Bold Names – Details, episodes & analysis

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Bold Names

The Wall Street Journal

Technology

Frequency: 1 episode/11d. Total Eps: 297

WSJ’s Bold Names brings you conversations with the leaders of the bold-named companies featured in the pages of The Wall Street Journal. Hosts Tim Higgins and Christopher Mims speak to CEOs and business leaders in interviews that challenge conventional wisdom and take you inside the decisions being made in the C-suite and beyond.

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https://pcm.adswizz.com
336 shares
https://www.wsj.com/news/types/tim-higgins?mod=WSJ_BNPOD
65 shares
https://www.wsj.com/newsletters/technology?mod=WSJ_BNPOD
56 shares

https://open.spotify.com/show/2KICk2MxwEn9csPnvDQt6Q
66 shares

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wsjs-the-future-of-everything/id1234320525
61 shares

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Score global : 48%

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McDonald's CEO on Going Viral, the Big Arch and the Fast-Food Value War

Episode 297

Friday, April 10, 2026 • Duration 25:25

When McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski took a small bite out of a big burger on camera, the internet—and his rivals—pounced. But in an era where CEOs are the face of the brand, is there such a thing as bad publicity? In this episode of Bold Names, WSJ’s Tim Higgins sits down with Kempczinski at McDonald's Chicago headquarters to discuss the fallout of his viral moment. Plus, they dive deep into the fast food giant’s strategy to compete by balancing a premium half-pound burger against the urgent need for meal deals in an economy where many customers are concerned with affordability.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:

Roses, Revenue, and Retention: Hinge’s Strategy for a $1 Billion Year

Southwest’s $1 Billion Pivot: CEO Bob Jordan on Bag Fees And Other Changes

The Five Step “Algorithm” Driving Tesla’s Success

How Athletic Brewing Sells Beer for a Post-Alcohol Generation

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com.

Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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Roses, Revenue, and Retention: Hinge’s Strategy for a $1 Billion Year

Episode 296

Friday, April 3, 2026 • Duration 27:04

For years, dating app Hinge’s slogan has been “Designed to be Deleted” — a bold mission for a company on track to hit $1 billion in annual revenue in the coming years. In this episode of Bold Names, WSJ’s Tim Higgins sits down with Hinge’s new CEO, Jackie Jantos, to discuss the high-stakes evolution of digital romance. How is the company working to remain relevant with Gen Z? Is the rise of AI companions changing real-life dating? And what does the future hold for Hinge’s “Roses”?

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:

The Five Step “Algorithm” Driving Tesla’s Success

Southwest’s $1 Billion Pivot: CEO Bob Jordan on Bag Fees And Other Changes

Can Zillow’s 'Super App' Fix a Broken Housing Market?

‘We Sell Scarcity:’ How Lamborghini Continues to Stay So Cool

How SAP's CEO Is Remaking the European Tech Giant For The Age Of AI

Episode 287

Friday, January 30, 2026 • Duration 24:05

In 2020, SAP CEO Christian Klein decided to shift the 50-year-old German software giant entirely to the cloud. The immediate result? The stock price dropped 20% in a single day. Fast-forward to today: SAP is one of the most valuable companies in Europe. In this episode of Bold Names, Klein joins WSJ’s Tim Higgins to discuss navigating that tumult, the cultural overhaul required to modernize the company, and why Europe needs to focus on applied AI to compete with the U.S. and China.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:

The Boldest Ideas of 2025 — And What’s in Store for 2026

How Corning Is Using Trump’s Tariffs To Its Advantage

Condoleezza Rice on Beating China in the Tech Race: 'Run Hard and Run Fast'

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Chip in the Brain? How Brain-Computer Interfaces Could Change Medicine

Episode 197

Friday, May 3, 2024 • Duration 18:02

A day when people can interact directly with computers using their thoughts could be on the horizon. Several companies, including Elon Musk’s Neuralink, have begun preliminary human trials of brain-computer interfaces - devices that decode the electrical signals in their brain and translate them into digital bits. Neurosurgeon Benjamin Rapoport is a co-founder and chief science officer of Precision Neuroscience, a company working on brain-computer interfaces. He spoke with WSJ’s Danny Lewis about how the technology works and how these implants could improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of people who could gain the ability to independently engage with the digital world.

Correction: Dr. Benjamin Rapoport is the co-founder of Precision Neuroscience. An earlier version misspelled his name Rapaport. (Corrected on May 3)

What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com

Further reading:

Inside the Operating Room: Doctors Test a Revolutionary Brain-Computer Implant

Elon Musk’s Neuralink Wants to Make ‘The Matrix’ a Reality. It Has a Lot to Prove First.

She Didn’t Speak for 18 Years. A Computer Helped Find Her Voice.

Science of Success: How Barnes & Noble Is Redesigning the Bookstore Chain

Episode 196

Friday, April 26, 2024 • Duration 09:35

What does the brick and mortar bookstore of the future look like? For Barnes & Noble, it looks more like the indie bookstores they once threatened to put out of business 20 years ago. The company recently redesigned their national chain of over 500 bookstores, shedding the big box personality in favor of a look reminiscent of local bookshops. On this week’s Science of Success, WSJ columnist Ben Cohen speaks to Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt about the look, feel and idea behind Barnes & Noble’s new indie design.

