Out of Office

The thirteen-year-old boy who started his first business selling iPhone cases from China, is now the thirty-year-old CEO of Codecademy - one of the world's most successful online learning platforms. Zach Sims shares his mixed feelings with success during the Covid-19 pandemic, how he worked too hard during his twenties, and why everyone needs to be part of the coding revolution.

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Sixty years ago, a young woman ventured into the Tanzanian forest and made a groundbreaking discovery: that wild chimps can use tools. It challenged conventional belief that this was uniquely human behavior and thrust Jane Goodall into the spotlight. At 86, Goodall reflects on her lengthy and legendary career as a primatologist and tells us that everything she’s learned about leadership, she’s learned from chimps.

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Adam Neumann had a vision: to make his startup WeWork a wildly successful company that would change the world. He convinced thousands of other people -- customers, employees, investors -- that he could make that dream a reality. And for a while, he did. He was one of the most successful startup founders in the world. But then, in the span of just a few months, everything changed.

Foundering is a new serialized podcast from the journalists at Bloomberg Technology. This season, we’ll tell you the story of WeWork, a company that captured the startup boom of the 2010s and also may be remembered as a spectacular bust that marked the end of an era.

Foundering premieres June 25, 2020. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

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A smart young executive was once told he has no leadership skills. Today, he is a wildly successful business executive known for his grit, humility and serving others first. "We eat last," he says. Strauss Zelnick talks about his journey from making balloon animals at birthday parties to his current role as Chairman and CEO of Take-Two Interactive and founder and Managing Partner of ZMC Media. Dubbed America's fittest CEO, he also shares some secrets from Becoming Ageless, the title of his book.

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A prominent technology leader is a student of history. The son of artists. And an optimist. Mark Foster, the Senior Vice President of IBM Services talks about getting through the pandemic and shares highlights from his prolific career. It’s never linear, he says, it’s about taking the opportunity in front of you.

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The CEO of Yum China on steering the restaurant chain through the pandemic. She kept stores open so customers could get a meal and employees could keep their jobs. Having worked in factories and as a waitress herself, Joey Wat shares her guiding philosophy: do the right thing, even when it’s not the easiest thing.

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The Chairwoman of Booking.com talks about her journey from her first job, picking apples in the Dutch countryside, to her current role at one of the largest ecommerce companies in the world. She shares the value of taking risks, even as she wonders, what can go wrong? Plenty has, as they often do in any career. And that’s ok. Because mistakes are an opportunity to learn.

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An online book selling platform has earned over $1.6 million for its network of indie book stores since the pandemic started, eating into Amazon’s business. The CEO of Bookshop.org Andy Hunter talks about his unique business model, tells us why books saved his life and why he welcomes a David vs Goliath story.

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The 26th Prime Minister of Australia, usually based in New York, is enjoying a few months at home, close to the Queensland farm he grew up on. Now the head of a global think tank, Kevin Rudd reflects on a childhood spent in a rural community, discusses the highs and lows of his political career and reveals how he reduced US President Barack Obama to tears of laughter.

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A young boy who grew up in the middle of corn fields dreamed of belonging to the razzle dazzle world of entertainment. Currently the Chairman of Warner Media Entertainment, Bob Greenblatt is the kingmaker behind some of America’s most successful and wildly popular TV hits. In this episode, Bob talks about his guiding business philosophy, being openly gay, why diversity matters and playing the piano for Dolly Parton. And he plays for us too.

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