In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, speaks with Steve Mandell, founder of party goods retail giant Party City. 

With recent headlines about Party City’s bankruptcy after nearly 40 years in business, they discuss Steve’s journey to founding the company, including the passion, hard work, and attention to detail that established Party City as a powerhouse. They discuss the future of retail, as online shopping continues to dominate over brick-and-mortar stores, and the impact of US tariffs remains to be seen. 

 Key Takeaways: (Add description and time codes)

00:00 Meet Steve Mandell: Party City Founder & Serial Entrepreneur

00:55 The Birth of Party City: One Store and a Simple Dream

02:59 From Brooklyn Street Corner to Retail Empire: Steve's Entrepreneurial Roots 

04:09 Retail is Detail: The Obsession That Built an Empire

06:10 Listening to the Customer: The Secret to Party City's Evolution

08:30 The Revolutionary Picture Wall That Experts Called 'Crazy'

11:31 Accidental Franchising: The Surprise Visitor That Changed Everything

13:14 Three Times the Expected Sales: The First Day That Proved the Concept

15:40 The Entrepreneur's Mindset: 'What Are We Going to Do for an Encore?'

19:56 The Vendor Connection: Creating a Retail Category Together

21:17 Culture Through Mentorship: The Sam and Joe Story

23:55 The Secret Hiring Formula: Three Traits of Exceptional Performers

28:11 Culture of Caring: The Human Touch Behind Business Success

30:16 When Success Turns to Crisis: The Audit That Changed Everything

34:29 'Don't Run the Business for Wall Street': The Advice That Guided Party City 

35:14 The Model That Couldn't Be Killed: Party City's Lasting Legacy

38:19 Reinvention: From Party Stores to Online Costume Empire

41:54 Hurricane Sandy and the Warehouse Under Water: When Nature Forces Change 

43:20 The Entrepreneur's Idea Inventory: How Opportunities Take Shape

45:05 The Cookie Wall: Bringing Retail Innovation to E-Commerce

48:59 Solving the Hard Problems: Why Difficult Industries Create Opportunities 

51:03 'I Don't Like It, I LOVE It': Passion as the Ultimate Driver

51:58 No Free Rides: Advice for Young Entrepreneurs

56:13 The Mandell Formula for Success: Luck, Luck, and Getting Off the Couch 

57:38 Incrediblecookies.com: The Next Chapter of Retail Innovation

Thought Sparks are the brainchild of Rita McGrath. They are insightful actions, strategic ideas, actionable suggestions and innovative approaches that help organizations and leaders master the future with less fear and more confidence. 

New episodes of the Thought Sparks Podcast are released every other Tuesday at 11am Eastern. 

Want to learn more about Rita’s ideas and hear more of her conversations with business leaders and innovators? 

• Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts  and Spotify.

• Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube

• Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky.

• Connect with Rita on TikTok

• Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. 

• Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com

When should you stay the course in life, and when should you shift with changing tides? This week, we bring you case studies from the world of business to explore the science of inflection points — changes that dramatically transform the course of events. Researcher Rita McGrath of Columbia University explains why we fail to see impending moments of upheaval, and what we can do to be more adept at spotting them.

What you’ll learn from this week’s episode:

• The definition of an inflection point, and how to identify it in your own professional or personal life.
• The four stages of inflection points, and how to take advantage of them.
• The warning signs that an inflection point might be passing you by.  




Originally published by Hidden Brain https://hiddenbrain.org/podcast/when-to-pivot/

In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, speaks with Terence Mauri, founder of the AI-trends think tank Hack Future Lab, and a MIT Entrepreneur Mentor. Their conversation covers everything from the meteoric rise of AI tools like Deep Seek, how we should consider tackling today’s climate crises, and how bureaucracy can help or hinder innovation. 

00:00 Meet Terence Mauri: Author of "The Upside of Disruption" & Thought Leader on Thriving in Uncertainty

00:50 "The Day a Car Hit Me Changed Everything" – Terence's Life-Altering Moment & Profound Awakening

03:06 "Artificial Idiocy vs. Human Truth" – Esther Perel's Warning & The Three Pillars for Ethical AI

05:26 The $11 Trillion Threat: How Modern Cyber Crime Challenges Trust in the Digital Age

06:16 "The Shadow Boss" – Why Great Leadership Means Less Managing & More Leading

08:55 The DARE Framework Decoded: Four Mindset Shifts to Thrive in a Post-AI World

11:36 The Agility Paradox: Why 77% of Leaders Claim Agility But Can't Actually Achieve It

13:52 Light Speed Behaviors: Pfizer's Revolutionary Approach to Crushing Bureaucracy

14:43 "Marie Kondo Your Organization" – Two Powerful Examples of Fighting Complexity with Simplicity

17:50 The DeepSeek Advantage: How Constraints Sparked 100x Innovation Under China's Chip Ban

19:36 "Questions Are the Answer" – How Hack Future Lab Reframes Disruption as an Invitation to Reinvent

23:00 Hope Machines: The Progress Network & MIT Solve's Approach to Global Challenges

25:56 Climate Action Blueprint: What the Ozone Layer Success Story Teaches Us About Tackling Today's Crises

31:30 AI as Customer Ally: Inside OpenAI's Partnership with T-Mobile & John Deere's 190-Year Innovation Journey

35:19 The Strategic Question Trifecta: What's Enduring, Evolving, and Eroding in Your Business?

