On this week’s episode, Jim sits down with Frank Furedi, author, social commentator, and Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the University of Kent. Frank is a free speech absolutist and has been a longtime critic of what he and others call “The Culture Wars.” They discuss Frank’s background, his academic work, and how he formed his worldview.

On this week’s episode, Jim sits down with Jai Das, President and Partner at Sapphire Ventures. They cover Jai’s history as a developer, the Sapphire origin story, and Jai’s current read of the financial landscape. Their conversation explores what sets successful companies apart, and what’s next for Sapphire, including their groundbreaking AI investment initiative. A fascinating conversation you don’t want to miss!

In this illuminating episode of The Puck, Jim sits down with Greg McKeown, the bestselling author of "Essentialism" and "Effortless." McKeown shares his journey from London law student to influential thought leader, revealing his groundbreaking philosophy of achieving more by doing less. Through engaging stories—ranging from Silicon Valley successes to Norwegian polar expeditions—McKeown explains how success often leads to "the undisciplined pursuit of more," and offers practical tools for moving from chaos to clarity. The conversation weaves together practical productivity advice with deeper insights about limitlessness, the power of true listening, and the art of making extraordinary progress without extraordinary strain

Once again, we have the privilege of hosting world-renowned economist Sir Paul Collier. Paul and Jim discuss the vast changes in the world economy since Paul was last on the show in 2022. They cover inflation, geopolitical conflict, and of course Paul’s new book, Left Behind: A New Economics for Neglected Places. Give us a listen and let us know what you think.

Media entrepreneur and Hidden Forces host Demetri Kofinas returns to The Puck to discuss the evolution of technology, security, and social dynamics since last year when he was on. From the siloing of our media ecosystems to the relationship between innovation and regulation, Demetri shares a nuanced perspective on how emerging technologies are reshaping global politics and international conflicts. A fascinating conversation you don’t want to miss!

Jim sits back down with Shomik Dutta, co-founder and managing partner at Overture VC, who is on the cutting edge of climate tech. They catch up and discuss how the VC and climate space has changed in the last 18 months. Don’t miss it!

On this episode, Jim interviews economist Doug Holtz-Eakin, president of the American Action Forum, to explore the current slate of economic issues facing the United States. Drawing from his extensive experience in academia and government, Holtz-Eakin offers his perspective on topics ranging from sustainable economic growth and fiscal policy to past financial crises, monetary policy, housing markets, and potential economic risks. Their conversation provides valuable insights into the complexities of economic policymaking and the massive potential of market-based solutions – a fascinating conversation you don’t want to miss!

On this week’s episode, Jim sits down with Greg Lukianoff, president and CEO of The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, an organization focused on the legal defense of free speech. Greg is the co-author of The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure with Jonathan Haidt. Most recently Greg co-authored The Canceling of the American Mind: Cancel Culture Undermines Trust and Threatens Us All—But There Is a Solution with Rikki Schlott. In 2022, FIRE announced an expansion initiative into off-campus free speech advocacy and legal defense. His conversation with Jim covers the current slate of student protests all around the country. You don’t want to miss it.

On this week’s episode, Jim sits down with non-theist chaplain Devin Sean Moss. Devin has done significant work as a podcast host and producer on the subject of death and dying. Their conversation covers belief, fundamental goodness in the world, and of course, a vast exploration of our collective understanding of death. A deeply moving conversation that you don’t want to miss.

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On this week’s episode, Jim sits down with Stephen M. R. Covey, author, motivational speaker, and all-around expert on the subject of leadership. Their wide-ranging conversation covers his background, how he built his leadership practice, and, of course, his relationship with his father, the late Stephen R Covey, author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. You don’t want to miss it!