Leeds Business Insights

What are the societal benefits of whistleblowing? What practical advice is there for those considering speaking up within their own organizations on how to best shed light on an issue without exposing themselves to retaliation? How do people become whistleblowers without even knowing it at the time? Meghan Van Portfliet is an assistant teaching professor at the Leeds School of Business. Her research focuses on whistleblowing and organizational ignorance. In this episode, Meghan starts by defining what organizational ignorance is and what constitutes whistleblowing. Meghan and Maria discuss the spectrum of risk involved in whistleblowing, and Meghan outlines the potential retaliations whistleblowers might face. She also emphasizes the importance of legal and PR support, media coverage, and how organizations can foster a culture where employees feel safe to report wrongdoing. The discussion highlights the societal benefits of whistleblowing and offers practical advice for those considering speaking up. Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM. EPISODE QUOTES: Why do societies need whistleblowers? 16:09: We, as a society, want whistleblowers to expose the wrongdoing that is happening within organizations because there is information asymmetry between organizations and the public. And that speaks again to organizational ignorance. Some of that is fine. We do not want to know everything that is going on. We do not need to know everything that is going on in organizations. But because organizations can slip — they can cut corners, they can cover things up that they think will damage their reputation — they can be incentivized by the wrong thing or be structured the wrong way and have it very easy for people to be engaging in fraud, things like that. We, as a society, benefit from whistleblowers speaking up about this. How teams can foster a speak-up culture 22:38: If you can catch a problem before it goes public, you are saving yourself money, reputation. It is good for organizations to have whistleblowers, right? Like, we want them. And so, just a little award or a recognition or something like that goes a really long way to showing other people, like, "Hey, we care about this. This is something that we want in our organization, and this is something that we celebrate here." And that does set the culture for, "I am not afraid — that something is going to be done." What is strategic organization ignorance? 00:45: Strategic organizational ignorance is ignorance that can be produced and sustained deliberately by organizations in ways that serve institutional goals, deflect responsibility, or maintain plausible deniability. So basically, it is the way that organizations use ignorance to achieve their goals, which are sometimes goals that are fine, goals that we are okay with as a society, but oftentimes, goals that are ones that we, as a society, do not want them to be pursuing. SHOW LINKS: Meghan Van Portfliet | Leeds School of Business Profile Meghan Van Portfliet | LinkedIn Meghan Van Portfliet | Google Scholar Page

What implications do consumer business and confidence have on the future of economic growth? How does fear of the unknown come into play with tariffs taking effect, and how will that play into the Federal Reserve’s stance on interest rates? Richard Wobbekind is the Associate Dean for Business and Government Relations at Leeds School of Business, and Brian Lewandowski is the Executive Director of the Business Research Division at Leeds School of Business. In this episode, Maria talks with Richard and Brian about the current state of the economy. Despite the cooling of Colorado's economy after years of robust growth, there are reasons for cautious optimism. They discuss the impacts of national policy changes, tariffs, and inflation on both the U.S. and Colorado locally. Colorado has seen slower growth in key economic metrics and migration rates, impacting sectors like housing and job market dynamics. Nevertheless, resilience in job growth, positive wage trends, and new business formations show bright spots. This conversation was recorded on June 12, 2025 and does not reflect any economic news or developments since that date. Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM. EPISODE QUOTES: On Colorado’s current economic conditions predictions 28:18: [Richard Wobbekind] We're not in a recession, and we don't think we're going into a recession. We do think a slow growth environment is very likely, but it's a growth environment. When expectations shape the economy 16:41: [Brian Lewandowski]  I think I am cautiously optimistic. I don't think things are all rosy. I think there's many risks that we're keeping an eye on in the economy right now. And personally, I think there are more risks to the downside right now, especially when we think about Colorado. We have some unique exposures to some of the changes happening right now. We may not be as exposed to the tariffs, but I think we are perhaps more exposed in Colorado to the federal restructuring. We have a high concentration of federal labs in Colorado. We have federal space and defense institutions and Colorado that are perhaps at risk. And then our universities receive a lot of federal funding for early-stage research that is also at risk right now. So, I think there certainly are downside risks that we need to be keenly aware of. Why do tariffs matter? 07:19: [Richard Wobbekind] When we think about them from, sort of, broad macro policy, tariffs impact the supply side of the economy. They raise the cost of production in the economy. And supply-side inflationary types of issues that tariffs would fall into are very difficult to address with policy. Looking at Colorado’s slower population growth as a general concern 06:17: [Brian Lewandowski]  Colorado is a state that, for most of its statehood, has had positive net in migration, meaning that more people are moving to the state than moving away from the state. It's rare for Colorado to have net out migration, but for the past few years, we've had very slow migration to the state. And that's important. And it's a concern because many of those people who are coming to Colorado from other states or even other countries are already trained…[06:56] So, it ended up filling the vacant jobs that we had in the state and fueling a lot of the growth that we've had in Colorado. So, we look at Colorado's slower population growth and slower net migration as a general concern. SHOW LINKS: Richard Wobbekind | LinkedIn Richard Wobbekind Leeds School of Business Profile Brian Lewandowski | LinkedIn Brian Lweandowski | Leeds School of Business Profile Colorado’s economic forecast for 2025