36:34 Beyond Fear: Why the Regret of Inaction Outweighs the Regret of Bold Action

41:16 Auto-Sapient Trust: The Fourth Wave of Trust & Your Future Personal AI Confidant

46:14 From Hierarchies to Marketplaces: The Three D's Reshaping Value Creation

49:56 The Dematerialization Revolution: Why Psychological Value Is Replacing Physical Products

51:56 The Potato Washing Machine: How Permissionless Organizations Turned a Problem into $1 Billion

53:55 The Four Waves of AI: From Perception to Physical – What's Coming Next Will Transform Everything

55:19 The Unexpected Discovery: What Surprised Terence Most Since Writing His Book

56:05 The 80/20 Bee Principle: Nature's Perfect Model for Balancing Execution and Exploration

57:31 Final Thoughts & Where to Find More from Terence Mauri

Thought Sparks are the brainchild of Rita McGrath. They are insightful actions, strategic ideas, actionable suggestions and innovative approaches that help organizations and leaders master the future with less fear and more confidence. 

New episodes of the Thought Sparks Podcast are released every other Tuesday at 11am Eastern. 

Want to learn more about Rita’s ideas and hear more of her conversations with business leaders and innovators? 

• Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts  and Spotify.

• Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube

• Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky.

• Connect with Rita on TikTok

• Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. 

• Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com

In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, speaks with Stephan Meier, a Columbia Business School Professor and expert on behavioral strategist. His recent book, “The Employee Advantage”, explains how companies that put their employees first are more profitable, innovative, and appealing to top talent, and how customer-centric tools can be repurposed to support employees. 

00:00 Welcome to Thought Sparks: The Employee Advantage Unveiled

01:38 What Really Sparked 'The Employee Advantage'? Stephan's Pandemic Revelation

04:08 The ROI of Putting People First: Why Employee-Centric Companies Outperform

08:05 United's Turnaround Secret: How Oscar Munoz Revolutionized a Struggling Airline

09:26 Beyond Cost Centers: Zeynep Ton's Groundbreaking Research on Employee Value

10:28 The Science of Motivation: What Truly Engages People Beyond Compensation

13:00 The Reading Rebellion: How Stephan's Son Revealed a Universal Truth About Motivation

17:06 Netflix for Work Tasks? How AI Matchmaking Creates Perfect Employee Challenges

21:08 Permissionless Organizations: Why Hierarchy Is Becoming Obsolete

23:04 The Great Economic Transformation: From Mass Production to Information Ecosystems

25:04 Movie Crew Capitalism: Why Small Teams Are the New Organizational Building Blocks

28:32 The Career Zigzag Advantage: Why Linear Paths Lead to Dead Ends

33:27 The NASA Janitor Test: Does Everyone in Your Company Know Their True Purpose?

39:47 AI as the Great Democratizer: Augmenting Human Potential Instead of Replacing It

49:15 The Co-Leader Revolution: How AI Creates Superior Leadership Conversations

52:37 What Sports Teams Know That Businesses Don't: AI's Coaching Superpowers

57:05 Tom Friedman's Olympic Athlete Paradox: Training for Unknown Future Skills

59:52 Beyond Theory: Implementing the Employee Advantage in Your Organization

Thought Sparks are the brainchild of Rita McGrath. They are insightful actions, strategic ideas, actionable suggestions and innovative approaches that help organizations and leaders master the future with less fear and more confidence. 

New episodes of the Thought Sparks Podcast are released every other Tuesday at 11am Eastern. 

Want to learn more about Rita’s ideas and hear more of her conversations with business leaders and innovators? 

• Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts  and Spotify.

• Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube

• Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky.

• Connect with Rita on TikTok

• Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. 

• Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com

In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, speaks with Anupam Jena, the host of the Freakonomics MD Podcast. Anupam is here to talk about his recent book “Random Acts of Medicine”, which shows how unexpected—but predictable—events profoundly affect our health. What are the hidden forces that sway doctors, impact patients and shape our health? He’s here to explain and help us understand what to do about it.

00:00 Welcome to Thought Sparks with Rita McGrath & Dr. Anupam "Bapu" Jena

00:56 "Random Acts of Medicine" - The Surprising Reception to Bapu's Groundbreaking Book

01:40 The Paradox: Why Do Patients Do Better When Cardiologists Leave Town?

04:17 London Cabbies, Brain Development & Alzheimer's: The Stunning Connection

08:50 The 5-Minute Fix: Why Sports Teams Warm Up But Surgeons Don't (And What Happens When They Do)

13:37 Trust vs. Errors: The Counterintuitive Research That Changed Everything

17:00 "The Machine Saw That": How AI Could Transform Professional Feedback in Medicine & Beyond

21:12 America's Healthcare Paradox: Why Spending 20% of Our Income Doesn't Make Us Healthier

32:45 "Flooding the System with Humans": How AI Could Democratize Healthcare Access

36:28 The 16-Minute Visit: Does Anyone Have Time for Healing?

