Leading In Business Podcast

In this episode, we speak with Lavinia Errico, the visionary founder of Equinox Fitness Clubs and the “Inside/Out” movement. A nationally acclaimed fitness and wellness entrepreneur, Errico offers sage advice on topics ranging from entrepreneurship and leadership to nutrition, self-awareness, and emotional balance. As a sought-after consultant and angel investor in diverse startups, Errico inspires individuals and organizations with her unique, disruptive take on how to create a more powerful, authentic, inspiring, and joyful journey through life.

Press and media outlets are scrutinized as much as the subjects they cover, perhaps now more than ever. With the rise of social media and other forms of mass communication, these organizations are having to rethink the way they operate, and just as importantly, the way they tell the news. We hosted a conversation with Alexandra Villoch, the Miami Herald Media Company’s President and Publisher, to navigate the ins and outs of today’s shifting media landscape. Alexandra touches on such subjects as current perceptions of media, “fake news,” and the evolving industry of journalism

Through the rocket ship rise of Facebook, Chris Hughes — one of the now-fabled roommates of Mark Zuckerberg who helped bring it to life — came to understand how a select few can become ultra-wealthy nearly overnight. In this episode of The IVY Podcast, we hear Chris’ story — from co-founding Facebook to leading Barack Obama’s digital organizing campaign for President — and his thoughts on how the same forces that made Facebook possible have made it harder for everyone else in America to make ends meet. Chris is the author of the new book, Fair Shot: Rethinking Inequality and How We Earn, which tackles how to combat poverty and stabilize America’s middle class based on the idea of a guaranteed basic income.

Today, more than ever, companies like Lyft are striving to become better organizations that reflect the population and communities they are serving. In this episode of The IVY Podcast, we hosted a conversation with Lyft’s Head of Inclusion and Diversity, Tariq Meyers, about how to empower diverse teams that create a culture of belonging. Throughout the conversation, Tariq illuminates just what it means to be truly inclusive, and the role each of us can play in making this happen.

Alli Webb is the founder of Drybar, the popular chain of hair salons specializing exclusively in blowouts — no cuts, no color, just blowouts. Alli started her career in PR, but soon transitioned to training as a hairstylist, sharpening her skills under the late, great celebrity stylist John Sahag. She struggled with her own extremely curly, frizzy hair and was always searching for a great blowout but was often disappointed with the two available options – an overpriced blowout at a traditional salon or a less-than-desirable experience at a discount chain. Hence, Drybar was born — becoming an instant success. In this episode of The IVY Podcast. we'll learn from Alli about how to take a start-up or side gig to the next level, and how connecting with others is the key to winning in the marketplace.

What do Steve Jobs, Marie Curie, Elon Musk, and Albert Einstein have in common? What makes some people so spectacularly innovative, producing triumph after triumph, often in fields in which they have no specialized training? In this episode of The IVY Podcast, we’re going to find out from NYU-Stern School of Business Professor Melissa A. Schilling. Drawing upon original research from her latest work, QUIRKY: The Remarkable Story of the Traits, Foibles, and Genius of Breakthrough Innovators Who Changed the World, Schilling delves deeply into the lives of history’s greatest geniuses to identify the traits and experiences that led them to become serial breakthrough innovators.

After discovering that only two out of the three hundred case studies read by first-year MBA students at Harvard Business School featured black executives, Professor Steven S. Rogers took matters into his own hands. According to The Washington Post, “Rogers decided to write his own case studies, and has so far highlighted many black executives in a wide range of industries.” But more than just case studies, Rogers is transforming Harvard Business School’s curriculum. In this episode of The IVY Podcast, Rogers sheds light on a more complete narrative of entrepreneurship, discussing the legacy of black entrepreneurs and the importance of inclusion in the marketplace.

Chris Ullman, an internationally recognized whistling champion, is the embodiment of work/life balance. Ullman has performed his unique gift for the likes of President George W. Bush, The Tonight Show, thousands of fans at NBA halftime shows, and over 400 people on their birthdays every year. By day, he is Managing Director at The Carlyle Group — an investment firm with $175 billion under management — and board member at The Fund for American Studies. In a live conversation with IVY, Ullman shares how he’s used his simple gift to touch hearts, change lives, and bridge the gap between personal and professional happiness — all while giving tips for how to up your own whistling game along the way.

What causes certain ideas to rise to the top and get funded? IVY hosted a live conversation to find out from Indiegogo Co-Founder Slava Rubin. As the world's first crowdfunding platform, Indiegogo revolutionized the way innovations come to market. Rubin reflects on the lessons he learned along the way and provides advice for entrepreneurs to break through the noise, raise money, and find long-term success for projects of any size.

After his father suddenly passed away from a heart attack, Brett David took over his family business at the age of 19. Now, a decade later — as the CEO of the luxury vehicles dealership Prestige Imports — David has sold over $1B in luxury cars, become an active supporter of charitable organizations, and succeeded in the face of overwhelming obstacles. In a live conversation with IVY, David shares his incredible life story and how he’s built Prestige Imports into the leading Lamborghini dealership in the United States — not by following all of the traditional rules of business, but by breaking them.