AI is everywhere, sparking both excitement and anxiety, especially in education. But what if we shifted our perspective from fear to partnership? Jeremiah Contreras is an assistant teaching professor and the Kala and Shiv Khatri Endowed Faculty Scholar at the Leeds School of Business. Jeremiah is also at the forefront of incorporating the newest AI technologies into business school education across various disciplines. In this episode, Jeremiah shares his journey into AI, his early experiences with OpenAI's GPT, and using AI in the classroom. Jeremiah and Mariah also discuss the Leeds AI initiative and how AI is being integrated into core business courses to prepare students for the future job market. As a daily user of AI technologies for several years, Jeremiah has developed tactics and techniques for using AI openly and transparently with his students to foster trust in it as a powerful tool to help efficiency when used correctly. The conversation also touches on the Colorado AI Act, the future of AI in various industries, and Jeremiah’s advice for newcomers exploring AI technology. Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM. EPISODE QUOTES: Why AI literacy is essential for success [04:18] AI isn't necessarily just a topic. It's really embedded in everything we do, and it's becoming more and more so. And so, what we decided to do is we have 15 core business classes, and so we made sure that we're adding AI into every single core class that all of our freshmen and sophomores take. What does it mean to use AI effectively? [06:11] I would say that it's treating it as a partner, more than a doer. And so, it's a collaborative effort. There's a saying that AI could be reversed and you could call it IA or “intelligence augmented.” And so, when we use it to augment our intelligence, not replace our intelligence, I think that's when it's the best partner. On preparing students to lead with technology [16:18] Education oftentimes is a bit lagging. When it comes to incorporating technology. I think we really have an opportunity to help become part of the leadership, as far as predicting and foreseeing what can happen and almost being an incubator space to test some of these business ideas and help students grow these skills so that, when they enter the workforce, they're able to help these companies grow. How AI boosts productivity in business [14:39] What this new AI era is doing is businesses are having to really rethink, where can I use it? I think one obvious place is increasing productivity. So, when it's used as a thought partner for people or to create PowerPoint slides as an example, when it's used to make you more efficient, you still own as an individual, as a worker, as an employee, I would still own the judgment. I would still own the product and the output, but I have an assistant or I have a partner who can help me become that much more efficient. So, in that case, it's definitely changing how people do their jobs. SHOW LINKS: Learn AI Fundamentals with Google AI Essential | Google Course MCP vs API: Simplifying AI Agent Integration with External Data | YouTube Video AI Explained - YouTube Channel Jeremiah Contreras | LinkedIn Jeremiah Contreras | Leeds School of Business Profile

