After Hours

Revisit some of Felix and Mihir’s recommendations.

Transcribed - Published: 27 March 2024

Revisit Felix and Mihir’s discussion about TikTok bans and why sports have become so valuable.

Transcribed - Published: 20 March 2024

Mihir, Felix and NYU’s Dolly Chugh discuss the pressure on business leaders to conform to the demands of woke capitalism. Should you give in? Push back? What are the risks and rewards? Also: Feeling low lately? Chances are you are just getting older. We speculate why most people go through some sort of midlife crisis and talk about ways to better cope with life’s seemingly inevitable ups and downs. (Originally aired Nov. 2, 2022)

Transcribed - Published: 13 March 2024

In case you missed it: In this episode, Felix, Sarah and Mihir discuss Chat GPT, if AI is truly transformational, the future of search, and how to digitally detox from all this AI talk. (Originally aired March 1, 2023).

Transcribed - Published: 6 March 2024

What’s in store for 2024? Mihir and Felix are back with their celebrated predictions episode. Will OPEC implode? Are quant funds in trouble? What’s Argentina’s future? Can inflation in the U.S. really sink to 2%? Is plastic the new asbestos? Who will acquire Electronic Arts? Is AIML a verb? Listen in as the hosts (foolishly) predict what the new year will bring.

Transcribed - Published: 27 December 2023

Felix and Mihir reflect on the most important stories of 2023 including the remarkable rise of AI, the revolution in life sciences, the rising power of employees, the trial of SBF, how product market strategies are reflecting shifting financial logics, the reasons for increased warfare, the disjunction between financial markets and the real economy, the shocking rise of school absenteeism and the wonder of Simone Biles.

Transcribed - Published: 20 December 2023

Felix and Mihir discuss how JPMorgan has managed to succeed where others fail and how late bloomers manage to succeed after sometimes failing.

Transcribed - Published: 13 December 2023

Felix and Mihir discuss how Sam Altman was fired and reinstated over the course of just a few days. Was the board right to dismiss Altman? Does the turmoil change how we think about hybrid organizations that combine nonprofit and for-profit motives? What does the episode teach us about the future of AI? Plus, we look at the reasons why men now die even earlier than women. What do the numbers say about being male today?

Transcribed - Published: 29 November 2023

Will Africa fulfill its remarkable promise in the next several decades? Is a land tax the best kind of tax? Would it solve our housing crisis? All that and more on this episode of After Hours.

Transcribed - Published: 22 November 2023

Felix and Mihir discuss how copyright applies to AI-generated works. Are AI companies guilty of mass infringement? Could users be sued if they use AI to generate texts and images? Wouldn’t it be right to compensate authors for their contributions to AI models? Plus, a decade in, what has the corporate purpose movement accomplished? We look back and take a glimpse at the future.

Transcribed - Published: 15 November 2023

Felix, Sarah and Mihir consider whether real estate brokers add value, how the world of brokers will be transformed by a recent lawsuit and consider whether investors should be buying music as an asset class.

Transcribed - Published: 8 November 2023

In this episode, Mihir and Felix discuss consumer finances, which are remarkably healthy. The average U.S. household now has a net worth of more than a million dollars. But if things are this good, why are we so angry? Why lament the state of the economy? Plus, we talk about Tesla and the market for electric vehicles. Has it reached its nadir?

Transcribed - Published: 1 November 2023

Felix and Mihir are back, and it’s time to unpack bond market bedlam!

Transcribed - Published: 25 October 2023

Felix and Mihir discuss the meaning and impact of the increasing concentration of stock market performance via the “Magnificent 7” and the source and resolution of conflicts on campuses.

Transcribed - Published: 6 September 2023

This is it, dear friends of the After Hours podcast. We end our sixth season with a long list of recommendations: shows to watch, books to read, foods to savor, places to visit... Thank for spending your time with us. We will be back after our summer break, sometime in September. Have a wonderful summer everyone!

Transcribed - Published: 28 June 2023

Felix and Mihir are joined by friends to discuss their stories to watch this summer, including the bust up of Sequoia, pricing, Gen AI, sports stories, the FTC and PBMs, Amazon in healthcare, and the future of theatres, travel, unions, brand activism, energy tax credits, interest rates and the war in Ukraine.

Transcribed - Published: 21 June 2023

Felix and Mihir are joined by Christina Wallace to discuss the meaning of a portfolio life and why U.S. workers are happier than ever but less productive.

Transcribed - Published: 14 June 2023

Taking a week off!

Transcribed - Published: 7 June 2023

Felix, Mihir and their colleague Kristin Mugford debate the merits of using bankruptcy to shield companies from consumer lawsuits. Should we allow companies to bundle lawsuits, place them in a designated subsidiary with few assets and let that subsidiary go bankrupt? Might this actually be better for consumers who claim to have been hurt by defective products? Doesn’t everyone deserve their day in court? Plus, what is happening to prices of luxury goods? Are we looking at the next bubble?

