Best Rakuten Podcasts (2025)

1
Wally Lamb waded into autobiography for The River is Waiting 43:25

8h ago43:25

43:25

Host Nathan Maharaj spoke with novelist Wally Lamb, the author of novels including She’s Come Undone, I Know This Much Is True, and The Hour I First Believed. His new novel, his first in nearly a decade, is The River is Waiting. It’s about Corbin Ledbetter, Corby to his friends, husband to Emily and father to twins Maisie and Niko. Corby’s at the p…

1
Housing, Confidence, and Consumption: China’s Demand-Side Story with Tianchen Xu (Part 2) 56:08

1d ago56:08

56:08

In Part 2 of our interview with EIU economist Tianchen Xu, we turn our focus to the Chinese consumer. Is spending recovering? What’s happening in the housing market? And are the big headline sales events like 618 masking deeper issues in consumer confidence? Tianchen walks us through the mixed signals emerging from China’s domestic economy, from re…

1
Navigating Growth and Geopolitics: A Mid-Year Outlook on China with Tianchen Xu (Part 1) 58:17

11d ago58:17

58:17

In Part 1 of our conversation with Tianchen Xu, Senior Economist at The Economist Intelligence Unit, we dig into China’s macro performance in the first half of 2025—and what the future may hold. Tianchen analyzes Q1’s headline 5.4% growth, discusses why the London trade truce between the US and China matters, and highlights what Western media narra…

1
Eliza Reid on paying homage to the difficult work of diplomacy 41:12

14d ago41:12

41:12

Host Michael Tamblyn spoke with Eliza Reid, author of the novel Death on the Island. It’s a mystery set on a remote island in Iceland where a dinner party of diplomats turns fatal for the deputy ambassador of Canada. And it just so happens that the elements of this story—Iceland, diplomacy, and the perils of being a Canadian out in the world—these …

1
Set Goals and Metrics for Facebook Fundraising 16:34

19d ago16:34

16:34

Send us a text If you are serious about breaking into highly paid PM roles, check the $199 course link in the description. Podcast Summary: Meta Fundraising - Empowering Generosity and Community Impact Episode Description: This episode dissects Meta Fundraising, a powerful feature embedded in Meta's platforms. It's more than a donation tool; it's a…

1
Set Goals and Metrics for Xbox Content Store 12:55

19d ago12:55

12:55

Send us a text If you are serious about breaking into highly paid PM roles, check the $199 course link in the description. Podcast Summary: The Xbox Content Store - Fueling Player Engagement and Ecosystem Growth This episode unpacks the Xbox Content Store, the digital heart of the Xbox ecosystem. It's not just a storefront; it's a meticulously desi…

1
Set Goals and Metrics for Local Ads 16:14

19d ago16:14

16:14

Send us a text If you are serious about breaking into highly paid PM roles, check the $199 course link in the description. Podcast Summary: Meta Local Ads - Driving Real-World Growth This episode focuses on Meta Local Ads, Meta's solution for local businesses to drive tangible, real-world outcomes like store visits and calls. It leverages Meta's va…

1
Set Goals and Metrics for Facebook Notifications 17:37

25d ago17:37

17:37

Send us a text Decoding the Bell—Facebook's Notification Strategy Episode Description: What is the most powerful driver of engagement on Facebook? It might just be the little red number on the bell icon. This episode delves into the product strategy behind Facebook Notifications, a feature designed as a high-conversion funnel to connect users with …

1
Set Goals for Facebook Buy and Sell Groups 18:09

25d ago18:09

18:09

Send us a text The Hidden Engine of Local Commerce—Facebook's Buy/Sell Groups Episode Description: Ever wondered about the engine driving local commerce inside the world's largest social network? It’s not just about memes and status updates. This episode dives deep into the product strategy behind one of Facebook's most powerful and community-drive…

1
Set Goals and North Star Metric for Netflix Podcast 20:44

25d ago20:44

20:44

Send us a text Netflix's Next Frontier—Conquering Audio Episode Description: What if Netflix could keep you engaged even when you're not looking at a screen? This episode unpacks the product strategy behind Netflix's expansion into the world of audio with an integrated podcast platform. We explore how Netflix aims to solve the user need for content…

1
Aaron Kreuter finds new possibilities in summer camp 42:29

28d ago42:29

42:29

Host Nathan Maharaj spoke with poet and novelist Aaron Kreuter. His new book is Lake Burntshore, which tells the story of the summer of 2013 at a Canadian Jewish summer camp that’s just fired a several camp counsellors after they're caught smoking (then-illegal) marijuana. The enterprising son of the camp's owner springs into action and comes up wi…

1
Design a Product for Personal Finance 5:48

30d ago5:48

5:48

Send us a text Meta's Financial Play—AI-Powered Savings for Gen Z Episode Description: How can you teach personal finance to a generation with a low attention span? This episode explores Meta's strategic move into the financial literacy space, aimed directly at Gen Z "savers." We break down the plan to build an AI-powered learning tool that makes s…

1
Design a Product for Education 4:28

30d ago4:28

4:28

Send us a text Meta's Play for Gen Z—Reinventing Education with AI and Social Learning Episode Description: Ever wonder how Meta plans to capture the attention of Gen Z? This podcast summary breaks down Meta's strategic dive into informal education—think learning a new skill or hobby, not a degree. The goal is to leverage its massive social graph t…

1
Design a Product for Mentorship 6:18

30d ago6:18

6:18

Send us a text Launching CreatorPath, the AI-Powered Mentorship Platform for Startups Episode Description: Is traditional mentorship broken? For aspiring content creators, finding results-oriented guidance is a major hurdle. This episode unpacks the strategy behind a new startup building an AI-powered mentorship platform designed to connect the nex…

1
Design a Product for Musicians 13:57

1M ago13:57

13:57

Send us a text https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KLVU0FcA3FDrXuBP_RR6zELq1l_wHz91ZvNlmBFA_eA/edit?pli=1&tab=t.0 This document outlines the strategy for "Meta Spark: Ignite Your Sound," a product aimed at helping musicians, particularly Gen-Z beginners. Phase 1: Research & Strategy The project's mission is to empower musicians' craft and community…

1
Improve Instacart 18:03

1M ago18:03

18:03

Send us a text https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KLVU0FcA3FDrXuBP_RR6zELq1l_wHz91ZvNlmBFA_eA/edit?pli=1&tab=t.0 This document outlines a strategy to make Instacart an indispensable "favorite product" by enhancing convenience and loyalty for its users. Core Goal: To achieve a "win-win-win" for consumers, retailers, and Instacart by doubling down o…

1
Design a Neighborhood Product for Meta 5:23

1M ago5:23

5:23

Send us a text MetaHood: Connecting Neighbors, Building Home - Study Guide This study guide is designed to review your understanding of the "MetaHood: Connecting Neighbors, Building Home" product proposal. MetaHood: The proposed product name for Meta's local community/neighborhood connection platform. Product Manager (PM): Role responsible for the …

1
Jacob Cooke on 618, China’s Consumer Climate & What Tariffs Mean for Global Brands 23:36

1M ago23:36

23:36

In this episode of The Negotiation, host Todd Embley welcomes back WPIC CEO Jacob Cooke to share insights around two pivotal developments for global consumer brands: the framework trade agreement between the US and China, and China’s massive 618 shopping festival. Jacob breaks down the implications of the new framework agreement between the US and …

1
Elyse Graham tells the story of WWII's scholarly spies 43:36

1M ago43:36

43:36

Host Michael Tamblyn spoke with Elyse Graham, author of Book and Dagger: How Scholars and Librarians Became the Unlikely Spies of World War Two. It’s the true story of how the United States, as war raged in Europe, quickly built an organization staffed with intelligence officers recruited not from the military—but from the ranks of the bookworms—th…

1
Carlos Lozano - Founder @ BugCon 🇲🇽 1:04:54

1M ago1:04:54

1:04:54

https://bugcon.org/

1
AI, Chips, and Cloud: Kevin Xu on Where China’s Tech is Really Headed 52:12

1M ago52:12

52:12

In this episode of The Negotiation, host Todd Embley sits down with Kevin Xu, founder of the bilingual newsletter Interconnected, which offers sharp analysis on the intersection of technology, investing, and geopolitics between the United States and China. Kevin has become one of the most thoughtful and trusted voices interpreting Chinese tech tren…

1
Liann Zhang on satirizing social media influencers from the inside 36:08

2M ago36:08

36:08

Host Nathan Maharaj spoke with Liann Zang, author of the new novel Julie Chan is Dead. In it, Julie Chan is in fact very much alive but her estranged twin sister Chloe, a wildly successful social media influencer, has suddenly died and it just so happens that Julie is for just a moment the only person in the world who knows Chloe is dead. So she de…

1
Dr. Chui Chui Tan Part 2 | What Spotify, Bumble & Global Brands Get Right (and Wrong) About Cultural Expansion 48:39

2M ago48:39

48:39

In Part 2 of this special episode of The Negotiation, host Todd Embley continues the conversation with Dr. Chui Chui Tan, founder of Beyō Global. This episode focuses on practical examples from Chui Chui’s work with global brands, including Spotify and Bumble, and what it really takes to launch successfully in new markets. Chui Chui unpacks how Spo…

1
107 - Dear Industry ft @SirTyOnline 1:02:41

2M ago1:02:41

1:02:41

This episode is audio from an IG live video from May 18, 2025. SirTy is a booked and blessed man in 2025! Tune in to catch up. The blog post with pictures and links is available at www.sincerelyangiem.com If you're looking for SirTY, just search @SirTyOnline everywhere! Get your ticket to the May 31st Addicted 2 Industry event at https://www.eventb…

1
Global Growth Starts with Culture: Dr. Chui Chui Tan on APAC Expansion and Strategic Insight 50:23

2M ago50:23

50:23

In Part 1 of this two-part episode of The Negotiation, host Todd Embley welcomes Dr. Chui Chui Tan, founder of Beyō Global and a leading voice in international growth strategy. With over 16 years of experience helping brands like Spotify, Bumble, and Google expand into new markets, Dr. Tan shares how cultural insight—not just translation—can make o…

1
Jon Hickey on the politics of apocalypse 46:25

2M ago46:25

46:25

Host Nathan Maharaj spoke with novelist Jon Hickey, author of Big Chief. It’s takes place in an Anishinaabe reservation called Passage Rouge Nation during the last weekend before a Tribal Presidential election. Incumbent president Mack Beck is coasting to another term happily overseeing tribal governmental matters as well as the Golden Eagle Casino…

1
Giovanni Cruz - Founder @ BSides Colombia 48:31

3M ago48:31

48:31

Una conversación con Giovanni Cruz, fundador de BSides Colombia https://bsidesco.org/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/cruzgio/

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Bringing European Brands to Asia with WPIC’s Director of Growth Emmanuel Poupelle (French Language Episode) 34:14

3M ago34:14

34:14

In this special French-language edition of The Negotiation, we welcome Emmanuel Poupelle, WPIC’s newly appointed Director of Growth, for a conversation hosted by Charles Lavoie, VP of Marketing at WPIC. Emmanuel brings years of on-the-ground experience in China’s retail and e-commerce industry. He has now joined WPIC to help more European brands ex…

1
Mark Kruger on China’s Macro Outlook 32:42

3M ago32:42

32:42

In this episode of The Negotiation, host Todd Embley is joined by Mark Kruger, a Senior Fellow at the Yicai Research Institute, Centre for International Governance Innovation, and the University of Alberta’s China Institute. Formerly with the Bank of Canada for three decades, Mark now resides in Shanghai and writes regularly for Yicai Global, where…

1
Claire Cameron on what she's learned from studying monsters 41:25

3M ago41:25

41:25

Host Nathan Maharaj spoke with Claire Cameron, author of the novels The Bear and The Last Neanderthal. Her new book is How to Survive a Bear Attack. It’s a memoir of family, of illness, of love, and the author’s ongoing fascination with a 1991 bear attack that happened in a wilderness she knows so well. Claire Cameron on what she's learned from stu…

