Outside In with Charles Trevail

The global mental health crisis is one of the greatest societal challenges of our time. Yet, despite the magnitude of the issue, many people lack the resources and support needed to cope with the stress and anxiety of daily life. “Mental health is probably the only condition where you're asked to use the organ that's having trouble to solve the problem,” says Russell Glass, CEO of Headspace Health, who credits his daily meditation practice with transforming his relationship with stress and anxiety. Now, as the CEO of Headspace Health, he’s on a mission to share this life-changing experience with others. Through the immensely popular Headspace mobile app, the company has brought mindfulness meditation to the masses. And, with its virtual mental health platform, Ginger, the company connects individuals with licensed therapists, behavioral coaches, and psychiatrists, providing personalized support, medication management, and evidence-based interventions. Russell joins the podcast to talk about how Headspace Health is breaking down barriers to mental health and wellness care and empowering people to live more balanced, mindful, and fulfilling lives.

Listen to this podcast to learn:

• How the awareness of our own mortality impacts our mental health, exacerbated by the fast pace of modern life and an unending barrage of global crises

• How focusing on prevention, or "brushing our brains,” can strengthen our resilience in the face of stress and anxiety and help us manage life's inevitable challenges

• The cutting-edge artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies behind Headspace Health's personalized mental health and wellness support, and how this tech is used to personalize individual interventions and programs

• The lessons gained from the merger of Headspace and Ginger, and the importance of a strong industrial logic and cultural fit for a successful merger

• Why generative AI and large language models like Chat GPT are not yet accurate or skilled enough to be used independently in mental health care but can still provide valuable support to providers

• Why some user churn can actually be a good thing, and how the success of Headspace is measured not by subscription revenue but by the success of its users

• How meditation and mindfulness practices have helped Russell personally manage his own stress triggers and be a better dad, husband, and CEO

The backbone of a thriving economy lies in the seamless flow of goods. Few industries play a more important role in this process than trucking. With over a million trucking companies in operation and a staggering worth of $800 billion in the US alone, the trucking industry is a vital cog in the economic machine. However, the industry has long been plagued by fragmentation and has been slow to adopt new technologies. Enter Dan Lewis, the visionary co-founder and CEO of Convoy, a digital freight network that is revolutionizing the industry by connecting shippers with trucking companies, optimizing routes, and improving the experience for truckers and shippers. Before Convoy, Dan held product leadership positions at Microsoft, Google, and Amazon. Dan knew there were problems that technology could solve in the trucking industry, but he didn’t know much about truckers. So, he hit the road. He spent countless hours at truck stops and fueling stations to immerse himself in the world of truckers, learn their problems, and get insights into how to make their jobs, and the industry, run better. Dan joins us on the podcast to share how he’s disrupting the status quo in trucking. He delves into the challenges facing the industry and how Convoy’s digital freight network addresses them, from reducing carbon emissions and enhancing the quality of life for truck drivers, to boosting the efficiency and productivity of the economy.

Listen to this episode to learn:

• How Convoy overcame early challenges in the trucking industry by leveraging the widespread availability and affordability of smartphones to connect and streamline communication

• How, with persistent effort and research, Dan was able to find the key value proposition for the early adoption of Convoy’s mobile app among truck drivers

• How to maintain a culture of understanding by being deliberate in bringing customers into the company and constantly evolving around changing their needs and behaviors

• What Jeff Bezos told Dan about creating a company value system, how Convoy embeds values across all aspects of the business, and evolves its values to reflect changes in society, the economy, the environment, and the company itself

• Why cutting “empty miles” is the most effective route to sustainability in the freight industry

• The potential of trucking’s semi-autonomous future, where humans and robots will join forces in “team driving”

• Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs on surrounding yourself with supportive, long-term-minded people

You don’t have to be a die-hard fan of The White Lotus or a jet-setting Instagram influencer to know how profoundly travel shapes who we are. It deepens our understanding of different cultures, people, and ways of life. It exposes us to new experiences and broadens our perspective. Most of all, it helps us discover more about ourselves. But during the pandemic, that was all lost…at least in the short term. Fueled by pent-up wanderlust and the desire to (finally!) explore and connect in person, the travel and hospitality industry has rebounded quickly and is poised for continued growth. Nobody is more optimistic about the future of travel than Anthony Capuano, CEO at Marriott International, the world’s largest and most iconic hospitality company. With nearly 8,200 hotels across 31 brands in 138 countries and territories, Marriott consistently makes “world’s most innovative companies” lists and has played -- and continues to play -- an integral part in travel around the world. Anthony joins the podcast to discuss why he's so optimistic about the long-term future of travel and hospitality. He delves into the recovery trends, as well as the macro trends accelerated by the pandemic, that he's seeing across the Marriott portfolio of brands. Finally, he shares how innovations in customer loyalty, technology, and sustainability initiatives will reshape both the guest and employee experience in the coming years.

