Best Bethany McLean Podcasts (2025)

1
Profit or Purpose? OpenAI's $300 Billion Question, with Rose Chan Loui 47:35

10d ago47:35

47:35

All too often, capitalism is identified with the for-profit sector. However, one organizational form whose importance is often overlooked is nonprofits. Roughly 4% of the American economy, including most universities and hospital systems, are nonprofit. One prominent nonprofit currently at the center of a raging debate is OpenAI, the $300 billion A…

1
#31 - Colin Bryar 1:34:00

12d ago1:34:00

1:34:00

We are joined by Colin Bryar, a former Amazon executive and co-author of the outstanding book, "Working Backwards: Insights, Stories, and Secrets from Inside Amazon". How did Amazon grow from a tiny start-up to one of the most successful companies on the planet? What best practices did Amazon leverage to facilitate this success? Colin was Jeff Bezo…

1
Is Silicon Valley Turning Fascist? 37:41

24d ago37:41

37:41

Silicon Valley’s traditionally Democratic tech leaders are turning toward President Donald Trump, but are the reasons as straightforward as lower taxes and favorable regulations? Perhaps not, if we consider the influence of a convoluted political philosophy called the “Dark Enlightenment.” Washington and Silicon Valley power players, including Vice…

1
#30 - Michele Rigby Assad 1:20:20

26d ago1:20:20

1:20:20

Michele Rigby Assad, who is a "super spy" and a renown author, joins us to talk about her latest book, "Get off the X: CIA's Secrets for Conquering Obstacles and Achieving your Life's Mission". Michele spent 10 years working in the Central Intelligence Agency ("CIA") and is now an international corporate advisor, author and keynote speaker. Michele…

1
Why Trump Is Deregulating In The Wrong Way, with Sam Peltzman 45:07

1M ago45:07

45:07

In President Donald Trump's recent joint address to Congress, he said, "To unshackle our economy, I have directed that for every one new regulation, ten old regulations must be eliminated." Elon Musk, whom Trump has assigned to execute this vision, has argued that it is time to get rid of all regulations, or as Musk said, “regulations, basically, s…

1
#29 - Frank Perri 1:40:17

1M ago1:40:17

1:40:17

Frank Perri joins CSI Chat to talk about "Red Collar Crime". Frank is the author of "Red Collar White Collar Crime: Corporate, Predatory Violent Fraud Offenders". Frank debunks the myth that white collar criminals reflect the kinder, gentler offender and Frank explains how red collar criminals resort to violence to prevent the detection of their fr…

1
Trump’s War on Universities, with Nicholas Dirks 49:34

2M ago49:34

49:34

Skyrocketing costs of attendance, declining enrollment, the advent of artificial intelligence, campus debates about free speech, and a crackdown on diversity initiatives: Today's universities are in a pickle. Adding to this pickle are President Trump's threats and actions on slashing research funding — the financial lifeline of modern universities.…

1
#28 - Bethany McLean 1:31:44

2M ago1:31:44

1:31:44

We are joined by Bethany McLean on CSI Chat to talk about the learnings from Enron, the 2008 financial crisis and her most recent book, "The Big Fail: What the Pandemic Revealed about Who America Protects and Who it Leaves Behind". Bethany is a well-known journalist who published in 2001 the now famous article in Fortune, "Is Enron Overpriced". Bet…

1
Did NIMBYs Kill the American Dream?, with Yoni Appelbaum 44:46

2M ago44:46

44:46

“Homeownership is the American Dream.” This saying is so ingrained in our zeitgeist that most Americans don't even pause to question it. However, according to the Black Knights Home Price Index, the average US home price increased nearly 80% from April 2015 to April 2023. Census data reveals that the median household income only increased by 4% dur…

1
#27 - David Giersdorf 1:30:51

2M ago1:30:51

1:30:51

David Giersdorf joins us at CSI Chat to talk about his experience in the cruise industry and his fantastic book, "Hardships: Navigating your company, career, and life through the fog of disruption". David has spent nearly his entire professional life involved with the travel and cruise industry. When COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic in March…

1
Can AI Even Be Regulated?, with Sendhil Mullainathan 49:31

2M ago49:31

49:31

This week, Elon Musk—amidst his other duties of gutting United States federal government agencies as head of the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE)—announced a hostile bid alongside a consortium of buyers to purchase control of OpenAI for $97.4 billion. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman vehemently replied that his company is not for sale. The artific…

1
#26 - Kelly Paxton 1:25:18

3M ago1:25:18

1:25:18

The "Pink Collar Crime" lady Kelly Paxton joins us on CSI Chat for a terrific discussion on "Pink Collar Crime". Kelly Paxton is the author of the book "Embezzlement: How to Detect, Prevent, and Investigate Pink-Collar Crime" and is a world-renown expert and global speaker in the area. Kelly's background ranges from investigating narcotics crimes f…

1
Why This Nobel Economist Thinks Bitcoin Is Going to Zero, with Eugene Fama 45:08

3M ago45:08

45:08

In December 2024, Bitcoin, one of the earliest cryptocurrencies and undoubtedly the most famous, hit $2 trillion in market capitalization, bigger than Tesla, Meta, and Saudi Aramco. In this episode, Nobel Prize-winning economist and Chicago Booth finance professor Eugene Fama—widely considered the “Father of Modern Finance”—predicts it will go to z…

1
#25 - Tom Hardin 1:24:13

3M ago1:24:13

1:24:13

Tom Hardin, also known as "Tipper X", was working his way up the corporate ladder on Wall Street when he was stopped on the street by a couple of FBI agents and his life was never the same. Tom was faced with accusations of insider trading and decided to cooperate with the FBI. It was at this point Tom transitioned from being "Tom Hardin", up and c…

1
Should Companies Have A Social Responsibility To Be “Great Businesses”?, with John Kay 47:05

3M ago47:05

47:05

The public often imagines corporations as self-contained actors that provide a set of goods and services to consumers. Underpinning this image have been ideas of ownership, rights to capital and intellectual property, and corporate responsibility to stakeholders including consumers, workers, and shareholders. But what if almost everything we are to…

1
#24 - Gregory Makoff 1:37:22

4M ago1:37:22

1:37:22

Gregory Makoff is the author of the terrific book, "Default: The Landmark Court Battle over Argentina's $100 Billion Debt Restructuring". Greg's book outlines the saga of Argentina's default on their sovereign debt obligations and the lengthy process of resolving the default. We talk to Greg about a number of topics, including: The key differences …

1
How Big Money Changed The Democratic Game, with Daniel Ziblatt 49:56

4M ago49:56

49:56

Daniel Ziblatt is an American political scientist, Eaton Professor of the Science of Government at Harvard University, and the co-author (with Steven Levitsky) of several bestselling books, including How Democracies Die and Tyranny of the Minority. Ziblatt writes from the position that what defines strong democracies is free and fair competition fo…

1
America’s Addiction to Easy Money, with Ruchir Sharma 49:08

4M ago49:08

49:08

Are bailouts the new “trickle-down” economics? Have government debt and deficits caused capitalism’s collapse—thus ending the American Dream? Ruchir Sharma is a well-known columnist for the Financial Times, the author of bestselling books Breakout Nations and The Rise and Fall of Nations, and an investment banker who worked as Morgan Stanley’s head…

1
#23 - Dr. Kristy Goodwin 1:08:36

4M ago1:08:36

1:08:36

Dr. Kristy Goodwin, author of the terrific book "Dear Digital, We need to talk", joins CSI Chat for a "heart to heart" discussion on the relationship between our ourselves and our digital devices. These days, technology should be making our jobs easier and less stressful; however, it is quite possible that the reverse trend is occurring as technolo…

1
The Argentinian DOGE 47:57

5M ago47:57

47:57

A new U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is headed by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. Its goals include administrative reductions, cost savings, regulatory cutbacks, and reducing federal spending by nearly $2 trillion. President-elect Donald Trump has called DOGE the "Manhattan Project of our time," and has indicated that DOGE will redu…

1
#22 - Chris Ashford 1:17:38

5M ago1:17:38

1:17:38

Our next guest on CSI Chat is Chris Ashford. Chris is UK military veteran turned personal trainer. Chris has spent nearly his entire professional life focused on personal wellness and namely the three core pillars being sleep, diet and exercise. He is “Head Coach” at “Ashford Fitness Consultancy” which helps both individuals and corporations maximi…

1
The Fertility Crisis: Capitalism's Next Challenge, with Sir Niall Ferguson 45:59

5M ago45:59

45:59

For years, the world worried about overpopulation and our capacity to sustain ever-increasing numbers of people. Now, the worry is underpopulation—and recent numbers are stunning. Fertility rate is the average number of children that are born to a woman over her lifetime. According to the United Nations, this number is currently 1.64 in the U.S.: I…

