The William Blair Thinking Podcast

The William Blair Thinking Podcast aims to provide in-depth expertise on today's financial and economic landscape. William Blair Thinking Podcast features two series: -William Blair Thinking Presents, a new podcast series that dives deep into conversation with our award-winning equity research and capital advisory experts. -Biotech Breakthroughs, a new podcast series from our equity research group that explores the news and trends shaping the biotech industry. For more, go to https://www.williamblair.com/Thinking Copyright 2025 William Blair & Company. L.L.C. “William Blair” and R Docs are registered trademarks of William Blair & Company, L.L.C. As used on this podcast, William Blair refers to William Blair & Company LLC, William Blair Investment Management, LLC and affiliates. For more information about William Blair, go to www.williamblair.com. This content is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended as investment advice or recommendation to buy or sell any security. Investment advice and recommendations can be provided only after careful consideration of an investor’s objectives, guidelines and restrictions. The views and opinions expressed are those of the speakers, and are subject to change over time as market and other factors evolve.

Monthly Macro: 2026 Economic Outlook

William Blair macro analyst Richard de Chazal discusses why 2026 looks brighter for the economy, exploring the impact of AI-driven investment, evolving policy risks, and the surprising strength of the American consumer. *This episode was recorded December 16th, 2025

12-19
24:51

Private Markets Update with Tony Frascotti, Head of Private Shares Trading

Tony Frascotti, William Blair's Head of Private Shares Trading, discusses the evolving landscape of private shares trading, highlighting market shifts, the expanding influence of AI and crypto sectors, and the changing dynamics of IPOs and liquidity for late-stage private companies. *This episode was recorded December 8th, 2025

12-19
15:12

How Stablecoins Are Transforming Global B2B Payments

William Blair financial technology analyst Andrew Jeffrey discusses how stablecoins, regulatory clarity, and new payment rails are transforming global B2B transactions. *This episode was recorded November 17, 2025

12-11
20:44

The Growing Importance of AI in the Revenue Cycle Management Marketplace

William Blair’s group head of healthcare technology and services analyst, Ryan Daniels, explores how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing healthcare revenue cycle management by automating financial workflows, reducing costs, and reshaping the industry’s future for providers and vendors.

12-05
18:20

Monthly Macro: Pain at the Plug

William Blair macro analyst Richard de Chazal and group head of energy and power technologies Jed Dorsheimer explore the seismic changes reshaping the U.S. energy landscape as rising electricity costs and surging demand—especially from AI—put unprecedented pressure on the grid. The discussion also unpacks a five pillar plan for energy abundance, the balance between renewables and firm baseload power, and the economic and geopolitical forces driving a new era in energy markets.

11-11
33:38

Reshoring, AI, and the New Infrastructure Boom

William Blair energy and environmental services analyst Tim Mulrooney and macro analyst Richard de Chazal explore how reshoring, AI infrastructure, and labor and energy challenges are driving transformation across the U.S. economy.

10-15
26:36

Monthly Macro: Energy Efficiency, Scarcity, and the Next Wave of Demand

William Blair macro analyst Richard de Chazal and energy analyst Neal Dingmann discuss how rapid technological advances, shrinking inventories, and relentless demand—especially for natural gas—are reshaping the energy sector, driving new strategies and investment opportunities for the years ahead.

10-01
32:36

Monthly Macro: Retail’s Reality Check

William Blair macro analyst Richard de Chazal and specialty retail analyst Dylan Carden unpack why retail stocks are under pressure despite solid earnings, exploring the impact of tariffs, supply chain shifts, and what it means for the holiday season. This episode was recorded on August 22, 2025.

08-27
37:42

Specialty Care at a Crossroads: Innovation, Costs, and the Future of Value-Based Care

Ryan Daniels, William Blair’s group head of healthcare technology and services, returns to discuss the accelerating transformation of specialty care in the face of rising acuity, delayed diagnoses, and regulatory shifts. From bundled payments to AI-driven coordination, this episode explores how providers and investors are reshaping oncology, cardiology, and other high-impact disease states.

