3 Takeaways™

From humble beginnings growing up as a trailer park nomad, David rose to be the CEO of Yum! Brands (Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and KFC) where his successful techniques as a leader helped double the number of restaurants and increased market capitalization over 8 times.  He has been recognized as one of the best performing CEO’s by Barron’s, Fortune and Harvard Business Review.  This week we talked about...

Former MI6 Chief Sir Alex Younger – with his years of experience as a spy -  shares how Putin miscalculated with his invasion of Ukraine, why he can’t back down and what the long term impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the US exit from Afghanistan may be on Xi Jinping’s plans for Taiwan. He also provides insights on threats in our globalized world and reveals what it takes to be a succe...

Sometimes, and mostly outside of China, Alibaba is referred to as the Chinese Amazon, but in reality, it’s very different and much larger. Alibaba Group president Michael Evans shares how Alibaba grew to become the world’s largest online commerce company serving nearly 1 billion customers each month, how it’s different than its Western counterparts, and what international companies need to know in...

We talk with Bill Dudley, the former President and CEO of the New York Federal Reserve Bank, about the US economy - where it is headed and what could happen, how the pandemic affected it, why Fed policies benefit the wealthy and what $5 trillion in government spending means for GDP. He also shares his thoughts about cryptocurrencies and how stricter regulation could bring wider adoption. Does he t...

Learn how Payal Kadakia built a start up into a billion dollar unicorn in her 20’s despite many setbacks, and what her most important decisions were. Payal shares what living a Plan A life means, how the moment that enabled her to launch her life was one of the lowest moments of her career,  and what leadership characteristics enabled her to succeed.   Payal is the founder of ClassPass, the world’...

Marshall Van Alstyne shares why platform companies dominate traditional businesses and why 7 of the 10 largest companies in the world are platform companies. Learn how they outcompete traditional companies while employing just a tiny fraction of the number of people, how they are completely different from companies of the past, and why platforms beat products all the time.  Boston University profe...

We are at an inflection point in artificial intelligence today. Find out what the next 3 waves of artificial intelligence will bring — including creativity and consciousness. Learn why AI is accelerating and what we can do to ensure tech is used for good. Hod Lipson is the head of Columbia University’s Creative Machines Lab, which pioneers new ways to make machines that create, and machines that a...

Yale Law School professor Amy Chua shares how group identity has caused bitter partisanship in the U.S. and the failure of U.S. policies in Vietnam and other countries. Learn how children as young as 4 years old identify with groups and consistently display systematic, unconscious bias toward other groups. Amy argues that tribalism has taken over America's political system and that the way fo...

Find out how the founder and CEO of Khan Academy, Sal Khan, built the world’s largest online learning platform, his vision for scaling free educational resources, and how he is reimagining education. Khan Academy is a free remote learning platform that offers lessons for all ages. Today more than 133 million registered users access Khan Academy in dozens of languages in more than 190 countries.  T...

Danny Meyer shares how to deliver outstanding hospitality, how he thinks restaurants will be different post pandemic and what continues to get him excited each day. Danny is the founder and CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group, which comprises some of New York’s most beloved and acclaimed restaurants, including Gramercy Tavern, Shake Shack, The Modern, Maialino, and many more.  Danny and USHG’s r...

This week we are highlighting the Top 10 Takeaways of 2021 with guests ranging from CEOs and founders to best-selling authors and even the Director of the U.S. Secret Service. These individuals left us feeling motivated and inspired! This podcast is available on all major podcast streaming platforms. Did you enjoy this episode? Consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts.  Receive updates on upcom...

Wall Street Journal best-selling author Katy Milkman shares science-based ways to create change in our lives. Learn how to understand your impulses and make them work for you, rather than against you.  Katy is an advisor on how to spur positive change. She is a professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and the best-selling author of How to Change: The Science of Getting Fro...

Find out what the good life actually looks like based on Harvard's 75-year study of more than 700 men from when they were teenagers through old age, with the director of the study, Robert Waldinger. Learn the single most important thing that keeps us healthy and happy as we go through life and what predicts who will stay healthy and live longer.  To learn more about Robert Waldinger and the H...

Adi Ignatius, Editor in Chief of Harvard Business Review,  shares the biggest trends in the business world right now and how he sees the new world of work – including the future of the workplace, innovation and leadership.  As Editor in Chief he oversees editorial activities at HBR, HBR.org, and HBR's book-publishing unit. He was previously deputy managing editor of Time and bureau chief of t...

Lawrence Bacow, President of Harvard University, shares how he sees the future of education and the values he leads by at Harvard. Learn the role of universities in a democracy, the importance of teaching students to think critically and why he believes the value of a liberal education is higher than ever.  “I owe my life to higher education. I think it’s been an engine of opportunity for so many....

Former Commander of Afghanistan General (Ret.) Stanley McChrystal shares lessons from Afghanistan, the impact of the withdrawal, what makes a great leader and what he is most proud of in his career. Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates has described General McChrystal as, "Perhaps the finest warrior and leader of men in combat I have ever met." Learn what General McChrystal believes to...

Steven Pinker shares why there is so much irrationality in the world – including conspiracy theories, and belief in fake news and medical quackery. Learn why he is optimistic about the future of democracy and the world, despite so much negativity and partisanship happening today.  Steve is one of the world’s most renowned thinkers. He is a Harvard University psychology professor and author. Bill G...

NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum shares on the future of sports, enhancing the audience experience, virtual reality, gaming and e-sports. People are interested in what their favorite athletes and teams are doing off the court as well as on. Mark shares how entertainment driven strategies enhance the overall experience while growing the audience.  Under Mark’s leadersh...

Have you ever wondered how you could change someone’s mind  or make something go viral? Jonah Berger shares what works to change people’s minds – even under almost impossible conditions – and how to make things “catch on.”  Jonah Berger is a professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and an internationally bestselling author. He is a world-renowned expert on change and on wo...

Michael Clinton, former President of Hearst Magazines, provides practical advice on creating the life you want.  Michael has created an extraordinarily rich and multi-layered life. He is the part owner of a vineyard in Argentina, a private pilot, and has traveled to 124 countries. Additionally, Michael has run a marathon on all seven continents. While at Hearst he helped create Food Network Magazi...

Learn how Square Co-Founder Jim McKelvey successfully created and built Square, how (as a start-up) Square beat Amazon, and other tips he has for the 3 Takeaways audience. Jim shares why sometimes doing nothing is the best response. Square lets anyone with an iPhone, iPad, or Android mobile device and a bank account accept credit card payments. Jim McKelvey co-founded Square in 2009 with Jack Dors...

Co-founder of BlackRock Barbara Novick shares how she and her co-founders built the largest investment management firm in the world with $9 trillion under management and clients in over 100 countries. Learn the keys to BlackRock’s success. Barbara transitioned from Vice Chairman of BlackRock to Senior Advisor in 2021.

Happiness expert and Harvard Kennedy School Professor Arthur Brooks shares how you can get better at, practice and share happiness and live a better happier post pandemic life. He also talks about how he managed to accomplish three complete job changes over his career.  Arthur is a Harvard professor, PhD social scientist, bestselling author, and columnist at The Atlantic whose focus is providing a...

Peter Wendell founded Sierra Ventures, a Silicon Valley venture capital firm that has invested more than $2 billion in a wide variety of successful technology companies. Peter co-teaches Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, “Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital” course with former Google CEO, Eric Schmidt. He is a trustee of Merck and was chairman of the board of Princeton University...

Paul Polman is the former CEO of Unilever, one of the largest companies in the world with over 300 brands. Paul helped redefine what being a good company means long before it was acceptable to think about anything besides profits. Paul shares how Imagine, a movement that he co-founded, brings together a critical mass of CEOs across the value chain to move industries toward sustainable impact goals...