37:53 Your Zip Code Shouldn't Determine Your Health: The Geography of Medical Inequality

43:02 From Research to Reality: The Rocky Path from Healthcare Insights to Actual Policy

46:31 When Science Meets Values: The Hidden Battle Behind Health Policy Debates

53:10 New Zealand's Hard Choice: A Global Lesson in Healthcare Trade-offs

54:41 The Orphaned Cures: Why Some Life-Saving Treatments Never Make it to Market

57:46 Unintended Consequences: How the Inflation Reduction Act Is Reshaping Medicine's Future

59:34 The Unsung Heroes: Why We Thank Doctors But Not the Innovations That Save Us------------------------Thought Sparks are the brainchild of Rita McGrath. They are insightful actions, strategic ideas, actionable suggestions and innovative approaches that help organizations and leaders master the future with less fear and more confidence. New episodes of the Thought Sparks Podcast are released every other Tuesday at 11am Eastern. Want to learn more about Rita’s ideas and hear more of her conversations with business leaders and innovators? Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTubeFollow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky.Connect with Rita on TikTokSign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com

In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, speaks with Dean Carignan and JoAnn Garbin about their new book The Insider's Guide to Innovation at Microsoft. Together, the three innovation experts discuss the strategies and models that enabled Microsoft to continuously innovate for 50 years, and how other leaders and organizations can apply these strategic lessons. Key Takeaways:✅ The Power of Reinvention – How Microsoft has navigated four major technological shifts, including AI.✅ Culture of Risk & Learning – Why embracing failure fuels innovation rather than stifling it.✅ From Competition to Collaboration – How Satya Nadella’s leadership transformed Microsoft’s work culture.✅ The Hackathon Effect – How company-wide experimentation has driven groundbreaking ideas.✅ Human-Centered AI – How Microsoft approaches responsible AI development.🔗 Order now: https://www.innovationatmicrosoft.com/home#buynow

00:00 Welcome Intro

01:17 Dean Intro

02:08 JoAnn Intro

03:23 Brief Book Intro & Proceeds to STEAM

05:35 Microsoft’s “Secret Sauce” for Innovation

09:45 Boundary Crossers for Innovation @ Microsoft

11:23 How to Grow a Business — Innovate with Everyone & Over the Years

15:26 Failure and Not Working Out in Innovation

19:29 “Failure to Launch” — Trying New Things

20:54 Agility & Learning from Failure (Mobile Example)

23:03 Hackathons & Rita’s “Brand Takeover” — Expanding Your Thinking

27:32 Design Principles — What Good Looks Like

31:10 Overshooting What Customers Want — No New Features!

34:01 Satya Nadella Transition

38:10 Responsible AI & Human-Centered AI

45:55 Startups & Where the Money Flows

51:23 Is Software Going Away? Agentic AI

54:26 “Fifth Industrial Revolution”

58:06 Hyper-Localization & Technology Reaching Out to U -------------------Thought Sparks, the brainchild of Rita McGrath, are insightful actions, strategic ideas, actionable suggestions and innovative approaches that help organizations and leaders master the future with less fear and more confidence. New episodes of the Thought Sparks Podcast are released every other Tuesday at 11am Eastern. Want to learn more about Rita’s ideas and hear more of her conversations with business leaders and innovators? Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTubeFollow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky.Connect with Rita on TikTokSign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com

Join me in this chat with Matt Beane as we dive into one of today’s biggest workforce challenges: upskilling at scale. 📈 In a rapidly evolving world, the skills our teams need are constantly changing, and leaders everywhere are asking: How do we equip people to adapt and thrive?

Matt, author of “The Skill Code: How to Save Human Ability in an Age of Intelligent Machines, a groundbreaking book on skill-based work, will share insights into skill transfer and workplace transformation—vital topics for any executive navigating today’s fast-paced environment. Don’t miss this chance to explore the future of work and practical strategies for upskilling. 🔥

Follow my social channels to hear the full discussion on Friday, December 13 at 11 am EST!

Sitting down with Susannah Fox, former Chief Information Officer at Health and Human Services and author of “Rebel Health.” Susannah is a true innovator in healthcare, and her work on “Rebel Health” explores how patients, caregivers, and survivors are using digital platforms to unite, advocate, and change the system from within. 💡

From inspiring stories of grassroots health movements to practical insights on shaping healthcare from the ground up, this chat is one you won’t want to miss.

Follow me on my social channels to get notified when we start our live discussion.

Rita McGrath joins KFNN

H.R. McMaster's new book "At War with Ourselves: My Tour of Duty in the Trump White House" is an incisive account of his time as National Security Advisor during Trump's presidency. Be sure to tune in this Friday at 11:15 am EST to ask questions, and hear firsthand about the political experience of a lifetime.