World Changing Ideas

Mitch Reback, CFO of Sweetgreen, is one of the rising corporate financial stars who is helping to take their companies to the next level. When he started, Sweetgreen had 25 stores; today, there are more than 220—and Reback says the company is still in its “infancy.” In this podcast, part of the SAP-sponsored Growth Agents series, Reback takes a deep dive into his role as a growth agent. Capital is...

James Vincent talks to Brian Chesky, co-founder and CEO of Airbnb, at Fast Company's Innovation Festival this past September in New York City. They discuss the future of AI, the need to design good principles, and Chesky's "call to arms' for creative people.

What do Chanel, Heinz 57, and Coors Light all have in common? They’re all brands that have built a connection with their consumers. On today’s episode, we’re looking at our company’s ‘Brands That Matter’ recognition program with ‘Fast Company’ senior staff editor Jeff Beer. Not only is it about building connections, but also developing culturally relevant messaging, making an impact through social...

Lego has been pushing its ambitious sustainability efforts for years . . . only to recently do an about-face (sort of) by telling us that it will continue manufacturing its blocks with petroleum-based ABS plastic. Even though the company promised to get rid of petroleum-based materials by 2030. “Fast Company” senior editor Liz Stinson breaks down Lego’s recent announcement, which was more like “an...

So many CEOs make waaaay more than their workers. To use just one famous example, Apple CEO Tim Cook made more than $99 million in 2022. That’s 1,117 times the company’s median worker pay of $84,000 a year. ‘Fast Company’ deputy digital editor Morgan Clendaniel explains why CEO pay has increased exponentially over the years and discusses how that plays a significant role in overall income inequali...

OpenAI is reportedly nearing $1 billion in annual sales. There’s an AI arms race among big tech companies. AI is everywhere and on everyone’s mind, so we’re breaking it all down. Fast Company senior writer Mark Sullivan explains who the major players are—from Nvidia to Anthropic—why ChatGPT has had such a strong impact on society, and how Congress will decide to regulate AI. Eleven Madison Park ch...

YouTube paid $14 billion for the rights to the NFL Sunday Ticket. For the next seven years, NFL viewers will be able to watch live football games from their living rooms—on YouTube. Fast Company senior writer Ainsley Harris explains the reason behind this purchase: YouTube consumption is heavily fragmented. Everyone is watching YouTube, but very few people are watching together. Sunday Ticket is a...

Late last year, everyone thought we were headed for a recession. But now we’re doing great. What’s going on? James Surowiecki, author of The Wisdom of Crowds and a Fast Company contributing writer, explains how “Bidenomics” is actually helping boost the economy. Courtney Tracy calls herself the truth doctor on TikTok. This came about after she’d dealt with a serious life event in 2019 and thought...

The Women’s World Cup is coming to an end this weekend! The international soccer championship is down to its final week in which Spain and England will be facing off in the final match. Fast Company senior editor Amy Farley and staff editor AJ Hess catch us up on the drama and break down what this tournament means for pro women’s sports. Also, SKIMS cofounder and CEO Jens Grede explains how Kim Ka...

It’s looking like the future won’t be spent in the office. Based on a recent Deloitte study, 66% of mid- to executive-level financial services professionals do not want to come back to the office full-time. Writer and journalist Shalene Gupta breaks down the numbers and explains the impact that this will have on future pathways toward leadership. And historically, financial advice has been “male,...

The new visual platform, Spill, is not trying to become the next Twitter—it’s aiming to create an entirely new social media platform. Spill’s cofounder and CEO Alphonzo “Fonz” Terrell said he wants to create a fun, safer, and more rewarding space for its users, especially black, female, and queer folks. In order to create a safer and more inclusive community, Spill is building its algorithms based...

AI is poised to upend the music industry, and Fast Company Associate Editor David Salazar joins us to discuss what AI generative music is and how the music industry is combating it. Antidiabetic medication Ozempic is all over the news these days, but it's not as new as it seems. Beyond the TikTok trends and celebrity shout-outs, it's been used to treat diabetes for years. But now talk of this medi...

The thing about the Barbie movie is that saying those three words together just seems inherently ridiculous. And one of the best things Mattel has done is really kind of lean into that. Starting with the Technicolor shots of Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling on set to the colorful trailers that really churned up the enthusiasm for the movie, Mattel created the momentum that has led to a laundry list...

We have to talk about the new Twitter on the block: Threads. How does it work? And more importantly, how does it compare to Twitter? Fast Company Senior Staff Editor Max Ufberg is back to explain what Mark Zuckerberg’s newest platform is, the drama between the two companies, and how Threads' algorithms won't promote hard news or political discourse. And e.l.f CMO Kory Marchisotto talks about the c...

When you have a chronic illness or debilitating condition, you start turning to alternatives for answers. This is what one of our colleagues did. Fast Company Video Producer and host of the new docuseries “Future Me,” Emma Wheylin, takes us through her biohacking journey. She tried out the Peak Brain Institute and the BallancerPro where she learned a lot about lymphatic drainage. Yaz chatted with...

On today's episode, Yaz chats with Fast Company senior writer Mark Sullivan about what's happening with Apple these days. And we learn about the latest biotech research in menopause with Fast Company senior writer Ainsley Harris.

The presidential race is already heating up, and aside from the usual fanfare around frontrunners like Trump and Biden, there are long-shot candidates creating space for themselves on . . . podcasts, of all places. Yaz chatted with ‘Fast Company’ contributing writer Clint Rainey to hear about his journey listening to some of these long-shot candidates on quite an array of podcasts. Harry’s Razors...

Back in 2021, Talib sat down with Beyond Meat Founder and CEO Ethan Brown to discuss the company's newest burger and how plant-based meat compares to animal-based meat.

Is AI coming for our jobs?? ‘Fast Company’ senior staff editor Max Ufberg explains that it is . . . but that it’s not all bad news. And Yaz chatted with Loom CEO Joe Thomas—Loom is essentially TikTok for business, which sounds crazier than it is—about how video conferencing is here to stay. Also, a special thanks to Marfa Public Radio for helping us out with some recording on this episode! 

Bringing trusted science into consumer hands has never been more important. Establishing credibility, sending the right message, and offering relevant information all hinge on a marketing strategy that delivers superior insights, reaches the right audience wherever they are, and makes an impact. As Pfizer's first CMO, Drew Panayiotou leads the company's efforts to modernize its marketing through u...

Talib chatted with 412 Food Rescue Founder Leah Lizarondo about addressing climate change and preventing hunger.

Throwback to when we chatted with LIA co-founders Bethany Edwards and Anna Couturier. Lia is the first biodegradable, flushable, and zero-waste pregnancy test.

Let's rewind to when Talib Visram chatted with Cariuma Co-founders Fernando Porto and David Python about their mission to make the footwear industry more sustainable using materials like sugar cane and bamboo.

A look back on a conversation between Talib Visram and Full Harvest Founder and CEO Christine Moseley about her passion for the environment, affordable healthy food, and efficiencies.