• Is it ‘economic Halloween’ in the US? with political economist Mark Blyth
    Aug 12 2025

     Zoom out from continuing tariff turmoil and Trump’s recent attacks on the Fed and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and you’ll see a broader new economic order is forming. Political economist and Brown University professor Mark Blyth joins Rapid Response to reveal why outdated models still underpin much of our economic understanding, and what we still misunderstand – and underestimate – about China. Blyth also shares why the Democrats struggle to craft an engaging story about the economy, why it's so hard to predict a recession, and what Brown's recent settlement with the Trump Administration tells us about higher education's need to pivot from its reliance on federal funding.

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    36 mins
  • Slutty Vegan on the rebound, with founder Pinky Cole
    Aug 8 2025

    Pinky Cole, founder of the plant-based food chain Slutty Vegan, returns to Rapid Response to share the details of a brutal stretch in which she lost control of her company — and then fought to win it back. She also opens up about surviving a harrowing highway collision, the business mistakes that nearly brought everything down, the emotional and family toll of it all. It’s a raw, unfiltered look at leadership under pressure — and what it takes to rebuild when everything falls apart.

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    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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    29 mins
  • Employers adapt to ICE raids and a workforce on edge
    Aug 5 2025

    As the Trump Administration ramps up mass deportations, the American Business Immigration Coalition is advocating for policy reform. Rebecca Shi leads the organization made up of 1,400 current and former CEOs, trade group leaders and more, who heavily rely on an immigrant workforce. Hear how uncertainty over immigration has disrupted daily business and hit the bottom line, as well as the carve-outs and clarity that big employers like Lowe’s, Tyson Foods and others seek for the long-term.

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    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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    29 mins
  • Inside the hidden, high-stakes world of government contracts
    Aug 1 2025

    The Trump Administration is boldly rewriting the landscape of government contracts in the name of speed, efficiency, and its agendas — even if it means breaking a few things along the way. GovExec’s Editor-in-Chief Frank Konkel joins Rapid Response to take listeners inside the recent government contracting tumult, shares trends on where power and money are moving, and how tech firms — and particularly in AI — are putting newfound pressure on legacy providers. So, is Trump actually succeeding in making the government function more like a business? Konkel weighs in, and explores how the redefined relationship between the public and private sector could alter US progress for years to come.

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    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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    27 mins
  • Blocking AI crawlers to save the internet, with Cloudflare’s Matthew Prince
    Jul 29 2025

    Cloudflare recently made headlines with breakthrough technology that stops AI companies from scraping online content with impunity. That’s major impact, since the company is involved in more than 20 percent of all online traffic. Cloudflare co-founder and CEO Matthew Prince joins Rapid Response to share how the new tools are poised to dramatically impact AI firms, publishers, and the future of the internet. Prince also takes listeners inside the state of cyberwarfare in the age of AI, and why Trump’s immigration policy could erode US business dominance for years to come.

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    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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    33 mins
  • AI will break the career ladder; that’s good news, with LinkedIn’s Aneesh Raman
    Jul 25 2025

    As AI evolves, the world of work is getting even better for the most creative, curious, and growth-minded employees. So says LinkedIn’s Chief Economic Opportunity Officer, Aneesh Raman. Raman joins Rapid Response with intriguing, urgent insights on why the career ladder is disappearing – and how AI will help transform it into more of a climbing wall, with a unique path for each of us. Hear which parts of the workforce Raman sees as most affected by AI, and why he remains “radically pro-human” as the very nature of work dramatically shifts.

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    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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    32 mins
  • From Colbert to Trump’s WSJ lawsuit, Axios’ Sara Fischer on media turmoil
    Jul 22 2025

    It’s been one of the most consequential weeks ever in the media business, from CBS’ Stephen Colbert cancellation, and Trump's lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal, to Congress clawing back more than $1 billion in funding from PBS and NPR. Axios’ Media Correspondent Sara Fischer joins Rapid Response to cut through the conspiracy theories and unpack what it all means from here.

    Visit the Rapid Response website here: https://www.rapidresponseshow.com/

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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    29 mins
  • Record ticket sales and big brand energy, with Golden State Valkyries President Jess Smith
    Jul 18 2025

    Ahead of the WNBA All-Star Game, Rapid Response welcomes Golden State Valkyries’ President Jess Smith. She shares how the team has quickly built a brand identity in its first year — breaking season ticket records, surpassing expectations on and off the court, and setting a template for future expansion teams. We dig into the business impact of Caitlin-mania, how sports is a reflection of wider trends in society, and critical lessons learned in a career that spans Major League Baseball, the NHL, Major League Soccer, the NWS – and now the WNBA.

    Visit the Rapid Response website here: https://www.rapidresponseshow.com/

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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    25 mins