Reality TV stars are freezing their eggs on camera. Lawmakers in DC are debating federal protection for IVF. Hundreds of millions of dollars are being invested in slick startups that market fertility treatments for all. But this rapid growth has revealed cracks in the system. Misconception, a new series from Bloomberg’s Prognosis, follows reporter Kristen V. Brown on her own intimate journey as she uncovers the business of fertility. Along the way, she finds a fractured industry — a profit-driven field of medicine that thrives on dueling messages of hope and fear as people gamble everything for a chance at a baby.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sandro Pierri had no clue what mutual funds were when he first ventured into the world of finance. Today, the boy who grew up in a small Italian village sits at the helm of BNP Paribas Asset Management, overseeing half a trillion euros. He credits people always taking a bet on him early on in his career, and he wants to pay it forward. In this episode, Pierri reflects on his career, lessons from his mistakes, and what he really thinks of the ESG “gold rush.”

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dropbox is best-known for its service that lets consumers easily sync files between computers. At least, that's how began 15 years ago. Today, it's a publicly-traded company worth more than $8 billion at the time of recording, with consumers and enterprise clients paying for cloud-storage in quantities that makes it one of the biggest competitors to Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Apple's iCloud, Box, and many more besides. Its CEO Drew Houston learned many lessons over that decade-and-a-half, some from his parents, many from the Covid-19 pandemic, and at least one from the late Steve Jobs. How has that informed where he's taking the company next?

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Marc Lore founded two e-commerce startups and sold them for $550 million and $3.3 billion before spending the last five years running Walmart’s online business. Since announcing his departure from Walmart in January, Lore has been on a tear: He bought a stake in an NBA basketball team, launched an upscale food delivery business, and started a venture capital firm that’s invested in everything from a nuclear fusion energy startup to a new “stock market” for professional athletes. But all that pales compared to his passion project: A five-million-person, from-the-ground-up city called Telosa that can serve both as a showcase for new technologies and a new form of private-public governance. Can he make all of it work?   

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Catherine Powell draws on her tenure at Disney - and now Airbnb - to explain how vulnerability translates into courage. The head of hosting at the rental giant talks candidly about how that's shaped the way she leads and the gift of a high-powered girlfriends club. And she shares her fun fact: she’s given birth in 3 different languages.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jim Rogers grew up poor in a town so small that his phone number consisted of one digit: 5. He was desperate to see the world. He gave himself a deadline: he would make a million by the age of 35. He did it at 37 and then went on to visit more than a hundred countries. The veteran investor shares his life story, discusses the experiences that shaped him, and explains why he’s sticking to his investment advice: if you want to be successful, be boring.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“You are not aggressive enough.” That’s the feedback banker Lavanya Chari was given early in her career. Over the years, she learned that being empathetic does not mean being weak. And if you lead with empathy, you can still crush it at work. HSBC’s Global Head of Investments and Wealth Solutions opens up about learning to bring her whole self to work. Unapologetically so. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Patrick Spence joined Research in Motion, few people had heard of the company. That was before it became a global sensation as the maker of BlackBerry. Remember the BlackBerry? Well, the device faded away but working at RIM had a profound impact on Spence, who then went on to join yet another unknown company called Sonos. Today, he’s the CEO of the well-known audio brand and Spence talks about the lessons learned at RIM, about innovation and disruption, taking on tech giants – and reveals what’s on his playlist. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A legend in the tech industry, the former CISCO CEO reveals why a chat with a young girl at a work function turned out to be a pivotal moment in his professional and personal life. In this candid and informal chat, John talks about disruption, dyslexia and why he’s always motivated to do the right thing. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jim Weber has been the chief executive of Brooks Running since 2001. In his newly released book, “Running With Purpose,” Weber talks about how he turned a company that was on the brink of bankruptcy into a billion-dollar consumer brand.

On this episode of Out of Office, Weber talks business, leadership, and how his battle with cancer—which left him unable to run—has shaped his personal story. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From bread-baking to DIY home renovation, many people started new activities during the pandemic. Kağan Sümer started a new company. Over the last two years, his rapid food delivery startup Gorillas blew up to become one of the best funded businesses in an industry that didn’t exist before 2020. We get a fascinating look at the story behind Europe’s fastest unicorn - and the future of the rapid delivery business. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The pandemic has been rough on everyone, but women in particular have suffered as they try to juggle Zoom calls with their endless responsibilities at home. More than two million American women have left the labor force, and many struggle to return due to difficulties finding care for children or elderly parents. And it’s not just working moms: Younger women are also leaving employers who fail to provide flexibility, meaningful work and opportunities for advancement. Right now honest, real-world career advice is in short supply, and that’s where Cate Luzio comes in. Her professional growth network, Luminary, provides women in more than 30 countries an opportunity to grow, learn and meet others.      