What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com

Listening on Google Podcasts? Here's our guide for switching to a different podcast player.

Further reading:

That Cool New Bookstore? It’s a Barnes & Noble.

New CEO Wants to Make Barnes & Noble Your Local Bookstore

Barnes & Noble’s New Boss Tries to Save the Chain—and Traditional Bookselling

Designing the Sneaker of the Future

Episode 195

Friday, April 19, 2024 • Duration 16:03

Can technology help us design the perfect running shoe that’s stronger, faster and better for the environment? David Allemann, co-founder of On, thinks technology can get us part of the way there, but it’s not the whole story. The performance running shoe and sportswear company is experimenting with computer simulation and bio-based materials to design sneakers to advance both runners and sustainability goals. WSJ men’s fashion columnist Jacob Gallagher speaks with Allemann about the future of running shoe tech and how sneakers might redefine the design cannon.

What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com

Further reading:

How On’s Running Sneakers Won Over Tech Bros and High Fashion Alike

Where Did All the Crazy Sneakers Go?

This Designer Knows What Sneakers You’ll Be Wearing Next Year

These Grandpa Sneakers Are Made in America. They’re a Hit Overseas.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How 3D Printing Could Drive the Factory of the Future

Episode 194

Friday, April 12, 2024 • Duration 19:32

3D printing isn’t just for hobbyists – it could be central to the future of manufacturing. Companies are turning to this technology to make everything from car and airplane parts to houses faster and cheaper than with traditional techniques. Now, as 3D printing – also known as additive manufacturing – is getting quicker, researchers are testing its limits. WSJ’s Alex Ossola and Danny Lewis take a look at how this tech is building the factory of the future.

What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com

Listening on Google Podcasts? Here's our guide for switching to a different podcast player.

Further reading:

This 3-D Printed Icelandic Fish-Gutting Machine Contains the Secret of a Future, Less-Globalized Economy

Venture Investors Are Pumping Capital Into 3-D Printing Startups. Here’s Why.

Energy Companies Turn to 3-D Printing to Bypass Snarled Supply Chains

Did Tesla’s Cybertruck Break the Mold on EV Pickup Truck Design?

Episode 193

Friday, April 5, 2024 • Duration 14:34

When Tesla started developing the Cybertruck, CEO Elon Musk tasked the company's chief designer with creating a car that "feels like the future." But did it break the mold on what a pickup truck is? And how will it change truck design in the future? WSJ auto columnist Dan Neil test drove the Cybertruck. He spoke with WSJ’s Charlotte Gartenberg about his take on Tesla’s polarizing vehicle, and what it means for the future of EV design.

What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify , or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com

Listening on Google Podcasts? Here's our guide for switching t o a different podcast player.

Further reading:

I Gave Tesla’s Cybertruck a 48-Hour Thrashing. It (Mostly) Survived.

Tesla Hopes the Cybertruck Design Gives It an Edge

Tesla Designer: Cybertruck’s Funky Design Gives It an Edge

How Tesla’s Cybertruck Compares with Other Pickups

Science of Success: How Self-Reporting Made Flying Safer

Episode 192

Friday, March 22, 2024 • Duration 11:25

This year, several high profile incidents have kept flying in the limelight. Yet air travel is currently safer than ever. The biggest U.S. commercial airlines have now gone 15 years without a fatal crash. So, how did hurtling through the sky in a giant metal tube become this safe? WSJ columnist Ben Cohen speaks with former FAA and International Civil Aviation Organization executive William Voss about the voluntary self-reporting programs that made flying the safest form of travel and asks if the airline industry’s safety measures could provide a blueprint for regulation in other fields.

What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com

Listening on Google Podcasts? Here's our guide for switching to a different podcast player.

Further reading:

Flying in America Has Actually Never Been Safer

Boeing Tells Airlines to Check 787 Cockpit Seats After Mishap on Latam Flight

Behind the Alaska Blowout: a Manufacturing Habit Boeing Can’t Break

Why Waymo's Robotaxis Are Hitting the Arizona Freeway

Episode 191

Friday, March 15, 2024 • Duration 13:40

After years of promises that driverless cars were just over the horizon, one of the industry's biggest players is headed for the freeway. Now, for the first time, Alphabet’s Waymo is allowing robotaxis to take its employees on high-speed roads in Phoenix, Arizona without a human driver. The move comes just as the industry is facing a harsh reality after high-profile crashes: GM’s Cruise had its permits to operate driverless robotaxis pulled by the California DMV, and Waymo issued its first-ever recall after two of its cars collided with a pickup truck being towed. WSJ reporter Meghan Bobrowsky discusses what this could mean for the future of self-driving cars and where the industry is heading.

What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com

Further reading:

Self-Driving Cars Enter the Next Frontier: Freeways

Self-Driving Car Company Waymo Issues First-Ever Recall After Two Phoenix Crashes

GM’s Cruise Says U.S. Is Investigating Driverless Car’s Collision With Pedestrian

America’s Most Tech-Forward City Has Doubts About Self-Driving Cars

Bold Names – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

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Shared links between episodes and podcasts

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Bold Names – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

Other99+

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RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Similar podcasts and content

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Other99+

Spotify1

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