Power Players with Brian Sozzi

Artificial intelligence is having profound impacts on Corporate America. But it’s also beginning to impact how humans create content and interact with it. It’s hard to imagine this impact doesn’t intensify in the years to come as AI becomes more sophisticated. Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi sits down on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with Inception Point AI co-founder and CEO Jeani...

The business of sleep has gone well beyond hawking mattresses, pillows, and bedframes. And it’s with good reason that seemingly everyone is analyzing their sleep data on various hardware devices. Roughly one in three adults in the U.S. regularly gets insufficient sleep, driving demand for new tools that can monitor, analyze, and improve rest. Enter Eight Sleep, founded in 2014 by Matteo Franceshet...

One of the most prolific venture capitalists of the past 20 years is looking to share some wisdom to the next generation of investors and job seekers. Benchmark general partner Bill Gurley is seen as a heavyweight in Silicon Valley. His claim to fame is an $11 million bet on Uber (UBER) in 2011. But other key investments have included Twitter and Nextdoor (NXDR). Indeed, Gurley has seen it all ove...

Bilt is entering its next chapter. As the payments and rewards platform for over 70% of the top rental companies nationwide, Bilt is now eyeing several new product launches to kick off 2026. The company is armed with $250 million in fresh funding from investors to pursue its ambitions, which valued the company at $10.75 billion. Former American Express (AXP) CEO Ken Chenault and NFL Commissioner R...

From the tennis court to the broadcast booth. Yahoo Finance executive editor Brian Sozzi sits down on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with former professional tennis player Patrick McEnroe. McEnroe is also a long-time commentator for ESPN, calling hosts of big tennis matches and being among the top voices at venues like the US Open. McEnroe – the brother of John McEnroe – won one singles title...

There are dealmakers on Wall Street, and then there are the teams at Perella Weinberg. If you have a big deal to get done as a CEO, this is one of your first stops on the Street to try and make it happen. Yahoo Finance executive editor Brian Sozzi sits down on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with veteran deal maker Andrew Bednar, CEO of advisory firm Perella Weinberg. The firm was founded in 20...

Deal activity is heating up as 2025 nears a close amid lower interest rates from the Fed and a sense from sellers that valuations are about as full as one could expect. Yahoo Finance executive editor Brian Sozzi sits down on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with Apollo Global Management co-head of equity David Sambur. After being held by Liberation Day market related volatility, the environment...

Opening Bid Unfiltered is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. From the racetrack to the race for cybersecurity spending dollars. Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi sits down on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with CrowdStrike (CRWD) founder and CEO George Kurtz. The conversation veered off down a few side streets, so to speak. Kurtz is an ac...

Opening Bid Unfiltered is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. From hyrox to pickleball, this is a great moment to take a crack at starting a new sports venture. Enter SailGP into the often stodgy world of sailing. Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi sits down on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with SailGP CEO and storied yachtsman Russell Cou...

Rest assured that if a leader can cut expenses to boost profits, they will often do so without hesitation. This practice is likely to worsen in the years ahead as leaders are drawn in by the use cases for AI and the subsequent opportunity to cut more jobs to save money. It sucks to say this, but it’s the cold, hard truth. In the process of all this cost-cutting, are leaders losing sight of company...

It has been a very eventful year for stablecoin player Circle (CRCL). The company completed its IPO in June. Then, in July, President Trump signed the GENIUS Act, which is seen as a significant future tailwind to the crypto and stablecoin industries. While Circle’s stock price is well off its highs amid a broader pullback in the crypto space, it’s hard to deny the company’s business progress and h...

The market loves putting money to work on AI stocks; that much has been made clear in the past two years. The appetite to own AI plays is broadening to more under-the-radar names, including companies that are using the technology aggressively in the industrial sector. Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi sits down on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with C.H. Robinson (CHRW) CEO Dave Bozem...