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A legend in the tech industry, the former CISCO CEO reveals why a chat with a young girl at a work function turned out to be a pivotal moment in his professional and personal life. In this candid and informal chat, John talks about disruption, dyslexia and why he’s always motivated to do the right thing. 

Today's episode is a replay from June 9, 2022.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The CEO of Visa often talks about the 3 C’s of leadership: courage, curiosity and communication. He talks about the myriad influences that have shaped him over the years – being the eldest of seven children, leading a church choir (unexpectedly), running technology for the Reagan administration and being driven by faith. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The CEO of British fintech company, Atom Bank, Mark Mullen moved his company to a four-day work week last year. Employees work fewer hours, for the same pay. It’s a bold move but, according to Mullen, it’s common sense. His costs haven’t changed, he hasn’t lost any customers and he says his staff is more productive. Plus, at the end of one’s career, who regrets not having spent more time at work?

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The pandemic-induced carnage that swept through live entertainment didn’t spare one of the most recognizable names in the industry. Cirque du Soleil’s revenues went from millions to zero in two days as lockdowns forced the company to cancel shows. Its executive vice-chair, Daniel Lamarre describes how they got through this difficult time, what years of working in entertainment have taught him about creativity and trust, why it’s a good idea to lock creative people in a room – and he tells us what working in the circus has taught him about leadership.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Best Buy announced that it hired Hubert Joly to turn around the struggling consumer electronics retailer in 2012, the stock tanked as investors questioned why the company would hire a Frenchman with no experience in big-box retailing. But Joly proved to be up to the turnaround task, winning over employees, customers and shareholders with a strategy that fended off competition from Amazon and pushed Best Buy into new areas like healthcare. Now, he’s teaching the next generation of corporate leaders how to put people at the center of their business, and radically rethink how we view work.  

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Told she was too nice to be a successful leader, Barbara Humpton reflects on her trailblazing journey to the top job of a global tech giant. She’s carved her own unique path. In this episode, she tells us how growing up in a family of lively rule breakers, passionate problem solvers — and nice people — defines her.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The CEO of Pfizer recalls the moment he realized Pfizer had the first Covid vaccine — it was emotional. Albert Bourla believes nothing is impossible if you have faith, believe and try... an optimistic view shaped by his family’s experience of surviving the Holocaust. Bourla opens up about his parents, becoming a household name, his life as a veterinarian, and his journey from academia to the corporate world. This conversation was recorded in October 2021.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Hyams did not have the typical journey to the c-suite. Over the years, he aspired to be an architect, a professional musician, and a software engineer. But it was the time he spent teaching kids with emotional challenges that shaped his approach to leading a large company like the job site Indeed, where he’s been CEO since April 2019. His management style, steeped in empathy, has not only helped him tackle the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic, but also gives him unique insights into what jobseekers want right now.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Academy and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Eva Orner's latest documentary, Burning, takes an unflinching look at the devastating wildfires that ravaged parts of her home country, Australia. Now Orner wants audiences to do something to tackle climate change: she wants you to vote. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As a kid, Sebastian Siemiatkowski often felt life was unfair. The son of immigrants, he watched his parents struggle to find work and pay for groceries. Today, he runs a highly successful business that allows you to “buy now, pay later” and his company Klarna is one of the most valuable fintech startups in the world. Originally recorded as part of the 2021 Bloomberg Equality Summit.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Italian couture house Valentino’s sales are almost back at pre-pandemic levels. With a renewed focus on its iconic rock studs and V-logo, Jacopo Venturini has started to turn things around after just one year as CEO. The star merchandiser fell in love with fashion early. As a young boy, he would devour fashion magazines for inspiration and pick out clothes for school before going to bed. Not one to conform, he says being different was challenging but also a gift. Venturini continues to lead with his own unique style — maintaining a low profile while leading one of the world’s most recognizable fashion brands.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the start of the pandemic, Julia Hartz realized she might lose everything she had spent 14 years building. So the co-founder and CEO of Eventbrite activated her mamma bear. She got fierce. She moved fast. And she kept the live events platform alive. In this episode, Julia Hartz talks about how she got the publicly traded company back from the brink of shutting down, shares why working at a local cafe as a teenager was transformative, and explains why her North Star as a business leader is the often overlooked quality of consistency.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In one of our most popular episodes from this year, the poster boy for online education talks about remote learning during the pandemic, the social return on education, why parents around the world use his videos - Bill Gates included - and why he doesn’t go a day without meditating. Out of Office brings you all that with Sal Khan, the founder of Khan Academy.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kamal Ahmad is the founder of the Asian University of Women. Based in Bangladesh, it’s for students from displaced communities - a large number come from Afghanistan. As the Taliban took over, Ahmad had one goal: to evacuate students and alumni who were back in Kabul. We hear the extraordinary story of escape from Kamal and one of the students. Both insist they’ll never give up on educating and empowering the women of Afghanistan.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Qatar Airways is rated the world’s best airline. Behind its success: boarding school discipline and no bullshit. The Group CEO, His Excellency Akbar Al Baker brings his trademark candor to this podcast. He talks about customer service, rebuilding after the pandemic and why he is OK with some employees being scared of him.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

PBS CEO Paula Kerger is pressing ahead with some of the most ambitious changes in programming that the public television network has seen in years. A harsh open letter from filmmakers prompted most of the change. A Nebraska rancher took care of the rest.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of Europe's most successful entrepreneurs, Mark Dixon talks about the importance of starting early. The founder of the serviced office group IWG shares the lessons learned from running his first business: “Dial A Snack.” As a teenager, Mark would bike around his village selling sandwiches made in a rented kitchen. Mark explains how that experience, plus stints as a miner, farmhand, and bartender in various parts of the world, shaped him as a businessman and a leader. He talks candidly about failure, the future of work, and why the ocean is the one place he feels free.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sonu Shivdasani, the Founder and CEO of the sustainable luxury resort group Soneva, says he has been fortunate enough to experience many crises in his life. Having lived through SARS, the tsunami, a cancer diagnosis and now the pandemic, Sonu opens up about the power of positive thinking and explains how that influences him and his business, which offers guests the ultimate luxury: a chance to slow down, live sustainably and get sand between their toes.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Author and Bloomberg journalist Brad Stone takes us behind the scenes of a company that changed the world. In his new book, Amazon Unbound, Stone tracks the most important business story of our time — the unprecedented rise of Amazon and its billionaire founder Jeff Bezos. He talks about writing during the pandemic, what surprised him about the company he knows inside out, and achieving a personal goal: gifting his book to his 103-year-old grandmother.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The President and CEO of Hyatt Hotels Corporation has had a tough year. Covid-induced lockdowns brought the hospitality industry to its knees. But, there are green shoots of recovery. Mark Hoplamazian tells us why he is optimistic about the new era and explains why he will continue to lead his giant workforce the only way he knows how to: with empathy. He says it’s a quality he developed through a close relationship with his mother, the rock who guided and supported him through the loss of his father, and whose deep influence helped make him the success he is today.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As a second wave of Covid-19 ravages India, one of the country’s best known journalists, Barkha Dutt, continues to shine a light on the pandemic's grave impact on the marginalized. Dutt recently lost her father to the disease. Covering this story is now personal. Through her exhaustive reporting from the frontlines, she’s giving voice to the hundreds and thousands of others who don't have one. She says it’s the best way to honor her father.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The founder and CEO of luxury skincare brand, Tatcha, speaks about the importance of starting a conversation about uncomfortable topics. Racism. Sexism. Invisibility. Vicky shares her personal and professional story of being an Asian American entrepreneur, citizen, and mom and explains why, for the first time in her journey, she’s done being invisible.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More than 30 years ago, a new mom, tinkered with creating lipsticks from her bedroom in a New York City suburb, found a chemist who manufactured it for her and they split the $15 earned per tube, evenly. So it began Bobbi Brown’s journey that made her a global, household name. Bobbi sold her company in 1995, and after waiting out a 25-year non-compete period, she is back for her second innings. She recently launched Jones Road, a clean beauty brand. Bobbi admits it is not for everyone. It’s for those who want to enhance their natural beauty - the no-makeup-makeup look. In this episode, Bobbi talks about her phenomenal career, why family remains her strength, what makes a woman beautiful and the story behind WTF, her new foundation which is such a rage.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The President and CEO of Hewlett Packard Enterprise talks about his journey from call center to the corner office. A multi-faceted personality, Antonio Neri discusses how his experience in the Falklands war has shaped his views on life, why connectivity is the world’s greatest equalizer and, though he's also a professor of art, explains why being a CEO comes first. At least for now.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg Live features Howard Schultz in this special live episode of Out of Office. There’s no corporate talk here. Instead, we ask questions newsmakers usually don’t get asked when they’re in the office. We speak to the former CEO of Starbucks about the influences on his personal life that have defined his views on public service, equality, racial harmony, doing business with China and his vision for America. Too bad, we ran out of time to talk about coffee.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From tutoring a cousin in math to creating an online platform that provides anyone, anywhere in the world a free top-notch education, Sal Khan, the founder of Khan Academy, talks about why money should never come in the way of children’s learning. The poster boy for online education talks about remote learning during the pandemic, the social return on education, why parents around the world use his videos — Bill Gates included — and why he doesn’t go a day without a dose of meditation.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The entrepreneur who shot to fame with the makeover series “What Not To Wear” talks about founding a makeup business, Trinny London, at 50. With her trademark raw honesty that’s won her a loyal tribe of global followers, Trinny Woodall takes us through her professional journey that took her from a less than exciting stint in commodities to building a beauty empire. She talks about creating stackable makeup, why she isn’t interested in creating a perfect face, and explains why she’s never felt more comfortable in her own skin than she does in her 50s.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Growing up, Rocco Forte knew how well his father’s business was doing by the calibre of their summer holidays. The more successful, the more exotic they were. His relationship with his father moulded him and steered him towards becoming a hotelier. The Chairman of Rocco Forte hotels talks to us about learning the business from the ground up, why one of the most boring periods of his life was ultimately very useful, and the challenges of running luxury hotels during a global pandemic.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mother, stepmother, entrepreneur, author and globally recognised luxury handbag designer Anya Hindmarch joins Mallika Kapur for this special, live episode of Out of Office. The force behind the iconic "I'm not a plastic bag" tote discusses the accessory she's designed for healthcare workers in the UK, explains why closing stores - while bad for morale - has been good for her business, how the pandemic will reshape the fashion industry, and why the best piece of advice she has for you is, "If in doubt, wash your hair."