Listen to this episode to learn:

•How the blending of business and leisure, along with the desire for experiences, is opening new areas of growth and innovation in hospitality

•What “innovation” means at Marriott (think: a new state-of-the-art Innovation Lab, prototype rooms where real guests stay and provide feedback, tech platforms for employee and guest experiences, and more)

•How Marriott Bonvoy -- one of the largest loyalty programs in the world, with 173M+ members -- maintains and nurtures an emotional relationship with members, rather than a transactional one

•Is it really valuable to have so many brands under one company umbrella? (Yes, as long as you have a distinct, well-articulated brand positioning for each one.)

•The growing importance of sustainability to guests, employees, owners/franchisees, and shareholders -- and the goals Marriott has committed to in order to achieve net zero by 2050

•Why institutional knowledge and a strong culture are invaluable assets for any CEO and can get any company through the most difficult times

•What Italy can teach us about “the nobility of jobs in service”

There’s a growing tension between how people want to work and how companies believe people should be working. Employees have experienced firsthand how they can be more productive by fitting work and life together in flexible ways -- without the daily slog of an office commute. On the other side are business leaders. They see business as a team sport and that when people come together and have strong relationships, they get better work done. Navigating these two truths will be key to building a successful company. Just ask Dan Shapero, Chief Operating Officer at LinkedIn. He oversees LinkedIn’s global sales, operations, and member and customer success, and he helps companies around the world grow their business and strengthen their teams through the LinkedIn platform. Dan joins the podcast to discuss the forces that are reshaping the global workforce and the workplace -- and how both employees and employers are responding as we move into the future of work.

Listen to this episode to learn:

• How creating economic opportunity for everyone is the driving force at LinkedIn (and the secret to its success as a 2022 Best Global Brand)

• Some of the job skills that will be in high demand in the years ahead (hint: think digital!)

• Why the next wave of job seekers will choose to work for companies based on their sustainability goals and how they’re helping to fight the climate crisis

• Ways in which LinkedIn is helping women in the workforce find jobs and advance their careers

• What is “product-society fit,” and is it as important as “product-market fit”?

• Why the one thing every successful leader needs is self-awareness…and how Dan discovered it himself

• How one conversation with former LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner changed Dan’s perspective on his career

• What's supposed to be on LinkedIn? What should I be sharing? -- Dan’s advice for how you should show up on LinkedIn

In 2009, Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs left their jobs as food editors and writers at The New York Times to start a website and company called Food52. They saw how Americans’ relationship with food was changing: food was no longer a niche interest, but a core part of people’s identities that connected them to every aspect of life. The founders saw an opportunity to use technology and the internet to bring people together around food, a site where everyday home cooks could find everything in one place, from recipes to cooking advice to where to find the perfect set of nesting mixing bowls. A decade later, Food52 has been recognized as one of the world’s most innovative companies, with three brands (so far) in its portfolio, a media content arm that reaches millions of loyal users per month, and a multi-million dollar e-commerce business that sells kitchen wares, home goods and decor, furniture, bedding, and more. Amanda Hesser, Co-CEO of Food52, joins the podcast to talk about the company’s natural progression -- not perceived expansion! -- from food into all aspects of the home, and how she and her team have built a brand that’s genuine, soulful, and “for people who see food at the center of a well-lived life.”

Listen to this episode to learn:

• The value of content to build an emotional connection to and loyalty with users; and how building that trust allows Food52’s e-commerce business to move in different directions

• How Food52 has found success in cultivating long-term relationships with its community and continually evolving as its audience (and the world) changes

• The cultural impact of celebrity chefs in the United States and their role in making food more accessible, interesting, and fun to a broader audience

• How Amanda’s background in media and journalism was great training for being a successful founder and entrepreneur

• How Food52 has expanded its product offerings with three brands: its own Five Two kitchen goods brand; Schoolhouse, a lighting and lifestyle goods company; and Dansk, the Scandinavian-inspired heritage cookware brand

• Why Food52’s new office headquarters in the Brooklyn Navy Yard will be an expression of the brand and a place for its community, employees, and partners to gather, create, and connect

Thirty years ago, people knew IBM as the “computer maker.” Today, IBM has evolved its business away from computer hardware, shifting focus on consulting and developing and deploying next-generation technologies like hybrid cloud, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing. Arvind Krishna has been there through the transformation. He joined the company in 1990, at IBM’s Thomas J. Watson Research Center. In 2020, he took over as the company’s Chairman and CEO. Having the perspective of both a technologist and a business leader gives Arvind unique insight into where to take the company next. “We lean a little forward in where the world is going as opposed to where it has been,” he says. Arvind joins the podcast to discuss IBM’s role as a catalyst in deploying advanced technology to solve the world’s most complex challenges and make business -- and the planet -- better.

