The Next Next Thing

Fuel prices are high, and it makes you wonder why the U.S. is still so dependent on fossil fuels, particularly since the supply chain for those fuels is fragile. The answer? Electrification, which is what most countries are engaged in on a large scale. Host Sam Becker speaks with Hitendra Chaturvedi, a professor at Arizona State University (among many other things) about data centers, EVs, energy policy, and why he thinks that electricity is the new petroleum. Or, the next next fuel!

Hitendra Chaturvedi: https://newsroom.asu.edu/experts/hitendra-chaturvedi

Sam Becker: www.sam-becker.com

The current economy isn't exactly tilted toward labor, but some workers are in a prime position: AI talent. Host Sam Becker speaks with two guests -- Travis Howell, an assistant professor of Management and Entrepreneurship at Arizona State University, and Fauzan Maulana, the co-founder of talent-matching platform CoffeeSpace -- about their research into what AI talent is looking for, and how employers are attracting them. Surprisingly, it's not entirely about the money!

Howell and Maulana's HBR article: https://hbr.org/2026/08/what-does-ai-talent-look-for-in-an-employer

Sam Becker: www.sam-becker.com

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Earth Liberation Front (ELF), a group of environmental extremists, burned down meat-packing plants and ski resorts, and were eventually dubbed "ecoterrorists" before being dismantled by the FBI. Author Matthew Wolfe recently wrote a book about the group, "Fires In the Night: The Earth Liberation Front, The FBI, and a Secret History of Eco-Sabotage," that tells the whole story. Host Sam Becker speaks with Wolfe about the ELF, its legacy, whether they weren't exactly "wrong," and why the federal government cracked down so hard on them, relative to other groups.

Matthew Wolfe: https://matthewwolfe.net/

The book: Bookshop.org

Sam Becker: www.sam-becker.com

Do you know your indigenous history? Or how about the current state of Native America? If not, Joey Clift is here to teach us! Host Sam Becker speaks with his old classmate and Emmy and Peabody-nominated comedian and writer Joey Clift about his new book, "We've Been Here the Whole Time! A Not So Sacred Guide to All Things Native America," as well as how he's built a career in Hollywood as a Native person.

Joey Clift: https://www.joeyclift.com

Joey's book: bookshop.org

Sam Becker: www.sam-becker.com

Big companies often become so big that they can become ineffective. Sure, they make tons of money, but they lose the agility they had when they were smaller and scrappier. Matthew Watkins, the founder and CEO of Tape Trade -- a platform that helps musicians share their work -- left a big-tech job and is now building something simpler, sleeker, and customer-focused. Those types of businesses may be the next big thing. Host Sam Becker discusses Tape Trade, startups, and big tech with Matthew Watkins.

Tape Trade: https://tapetrade.io/

Sam Becker: www.sam-becker.com

Aditi Shrikant writes the Dollar Signs advice column for MarketWatch, where she is also a personal finance reporter. She sees a range of questions: How to handle remote job interviews, how to have uncomfortable money conversations with friends, and more. Aditi joins host Sam Becker to discuss young workers' habits that older people consider disrespectful, the types of questions she loves answering, and more!

Send her questions: [email protected]

Aditi Shrikant on MarketWatch: https://www.marketwatch.com/author/aditi-shrikant

Sam Becker: www.sam-becker.com

If you've ever clicked through the terms of service on a product or service, you've likely agreed to some form of forced arbitration in the event of a legal dispute. Effectively, consumers can barely sue companies anymore, and it's a growing issue. Host Sam Becker speaks with Brendan Ballou, the founder of the Public Integrity Project, a former federal prosecutor, and author of the recent book "When Companies Run the Courts" to learn more.

When Companies Run the Courts: www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/brendan-ballou/when-companies-run-the-courts/9781541705715

The Public Integrity Project: https://publicintegrityproject.org/

Sam Becker: www.sam-becker.com

Will companies going all-in on AI and thinning out their ranks regret it? Will there be a backlash (it seems so!), and will we soon see a large-scale, corporate about-face with companies claiming to be "human-first"? And when corporations line up, literally, behind controversial political figures, do they consider the long-term brand damage being done? Host Sam Becker speaks with Amanda Zantal-Wiener, an expert in branding, content, and strategy, and founder and managing partner of Butcher, Baker, Beatmaker, about it all!

Butcher, Baker, Beatmaker

Amanda Zantal-Wiener's website

Sam Becker's website

Sports betting, gambling, and prediction markets are everywhere. If something is happening in the world, you can probably place a wager on it. You know the apps: DraftKings, FanDuel, Kalshi, Polymarket—and others. These platforms are opening up a whole new stream of revenue and driving profits, but there are costs. Costs to society, to young people, and to those who may be vulnerable to addiction or impulse control issues. In order to learn more, host Sam Becker speaks with Dustin Gouker, a gambling sector analyst, journalist, and consultant, who writes and reports on both gambling and prediction markets.

Dustin Gouker’s The Closing Line newsletter

The Event Horizon newsletter

Sam Becker’s website

"Work" means different things to different people. Some people dread it, other people revel in it. Overall, though, it's a necessity for most of us. But it can feel...pointless, at times. In a more philosophical episode, Sam speaks with Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza, a writer and essayist, about an essay she wrote on this very topic. Emily writes about work, our relationship to it, and also hosts a podcast about work as well.

If you've ever felt like you were wasting your life at your desk, this episode is for you.

Host: Sam Becker

Guest: Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza

Links:

Emily's website

Emily's podcast: How to Be Anything

Emily's Fast Company essay

The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus