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Masters of Scale
Description

On Masters of Scale, iconic business leaders share lessons and strategies that have helped them grow the world's most fascinating companies. Founders, CEOs, and dynamic innovators join candid conversations about their triumphs and challenges with a set of luminary hosts, including founding host Reid Hoffman (LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock partner). From navigating early prototypes to expanding brands globally, Masters of Scale provides priceless insights to help anyone grow their dream enterprise.

Episodes
  • 2026 / 2 / 7
    GaryVee on how to make Super Bowl ads that are actually funny

    Gary Vaynerchuk of VaynerMedia has produced more than a dozen Super Bowl ads for brands. In 2026, his hilarious "Will Shat" spot for Kellogg's Raisin Bran features actor William Shatner with a fiber-forward...

  • 2026 / 2 / 5
    How Zoom grew 30x almost overnight

    Eric Yuan saw frustrated customers and wanted to make the product he worked on better – but couldn’t convince his bosses. So he struck out on his own and founded a competitor: Zoom. Yuan talks with host Jeff...

  • 2026 / 2 / 3
    Padma Lakshmi’s secret to authentic leadership? Stop trying.

    TV host, producer, author, and UN Goodwill Ambassador Padma Lakshmi joins Rapid Response with candid advice for business leaders on speaking out, showing courage, and staying true to themselves, particularly...

  • 2026 / 1 / 31
    Possible: Amjad Masad on vibe coding, AI agents, and the end of boilerplate

    On this episode of Possible, Reid Hoffman and Aria Finger sit down with Amjad Masad, founder and CEO of Replit, to explore how AI is fundamentally changing who gets to build software and what that means for...

  • 2026 / 1 / 29
    How to break through a fear of failure, with Fawn Weaver & Van Jones

    After blitzscaling one of the fastest-growing spirit brands in history, Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey founder Fawn Weaver is reflecting on how to build not just a company, but a meaningful life. She talked...

  • 2026 / 1 / 27
    Reid Hoffman on AI’s new tune, Davos, and the need for CEO courage

    As global leaders disperse from the World Economic Forum, LinkedIn co-founder and tech investor Reid Hoffman joins Rapid Response to break down the biggest challenges and opportunities facing business today,...

  • 2026 / 1 / 24
    Reid Hoffman & Inflection AI’s Sean White on designing AI that makes us better humans

    At Masters of Scale Summit in October of 2025, Reid Hoffman and Dr. Sean White, CEO of Inflection AI, discuss how to design responsible AI systems, build smarter AI-fueled businesses, and the potential for...

  • 2026 / 1 / 22
    How to make smarter changes, with cognitive scientist Maya Shankar

    Cognitive scientist Maya Shankar has made a career of cleverly using insights from behavioral economics to fuel her work in the Obama White House and in Silicon Valley. She talks with host Jeff Berman about...

  • 2026 / 1 / 20
    Anti-polarizing strategies from a purple city, with OKC Mayor David Holt

    Mayors are unique leaders in America, often more loved and less polarized than state or federal politicians, with a different mandate and metric for success. Mayor of Oklahoma City, David Holt, is also the...

  • 2026 / 1 / 15
    How to save a magazine, with The Atlantic’s Nicholas Thompson

    When Nicholas Thompson took over as CEO of The Atlantic five years ago, the iconic magazine was in financial trouble. Now, its profitable and subscriber and revenue numbers are growing. Thompson joins host...

  • 2026 / 1 / 13
    The AI agents in your wallet, with Mastercard CEO Michael Miebach

    What did the latest holiday shopping season reveal about consumer confidence as the year begins? Mastercard CEO Michael Miebach joins Rapid Response to unpack the signals he’s seeing across global spending —...

  • 2026 / 1 / 10
    How Baby2Baby stepped up as LA wildfires raged

    One year ago, as devastating wildfires tore through Los Angeles, nonprofit Baby2Baby was on the ground helping. We're revisiting the conversation Co-CEOs Norah Weinstein and Kelly Sawyer Patricof had on stage...

  • 2026 / 1 / 8
    The $800M exit that started with a single muffin

    Simple Mills started with its founder Katlin Smith tinkering with almond flour muffin recipes in her apartment kitchen. Over the next decade, she built a better-for-you food powerhouse. Smith talks with host...

  • 2026 / 1 / 6
    Business world predictions for 2026

    As we turn from reflection to what’s ahead for a new year, Rapid Response presents host Bob Safian’s predictions for the most pressing issues business leaders could face in 2026. Join Bob and producer Alex...

  • 2026 / 1 / 1
    The science of fresh starts

    To kick off 2026, we’re revisiting our conversation with behavioral scientist Katy Milkman. The Wharton professor and bestselling author of “How to Change” sits down with host Jeff Berman to share proven ways...

  • 2025 / 12 / 30
    Pioneers of AI: Mark Cuban’s investment strategy in this new era of tech

    Mark Cuban has spent decades as a serial entrepreneur and investor, with one of the best track records on the planet (including celebrity status on ABC’s Shark Tank). In this episode of Pioneers of AI, Cuban...

