TED Business

Rising inequality and growing political instability are the direct result of decades of bad economic theory, says entrepreneur Nick Hanauer. In a visionary talk, he dismantles the mantra that "greed is good"—an idea he describes as not only morally corrosive, but also scientifically wrong—and lays out a new theory of economics powered by reciprocity and cooperation. No lesson this week as we prepare for the new season, but we'll be back again soon.

We’re taking some time off while we prepare for our next season. In the meantime, this bonus episode amplifies an important call to brands who do business in Africa. Emerging markets expert Nomava Zanazo says many international companies underestimate their African customers and make costly assumptions about their diversity, preferences and buying power. Sharing the basics about what companies need to know to succeed on the continent, Zanazo debunks four myths and misunderstandings about Africa and its citizens—and invites businesses from overseas to share in its wealth ... once they've done their research.

We’re taking a few weeks off while we prepare the next season. So in the meantime, we’re sharing another episode from the TED Audio Collective that we thought you, of all people, might enjoy. It’s from The TED Interview, hosted by head of TED Chris Anderson. From the strikes that transformed the world's view on climate change to the marches that demanded equity and justice for Black lives, there has been a new awakening of people passionate about creating change. As founder and CEO of Acumen, Jacqueline Novogratz decided early on to dedicate her life's work to doing just that. In this episode, Chris talks to Jacqueline (who he also happens to be married to) about the wisdom she gained from abandoning a lucrative career as a banker to start a nonprofit dedicated to eradicating global poverty, and the moral imagination -- and difficult tradeoffs -- she believes are necessary to make a transformative impact on the world.

We’re taking a few weeks off while we prepare the next season. So in the meantime, we’re sharing another episode from the TED Audio Collective that we thought you, of all people, might enjoy. It’s from The TED Interview, hosted by head of TED Chris Anderson. What does it take to persevere and succeed, not just in our careers but in all aspects of our lives? For psychologist Angela Duckworth, the answer can be summed up in one concept: grit. She explains the ingredients in grit and the experiences that make one person persist where another gives up—and offers concrete steps to instill grit early in life and sustain it. If you like what you hear, check out the full season of The TED Interview wherever you’re listening to this.

We all know relationships are hard to manage. And our work relationships—tangled with power, status and interdependence—are no exception. Last week, we heard a talk from Katie Hood. Katie is the CEO of One Love, an organization that teaches students around the world about the signs of healthy and unhealthy love. She also has a long background in business. So in this episode, Katie and Modupe dig deep into what it takes to build healthier relationships at work.

On the final episode of The ZigZag Project, activist Stacey Abrams explains her short-term strategies for sticking to her long-term goals and Manoush shares data from surveying thousands of listeners about making a big career change. The project wraps up with one last assignment and Manoush’s favorite messages from listeners. It’s a tear jerker. The ZigZag Project is six steps (and episodes) to help you map out a path that aligns your personal values with your professional ambitions. Think of it as a RESET for your career or business. For more ZigZag, find and follow the podcast wherever you're listening to this. For the assignments, survey, newsletter and more, head to ZigZagPod.com

Friends, family, and yes, colleagues. We all know relationships are hard to manage, and our work relationships – tangled with power, status and interdependence – are no exception. In this two-part episode, we’ll hear a talk from Katie Hood. Katie is the CEO of One Love, an organization that teaches students around the world about the signs of healthy and unhealthy love. She also has a long background in business, and went to business school with Modupe back in the day. So this week and next, they’ll dig deep into what it takes to build healthier relationships, personal and professional.

We typically think of mentoring as the older generation passing down wisdom to the young, but there are benefits to flipping this around. There’s even a term for it: reverse mentorship. In this episode, we hear from Patrice Gordon about her experience reverse mentoring not just anyone, but the CEO of Virgin Atlantic. After the talk, Modupe identifies what anyone can do to help build a culture that allows knowledge to flow up in addition to down.

Today, another episode from ZigZag, hosted by Manoush Zomorodi. This is Step 5 of The ZigZag Project, a six-step process to get you from wanting to make a big change in your life and work...to actually making a change, in a responsible and mindful way. And, as the project moves from ideation into action, we're getting coaching from none other than TED Business host Modupe Akinola. Modupe explains why rethinking the scary feelings that come with all big life transitions is crucial as you decide, with the help of this episode’s assignment, which of your ideas—your paths—to actively pursue. For more ZigZag, find and follow the podcast wherever you're listening to this. For the assignments, survey, newsletter and more, head to ZigZagPod.com

What turns a developing country into a prosperous one? For years, Efosa Ojomo has been trying to answer this question. And what he has found – through starting his own nonprofit in Nigeria, doing research at Harvard Business School and writing a book called The Prosperity Paradox with Clay Christensen – reverses many of our existing ideas around aid. In this talk, Efosa lays out a new approach to fighting poverty that identifies innovation as the key driver of prosperity. But how does one build an innovative business in a developing market? In environments that can be as unfamiliar and unpredictable as they are full of opportunity? Stick around after the talk, where Modupe and Efosa discuss the unique mindset that this type of business requires.

To futureproof your job against robots and AI, you should learn how to code, brush up on your math skills and crack open an engineering textbook, right? Wrong. In this surprisingly comforting talk, tech journalist Kevin Roose makes the case that rather than trying to compete with the machines, we should instead focus on what makes us uniquely human.

Today, another episode from ZigZag, hosted by Manoush Zomorodi. This is episode 4 of The ZigZag Project, a special season all about how to realign your work with your core values. In step 4, we move into a more practical phase and start asking hard questions like: What might you need to sacrifice, in order to align your values with your work? Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett shares a story about what she gave up as a young aide, working for the city of Chicago. Manoush gives her own example and asks listeners to try a strange (but proven) methodology to figure out what changes are worth pursuing. For more episodes, follow ZigZag wherever you're listening to this. And find the assignments, survey, newsletter and more at ZigZagPod.com

Why do we encourage kids to play sports? Why does writing “captain of the lacrosse team” mean anything on a résumé? And why don’t we extend that same respect to people who play video games at the highest levels? In this episode, William Collis, maestro of esports – aka competitive video games – makes the case that video games develop real, tangible and transferable skills. And it’s time that we appreciate them. So, after the talk, Modupe figures out how we can bring more video games into the workplace.

Profit, money, shareholders: these are the priorities of most companies today. But at what cost? In an appeal to corporate leaders worldwide, Chobani founder Hamdi Ulukaya calls for an end to the business playbook of the past – and shares his vision for a new, "anti-CEO playbook" that prioritizes people over profits. "This is the difference between profit and true wealth," he says. After the talk, Modupe offers some simple practices that can help leaders realize this vision, by putting people back at the center of a CEO’s workday.

Today, another episode from ZigZag, hosted by Manoush Zomorodi. This is episode 3 of The ZigZag Project, a special season all about how to realign your work with your core values. The third step requires getting weird. Because we're gonna need to dig deep to find new ways to roll back climate change, bring equity to society, and pay our bills. If, after a year of lockdowns and stress, you feel drained at the thought, meet Rob Walker, author of The Art of Noticing. Rob has some unusual ways to inspire you to get creative and figure out your next job, business model, or project. Manoush turns Rob’s insight into this episode’s assignment: The Board of All Ideas, No Matter How Weird. The ZigZag Project is six steps (and episodes) to help you map out a path that aligns your personal values with your professional ambitions. Think of it as a RESET for your career or business. Find the assignments, survey, newsletter and more at ZigZagPod.com