1
#21 - Walt Pavlo 1:23:43

5M ago1:23:43

1:23:43

Walt Pavlo was a senior finance executive overseeing a $2 billion operation at MCI Communications during a high growth period in the telecommunications industry before he was caught in a scheme to embezzle $6 million. Walt was eventually caught, spent some time in prison, and now speaks globally on the importance of ethics and corporate culture. Wa…

1
Visa's Hidden Tax on Americans 47:01

6M ago47:01

47:01

While Americans rely on debit transactions for the necessities of life, most are unaware of the networks that drive those transactions, nor are they aware that one company, Visa, has monopolized debit transactions, penalized industry participants that seek to use alternative debit networks, and co-opted innovators, technology companies, and financi…

1
#20 - Patricia Walsh Chadwick 1:17:25

6M ago1:17:25

1:17:25

Patricia spent her childhood growing up in a cult with very strict rules surrounding interactions with her family and the outside world. She was then kicked out of the cult at a very young age and left with nothing. She started at the bottom rung of the ladder and eventually rose to the highest levels within Wall Street. Her story is documented thr…

1
How Lobbying Led to Crony Capitalism, with Brody Mullins 43:07

6M ago43:07

43:07

As the United States elections draw near, everyone is wondering who will take control of Washington next. In this week’s Capitalisn’t episode, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Brody Mullins reveals how the real winner will be neither Democrats nor Republicans. Rather, it will be the lobbyists. Mullins is the co-author (along with his brother Luke, a…

1
#19 - Jay Dobyns 1:53:56

6M ago1:53:56

1:53:56

We sit down with Superhero Jay Dobyns (who ironically is also married to a Superhero!). Jay went deep undercover as a US Federal Agent with the Hells Angels and went on to become one of the most successful undercover agents in US law enforcement history. He is the author of two outstanding best-selling books, "No Angel: My Harrowing Undercover Jour…

1
Mailbag: UBI, AI, and Does Luigi Believe in "Free Time"? 37:54

7M ago37:54

37:54

You asked and we answered: Over the last year, we have solicited listeners’ questions via voicemail, email, and social media. In this episode, our producer, Matt, turns the tables on Bethany and Luigi and puts them in the hot seat to answer your burning questions in an Ask Me Anything “AMA” format. How do Bethany and Luigi actually define capitalis…

1
Harris vs. Trump: Economics Beyond The "Vibes" 40:49

7M ago40:49

40:49

Last week, United States presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump delivered hour-long speeches outlining their economic policies for the country if they win in November. This week on a special episode of Capitalisn’t, Bethany and Luigi weigh in on the candidates’ economic proposals. What makes this discussion particularly urgent is th…

1
#18 - Olga Mecking 1:14:35

7M ago1:14:35

1:14:35

Why is the Netherlands consistently ranked as one of the happiest countries in the world? Have the Dutch solved the secret to happiness and what can the rest of the world learn from them? Olga Mecking attempts to unlock this mystery in her terrific book, "Niksen: Embracing The Dutch Art of Doing Nothing". Olga has spent a significant amount of time…

1
Can Democracy Coexist With Big Tech? with Marietje Schaake 45:24

7M ago45:24

45:24

International technology policy expert, Stanford University academic, and former European parliamentarian Marietje Schaake writes in her new book that a “Tech Coup” is happening in democratic societies and fast approaching the point of no return. Both Big Tech and smaller companies are participating in it, through the provision of spyware, microchi…

1
#17 - Craig Stanland 1:31:09

7M ago1:31:09

1:31:09

Craig Stanland arrived at work on a Tuesday morning and was greeted with a chilling message from the FBI demanding that he return home and he realized that his past had caught up with him. Craig documents his entire experience starting with this voicemail and ending with how he emerged from prison a changed man in his excellent book "Blank Canvas: …

1
Universities and Politics: Should They Mix? with Hanna Gray 46:58

8M ago46:58

46:58

America’s universities have powered its economy by developing an educated workforce and producing transformative technology, including the internet and vaccines. They were seen as vehicles for social mobility; when veterans returned home from World War II, the newly enacted G.I. Bill compensated millions with paid college and vocational school tuit…

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