  • 2025 / 12 / 25
    How to unlock your team’s creative potential

    To get the most out of your talent, you need to create an environment that allows them to thrive. Nobody knows this better than Indra Nooyi, who spent 12 years as the CEO of PepsiCo. Her drive to support...

  • 2025 / 12 / 23
    Resurrecting dire wolves is just the beginning for Colossal Biosciences’ Ben Lamm

    In this encore episode of Rapid Response, we revisit a scientific breakthrough that set the internet ablaze: The ‘de-extinction’ of the dire wolf. While many celebrated Colossal Biosciences’ announcement, the...

  • 2025 / 12 / 18
    The Salesforce CFO who left to save lives

    After serving as Chief Legal Officer and then CFO at Salesforce, Amy Weaver sought a new challenge. She is now CEO of Direct Relief, which she tells host Jeff Berman is "the largest, most efficient, most...

  • 2025 / 12 / 16
    Lessons of Rapid Response for 2026

    This year delivered whiplash: geopolitics, tariffs, and technology all shifting at once. And heading into 2026, the disruption isn’t easing up. In this special episode, host Bob Safian distills five hard-won...

  • 2025 / 12 / 11
    Make the office a destination, not just an obligation

    With over two billion in annual revenue and nearly 7,000 employees, Gensler has cemented itself as a global icon in architecture and design. Host Jeff Berman talks with co-CEO Elizabeth Brink and global...

  • 2025 / 12 / 9
    Kara Swisher takes on big tech, from Apple to Nvidia

    Can ChatGPT dethrone Gemini? Is Tim Cook capable of leading Apple into the next wave of AI? As 2025 winds down, journalist and podcast host Kara Swisher joins Rapid Response to cut through the noise and...

  • 2025 / 12 / 6
    A warning for business leaders: Aspiring autocrats tank economies

    How does a country sliding toward autocracy affect its economy? Political scientist and author Barbara F Walter offers data-driven insights about why the murky middle ground between democracy and autocracy is...

  • 2025 / 12 / 4
    The business behind OnlyFans, with CEO Keily Blair

    In less than a decade, OnlyFans says it has grown into a business earning $7 billion a year. The digital platform is known for letting its 4 million creators share exclusive – often NSFW – content with more...

  • 2025 / 12 / 2
    Embrace the multihyphenate career, with Chief’s Alison Moore

    A recent New York Times headline — â€œDid Women Ruin the Workplace?” sparked a firestorm across social media. Bob Safian welcomes a leader pushing back on this notion with data and nuance: Alison...

  • 2025 / 11 / 27
    Replay: Dinner table wisdom with Danny Meyer

    Danny Meyer is best known as the founder of Shake Shack and the legendary restaurants of his Union Square Hospitality Group in New York City. He joined host Jeff Berman in 2024 for the first Masters of Scale...

  • 2025 / 11 / 25
    Beyond the Parade: Macy’s navigates tariffs, turbulence and retail evolution

    This Thursday marks the 99th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and Macy’s Inc. chairman and CEO Tony Spring joins Rapid Response with a behind-the-scenes preview of what to expect. It’s been a tumultuous...

  • 2025 / 11 / 22
    Possible: Steve Kerr and Kris Brown on leadership and purpose in sports

    What does it take to turn tragedy into advocacy, and advocacy into lasting change? This week, Reid and Aria are talking to Warriors head coach Steve Kerr and Kris Brown, president of Brady, the nation’s...

  • 2025 / 11 / 20
    How to be 'fearless' in the AI age, with Fei-Fei Li and Reid Hoffman

    The brilliant computer scientist Fei-Fei Li is often called the Godmother of AI. She talks with host Reid Hoffman about why scientists and entrepreneurs need to be fearless in the face of an uncertain...

  • 2025 / 11 / 18
    AI: The new frontier for mental health support?

    In recent weeks, OpenAI faced seven lawsuits alleging that ChatGPT contributed to suicides or mental health breakdowns. To spotlight the controversial relationship between AI and mental health, host Bob...

  • 2025 / 11 / 13
    The future of crypto, with Coinbase’s Emilie Choi

    When Emilie Choi first left Linkedin to go work at a crypto company called Coinbase, her old colleagues thought she made a big mistake. But after surviving a crypto winter, she’s become a key figure in the...

  • 2025 / 11 / 11
    How to get funded now: VCs Reid Hoffman, Aileen Lee, and Stacy Brown-Philpot, with Van Jones

    Reid Hoffman, Stacy Brown-Philpot, and Aileen Lee are three of the most successful, legendary leaders and investors in Silicon Valley. (The term “unicorn” for a startup valued at a billion dollars? Well,...

  • 2025 / 11 / 8
    Remarkable People: David Chang is 'Steve Jobs with a knife"

    What happens when a world-class chef learns that success doesn’t taste like he imagined?David Chang—the culinary force behind Momofuku and author of Eat a Peach—joins Guy Kawasaki to talk about ambition,...

