TED Business

TED

Whatever your business conundrum, there’s a TED Talk for that — whether you want to learn how to land that promotion, set smart goals, undo injustice at work, or unlock the next big innovation. Every Monday, host Modupe Akinola of Columbia Business School presents the most powerful and surprising ideas that illuminate the business world. After the talk, you'll get a mini-lesson from Modupe on how to apply the ideas in your own life — because business evolves every day, and our ideas about it should, too.

Follow Modupe on Instagram at @mnakinola and on LinkedIn at @mnakinola

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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330 episodes
Updated Thursday

Episodes330

Newest first

Modupe's Top 5 (#1): Why you should talk about your anxiety at work | Adam Whybrew
We can't get rid of anxiety and depression, so we might as well talk about it, says depression truth-teller Adam Whybrew. Sharing his own experience with mental illness, he reveals the surprising benefits of opening up about stress at work — and why being vulnerable creates a safe space for everyone. After the talk, Modupe discusses why we all need to advocate for important causes on an institutional level — and how to start. (This episode originally aired in 2024.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Thursday · 17 min
Modupe's Top 5 (#2): How to break through fear and become a leader | Valerie Montgomery Rice
Vigilance. Grit. Resilience. Valerie Montgomery Rice, the president and CEO of Morehouse School of Medicine, shares where she learned these key qualities of successful leadership, offering three lessons for anyone who wants to overcome their fears, stand up for what’s right and build opportunity for all. After the talk, Modupe urges us all to tell our own stories. (This episode originally aired in 2024.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Thursday · 18 min
Modupe's Top 5 (#3): How to get people to do what you want | Barry Sonnenfeld
As a film and television director, Barry Sonnenfeld had millions of dollars riding on his ability to get his cast and crew to play along — and much of what he learned along the way applies to everyday life. Here, he shares nine bits of wisdom and whimsy gleaned from 40 years in entertainment. So the next time you encounter a screaming bully, you too will know what to do. After the talk, Modupe shares three questions to help you reflect on your message delivery. (This episode originally aired in 2025.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Thursday · 18 min
Modupe's Top 5 (#4): The value of kindness at work | James Rhee
Kindness can go a long way when it comes to reshaping a business. Having saved a fashion company from the brink of bankruptcy, entrepreneur James Rhee shares the value of investing in a culture of compassion at work -- and shows why we should all lead with our hearts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Thursday · 21 min
Modupe's Top 5 (#5): What does "wealth" mean to you? | Aisha Nyandoro
For people living in poverty, a guaranteed income can mean finally having the space to dream of a comfortable life. Sharing the stories of single moms who participated in a first-of-its-kind program that offered them $1,000 per month with no strings attached, poverty disrupter Aisha Nyandoro calls for us to redefine what it means to be wealthy — putting aside lavish vacations and fancy cars in favor of paid bills and a well-fed family — and to listen when people tell us what they need most. After the talk, Modupe dives deeper into what it means to really let individuals and families decide what to do with their own money. (This episode originally aired in 2023.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Thursday · 18 min
Why overtourism could ruin your next vacation | Suresh Subudhi
When was your last unforgettable trip? Travel industry expert Suresh Subudhi believes joyful moments of connection are the reason we explore the world — but with vacation hotspots overrun and locals pushed to the brink, tourists have become unwelcome guests. Proposing a new way to use technology to stop loving our favorite destinations to death, he shows what travel could look like if we got it right. After, Modupe asks howcan you become joyfully present in your life and in your workplace this week? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Monday · 15 min
A simple solution to fix workplace miscommunication | Melissa M. Mikus
Leadership expert Melissa M. Mikus breaks down why most workplace friction isn't about personality clashes or bad intentions — it's about not knowing how to effectively communicate. Her solution? A small, visible and easy tweak that anyone can implement right away. Then after the talk, Modupe shares some questions to get you started. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 20 · 13 min
The counterintuitive secret of leadership | Jessica Kriegel
Control is an illusion — and the leaders who chase it are holding their teams back. Workplace culture expert Jessica Kriegel explores the tactic that leaders who want to achieve extraordinary results should try instead. After, Modupe challenges listeners to reflect on what's something they can surrender in their lives? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 13 · 15 min
How to give feedback that lands | Renee St Jacques
Most managers give feedback. Few give feedback that actually works. Drawing on her background in psychology and executive coaching, Renee St Jacques breaks down what so many well-intentioned leaders get wrong — and introduces a three-part framework to help teams rebuild trust and perform at their best. After the talk, Modupe shares her best practices for giving feedback. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 6 · 16 min
Why the smartest person in the room is asking the “dumb” questions with Molly Graham
One of our favorite TED talks on TED Business is from company builder Molly Graham. She’s also the new host of WorkLife with Molly Graham, another podcast from TED. Modupe sits down with Molly at TED2026 to talk about her journey from Facebook to giving her first TED Talk to now joining TED as a podcaster. Molly shares how she quietens her inner critic whom she affectionately calls “Bob the Monster,” what she learned from working alongside influential leaders to scale companies, and why she always advises managers to “give away their Legos.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June 29 · 31 min
Why you should stop chasing your “dream job” (w/ Emily the Recruiter) | from Fixable