2025 has been designated the International Year of Quantum by UNESCO, marking 100 years since the creation of quantum mechanics. In that century, the ideas have moved from laboratories and lecture halls to everyday products and a wide general understanding of some principles. How can businesses position themselves to take advantage of the opportunities quantum will create going forward?Scott Sternberg is the executive director of the University of Colorado Boulder CUbit Quantum Initiative. Scott has an extensive background in leadership and business development, and has a strong commitment to encouraging the long-term sustainable growth of the initiative and Colorado’s quantum economy as a whole.In this episode, Scott explains the basic principles of quantum science and its evolution over the past century. He highlights how recent advancements have led to practical applications like quantum computers and sensing technologies that promise to revolutionize various industries. With a focus on Colorado's leading role in quantum research and economic development, Scott and Maria talk about the goals and strategies of the CUbit Quantum Initiative. He also emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, student engagement, and community awareness to foster growth in the quantum economy.Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.EPISODE QUOTES:Quantum, explained simply[01:05] So the word quantum actually relates to the physics or the mathematics that occurs at the very, very small scale—that is to say, at the scale of atoms or even at some atomic levels. And when you start to observe what is happening in terms of the interaction between light and atoms, or atoms with other atoms, you start to see a very different behavior than what we experience in what we call the macroscopic world. So, as we throw a ball and it follows an arc and someone catches it on the other end, we're very in tune with exactly the physics that dominates that trajectory. But when you go into the atomic level and the subatomic level, things behave much, much differently. So, about a hundred years ago, this observation of this new world was starting to come into view, and there was a whole new mathematics around what we call quantum mechanics that was created.Quantum’s around us [05:46] Quantum's around us; you may not realize it, but it's this recent awareness that the impacts to society from quantum computing have really brought this to the forefront for conversation.Why Colorado needs to be at the center of this innovation hub[09:18] We have been recognized by the Economic Development Administration through a technology and innovation hub grant that was submitted by an organization called Elevate Quantum as the tech hub for quantum science in the nation. And so, it's this long history that we have—investing in fundamental science, growing into engineering, growing into the interdisciplinary spaces in the other colleges and departments—that has spawned these companies to come out that have kind of taken traction here in the region. And that was, quite frankly, the core of our argument as to why Colorado needs to be at the center of this technology and innovation hub. SHOW LINKS:Scott Sternberg | LinkedInScott Sternberg | CU Boulder ProfileCUbit Quantum InitiativeCUbit Update | Newsletter

What does it look like to move from a life of intense athletic competition into the realm of business? What aspects of being an athlete translated well into entrepreneurship, and what strong career motivation can be derived from understanding a simple bell curve? Ryan Heckman is a two-time Olympian, Leeds Business School Alumnus, and a longtime entrepreneur.  Ryan co-founded Rallyday Partners, an investment firm dedicated to providing holistic support to company founders and their employees, where he serves as CEO and managing partner. In this episode, Ryan discusses his unique career path to the world of private equity. Ryan shares personal anecdotes about his college journey, career challenges, and his midlife crisis-turned-awakening that led to the founding of Rallyday. He emphasizes the importance of integrating left brain, right brain, heart, and soul in business, and how Rallyday Partners is shifting the paradigm within the private equity industry through its focus on humanizing the journey and fostering aggressive humility among its leaders. Check out this fascinating conversation. Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM. EPISODE QUOTES: The higher the goals the greater the humility [12:11] The higher we set our goals, the more humility we generally have because the chances of you reaching those goals are very slim. And so, I think I've shown up, particularly the last 10 years, with a great deal more humility because of the audacity of the goals that I had established for myself seems so farfetched most of the time. What differs Rallyday from traditional private equity firms? [14:48] “We lead people. We don't manage assets.” And what I mean by that is the objective is obviously professional. We want to create a lot of value, but the journey is very personal, you know. Whether it be for the CEOs that we partner with or their executive teams, the middle managers, the employees, they're showing up at our workplace. And we treat that like the privilege that it is. And our obligation is to not manage them. No one likes to feel managed. We want to earn their followership, and we want to be their leaders and take them personally to places they didn't think they could before meeting us and take their companies even further because they're growing so much as individuals. And so, when we talk about what we do for a living, it's all about humanizing that journey very personally. What does it mean to be aggressively humble at the same time [15:51] I think that everybody at Rallyday strives to be two things at the same time. We strive to be aggressively humble. And what that means, there's a lot of people that I know who are super aggressive and super not humble. I also know people that are really humble, but typically not very aggressive. And so, we look for this duality of character. And, you know, as it turns out, it works because there's nothing more special than someone that is both of these things at the same time. SHOW LINKS: Ryan Heckman | RallyDay Profile Ryan Heckman | LinkedIn