1
The Next China Is Still China: Rui Ma (Part 2) on Tech, Tensions & Transformation 36:58

3M ago36:58

36:58

In Part 2 of our conversation with Rui Ma on The Negotiation podcast, we explore the evolving consumer tech and innovation landscape in China beyond AI. Rui shares her analysis on the rise of local life services, humanoid robotics, and China's dominance in electric vehicles—highlighting the factors propelling growth and the remaining roadblocks. We…

1
Nita Prose on saying goodbye to Molly Gray 27:29

3M ago27:29

27:29

Host Michael Tamblyn spoke with mystery novelist Nita Prose, author of the international bestseller The Maid. It’s the story of Molly Gray, a 20-something hotel maid whose job perfectly suits her need for order and predictable routine. As tends to happen in mystery novels set in hotels, Molly discovers a dead guest and finds herself a suspect in th…

1
China’s Consumer Comeback: Jacob Cooke Breaks Down 2024 Consumption Data 19:03

4M ago19:03

19:03

In this episode of The Negotiation, we’re joined once again by Jacob Cooke, Co-founder and CEO of WPIC Marketing + Technologies. Jacob walks us through the key insights from WPIC’s latest data report profiling the fastest-growing consumer segments in China’s e-commerce market. Drawing from GMV data across Tmall, JD.com, and Douyin, the report revea…

1
Rui Ma: The US-China AI Race (Part 1) 36:41

4M ago36:41

36:41

In this episode of The Negotiation podcast, host Todd Embley is joined by Rui Ma, a distinguished expert with nearly two decades of experience working in technology and finance in the U.S. and China. Rui provides deep insights into the current landscape of AI, focusing particularly on the competitive dynamics between the U.S. and China. She discuss…

1
Booktalking - The book Meta can't face, billionaire brainworms, fact-checking and fair use 46:47

4M ago46:47

46:47

In our latest installment in this series, hosts Michael Tamblyn and Nathan Maharaj caught up on a book whose author they're not going to get to interview. Topics covered in this episode: Meta's problem with an ex-employee's tell-all memoir The cognitive perils of being a billionaire The publishing perils of nonfiction Moving fast and breaking thing…

1
From Shanghai to Hokkaido: Skiing Across APAC with Justin Downes 35:34

4M ago35:34

35:34

Justin Downes returns to The Negotiation podcast to reflect on the recently concluded ski season in China and to discuss his new role in Hokkaido, Japan. With a career dedicated to advancing winter sports in Asia, Justin has been instrumental in the infrastructural development of ski resorts in China, contributing significantly to the country’s rea…

1
Nate DiMeo on shaking up the past in The Memory Palace 41:52

4M ago41:52

41:52

Host Nathan Maharaj spoke with podcaster Nate DiMeo about his book The Memory Palace, based on the podcast by the same name. In The Memory Palace, history comes in vignettes, as short stories, as jewels carefully mined from a variety of sources. Nathan and Nate talked about history as story, how Nate realized the thing that made him the best guy to…

1
Peter Park on Growing Australian Brands in APAC 42:11

5M ago42:11

42:11

In this episode of The Negotiation podcast, Todd Embley sits down with Peter Park, WPIC’s latest addition in Melbourne and a recognized expert in Australia’s consumer brand sector and the APAC e-commerce landscape. Peter delves into his professional journey, his role at WPIC, and why the firm is an excellent partner for Australian consumer brands, …

1
David A. Robertson and his little monsters go to uncomfortable places 51:06

5M ago51:06

51:06

Host Michael Tamblyn spoke with David A. Robertson, author of many books including the Governor General’s award-winning When We Were Alone, and On the Trapline, both illustrated by Julie Flett. He’s also the author of the ongoing series for young readers, The Misewa Saga. And he’s the author of the 2022 novel for adults, A Theory of Crows, as well …