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A young boy who picked up life lessons from his grandmother, a woman with a limited education, now heads a globally renowned healthcare company. Vas Narasimhan, the CEO of Novartis, tells us why he keeps a picture of his grandmother on his desk and talks about his Indian American identity. He shares how he’s navigating the pandemic and why he jumped into the Rhine River.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We got close. We got personal. And we heard from a wide range of global leaders as they navigated one of the most tumultuous years in memory. During these candid conversations, we heard about the influences that define today’s leaders. Whether it’s dealing with death threats, spending time in a monastery, creating a band with colleagues, an early job on a factory floor, or keeping their businesses afloat during the pandemic, our executives opened up about their lives, hopes, and aspirations as they answered questions they don't typically get asked when they are in the office. Here are some snippets from Out of Office conversations that inspired us in 2020.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Co-founder and CEO of chocolate brand Hotel Chocolat, Angus Thirlwell talks about going full circle, from growing up in the Bahamas to owning a cocoa plantation in Saint Lucia 30 years later. He talks about retaining that West Indies link, why low-cost travel was a tipping point for premium chocolate, and how the bigger chocolate players need to be taken to task when it comes to paying cocoa farmers a fair wage.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As a young boy, his mother pushed him around in a stroller through civil rights marches. That memory and his parents' activism played a key role in shaping the values of the President and CEO of PayPal, Dan Schulman. He tells us about how those beliefs guide his decisions as a business leader, the benefits of starting his day with martial arts, and why he’s partial to blue jeans and cowboy boots.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the early days of her career, Marg Franklin took the formidable CFA exam. It didn’t go according to plan. An exhausted new mother, she dozed off, only to wake up two hours later. Eventually, she passed it and today, she’s the first woman to be the President & CEO of this 75-year-old institution. In this episode, Marg talks about how courage shapes leadership, what working in a bike store taught her, why she believes neither women - nor men - can have it all and what she really thinks about the CFA exam. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This summer, IKEA employees from around the world formed a virtual band and performed together to beat the pandemic blues. On lead guitar was the CEO of Ingka Group, Jesper Brodin. Because that’s how the man at the helm of IKEA leads - with humanity and humility. Brodin speaks about his professional journey, leadership values and how his father, an artist, shaped his views on equality.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Steve Palmer started off in the hospitality business, he routinely drank and took drugs on the job, during 18-hour, high pressure kitchen shifts. When he turned sober, he didn't know one person in the industry who didn't drink. He went straight back to work after rehab, using iron discipline not to touch a drop. Almost two decades later, the culture in the hospitality industry is changing. There's less bravado, more honesty. Support groups, like Ben's Friends, which Steve co-founded, provide a constructive haven for those struggling to maintain sobriety, and to break the stigma of talking about the dark side of kitchen culture. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The co-founder of guided meditation app Headspace, Andy Puddicombe talks about the years he spent training to be a monk, how he ended up in Silicon Valley, and why he’s on a mission to take meditation to the masses. He also reveals whether he, the embodiment of calmness, ever gets angry.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fresh out of college, a job in retail was supposed to be a temporary gig until Celeste Burgoyne got a real job. Twenty years later, she’s the President of one of the most popular retailers, Lululemon. While talking about her career, Celeste tells us how she’s navigating the pandemic, the importance of representation, game night with her two young boys, and why she’ll rarely miss her daily walk.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.