Listen to this episode to learn:

• How working through Covid was a “large social experiment” that ultimately strengthened IBM and ushered in a remote and hybrid work future

• Garage methodology, client engineering, and client success management -- or, the three ways that IBM works together and co-creates with organizations

• The business opportunity of sustainability and how technology reduces friction, removes waste, lowers costs, and creates a healthier environment

• The case for a more resilient and diversified supply chain

Why IBM does not believe in donating money to politicians or PACs -- but would rather gain access to politicians through doing good in the world

• The three traits every aspiring CEO should have

People have been buzzing about the promise of fully autonomous vehicles for years. But using self-driving cars in our everyday lives was something that we could only imagine existing in the distant future. No longer. Autonomous driving is here, and people are already using it to get to the mall, send their kids to school, or get dropped off at the airport. Waymo, the autonomous vehicle company owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet, has deployed a fleet of autonomously driven cars in cities like Phoenix and San Francisco that anyone can order from the Waymo One app -- just like you would with any ride-hailing service. Tekedra Mawakana, Waymo’s co-CEO, joins the podcast to discuss Waymo’s moonshot mission to solve “the greatest engineering challenge of our generation” and how autonomous driving technology is giving people freedom of movement while making the roads safer for all. She also gives an inside look into how Waymo is rolling out the autonomous service, city by city, using insights from early users to improve the Waymo One experience.

Listen to this episode to learn:

• Lessons from early users who are co-creating new use cases for autonomous vehicles

• How the Waymo Driver technology makes the roads safer by removing human error

• How visually impaired testers have inspired enhancements to the Waymo One app

• The challenge of navigating consumers’ expectations versus the realities of what the technology can do

• How launching Waymo in different types of cities, with vastly different topographies and road conditions, is advancing the learnings of Waymo Driver and enabling it to scale much faster

Eliminating the world’s dependence on fossil fuels might seem like a farfetched goal. But to Francesco Starace, decarbonization is inevitable. As a nuclear scientist and the CEO of Enel, one of Europe’s largest energy companies serving 70+ million customers worldwide, Starace has seen firsthand the accelerated transition towards renewables over the past few years. It’s driven, he says, by digital transformation, innovation, and the economic viability of green energy. Global events, like the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, have only intensified this acceleration. Starace joins the podcast to discuss the future of energy, why “electrifying society” is achievable well before 2050, and the forces changing the way we consume (and produce) energy.

Listen to this episode to learn:

• How the pandemic tested our energy systems by dramatically changing energy consumption overnight, and how grid operators successfully adjusted in real-time

• Why bringing sustainable energy to Africa needs to be centered around metropolitan areas, where most people will live in the future

• The complicated energy dynamic created by the war in Ukraine, and why it will require us to insulate ourselves from gas by whatever means possible

• Why globalization isn’t going away; it’s “mutating”

• The emergence of consumers as energy producers and why they will help fuel energy demand

• Why the future of electrification won’t be possible without customer centricity

CSR. ESG. Purpose. Code of Conduct. There’s an endless succession of acronyms and phrases that companies use to describe what a moral philosopher would call “ethics.” Or, put simply: how individuals and organizations can do right by others. David Rodin is the Founder and Chair of Principia Advisory and is one of the world’s foremost experts on ethics and organizational culture. For years, David says, his clients mostly sought guidance during an acute crisis or when something went wrong inside their company. But recently, companies are proactively seeking the same guidance, realizing that ethics are fundamental to their business, brand promise, and market position. David joins the podcast to discuss why ethics can be a competitive advantage and risk mitigator that informs and underlies business decisions. He also explains why companies are increasingly looking to be part of the solution to a range of societal issues, and why this “generational shift” towards ethics will be a defining aspect of business for decades to come.

Listen to this episode to learn:

• The difference between utilitarianism, deontology, and virtue ethics -- and the three key ethical questions every organization should be asking themselves

• Why, in order to drive ethical change and to build ethical capacity, you need to look at the organization as an organic whole (i.e., look at its “software and hardware”)

• How the war in Ukraine has sparked a fundamental shift in how businesses operate on an ethical level

• Why the language companies use around purpose and values is less important than their orientation around and commitment to ethical values

• Why global organizations need to consider regional differences and define their ethical red lines

• How do we retain the best parts of globalization, but at the same time make it more ethical and values-infused?

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has triggered the largest humanitarian and refugee crisis in Europe since WWII, threatening the global economy and upending decades of relative geopolitical stability. Patricia Cohen, Global Economics Correspondent at The New York Times, believes we’re at a “real turning point” in global affairs and a “time of incredible unpredictability.” She’s been covering this story since the war in Ukraine began from an economic perspective, reporting on how other nations, particularly European nations, are responding to Russian aggression and the impact the crisis is having on their economies. Patricia joins the podcast to discuss how the war in Ukraine has overturned decades of active integration and positive cooperation between advanced industrial democracies and is moving globalization as we know it into a new, more regionalized phase.

Listen to this episode to learn:

• How a Russian economy that only accounts for between 1% to 2% of global GDP still has the ability to disrupt everything from global energy markets, to supply chains, to food security

• Why governments, businesses, and consumers are conflicted over their own self interest and their moral principles when it comes to how far they’re willing to go in response to the war

• Did European nations naively miscalculate their heavy dependence on Russian oil and gas (and is the war -- not climate change -- going to finally accelerate the adoption of renewable energy)?

• Why we should be concerned about the huge debt crisis and food shortage that’s looming among poorer nations

• Where this conflict might be headed and why this crisis might have opened an opportunity for global cooperation

For more information, visit https://www.nytimes.com/by/patricia-cohen