Introducing Business History: How Free Whisky, Hot Pants and Low Fares Led to Southwest's Success
Hosts Jacob Goldstein and Robert Smith trace the rise of Southwest Airlines from a Texas intrastate startup sketched on a cocktail napkin to one of the most consistently profitable airlines in U.S. history. They explain how regulatory structures, low fares, aggressive legal battles, operational innovations, and a deliberately unglamorous business strategy gave Southwest a durable edge in a notoriously bad industry. The episode then examines how those same strengths later exposed vulnerabilities, culminating in the 737 MAX grounding, a holiday meltdown, activist investor pressure, and strategic changes like adding assigned seating.
Flight Cancellation Chaos, SNAP Ruling, and U.S.-Canada Trade War
In this live Pivot taping from Toronto, hosts Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway discuss escalating U.S. flight delays tied to FAA staffing and a government shutdown, using airline safety and history to illustrate how policy choices affect economic vitality and public trust. They examine the U.S. Supreme Court's handling of SNAP food benefits, child hunger, and what budget priorities reveal about American values, before turning to U.S.-Canada tariffs, asymmetric trade benefits, Canadian efforts to diversify away from the U.S., and missed innovation opportunities. The episode also explores progressive urban politics, models of modern masculinity, debates over state-run grocery stores versus higher minimum wage, falling cross-border tourism, and audience questions on defending democracy, advertising careers, and AI-driven disinformation.
TIP766: Intelligent Fanatics: How Great Business Leaders Win w/ Clay Finck
Host Clay Fink summarizes the book "Intelligent Fanatics" by Ian Cassel and Sean Iddings, explaining how extraordinary business leaders build durable competitive advantages through culture, incentives, and long-term thinking. He dives into case studies of Herb Kelleher at Southwest Airlines, Les Schwab at Les Schwab Tire Centers, and Chester Cajot at QuickTrip, highlighting their unconventional strategies and employee-first philosophies. The episode distills common traits of intelligent fanatics and connects them to how investors can better evaluate management teams and business quality.
How to empower the next generation of pilots | Refilwe Ledwaba
Airline and helicopter pilot and educator Refilwe Ledwaba shares her journey from flight attendant to becoming the first Black woman helicopter pilot in South Africa, highlighting how a supportive instructor redesigned training around her background and learning needs. She explains how those experiences inspired her to found Girls Fly Africa, which prepares young people-especially girls from rural and traditional communities-for careers in aviation and aerospace through information, skills training, financial support, networks, and long‑term mentorship. In a follow‑up conversation, she and TED Fellows Program Director Lily Jameson Olds discuss systemic barriers for women in aviation, the importance of community and role models, and her vision of normalizing women's presence in high‑level aviation roles.
SYSK's Fall True Crime Playlist: SYSK Live: The DB Cooper Heist
In this live episode recorded in Seattle, hosts Josh Clark and Charles W. "Chuck" Bryant recount the 1971 hijacking of Northwest Orient Flight 305 by a man calling himself Dan Cooper, better known as D.B. Cooper. They walk through the hijacking step by step, the FBI and law enforcement response, the subsequent manhunt and investigation, later discoveries like the Tina Bar cash find, and the many suspects proposed over the years. The episode also explores how the case shaped aviation security, spawned a subculture of "Cooperists," and grew into a lasting American true-crime legend that remains officially unsolved.