Cold Call

Mark Roberge, Senior Lecturer at Harvard Business School and former Head of Global Sales at HubSpot, discusses scaling choices for startups. He breaks down when to hire sales versus invest in marketing. He covers measuring product-market fit by customer value, paced hiring, retention signals, and how AI will reshape sales. Practical frameworks for aligning founders and investors are highlighted.

Leslie John, Harvard Business School behavioral scientist and author known for research on decision-making and disclosure. She explores the Commonwealth Bank’s choice to reveal credit-card downsides to customers. Short takes cover why revealing feels risky, how to design honest disclosures without sounding manipulative, and when openness helps or harms organizations.

The U.S. Men’s Olympic speed skating team devised a new approach to the team pursuit event following their disappointing performance in the 2018 Winter Olympics. The team saw promising initial results from their innovations, but they faced a decision about whether to reveal their new techniques. The U.S. Team’s strategy was easily imitated if competitors witnessed it in a race, but it was a risk not to test it in competition before the Olympics. And, were there possible upsides to imitation if it improved the entire sport? Should they share their techniques, and if so, when? Harvard Business School Assistant Professor Rebecca Karp joins Brian Kenny to discuss the case, “A Winning Strategy: Innovation in Olympic Speed Skating.” They explore whether and when to launch a novel idea, product, or service, and what are the consequences—good and bad—to being imitated.

David Rosenthal, co-founder known for deep historical research, and Ben Gilbert, co-founder and long-form storytelling specialist, join Harvard Business School professor Shane Greenstein, who studies internet markets. They discuss Acquired’s slow-growth, high-quality approach, trade-offs of scaling, selective sponsorships, audio’s passive power, AI’s production role, and when to preserve craft versus expand.

In this conversation, Harvard Business School professor Juan Alcacer and entrepreneur Alexandre Daillance delve into the unique world of Golden Goose, the Italian luxury brand renowned for its unconventional sneakers. They discuss how the brand defies traditional luxury through its embrace of 'perfect imperfection.' The duo also explores the brand's unexpected growth trajectory, the importance of customer co-creation, and the intricate balance between scaling and maintaining craftsmanship. Their insights map out potential pathways for Golden Goose's next chapter, emphasizing strategic geographic expansion.

Mark Pearson, President and CEO of Equitable Holdings, leads a team aiming for cultural transformation in a 163-year-old firm. Joined by Das Narayandas, a Harvard Business School professor, and COO Jeff Hurd, they discuss how the 2018 IPO sparked a need for innovation and faster adaptation. They explore building organizational muscle, breaking down silos through boot camps, and the importance of internal ownership for lasting change. The conversation highlights balancing respect for history with a future-focused approach, and the ongoing evolution of their New Ways of Working initiative.

With the holiday season upon us, and thrifting a major trend, we’re sharing an episode of Harvard Business School’s Climate Rising podcast that’s focused on extending product life, reducing waste, and the growing role of resale in the circular economy. Climate Rising is all about what businesses are doing, can do, and should do to confront climate change. In this episode, “Extending Apparel Lifespan,” HBS Professor Mike Toffel talks to ThredUp CEO James Reinhart about why ThredUp chose to build a national logistics and technology platform for resale. They also talk about how the company partners with big brands to run their own resale channels and how AI and automation are reshaping the industry. It’s an insightful conversation for anyone interested in sustainability or circular business models.

Charles Wang, a Harvard Business School professor specializing in corporate governance, and L.J. Brock, Chief People Officer at Coinbase, share insights on Coinbase's transformative policies. They discuss the challenges and reactions to the company's shift towards a mission-first and remote-first culture. Brock explains how this approach helps attract aligned talent while navigating external criticism. Wang examines the trade-offs between focus and inclusion, emphasizing the long-term benefits of such bold moves in a volatile industry.

Join Jenny Wolfram, founder of BrandBastion, alongside Vesa Rikkinen and Harvard's Julian De Freitas, as they delve into managing online brand reputations. They discuss the hybrid AI-human model that balances efficiency and nuanced judgment in moderation. Topics include how to handle crises, measure trust through comment tagging, and the importance of proactive engagement over silence. The conversation highlights the future of AI in brand interaction, emphasizing ongoing R&D and the ethical implications of corporate control in community management.

George Serafeim, a Harvard Business School professor and expert on Apollo Global Management, dives into Apollo's evolution from a private equity giant to an insurance-focused powerhouse. He discusses the implications of their Athene acquisition, revealing shifts in their financial profile and governance. The conversation covers the competitive landscape between asset-heavy and asset-light firms, the transformation of their investment strategy, and the growing role of private credit. Serafeim also emphasizes the importance of risk management amid changing market dynamics.