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WaitWhat · Business

Masters of Scale

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

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World Cup kickoff: Goals, greed, and geopolitics, with ESPN’s Sam Borden

09 Jun 2026
32m
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The World Cup serves as a global equalizer, temporarily aligning diverse populations through a shared desire for victory and collective dreams. Despite this unifying potential, the tournament faces significant challenges, including FIFA’s centralized control over operations, astronomical ticket pricing, and geopolitica...

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Rapid Response: The Guardian’s secret weapon against media’s collapse, with CEO Anna Bateson

06 Jun 2026
30m
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The Guardian sustains its global influence and editorial independence through a unique ownership structure under the Scott Trust, which prioritizes long-term stability over short-term shareholder profit. CEO Anna Bateson emphasizes that this model, combined with a digital-first reader-revenue strategy, allows the organ...

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Rohan Oza: The playbook for building billion-dollar consumer brands

04 Jun 2026
28m
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Rohan Oza, a veteran consumer brand marketer, details his strategy for building iconic products by leveraging influencer partnerships and equity-based incentives. His approach centers on "influencing the influencer," a method famously applied when he brought 50 Cent into Vitaminwater, fundamentally changing how celebri...

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The race no one can win: AI’s anti-human crisis, with Aza Raskin

02 Jun 2026
39m
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AI acceleration is currently driven by competitive incentives that prioritize runaway intelligence over human well-being, creating a high-stakes race toward potentially catastrophic outcomes. Aza Raskin, co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology, warns that the current trajectory—characterized by autonomous AI sys...

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How to get better at money, with Carrie Joy Grimes

28 May 2026
30m
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Personal financial stability relies on balancing mathematical discipline with the emotional realities of money management. Carrie Joy Grimes, founder of the nonprofit WorkMoney, bridges this gap for over nine million members by providing practical resources and collective bargaining power to navigate an increasingly ex...

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Why success destroys the companies we love, with Eric Ries

26 May 2026
48m
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Corporate corruption stems from structural failures in modern business governance rather than just individual ethical lapses. Organizations often succumb to "success traps," where the pursuit of short-term financial gains—driven by shareholder primacy—erodes the long-term trustworthiness that serves as a company's most...

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Pioneers of AI: How fast can you upskill in AI? We did a sprint to find out.

23 May 2026
34m
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Wait What, the production company behind Masters of Scale, recently underwent a three-day "AI sprint" to integrate generative AI into their daily operations. By pausing standard work to experiment with tools like Claude, the team identified three critical strategies for AI adoption: engaging in natural language convers...

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How Coach scaled from a single store into a global icon

21 May 2026
28m
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Scaling a brand requires a strategic blend of "magic"—vision, instinct, and creativity—and "logic," which encompasses data-driven decision-making and systematic operational rigor. Lew Frankfort, former CEO of Coach, transformed the company from a small, $6 million New York handbag maker into a billion-dollar internatio...

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The “invisible army” behind Amazon’s robotaxi revolution

19 May 2026
27m
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Autonomous mobility is shifting from proof-of-concept to a scaling phase, where the focus moves toward integrating purpose-built vehicles into everyday routines. Zoox CEO Aicha Evans highlights that designing vehicles without steering wheels or driver controls prioritizes passenger safety and experience, distinguishing...

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Author David Epstein on why constraints fuel innovation

14 May 2026
30m
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Constraints serve as essential catalysts for innovation and effective decision-making by forcing individuals and organizations to clarify priorities and avoid the pitfalls of indiscriminate resource accumulation. Bestselling author David Epstein explains that while unlimited resources—as seen in the failure of General ...

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Duolingo’s battle for learning in an AI world, with Luis von Ahn

12 May 2026
31m
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Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn navigates the intersection of artificial intelligence and education, emphasizing that long-term success requires prioritizing learner motivation over short-term revenue. Despite a controversial internal memo regarding AI integration, the company remains committed to using technology to enhance...

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Raising Cane’s secret recipe for scaling, with CEO Todd Graves

07 May 2026
35m
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Raising Cane’s founder and co-CEO Todd Graves built a multi-billion-dollar fast-food empire by prioritizing extreme operational simplicity and a culture of appreciation. Rather than diversifying the menu, the business focuses on perfecting a single, craveable product to ensure speed and consistency. Graves rejected the...

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Mellody Hobson: When investors head for the exit, run to the fire

05 May 2026
31m
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Mellody Hobson, co-CEO of Ariel Investments, advocates for viewing market volatility as a strategic opportunity rather than a source of anxiety. By focusing on long-term fundamentals, investors can capitalize on downturns to acquire value at bargain prices. Financial literacy serves as a critical life skill that mitiga...

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The Devil Wears Prada workplace: Toxic or timeless?

02 May 2026
40m
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The Devil Wears Prada serves as a lens for examining the evolution of workplace culture, leadership, and shifting power dynamics within the fashion and media industries over the last two decades. The transition from top-down, fear-based leadership models—exemplified by the film’s iconic "gird your loins" scene—to more ...

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How Poppi’s founders built a new soda brand worth $2 billion

30 Apr 2026
33m
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Building a healthier soda brand requires relentless grit, strategic partnerships, and a willingness to pivot under pressure. Allison and Stephen Ellsworth transformed their kitchen-based apple cider vinegar drink into Poppi, a multi-billion dollar brand, by leveraging the "smart money" of industry experts like Rohan Oz...

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Maria Sharapova’s centre court tricks for the boardroom

28 Apr 2026
28m
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Transitioning from professional tennis to the boardroom requires a shift from physical performance to strategic, long-term decision-making. Five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova highlights how the intense discipline required on the court translates into business, emphasizing that success depends on composure, a...

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Possible: Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings: stories, schools, superpowers

25 Apr 2026
59m
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Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the global landscape, yet its influence remains uneven across different sectors. While AI excels in logical and factual domains like software development and legal research, human-centric fields such as entertainment will remain resilient due to the inherent value of emotion...

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The art of the steal: Serial founder Eric Ryan on finding inspiration

23 Apr 2026
34m
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Serial entrepreneur Eric Ryan, founder of Method and Olly, details his strategy for disrupting stagnant consumer categories by blending high design with sustainability. True innovation stems from "stealing" concepts from unrelated industries—such as applying houseware aesthetics to cleaning products—rather than mimicki...

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A first look at Samsung’s blueprint to win the AI era, with Mauro Porcini

21 Apr 2026
33m
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Mauro Porcini, Samsung’s first Chief Design Officer, outlines a human-centric vision for the future of consumer technology where AI serves as a tool for emotional and physical well-being. Central to this strategy are four pillars—living longer, better, loud, and on—which focus on wearable health tech, productivity-enha...

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Why CEOs need to think more like athletes, with investor Byron Deeter

16 Apr 2026
36m
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Venture investor Byron Deeter shares his transition from operating a cloud software startup to a two-decade career at Bessemer Venture Partners, emphasizing the necessity of backing exceptional teams over attempting to fix struggling ones. The discussion highlights the "anti-portfolio"—a practice of documenting missed ...

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