  • 2025 / 11 / 6
    From billion-dollar brand to blank slate: Bobbi Brown’s comeback

    She built her first company, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, into a billion-dollar brand. But when things soured between her and her parent company, Estée Lauder, she had a choice: retire from the industry, or...

  • 2025 / 11 / 4
    Branding truths and tariff myths, with Autodesk’s Dara Treseder & Flexport’s Ryan Petersen

    In a special episode of Rapid Response, we feature two fast-paced, lively conversations from Masters of Scale Summit in San Francisco. Autodesk CMO Dara Treseder breaks down branding and marketing lessons...

  • 2025 / 10 / 30
    When ‘genius’ becomes a trap, with author Ryan Holiday

    For everyone from Superbowl-winning coaches to CEOs, Ryan Holiday’s writing has made the timeless wisdom of ancient Stoic philosophers accessible and relevant in a modern age. He joins host Jeff Berman to...

  • 2025 / 10 / 28
    Chobani & Patagonia CEOs break down where values meet profit

    In these volatile times, how do we navigate the intersection between values and commerce? Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert and Chobani CEO Hamdi Ulukaya join the New York Times’ David Gelles on stage at the Masters...

  • 2025 / 10 / 23
    Andrew Ross Sorkin: How to make sense of today’s market

    Is the stock market in an AI bubble? What happens if it bursts? To understand our current economic moment, it’s essential to understand history. That’s why journalist and author Andrew Ross Sorkin joined host...

  • 2025 / 10 / 21
    The New York Times ‘will not be cowed’, with CEO Meredith Kopit Levien

    From attacks by President Trump to active lawsuits against Microsoft and OpenAI, The New York Times is engaged in a fierce fight to preserve the future of independent journalism. It also keeps building a...

  • 2025 / 10 / 16
    Brené Brown & Reid Hoffman on the skills every leader needs now

    Author and researcher Brené Brown joined host Reid Hoffman on stage recently in San Francisco for the 2025 Masters of Scale Summit. She reveals insights about how to lead courageously, the underrated skills...

  • 2025 / 10 / 14
    Airbnb’s bet on an IRL future, with Brian Chesky

    Amid dramatic disruption, what role should business play in building the future? Recorded live at the 2025 Masters of Scale Summit in San Francisco, Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky shares his candid...

  • 2025 / 10 / 9
    Replay: How Daymond John built FUBU

    How do you create authentic partnerships to build scale? In this archival episode, Reid Hoffman talks with the iconic entrepreneur and Shark Tank star Daymond John about how he built FUBU from...

  • 2025 / 10 / 2
    How to sell a billion dollars of snacks, with the founders of Chomps

    Chomps co-founders Rashid Ali and Pete Maldonado had an unusual side hustle: selling meat sticks online. The co-founders join host Jeff Berman to reveal the phone call from Trader Joe’s that changed...

  • 2025 / 9 / 30
    Design dominance sparks a blockbuster IPO, with Figma’s Dylan Field

    Figma burst into the public eye in 2022 after Adobe was blocked from buying the design startup for $20 billion. This chapter set the stage for an even bigger milestone at Figma: a splashy IPO this summer at...

  • 2025 / 9 / 27
    Pioneers of AI: The power of storytelling in VCs, with Jeffrey Katzenberg and ChenLi Wang

    In this episode of Pioneers of AI, Jeffrey Katzenberg and ChenLi Wang of the venture capital firm WndrCo share why storytelling is essential for building transformative companies and how AI shapes their work....

  • 2025 / 9 / 25
    Build stronger trust on your teams, with Rachel Botsman

    What happens when your team doesn’t trust each other? How can you repair damaged trust at work? How has technology changed the way we decide who to trust? Author and trust researcher Rachel Botsman joins host...

  • 2025 / 9 / 23
    After devastating aid cuts, Mercy Corps keeps fighting, with Tjada D’Oyen McKenna

    For an organization built around responding to crises around the globe, Mercy Corps now finds itself at the center of its own trauma. Following the Trump administration’s aid cuts, two-thirds of Mercy Corps’...

  • 2025 / 9 / 18
    How to find your next mentor, with Janice Omadeke

    A great mentor can supercharge your career. That’s why author and entrepreneur Janice Omadeke wanted to make it easier for people to connect with the best possible mentors. She joins host Jeff Berman to...

  • 2025 / 9 / 16
    Historic changes across high fashion, with WSJ. Magazine’s Sarah Ball

    As the fashion world navigates an unprecedented wave of turnover from Chanel to Dior, WSJ. Magazine’s Editor in Chief, Sarah Ball joins Rapid Response to explore the most closely watched New York Fashion Week...

  • 2025 / 9 / 13
    Possible: Stephen Colbert isn’t so sure about AI (with Reid Hoffman)

    On the latest episode of Reid Hoffman’s Possible podcast, he and Aria talk with comedian Stephen Colbert. They discuss how J.R.R. Tolkien helps The Late Show host make sense of AI, whether technology will...