Bold Names

When McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski took a small bite out of a big burger on camera, the internet—and his rivals—pounced. But in an era where CEOs are the face of the brand, is there such a thing as bad publicity? In this episode of Bold Names, WSJ’s Tim Higgins sits down with Kempczinski at McDonald's Chicago headquarters to discuss the fallout of his viral moment. Plus, they dive deep into the fast food giant’s strategy to compete by balancing a premium half-pound burger against the urgent need for meal deals in an economy where many customers are concerned with affordability. To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com. Check Out Past Episodes: Roses, Revenue, and Retention: Hinge’s Strategy for a $1 Billion Year Southwest’s $1 Billion Pivot: CEO Bob Jordan on Bag Fees And Other Changes The Five Step “Algorithm” Driving Tesla’s Success How Athletic Brewing Sells Beer for a Post-Alcohol Generation Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at [email protected]. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Read Tim Higgins’s column. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For years, dating app Hinge’s slogan has been “Designed to be Deleted” — a bold mission for a company on track to hit $1 billion in annual revenue in the coming years. In this episode of Bold Names, WSJ’s Tim Higgins sits down with Hinge’s new CEO, Jackie Jantos, to discuss the high-stakes evolution of digital romance. How is the company working to remain relevant with Gen Z? Is the rise of AI companions changing real-life dating? And what does the future hold for Hinge’s “Roses”? To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com. Check Out Past Episodes: The Five Step “Algorithm” Driving Tesla’s Success Southwest’s $1 Billion Pivot: CEO Bob Jordan on Bag Fees And Other Changes Can Zillow’s 'Super App' Fix a Broken Housing Market? ‘We Sell Scarcity:’ How Lamborghini Continues to Stay So Cool Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at [email protected]. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Read Tim Higgins’s column. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What is the trick behind the Elon Musk school of management? In this episode of Bold Names, host Tim Higgins sits down with Jon McNeill, the former president of Tesla and current GM board member, to deconstruct the operating system that powered Tesla’s growth during his tenure. McNeill explains why he thinks automation should always come last, how to inject urgency into a corporate culture, and whether companies need an Elon Musk to reach the heights of innovation. To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com. Check Out Past Episodes: Why This Tesla Pioneer Says the Cheap EV Market 'Sucks' Why Elon Musk’s Battery Guy Is Betting Big on Recycling ‘We Sell Scarcity:’ How Lamborghini Continues to Stay So Cool How Uber Plans to Win the Self-Driving Car Race Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at [email protected]. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Read Tim Higgins’s column.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Southwest Airlines was built on three pillars: low fares, friendly service, and a quirky "sit anywhere" policy. But in a post-pandemic market, the rules are changing. On the latest episode of the Bold Names podcast, CEO Bob Jordan joins host Tim Higgins to discuss one of the airline’s most transformational periods in its 60-year history. To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com. Check Out Past Episodes: How SAP's CEO Is Remaking the European Tech Giant For The Age Of AI How Corning Is Using Trump’s Tariffs To Its Advantage How Athletic Brewing Sells Beer for a Post-Alcohol Generation McLaren CEO Zak Brown On F1 And Business Strategy At 200 Miles Per Hour Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at [email protected]. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Read Tim Higgins’s column.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Former Navy SEAL and Shield AI co-founder Brandon Tseng is building the autonomous drones that are redefining global defense.This week on Bold Names, WSJ’s Tim Higgins sits down with Tseng to discuss how Shield AI’s Hivemind software is currently overcoming GPS jamming in Ukraine, and why the future of the U.S. military depends on a mix of elite manned assets and swarms of affordable, autonomous drones. Editor’s Note: This interview was recorded before the war with Iran. To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com. Check Out Past Episodes: Palmer Luckey's 'I Told You So' Tour: AI Weapons and Vindication The AI Agent in Your Pocket: Qualcomm’s CEO on the Future of Mobile Condoleezza Rice on Beating China in the Tech Race: 'Run Hard and Run Fast' This CEO Says Global Trade Is Broken. What Comes Next? Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at [email protected]. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Read Tim Higgins’s column.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.