Latest Interviews

Co-Founder Mistakes That Kill Companies & How To Avoid Them

Dalton Caldwell, Michael Seibel

This discussion outlines critical strategies for selecting and maintaining co-founder relationships, emphasizing the priority of compatibility and prior conflict validation over mere technical skills. It details specific structural safeguards, such as written equity agreements and tie-breaker mechanisms, to mitigate the fatal risk of deadlocks and toxic dynamics that frequently destroy startups. Ultimately, the advice underscores that treating co-founder alignment as a strategic superpower through early formalization is essential for navigating the pre-product market fit phase and avoiding irreversible operational failure.

Is it time to go back to the office?

Callum, Vindiru

Post-pandemic tensions between employer mandates and employee demands for remote work have escalated into public conflicts, exemplified by over 1,000 Apple staff signing petitions against a three-day office return. These disagreements are deeply influenced by demographic factors, as Black knowledge workers express a far lower desire for full-time office presence than their white counterparts, raising concerns about retention and diversity. To resolve these disparities and boost efficiency, experts advocate for structured hybrid models that assign deep-focus tasks to remote days and collaborative work to in-office sessions, thereby mitigating unconscious bias in promotion decisions.

Ruth Davidson, Baroness of Lundin Links

Ruth Davidson, Ruth Davidson, Baroness of Lundin Links, Adam Crook

Former Scottish Conservative Leader Ruth Davidson, who transitioned from the BBC to elected office in 2010, now champions mental health parity and LGBTQ+ rights while condemning the toxic pressures of modern social media. In her current role chairing the ICV's mental health advisory group, she is directing £1.3 million in raised funds toward critical support services and advocating for policy reforms that integrate well-being into housing, military transitions, and urban planning. Beyond service expansion, Davidson continues to push for constructive discourse on trans rights, urging politicians to prioritize practical human needs over abstract ideological conflicts.

How economic policy can help the world recover

The panel assesses that while hyperinflation remains improbable, sustained high inflation and supply chain bottlenecks driven by post-stimulus goods demand are reshaping the global economy. Key risks include a potential Chinese slowdown from compounded shocks and persistent labor shortages fueled by shifting worker priorities, whereas recovery inequalities persist due to disparate vaccine access and stimulus timing. Economic stability ultimately hinges on high vaccination rates decoupling health risks from production, alongside strategic policy shifts toward green infrastructure and carbon pricing to address climate goals.

Brian Cox: Why Succession struck a chord

Brian Cox, Anne

In *The Economist Asks*, actor Brian Cox analyzes the archetype of Logan Roy from *Succession* as a figure defined by trauma and the universal disappointments of the modern human experiment. Cox connects the show's satirical critique of dynastic power to the contemporary "Trumpy Zeitgeist" while highlighting how the series transcends partisan divides to expose systemic dysfunction in both right-leaning and left-leaning families. Furthermore, the conversation extends to the British acting industry, where Cox argues that current feudal class structures have severely eroded social mobility, threatening to exclude working-class talent from opportunities that were once more accessible.

Why Investors Are Shopping for Consumer Retail

Allison Nathan, Jennifer Davis, Vishaal Rana, Jen Davis

Record-breaking $14 billion in 2021 consumer retail IPO issuance, led by Goldman Sachs' $1.8 billion Olaplex deal, has driven 28 new public listings while direct listings and M&A activity continue to surge amid robust post-IPO market performance. Despite near-term headwinds including severe supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, and inflation, the sector is pivoting toward omni-channel strategies and technology-driven brand experiences to navigate shifting consumer preferences. Looking ahead, Goldman Sachs forecasts sustained growth in the sector through 2022 and beyond, driven by megatrends such as digitization, health and wellness, and ESG integration, even as macroeconomic volatility persists.

The hidden cost of black hair

The event examines the $4 billion to $9 billion U.S. ethnic hair care market, highlighting severe health risks from unregulated chemicals and historical biases that have long marginalized natural Black hairstyles. It details how Black entrepreneurs, exemplified by Rachel Tumasi-Cawson and Joycelyn Maté, are disrupting this landscape by launching health-focused brands that address specific needs like traction alopecia while navigating a regulatory environment with minimal federal oversight. Furthermore, the discussion tracks the cultural and legislative shifts driving the natural hair movement, including the declining sales of relaxers and the recent passage of "Crown Act" legislation to ban hair discrimination in professional settings.

Melissa Bradley, Founder, 1863 Ventures

Melissa Bradley

Economist Amanda Bradley argues that systemic racism has cost the U.S. economy $16 trillion and urges leveraging the demographic shift of Black and Brown populations as the "new majority" to boost global GDP competitiveness. Her analysis highlights critical barriers such as the $250,000 capital gap facing diverse entrepreneurs and critiques traditional venture capital biases, leading her to advocate for tax credits and direct cash mechanisms over intermediary grants. Bradley points to Goldman Sachs' "One Million Black Women" initiative as a pivotal model for aligning capital allocation with economic returns, asserting that restructuring the capitalist paradigm to treat these groups as asset holders is essential for future national prosperity.

