As return-to-office policies reignite the perennial debate over work-life balance, a cultural shift is underway. Neha Ruch, founder of Mother Untitled and author of The Power Pause, is leading the charge to redefine the role – and perception – of working parents. In this episode of Rapid Response, she explores how career pauses can drive personal growth, expand networks, and unlock better long-term career outcomes. As support systems for parents become increasingly strained, Neha sparks an essential dialogue about our well-being, self-fulfillment, and the evolving definition of success.

Find The Power Pause: How to Plan a Career Break After Kids--and Come Back Stronger Than Ever here: https://www.motheruntitled.com/thepowerpause

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In anticipation of Monday’s presidential inauguration, businesses around the world are crafting their response and gearing up for four years of change. Barby Siegel, CEO of global communications agency Zeno Group, joins Rapid Response to explore how leaders should assess what issues are right for their business to speak out on, and how the new administration impacts the already evolving state of DEI, a polarized workforce, and more. While many executives feel intimidated by the increased societal pressure on businesses, Barby encourages listeners to instead embrace this new era as a hidden opportunity. 

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Donate to Baby2Baby: https://baby2baby.org/

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Wildfires have forced more than 100,000 people to evacuate their homes in the Los Angeles area, and killed at least 24 people. In what will likely be the most costly disaster in U.S. history, thousands of homes and businesses have been lost. In a special edition of Rapid Response, host Bob Safian and show producers share on-the-ground perspectives from entrepreneurs who have been directly impacted.

A couple who ran a small bakery in Altadena, Pain Beurre, share the story of losing their business and home to the flames. The restaurant chain HomeState describes how it’s engaging team members in food relief, and pivoting a closed location to distribute aid. And the LA project manager for World Central Kitchen (chef José Andrés' global organization) details how its global/local playbook is taking shape amid these fires.

If you'd like to support any of the organizations featured, please follow the links below:

Pain Beurre: A Micro Bakery

HomeState

World Central Kitchen

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In recent months, the fashion industry has seen unprecedented price hikes, CEO turnovers, sustainability back-peddling, and more — culminating in what The Business of Fashion’s Imran Amed is calling, a ‘full-blown luxury crisis’. Amed joins Rapid Response to take us inside the industry chaos, and share his insights and predictions for the year ahead. Plus, he shares how the savviest brands today are finally cracking into the Indian market, finding a competitive advantage with AI, and taking inspiration from Oscar-winner Michelle Yeoh.

Visit the Rapid Response website here: https://www.rapidresponseshow.com/

Donate to Baby2Baby: https://baby2baby.org/

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Entering 2025, AI is poised to continue disrupting, redefining and supercharging the business world. AI expert and Pioneers of AI host, Rana El Kaliouby, joins Rapid Response to share five bold AI predictions for the year ahead – from technological advancements to societal impact to investing. Whether you’re looking for AI to further enhance your work, portfolio, or personal productivity, Rana’s insights are the ideal primer for harnessing all the opportunity and potential at your disposal this year.

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Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/

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A new year is the perfect time to rethink work goals, habits, and systems. Dan Heath’s new book Reset is focused on simple yet profoundly transformative ways to do just that. The co-author of bestsellers like Made to Stick and Switch, Dan shares hidden "leverage points” and other practical strategies to help us escape subpar routines and focus on what truly matters. Whether you’re reexamining your work, your team, or your personal resolutions, this episode will change the way you approach 2025.

Dan’s book Reset is available for pre-sales here: https://danheath.com

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In this special holiday replay, we share another standout conversation from 2024 featuring Impossible Foods’ Peter McGuinness. This year, sustainability initiatives rolled back across industries and meat alternatives struggled more than ever before on sales. McGuinness tells host Bob Safian where plant-based brands made big missteps, and why the industry’s marketing should evolve – potentially away from climate change messaging. McGuinness also shares how Impossible leverages retail partners like Starbucks and Burger King, lessons he learned from scaling oat milk for Chobani, and why Impossible see’s other plant-based players less as competitors and more as collaborative “frenemies.” 

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In this special holiday replay, we share a standout conversation of 2024 featuring ex-CEO of Barstool and current head of Food52, Erika Ayers Badan. She shares with Rapid Response why she made a dramatic career pivot — taking over Food52 — and why running Barstool was like “a heart attack every day.” She also explores lessons around cultivating a community of fans, and why, as a leader, “no” is often a better answer than “yes.”

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This has been a defining year for Big Tech and media. Nick Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic, joins Rapid Response host Bob Safian to explore the dominance of companies like NVIDIA and Apple, the personalities shaping tech — from Sam Altman to Elon Musk — and the shifting landscape of AI and innovation. Nick also shares what it’s like to lead The Atlantic during a time of heightened media disruption and skepticism.

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We’ve rounded up the most definitive business lessons of 2024, as heard on Rapid Response. Drawn from standout guests like will.i.am, Airbnb’s Brian Chesky, Salesforce’s Marc Benioff, and more, these moments not only offer takeaways from tech to entertainment, they provide a roadmap for challenges ahead in 2025. Our curated collection of insights in leadership and creative problem-solving is drawn from a half-dozen of our favorite conversations, with lasting lessons to navigate uncertainty and drive success. 

Watch the interviews featured in today's episode:

Will.i.am: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7XBPgrfiDo

Dara Treseder: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bazq03QNkQ

Janice Min: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwK3FkAufU8

Marc Benioff: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CgjKMRMURc

Joanna Strober: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXEHeCPuBI8

Brian Chesky: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvhh4U2_EFE

Visit the Rapid Response website here: https://www.rapidresponseshow.com/

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