No event in modern history has driven so much change, so fast, as the coronavirus pandemic. In a world beset by the challenges presented by COVID-19, can we look into the minds of entrepreneurs to discover how businesses and individuals might start to rebuild? University of Virginia Darden School of Business Professor Saras Sarasvathy, a world-renowned thought leader in the field of entrepreneurship, discusses the logic of thinking used by expert entrepreneurs with the Batten Institute’s Sean Carr to uncover how the entrepreneurial approach can help us all through the challenges presented by the pandemic.

In the wake of the killing of George Floyd and national protests for racial justice, businesses and leaders are working to embrace a defining moment for racial equality. University of Virginia Darden School of Business Professor Laura Morgan Roberts joins the Batten Institute’s Sean Carr to discuss the movement for racial justice and what leaders can learn and do to be allies to the Black community in business and society.  

Panic-buying toilet paper. Baking bonanzas. Home hair-dye kits. The coronavirus pandemic is changing our routines, our social interactions and our relationships with companies and brands. University of Virginia Darden School of Business Professor Lalin Anik joins the Batten Institute’s Sean Carr to explore the evolution of consumer behavior in response to COVID-19, how brands are reacting, and what the future may hold as people look to them for trust and meaning amidst the uncertainty.

Businesses large and small are in a fight for survival as the coronavirus pandemic brings economic activity to a near complete standstill. Professor Greg Fairchild joins the Batten Institute’s Sean Carr to provide insights on what small businesses can do to survive months of lost revenues amid mounting costs and what they can do now to thrive in whatever the “new normal” for commerce might be when the immediate crisis ends.

The coronavirus pandemic is a crisis of unprecedented scale and scope. In response, the world looks to its leaders for clarity, direction, and the reassurance that their actions will mitigate — not exacerbate — the pandemic’s dire humanitarian and economic consequences. While no U.S. president has faced a challenge quite like the current one, what do past commanders-in-chief have to teach us about leading through a crisis? University of Virginia Darden School of Business Professor Bob Bruner shares findings from his examination of the leadership styles of past U.S. presidents that could inform the current moment for leaders at all levels as we navigate the difficult path ahead.

Americans cherish the idea of the truly self-made man or woman. So why does an elite pedigree often win the day when it comes to hiring for the top jobs? What prevents managers from rewarding those who make the leap from one social class to another, and more importantly, what are we missing when we favor the well born? Professor Sean Martin, an expert in social class and leadership, discusses why the lack of opportunities for social class transitioners means businesses are missing opportunities to hire employees with incredibly valuable skills for the workplace.

Business has the tools to solve the global climate crisis, but will business leaders have the will to drive the changes necessary to avoid the worst consequences of climate change? Professor Mike Lenox argues that disruptive new technologies can redirect global society’s unsustainable path, but radical innovation will rock the boat of many local communities and today’s top businesses.

Jeff Bezos, Tim Cook, Warren Buffett — you know the names. But how did they come to helm the world’s largest companies? And is there anything we can learn from their stories that might suggest lessons about how they made it to the top? Professor Kimberly Whitler looked into the education and career choices of every Fortune 100 CEO and made some surprising discoveries.

Not so long ago, CEOs were not the public face of their companies. But in the age of always-on media and the rise of superstar chief executives, CEOs must constantly give voice to the organizations they lead. Professor June West and Steve Soltis share what it takes for a CEO to succeed as a communicator.