Does your “dream job” really exist? You may know Emily Durham as Emily the Recruiter on social media, where she shares practical, refreshingly honest career advice and coaches people through the biggest professional decisions of their lives. Emily doesn’t believe in the idea of a dream job. In this episode, she joins Anne to make the case for the “awake job” that actively fits into your purpose, lifestyle, and financial needs. Emily reflects on how her own purpose has evolved over time, and answers questions from listeners about how to gracefully quit a job, find a path forward when you feel stuck, and communicate your values to a potential employer. Find more episodes from a special series on finding more purpose at work only on Fixable: https://link.mgln.ai/SVuDJo Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June 22 · 44 min
Is inviting everyone to the meeting holding back global cooperation? | Qahir Dhanani
International collaboration expert Qahir Dhanani makes the case for rebuilding public trust in broken institutions by embracing small, focused coalitions that can move faster and act bolder — offering a hopeful, practical vision for updating diplomacy to meet the world’s toughest challenges. Then, Modupe shares why it's useful to identify "coalitions of the willing,” in your own workplace. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June 15 · 13 min
Why the world is still not built for women | Virginia Santy
Design consultant Virginia Santy set out to create an office space built specifically for women, flipping the script on the subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways that workplaces and cities still fail them. The results were striking: greater productivity, deeper collaboration and an environment where women felt genuinely valued, leading her to ask a simple question: What would the world look like if we designed with women in mind? After the talk, Modupe shares what managers and male coworkers can do to help improve the workplace environment for their female colleagues. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June 8 · 16 min
The surprising origins of Southwest Airlines with Jacob Goldstein
In this special TED Business episode, Modupe is in conversation with Jacob Goldstein, reporter and co-host of the Business History podcast, to dig into the origin story ofSouthwest Airlines. From debunking the airline's founding myth, about a triangular route sketched on a napkin to discussing why Southwest chose to only fly Boeing 737s, Jacob shares the decisions that made Southwest stand out from its competitors—and why healthy egos might make for better business. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June 1 · 25 min
The secret to making the right career decisions with Patty Stonesifer | from WorkLife with Molly Graham
You might think the biggest, most prestigious job is always the right career move. Patty Stonesifer — founding CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and an early Amazon board member — says that’s exactly the wrong way to decide what to do next. So what should guide your career? In this episode, Patty joins Molly to share the nine-word personal mission statement she’s used for decades to filter opportunities, turn down what doesn’t fit, and speak up for what matters. Patty shares how you can write your own, and even coaches Molly through creating hers in real time. WorkLife is a podcast from TED where host and company builder Molly Graham and her expert guests talk through the messy feelings we all experience at work. Ambition and failure, joy and burnout, confidence and self-doubt — this show digs into it all to help you build a career without losing yourself. Listen now: https://link.mgln.ai/Yz5dsY Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 25 · 39 min
3 things I wish I knew when I was broke | Vivian Tu
Finance doesn't have to feel like a foreign language. Wall Street trader-turned-financial educator Vivian Tu helps millions of people make sense of money, breaking down complex concepts into everyday terms you can understand. She shares how she broke free from the stress of living paycheck to paycheck — and explores how we can shift power structures to give everyone a real shot at building wealth. (Following the talk, Elise Hu, host of TED Talks Daily, interviews Tu on why financial literacy isn’t just about building generational wealth but rather is a way to pass on generational knowledge to your loved ones.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 18 · 27 min
How displaced people are driving local economies | Julienne Oyler
The number of forcibly displaced people across the world is on the rise. While aid systems often focus on providing basic necessities like food and shelter, Julienne Oyler and her team at the nonprofit Inkomoko have a more ambitious plan: invest in refugee entrepreneurs in order to help them build their businesses, uplift their communities and gain access to financial services. She describes how displaced people are already driving local economies — and shows what it will take to bring their innovations to scale. (This ambitious idea is part of The Audacious Project, TED’s initiative to inspire and fund global change.) Then Modupe talks about the ways investors can start supporting people with lived experienced on how to improve local economy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 11 · 12 min
4 relationship traps that lead to burnout | Eric Quintane
Are your workplace relationships quietly burning you out? Drawing on large-scale research across industries, organizational behavior researcher Eric Quintane reveals four hidden relational traps woven into the fabric of work — and explores how connection shapes resilience, vulnerability and burnout. After, Modupe shares her trick for finding new people to talk to and how she strikes up the conversation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 4 · 20 min
What successful negotiators do differently | Kathryn Valentine
Studies show that women negotiate just as frequently as men — so why do they succeed half as often? With wit and humor, business consultant Kathryn Valentine unpacks the gender expectations of workplace negotiations, offering a clear equation for anyone looking to make a successful ask and get what they want. After the talk, Modupe shares what she's doing to help the people in her life practice negotiating more—and how you can do too. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
April 27 · 11 min
Toolkit: Give Better Feedback | from Fixable
Giving and receiving feedback is an important part of any job or relationship—but it can be tricky to get it right. This season, Anne and Frances are introducing a new segment called Toolkit: a practical guide to ideas, tools, and frameworks that can help you reach your goals at work and beyond. In this episode, they break down the different kinds of workplace feedback and share common pitfalls that can keep you and your colleagues from reaching your full potential. They also offer actionable tips for delivering both praise and critique, along with advice for what to do with criticism that falls short of constructive. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
April 20 · 35 min