Recent events have put more of a spotlight on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and its role in all organizations. What can research tell us about how these initiatives affect institutions, and what could change were they not in place? Dr. Rebecca (Becca) Mitchell an Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior at the Leeds School of Business at University of Colorado Boulder.  Her research seeks to understand how organizations can improve the effectiveness of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion practices, and how time influences team hierarchy and team affective processes. Becca breaks down key concepts in DEI, explaining visible “surface level” and invisible “deep level” diversity characteristics. She provides insights into each facet of DEI, including the historical and theoretical background, and how the elements work together. The conversation explores Becca’s research motivations, inspired by her personal experiences and desire to create better organizational environments. Maria and Becca talk about cross-training, mentoring, and social accountability, and Becca presents some of her research findings on affective diversity—the mix of emotional states in teams—and employee resource groups, emphasizing the need for strategic alignment and community building. Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM. EPISODE QUOTES: How diversity, equity, and inclusion intersect today [04:53] Diversity is really beneficial, but we get the most out of diversity when we also have equity and inclusion. If we don't have those pieces in place, then we really can't realize the full value of the diverse perspectives that we have in the room. Navigating the gap between DEI intentions and impact [06:54] One trend that I've noticed recently is more research is happening on what we call performative diversity management. I'd like to think that a lot of it isn't that folks are not committed to DEI, but maybe just don't have the resources or the confidence to do it well. So, I think there's a lot of work on initiatives that maybe sound really good but, in practice, don't actually do a lot. Why a diverse team needs both positive Paulas and negative Nancys [24:17] What we found is that teams really benefit from having both—like what I call the positive Paulas and the negative Nancys on the team, right? We want both of them on our teams because the people with positive emotions, we found, really help us to seize opportunities. So, we're seeing those opportunities and going after them. We're taking those risks. And then, our negative Nancys are helping us be a little bit more cautious. They're helping us bring things back in and recognize where there might be some threats or pitfalls in our environment. And so, that combination really helps teams navigate complex tasks that require a bit of both, right? We want to be taking risks, but we also don't want to be too risky in our decision-making. SHOW LINKS: Rebecca Mitchell | Leeds Faculty Profile Rebecca Mitchell | Google Scholar Page Rebecca Mitchell | LinkedIn Why Diversity Programs Fail | HBR We Just Can’t Handle Diversity | HBR Fighting Backlash to Racial Equity Efforts | HBR

It’s never too early to start building your personal brand and to be aware of the social footprint you are creating. Why does it pay to get specific when it comes to your own branding, and what ways can you maximize your brand for your professional growth? Olivia Omega is a personal branding specialist, author, and the Senior Director of Marketing and Communications at the Denver Scholarship Foundation. er upcoming book shares a title with her new podcast, Through Her Eyes. Olivia shares how to be intentional about building your brand, sharing her journey from CU Boulder to her career in marketing, and how developing her personal brand was integral. Olivia clarifies common misconceptions about branding, defines what a personal brand is, and explains why a personal brand is relevant in both entrepreneurial and corporate settings. Olivia also provides practical advice on how to start building a personal brand. Additionally, Olivia and Maria discuss Olivia’s advocacy for diversity and inclusion and her collaboration on a generational memoir with her daughter. Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM. EPISODE QUOTES: What truly is branding? [02:08] Brand goes so far beyond visuals, logo, colors, photos; I think that's a lot of the fun stuff that people like about what a brand is, but a brand is sort of this gathering of emotions, promises—we call them value propositions—qualities, tangible versus more emotive, are perceptions. It could come in the area of sounds even that all come together to make up how much we're willing to pay for, champion, support one thing, one brand, over another. Lessons Olivia is learning from today's youth [18:20] I have learned that young people, this current generation, are so incredibly inclusive and empathetic—way more than I think my generation was at that age or is now. And so, it's a breath of fresh air to see that. I also think that this current generation and young people are extremely ambitious in their dreams and imaginative in what they want to do and where they think they can go. Because we have this world of social media and influencers, we've seen people go from no one to someone over what appears to be overnight. We've seen people make their dreams happen. And so, I think they have that—the example in the visual of what that could look like. And so, their dreams are real. Sky's the limit, which I definitely, truly admire. Examining who you are through the lens of other people helps build your personal brand [09:52] Find the person—there's probably usually one or two people—that you truly feel like you could be yourself around and that know you really well, and ask them to describe who you are; ask them to write down words that describe you. Because a lot of times, we can't see our differences because it's us, and we live with us every single day. And so, stepping outside of our body can be hard, and you'll learn a lot when you start asking these questions about just really the impact you have on people's lives and how you make them feel. SHOW LINKS: OliviaOmega.com Olivia Omega | Denver Scholarship Foundation Olivia Omega | LinkedIn Olivia Omega | Instagram Olivia Omega | X Beautifully Branded - The Girl's Guide to Understanding the Anatomy of Brand You Through Her Eyes | Podcast