Transcribed - Published: 31 May 2023

Felix, Mihir and Jill Avery consider the merits of personal branding and how to think about the value of a brand. Why do people want to consider their personal brand? And, why do we still struggle to understand the value of brands given all the data we swim in?

Transcribed - Published: 24 May 2023

In this week’s episode, Felix, Mihir and Bloomberg’s Sarah Green Carmichael discuss the writers’ strike in Hollywood. Why do we suddenly see a strike during “the golden era of television” and amidst intensifying streaming wars? What are the thorniest issues? How do they speak to challenges for knowledge workers more generally? Plus, why you should love meetings. (We are not kidding!)

Transcribed - Published: 17 May 2023

Felix, Mihir and Charlotte Howard discuss the recent earnings season with a spotlight on ExxonMobil, Chevron, Autozone, Apple, UPS, Microsoft and PDD – and what it all means for the economy.

Transcribed - Published: 10 May 2023

Felix, Mihir and their colleague Kathleen McGinn discuss the role of gratitude at work and at home. Gratitude can be incredibly effective, so why don’t we thank others more often? What goes wrong when a thank you seems shallow and inauthentic? Can gratitude even be an impediment to change? Plus, we debate early retirement. Clearly, it is what people want. Why don’t we give it to them?

Transcribed - Published: 3 May 2023

Felix and Mihir discuss the state of Netflix and streaming, the co-CEO model, and Incredible India.

Transcribed - Published: 26 April 2023

In this episode, Felix and Mihir debate with their colleague Deborah Spar, Senior Associate Dean for Business and Global Society at Harvard Business School, the role of government in regulating AI. How do we make sure we get the best out this groundbreaking technology? Should we keep government out of the way, at least for the time being? Is industry self-regulation sufficient to prevent the worst? Are we contending with an existential threat? Plus, we discuss the vanishing division between our professional and our private lives. Is it mostly a boon?

Transcribed - Published: 19 April 2023

Felix and Mihir discuss the durability of a book retailer's turnaround, the future of commercial real estate and whether all the doomsaying is correct.

Transcribed - Published: 12 April 2023

Felix is joined by Bloomberg’s Sarah Green Carmichael and Harvard Business Review editor Amy Bernstein to discuss the particular challenges that women face when they first assume managerial roles. Why is it that women do not experience the increase in personal satisfaction that is typical for men? What can companies do to better support first-time managers, women and men? Plus, we talk about the booming gaming business. Will it swallow all of entertainment?

Transcribed - Published: 5 April 2023

Felix, Mihir and Christina Wallace consider the SVB business model, what its loss means for entrepreneurial finance and what they make of new models of philanthropy.

Transcribed - Published: 29 March 2023

In this episode, Felix, Mihir and Semafor’s Liz Hoffman debate the backlash against woke CEOs. Did America’s corporate leaders go too far when they embraced broad social and political goals? Does corporate activism ultimately undermine political action? What’s the cost of cutting business ties with corporations that are deemed too woke? Plus, we ask Liz Hoffman about her new book, Crash Landing: The Inside Story of How the World’s Biggest Companies Survived an Economy on the Brink.

Transcribed - Published: 22 March 2023

Mihir and Felix think about the current crisis in banking. Why did Silicon Valley Bank fail? Is the demise of Credit Suisse a result of the contagion in the United States? And what’s the future of banking? Will the big banks get even bigger? Even more prone to fail? Would we be better off if all deposits were insured? If banks were kept to a smaller size?

Transcribed - Published: 21 March 2023

Felix, Mihir and Charlotte Howard of The Economist consider why retailers are buying primary care providers and if wage compression will last and what it means for the economy.

Transcribed - Published: 15 March 2023

Felix, Mihir and The Economist’s Charlotte Howard debate the merits of a new class of weight-loss drugs that drastically lower a person’s weight. Is this incredible scientific advance the solution to the obesity epidemic that is sweeping the planet? Should health insurance companies cover the pricey drugs? Will obesity become even more prevalent now that we have effective medication? Plus, we discuss the roller coaster that is Moderna. What’s next for one of the pandemic’s biggest winners? Is there a life post generous government support?

Transcribed - Published: 8 March 2023

Felix, Sarah and Mihir discuss Chat GPT, if AI is truly transformational, the future of search, and how to digitally detox from all this AI talk.