There has been one company at the very center of the AI trade this year. That is none other than OpenAI (OPAI.PVT)! OpenAI has won Yahoo Finance’s 11th annual Company of the Year award. Here is why. First, it undeniably led the market narrative for investors in 2025. When it announced big deals, stocks popped. When it issued a cautionary statement, stocks took a hit. Second, OpenAI secured scores...

The battle to analyze your health data has arguably never been fiercer. The Apple (AAPL) Watch has sold tens of millions of units, all of which are collecting health data. Whoop is eyeing an IPO. Not to mention, there are an array of other major players in the wearables space, such as Samsung (005930.KS) and Garmin (GRMN). Does there need to be one winner, though, as the longevity industry continu...

The driverless car race is well underway. While Waymo is seen as having a leadership position, Tesla (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk is aiming for robotaxi debuts likely in 2026. Thus far, the race to bring autonomous trucks to life to address driver shortages is a bit more open. Aurora Innovation (AUR) is seen as the leader at this juncture and is backed by Uber (UBER), boasting key partnerships with Paccar...

The apparel retail industry has experienced its share of ups and downs this year. A focus by the Trump administration on tariffs has raised supply chain costs for most apparel manufacturers. In turn, those manufacturers have passed on price increases to shoppers. Consumers have responded by delaying purchases for deals or forgoing them altogether. The more positive end of the spectrum remains the...

Spotting a legendary CEO amid a sea of titans. Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi talks on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with Hilton (HLT) CEO Chris Nassetta. Nassetta is one of Corporate America's longest-serving CEOs, having assumed the top position in 2007 after leadership positions at Host Hotels. He has managed through a host of major hotel industry challenges ranging from the af...

Just like that, the crypto bears have resurfaced. The fall has brought a bear market for bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Experts cite a range of factors. For one, the Fed's lack of enthusiasm for a December rate cut has reduced investors' risk appetite. Crypto is still one of the riskiest assets in the game. And two, a questionable presidential pardon of Binance founder Changpeng Zhao has cast...

With more than $2.1 trillion in assets under management, BNY (BNY) remains one of the heavyweights in the financial services industry. It also has the distinction of being America’s oldest bank! As one might imagine with such a distinction, BNY has witnessed a range of market cycles and new technologies over the decades. Keeping the company at the leading edge of industry changes today, such as AI...

Keeping the United States safe comes with its share of investment opportunities for the financial services industry. Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi talks on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with Capitol Meridian Partners co-founder Brooke Coburn. Coburn was a founding member of the tech, media, and telecom practice at private equity powerhouse The Carlyle Group. Coburn co-founded Cap...

Doing the game of baseball differently. Think an 11-rule system, one of them being that if a player bunts, they are automatically out. If a fan catches a ball, the player is out. All-in-ticket pricing means that food and your seat are included in one price. Players dancing out of the blue in the outfield. A person pitching while being on stilts. A two-hour time limit for the game. If you think thi...

Wikipedia has something in common with your local electric plant: both are utilities that are protected in their own right. Wikipedia was founded in 2001 by Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger. Since then, the site has operated as a nonprofit, with posts on people, places, and things edited by volunteers. Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, attracts billions of visits every month and has also increasingl...

One of the longest-serving CEOs in Corporate America is embarking on retirement, but not without imparting some wisdom to the next generation of leaders. Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi talks on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with former Royal Caribbean (RCL) CEO Richard Fain, who is out with a new book called ‘Delivering the WOW.' Fain served as the CEO of Royal Caribbean for 33 ye...

The business of pushing your physical max is lucrative. Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi talks on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with HYROX co-founder and CEO Christian Toetzke. HYROX was co-founded by Toetzke in 2017 and has grown rapidly ever since. The fitness competition isn’t for the week of mind and heart, and will test one’s endurance. That’s likely why alphas and the average...

Retail turnarounds aren’t easy. That’s especially the case now as the Trump administration tariffs weigh on apparel margins and consumer sentiment. Can one be pulled off successfully against this uncertain backdrop? Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi discusses the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with Stitch Fix (SFIX) CEO Matt Baer. Baer joined Stitch Fix in June 2023, after spending time i...