TED Business

Modupe's Top 5 (#1): Why you should talk about your anxiety at work | Adam Whybrew

Modupe's Top 5 (#2): How to break through fear and become a leader | Valerie Montgomery Rice

Modupe's Top 5 (#3): How to get people to do what you want | Barry Sonnenfeld

Modupe's Top 5 (#4): The value of kindness at work | James Rhee

Modupe's Top 5 (#5): What does "wealth" mean to you? | Aisha Nyandoro

Why overtourism could ruin your next vacation | Suresh Subudhi

A simple solution to fix workplace miscommunication | Melissa M. Mikus

The counterintuitive secret of leadership | Jessica Kriegel

How to give feedback that lands | Renee St Jacques

Why the smartest person in the room is asking the “dumb” questions with Molly Graham

Why you should stop chasing your “dream job” (w/ Emily the Recruiter) | from Fixable

Is inviting everyone to the meeting holding back global cooperation? | Qahir Dhanani

Why the world is still not built for women | Virginia Santy

The surprising origins of Southwest Airlines with Jacob Goldstein

The secret to making the right career decisions with Patty Stonesifer | from WorkLife with Molly Graham

3 things I wish I knew when I was broke | Vivian Tu

How displaced people are driving local economies | Julienne Oyler

4 relationship traps that lead to burnout | Eric Quintane

What successful negotiators do differently | Kathryn Valentine

Toolkit: Give Better Feedback | from Fixable