Louise Hulland, broadcaster and journalist

Louise Hulland, Lisa Donnelly

The 2015 Modern Slavery Act, championed by Theresa May, consolidated UK laws to address a £120 billion industry driven by "county lines" networks that exploit vulnerable British nationals. While Section 54 mandates supply chain transparency for large businesses, the legislation notably lacks specific statutory support for victims, leaving their adjudication to the Home Office and complicating immigration status resolution. Despite these legal frameworks, rising risks from Brexit, the pandemic, and climate displacement continue to expand the pool of targeted populations, even as younger generations drive growing corporate accountability.

Who should fix climate change?

Sasha Nauta, Katrine Braik, Oliver Morton

The discussion establishes that democratic governments must lead climate action through policy intervention, citing Germany's solar subsidies as proof that state support is essential for market transformation where laissez-faire approaches fail. Corporate leaders are expected to integrate climate strategies into core business models rather than relying on individual goodwill, a shift exemplified by Tesla's high-margin entry strategy and Microsoft's commitment to offsetting its entire historical carbon footprint. By coupling sharp emissions reductions with economic growth, the event argues that prioritizing long-term systemic protection for vulnerable populations is the only viable path to a sustainable future.

Ben Francis, Founder & CEO of Gymshark

Ben Francis, Cameron Ali

Ben Francis founded Gymshark at 19 after pivoting from dropshipping to apparel, eventually growing the company into a UK unicorn with operations in over 130 countries by rejecting wholesale partners to prioritize a community-first direct-to-consumer model. Former CEO Steve established the firm's financial and operational foundations, enabling Francis to assume the top role and drive global market expansion through strategic travel and local events. By 2031, the company aims to evolve from a clothing retailer into a comprehensive fitness ecosystem addressing both physical and mental well-being, mirroring the trajectory of companies like Amazon and Apple.

How do carbon markets work?

Vijay Vaitheeswaran

Building on the success of the 1990 US Acid Rain Program, global policymakers have adopted cap-and-trade systems to limit emissions, yet rising greenhouse gases indicate current carbon prices remain insufficient to drive the necessary economic shift. Economists Joseph Stiglitz and Nicholas Stern assert that meeting Paris Agreement targets requires a global carbon price of $50 to $100 per tonne by 2030, necessitating stricter penalties, minimum pricing floors, and border carbon adjustments to address enforcement gaps and carbon leakage. As the European Union drives prices upward through permit reductions and introduces import taxes to prevent regulatory arbitrage, international experts emphasize that harmonizing these markets, particularly with major emitters like China, is critical for effective global decarbonization.

Why Hedge Funds Are Turning to the Private Markets

Kristin Kramer, Freddie Parker, Allison Nathan

Hedge funds are rapidly expanding their private market exposure in 2021 by deploying $153 billion across 770 deals, driven by extended corporate lifecycles, soaring valuations, and the strategic need to secure IPO allocations. Predominantly led by equity long-short managers in the TMT and Healthcare sectors, these firms utilize late-stage investments to access high-disclosure environments while offering volatility dampening and lifecycle investment capabilities distinct from traditional private equity. This structural shift is reshaping capital market dynamics as investors adopt specialized vehicles like side pockets and hybrid funds to balance liquidity concerns against the permanent integration of private assets into public market strategies.

To see Germany’s future, look at its cars

Herbert Diess

As Germany's new leadership confronts a dual crisis of eroding industrial dominance and overreliance on Chinese trade, the nation faces urgent pressure to modernize its digital infrastructure and accelerate the automotive sector's transition to electromobility. With the car industry representing 18% of GDP and key innovation metrics lagging behind global competitors, experts warn that the traditional engineering-based economic model is insufficient to maintain future viability. The upcoming coalition must navigate diverging political views to foster startup growth and reduce external dependencies, aiming to secure the country's ability to adapt to a rapidly changing geopolitical and technological landscape.

Is America in decline?

John Prudhoe, James Astell, James Bennett

Speakers John Prudhoe and James Bennett evaluate whether the United States faces absolute decline or cyclical resilience amidst political paralysis, social division, and a rising China. While internal dysfunction and the January Capitol Hill coup highlight a stagnation in problem-solving, the nation retains structural strengths like a young population and economic dynamism that could fuel future renewal. The discussion projects that upcoming infrastructure and climate legislation may break decades of federal inaction, potentially triggering a Progressive Era-style rejuvenation similar to historical precedents.