08-25
19:39

Monthly Macro: Tariffs, Tokens, and Smidcaps

William Blair macro analyst Richard de Chazal dissects July’s economic surprises—from noisy GDP data and sticky inflation to the disruptive rise of stablecoins and a renewed case for small- and mid-cap stocks. This episode was recorded on August 1, 2025.

08-05
27:23

Monthly Macro: Fed Signals, Housing Headwinds, and How Companies Are Adapting

William Blair macro analyst Richard de Chazal discusses the Fed’s softer tone, how companies are adapting to tariffs and labor shifts, and why housing and hiring trends are setting the stage for a dynamic second half of 2025.

06-30
18:13

What Keeps Employees Happy: Lessons From 11 Years of Restaurant Industry Data

Sharon Zackfia, head of consumer research at William Blair, shares insights from over a decade of Glassdoor data to reveal how culture, leadership, and operational models—not just pay—shape employee satisfaction and long-term brand success in the restaurant sector.

06-25
16:17

Demographics as Commerce: The Aging-in-Place Revolution

Ryan Daniels, William Blair's group head of the healthcare technology and services research sector, explores how America’s rapidly growing senior population is reshaping healthcare, technology, and everyday services through the powerful trend of aging in place.

06-12
25:01

Monthly Macro: Tariffs, Tensions, and Turning Points

William Blair macro analyst Richard de Chazal unpacks the latest on global tariffs, inflation pressures, recession risks, and why smidcap stocks might be poised for a comeback in a shifting economic landscape. *This episode was recorded on May 28, 2025

05-30
25:44

Monthly Macro: April’s Economic Rollercoaster

William Blair macro analyst Richard de Chazal breaks down a wild month of macroeconomic news, focusing on the impact of President Trump's tariff policies on the global economy, equity and bond markets, consumer confidence and corporate inventory strategies. Richard also shares his firsthand experience of Spain's recent power outage and its unexpected lessons. *Recorded April 30, 2025

05-01
28:52

Tracking Job Openings and Staffing Demand Trends with Trevor Romeo, CFA

Global services analyst Trevor Romeo discusses the impact of recent economic uncertainties on the staffing industry, highlighting key trends and challenges faced by companies and exploring the evolving landscape of job openings and the future of staffing.

04-22
18:25

Shaping the Future: Innovations and Trends in Obesity Treatment

William Blair biotech analysts Matt Phipps and Andy Hsieh discuss Andy's innovative scoring system for evaluating investigational agents in obesity treatment. This system, highlighted in Andy's report “Shaping the Future: Innovations and Trends in Obesity Treatment,” considers both weight loss and gastrointestinal side effects to provide a more comprehensive clinical assessment. Tune in to hear their insights on the future of obesity therapies, upcoming industry catalysts, and more.

04-03
29:06

Monthly Macro: March 2025

William Blair macro analyst Richard de Chazal discusses the juxtaposition between weak consumer sentiment and solid economic data, exploring whether a recession is imminent and the implications of shifting inflation regimes, fiscal policy dominance, and ongoing tariff uncertainty.

04-01
26:10

Navigating the AI Boom: Insights from William Blair's Latest Report

Delve into William Blair’s latest generative AI report, “Navigating the Boom: Confronting GenAI’s Most Pressing Questions.” Featuring insights from technology analysts Jason Ader, Arjun Bhatia, and Sebastien Naji, this episode explores the current state of AI, industry trends, and the future of AI development.

03-22
31:33

Talking Market Trends with Tony Frascotti, Head of Private Shares Trading

Tony Frascotti, head of private shares trading at William Blair, discusses the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities in the private shares market, delving into the impact of macroeconomic factors, the influence of AI on investment strategies, and the resurgence of the crypto market. Tony also provides insights into the current state of late-stage investments, the role of data in driving market decisions, and the evolving landscape of private shares trading.

03-20
12:01

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