Transcribed - Published: 1 March 2023

Mihir and Felix are joined by Rawi to talk about the far-reaching consequences of the current turmoil in energy markets. Is Qatar the next Saudi Arabia? Are the oil majors actually saying goodbye to renewables? Are we seeing the de-industrialization of Europe? Plus, we debate the consequences of shrinking populations. Will it blow up social security? Could it be good news?

Transcribed - Published: 22 February 2023

Felix and Mihir debate the latest phase of meme-stock craziness and the wisdom of retirement planning without annuities.

Transcribed - Published: 15 February 2023

In our first-ever After Hours sports episode, we ask why sports teams have become so valuable (is it really just the vanity of billionaire owners), debate the merits of paying amateur athletes, and explore why tennis pros receive such a small fraction of the sport’s overall revenue. Can hedge fund icon Bill Ackman save tennis?

Transcribed - Published: 8 February 2023

In this episode, Felix, Mihir and Sarah consider the merits of the most recent antitrust actions against Google, the ethics of unpaid labor, and the end of Noma.

Transcribed - Published: 1 February 2023

Felix, Mihir and Frances Frei discuss why many workplace issues seem so vexing—and how to fix them. We also talk about Jacinda Ardern’s resignation as New Zealand’s prime minister. Is she leaving too early? How do you best choose your exit?

Transcribed - Published: 25 January 2023

Felix and Mihir celebrate Lunar New Year by talking about BYD, Electric Vehicles, and capital allocation in China.

Transcribed - Published: 18 January 2023

Sarah Green Carmichael and Felix discuss the ban of TikTok by India and the U.S. Federal Government. Do these bans keep us safe? How nervous should we be on social media apps? Is the U.S. next to build a Chinese-style walled garden that keeps out unwanted companies and governments? Also, we review Southwest’s operational collapse during the holidays. Is legacy technology to blame? Did the company really underinvest?

Transcribed - Published: 10 January 2023

Curious about 2023? Youngme, Mihir and Felix are back with their celebrated predictions episode. Who will acquire Spotify? Will Twitter implode? What’s the trend in inflation and energy prices? Who will top the music charts? Space travel for all? Listen in as the hosts outguess each other what the new year will bring.

Transcribed - Published: 28 December 2022

In this episode, Youngme, Mihir and Felix share what they loved about 2022. Listen in to get their take on the end of magical thinking, quiet CEOs, the latest in sneaker fashion, and the collapse of FTX. Plus, we have an After Hours poem for you. (And no, we did not write it ourselves. Thank you, ChatGPT!)

Transcribed - Published: 21 December 2022

Felix and Mihir are joined by The Economist’s Charlotte Howard and they discuss the geopolitical battle over semiconductors and the surprising victories in battling poverty.

Transcribed - Published: 14 December 2022

Mihir, Felix and Bloomberg’s Sarah Green Carmichael talk about financial regrets. Why are they so widespread? Do people really make grave financial mistakes? Do they lack the information required to make smart choices? Plus, we debate the return of Disney’s Bob Iger. Will he shine once more?

Transcribed - Published: 7 December 2022

We debate the choice of Qatar as the host of FIFA’s World Cup. Was it a mistake to hold the tournament in a country that criminalizes homosexuality? Was this exactly the right thing to do? Who is to judge? Mihir, Felix and their colleague Tsedal Neeley struggle with the question when to say no to countries’ hosting ambitions. Plus, we debate the ongoing workplace revolution. Where will it all end? Did hybrid really win?

Transcribed - Published: 30 November 2022

In celebration of Thanksgiving, Felix and Mihir are joined by Youngme to talk about all things food! Join them as they talk about everything from the future of Kellogg’s to the explosion in Korean food around the globe. They also riff on the evolution of restaurant plating, the proliferation of QR menus, the best depictions of food in movies and television, the failure of recycling, and innovations in rice farming. Get ready to have hunger pangs after this one!

Transcribed - Published: 21 November 2022

Mihir, Felix and Charlotte Howard discuss how companies will respond to political gridlock in the United States. Is it good for business? Will it really lift markets as many observers expect? Also: We speculate how the tech layoffs will influence the job market and the long-term prospects of tech talent.

Transcribed - Published: 16 November 2022

In this episode, Felix and Mihir are joined by Katy Milkman to discuss workplace surveillance and the value of a fresh start.

Transcribed - Published: 9 November 2022

Mihir, Felix and NYU’s Dolly Chugh discuss the pressure on business leaders to conform to the demands of woke capitalism. Should you give in? Push back? What are the risks and rewards? Also: Feeling low lately? Chances are you are just getting older. We speculate why most people go through some sort of midlife crisis and talk about ways to better cope with life’s seemingly inevitable ups and downs.

Transcribed - Published: 2 November 2022

Felix and Mihir consider the future of Goldman Sachs and the limits of technology in human interactions.

Transcribed - Published: 26 October 2022