Fashion icon and legendary designer Rachel Roy discusses fashion, philanthropy, and how to design the life you wish to live in a live conversation with IVY in Los Angeles. Rachel believes that everybody can take small, actionable steps to incorporate philanthropy into their personal and professional lives, and that entrepreneurs are in a unique position to better society. Roy discusses her path to founding her own brand, and her belief in using our entrepreneurial spirits as a force for good.

Prakash Janakiraman is the Co-Founder and Chief Architect of Nextdoor. Valued at over one-billion dollars, Nextdoor is an innovative and emerging social network that connects users with their neighbors and surrounding neighborhood. In a live conversation with IVY, Prakash tells the story of building Nextdoor from the ground up and touches on the far-reaching impact of social networks and their potential for bringing out the best in humanity — whether it's finding a last-minute babysitter or sharing safety tips with your neighbors.

Linnea Gandhi is a Behavioral Science Practitioner and Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Chicago Booth School of Business. She sheds light on the forces shaping our decisions, suggests some shortcuts, and offers tips on how to design our decisions with wisdom and intent.

Dr. Steven Radelet is a world-renowned economist and global human development expert. He played a central role in shaping U.S. policy under the Clinton and Obama administrations, working as the Chief Economist of the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury. He now serves as the Director of the Global Human Development Program at Georgetown University, studying the ways in which we can accelerate positive global development. In this live conversation with IVY, Dr. Radelet outlines the tremendous progress the world has made towards improving global education, health, rates of poverty, and income — and how we can channel these patterns for a more positive future.

West Side Story, Peter Pan, On the Waterfront, Candide — these are just a selection of the Broadway-shaping scores written by the legendary composer and conductor, Leonard Bernstein. A trailblazing musical force, cultural ambassador, and longtime music director of the New York Philharmonic, Bernstein is credited with bringing American classical music to the world stage. The IVY Podcast hosted Joshua Gersen, the New York Philharmonic’s current Assistant Conductor and former occupant of Bernstein’s chair, to hear an insider’s take on Bernstein’s music and what it’s like conducting the Philharmonic in the year of Bernstein’s centennial celebrations. To attend Bernstein’s centennial celebrations with IVY, please visit IVY.com/events.

Author and former Editor-in-Chief of Seventeen Magazine, Ann Shoket, draws on her editorial and entrepreneurial experience to show us what it takes to earn respect and build a supporting network. Referencing her most recent book, The Big Life, Shoket reveals how we can all achieve our dreams — be that success in the workplace, or making the world a better place for all.

Rachel Botsman is an award-winning author and expert on trust. Recognized as one of the “Most Creative People in Business” by Fast Company and as a “Young Global Leader” by The World Economic Forum, Botsman specializes in how we can navigate trust at a time when fake news, polarizing ideas, and limitless information abound. Botsman joined IVY for a live conversation in Boston, exploring how technology is transforming human relationships, creating a new era of trust, and what this all means for life, work, and how we do business. This episode of The IVY Podcast is presented by Emerge212, New York City’s premier operator of full-service office suites.

These are uncertain times for the arts. With arts programs habitually cut from public school programs and proposed limitations on tax deductions among other challenges, Americans of our generation are having fewer and fewer opportunities to make art an accessible and everyday part of our lives. Along with budget cuts comes threats to abolish the National Endowment of the Arts, a federal agency that has been in existence for 53 years and is full appropriated by Congress, with a budget of 149 million - which serves as an arts stimulus in every congressional district. IVY sat down with Jane Chu, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, who illuminated the foundational role the arts play in shaping a better world. Chairman Chu described the greater social impact afforded by arts and arts education and illuminated the need for their need in all facets of society, from economic and community development to the military.

World-renowned chef Alex Guarnaschelli has run the gamut of culinary endeavors. The daughter of noted cookbook editor Maria Guarnaschelli, Alex grew up around the sights and sounds of food. She went on to study at the esteemed La Varenne Culinary School in Burgundy before launching into a professional career at the Michelin three-star restaurant Guy Savoy in Paris. She has since won Iron Chef America, judged 34 no-holds-barred seasons of Food Network’s Chopped, written two cookbooks, and currently serves as the executive chef at Butter in New York City. In a live conversation with IVY, Alex brought her impressive credentials and characteristic wit to the stage — offering candid insights into the high-stakes world of restaurants and fine dining, as well as her own personal wins and losses along the way.

The United States Constitution, a document written nearly 250 years ago, continues to dictate politics in 2017. According to the political scientist, author, and University of Chicago Professor, William Howell — this is a problem. In his new book, Relic: How Our Constitution Undermines Effective Government—and Why We Need a More Powerful Presidency, Dr. Howell argues that the political institutions we inherited from the Founding Fathers were simply not designed to solve the problems we face today. In a live conversation with IVY, Dr, Howell expands on this argument and explains why it might not be such a bad idea to rewrite the centuries-old Constitution to create a better path forward for 21st-century democracy.