Trump’s side thus far. Drummond weighs the lasting impact of DOGE’s efforts 100 days in, and says that even as Musk announces plans to step back from politics, we can still expect plenty more to come.

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.