1
Joe Mazur: Analyzing U.S.-China Relations Under Trump's Second Term 35:23

5M ago35:23

35:23

In this episode of The Negotiation podcast, host Todd Embley speaks with Joe Mazur, Senior Analyst at Trivium China, on the complexities of the U.S.-China relationship in the early days of the second Trump administration. Joe offers a comprehensive overview of the trade measures implemented by the U.S. since Donald Trump's re-election. He analyzes …

1
106 - Dear 5 Year Plan, 19:59

5M ago19:59

19:59

In October of 2018, I created a 5 year plan. It ended in 2023. I am late to updating y'all but since it's late, the least it can do is inspire you to do your own. Time flies and a lot can happen in 5 years. https://linktr.ee/Sincerelyangiem

1
Elyse Ribbons on KOL Marketing in China 34:31

6M ago34:31

34:31

In this episode of The Negotiation podcast, Todd Embley has a captivating conversation with Elyse Ribbons, a seasoned expert in the dynamics of influencer marketing in China. Elyse shares her extensive experience and insights into the unique landscape of social media and influencer engagement in China, highlighting the intricacies of platforms like…

1
Christina Cooke wrote the 90s story only she could tell 43:32

6M ago43:32

43:32

Host Nathan Maharaj spoke with Christina Cooke, author of the novel Broughtupsy. It’s a book about a young woman who returns to Jamaica to reconnect with her sister and to spread the ashes of their little brother amidst the places that make up the history of their family. Christina Cooke wrote the 90s story only she could tell…

1
Martech in China and How To Advertise on RedNote with David Nottingham 33:03

6M ago33:03

33:03

In this episode of the Negotiation Podcast, Todd Embley interviews David Nottingham, the EU General Manager for IPinYou, a leading Chinese martech company. David shares his journey from Southeast Asia to the ad tech world, discussing the unique challenges and opportunities within the Chinese digital ecosystem. He explains the workings of IPinYou, i…

1
From TikTok to Red Note, The Great Social Media Migration with Olivia Plotnick 41:10

6M ago41:10

41:10

In this episode of The Negotiation podcast, host Todd Embley is joined once again by Olivia Plotnick, a seasoned expert in China marketing and the founder of Wai Social. Today, they dive into the explosion of Xiaohongshu, or “Red Note”, in the United States because of the impending ban of TikTok. Olivia begins with a detailed overview of the curren…

1
Cynthia Dearin On How To Take Your Brand Global 52:15

7M ago52:15

52:15

In this episode of The Negotiation Podcast, Todd Embley interviews Cynthia Dearin, founder of Dearin and Associates, who shares her unique career journey from diplomat to management consultant. She discusses the importance of global expansion for businesses, the services offered by her company, and the consumer sectors in Australia that are poised …

1
105 - Dear Forge, 21:44

7M ago21:44

21:44

Happy new year! This movie was so heart warming. I couldn't help but feel gratitude while watching it. Read blog post here https://sincerelyangiem.com/2025/01/07/the-forge/Sign up for Rakuten here www.rakuten.com/r/BANANA2629?eeid=28187

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MORE of the best books we read in 2024 1:17:50

7M ago1:17:50

1:17:50

Following our last episode all about the best books we read in 2024, host and producer Nathan Maharaj connected over Zoom with even more Kobo staffers (including one that'll be very familiar Kobo in Conversation listeners) to talk about the books that have stuck with them over the past 12 months. So welcome back once more, to our year in books. The…

1
Unlocking Japan: E-Commerce Strategies and Insights with WPIC’s Anton Lapunov 59:46

7M ago59:46

59:46

In this episode of The Negotiation podcast, host Todd Embley sits down with Anton Lapunov, WPIC’s Key Account Manager and Strategy Lead for Japan. Anton shares his extensive experience and insights into the unique aspects of Japan's e-commerce landscape—and offers strategic advice for brands looking to enter this lucrative market. Anton begins by d…

1
The best books we read in 2024 1:12:53

7M ago1:12:53

1:12:53

Listen in as Kobo staffers share the best books they read in 2024. It's all here, from the buzziest new releases to bucket list classics. The best books we read in 2024

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