This episode is all about attainable housing, and how innovation may be able to help first-time home buyers with new options. Jamie Saunders is a Leeds MBA alumna and the founder of Affix Communities, a startup with a mission to create new ways for potential home buyers to become homeowners. Jamie was inspired by her sister's struggles with fluctuating income and rent increases, shifting from architecture to developing innovative, smaller homes in Colorado for people also struggling. Jamie explains how the concept of prefabrication, creative land use, and designs that allow for short-term rental income can help make housing more affordable. This episode delves into zoning laws, the housing market, and the strategies being implemented to address the affordability crisis. Jamie also outlines what her company's future could look like, aiming to create a replicable system for developers nationwide and foster accessible homeownership. Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM. EPISODE QUOTES: On innovative paths Affix is taking to affordable homeownership [19:37] One thing that we learned that was kind of mind-boggling while we were doing all of these interviews of potential homebuyers is that it came up again and again that younger folks, they're like, I would love to offset some of the cost of my mortgage by renting out a room, maybe not all the time, maybe just occasionally, maybe just on weekends, whatever works for them. But it did come up quite a bit that that's something that the younger buyer is interested in. So we listened to that, and we designed our pilot home with an area in the back that can be locked off that has its entry bedroom and a private bathroom. So that enables people to make the decision if they want; they can just lock off that area and rent it whenever they want. How Affix is trying to create affordability in housing [20:29] There's only two ways to make housing more affordable. The most common way that we see right now is through government subsidy. That's what people usually think of when they hear “affordable housing.” And in that scenario, a house is built, same house, same materials, same, in a lot of cases, almost the same finish quality, even. And then the government will just pay for a portion of the construction costs, which makes the end product cheaper to the consumer. That is not the way that Affix is trying to create affordability. We're trying to create naturally occurring affordability, which means that we are looking for innovative ways to build, more affordable ways to build the actual construction costs, basically. And land costs themselves are actually lower. So, we're not using any kind of government subsidy to accomplish this. On the impact Jamie hopes to create for Affix in the coming years [24:32] In five to 10 years, my hope is that we've created a system that can be replicated by developers across the country. And I'm really hoping that we can all work together to bring real starter homes back to America. I think, historically, homeownership has been one of the top ways that Americans have built wealth for themselves and for their families. And that's something that everyone deserves access to. I think there are a lot of developers out there who share my opinion on that. And I think if we all work together, we could really make a big difference in this. SHOW LINKS: Affix Communities | Website Jamie Saunders | LinkedIn Jamie Saunders | Email Address Deming Center for Entrepreneurship | Leeds School of Business Michael A. Klump Center for Real Estate | Leeds School of Business

Our guest’s latest research is focused on how voters relate to the concepts of truth and factuality, and how personal moral values tend to drive voters more than facts.Ethan Poskanzer is an Assistant Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado Boulder. Ethan studies how organizations can select and connect people to develop innovative ideas and is particularly interested in how the opportunity to innovate can be democratized and made more inclusive.In his second appearance on the show, Ethan joins our new host Mariz Kuntz to chat about the latest paper he co-authored. We’ll dive into how moral flexibility influences political parties and challenges the efficacy of fact-checking, and ultimately shows us how across political parties, people are more similar than they are different.Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.EPISODE QUOTES:How can we improve our political environment?[16:55] In the political environment, it would be better if we tried to support candidates who we thought would conduct themselves in a way conducive to the American political system we want to see. Which I would say, frankly, it's not that easy, because I think there's always shades of these behaviors going on, but it's a new variable in my “who am I going to support?” equation.Politicians reflect what voters reward[17:44] As voters, I think the point of a democracy is that politicians are going to do what gets them votes, so we're going to get the things that we have demand for in the world. And so, if you say that, hey, there's too much distrust in politics, and there's too much misinformation in politics, you probably shouldn't vote for a candidate to do that because that's going to keep happening. I think this is a case where the politicians do what is rewarded by the voters, so we have the power to kind of create a political environment.Seeking leaders who value facts over political agendas[12:08] We see that politicians are not really penalized for saying things that aren't true. And politicians generally are going to do what gets them votes. So to an extent that we want to see this stop, the voters have to hold politicians that do this accountable and not vote for them. SHOW LINKS:Ethan Poskanzer | Leeds School of BusinessEthan Poskanzer | Personal WebsiteEthan Poskanzer | LinkedInEthan Poskanzer | Google ScholarWhen Truth Trumps Facts: Studies on Partisan Moral Flexibility in American Politics

Our guest today says sales is all about helping buyers make informed purchase decisions and giving them the information they need. But there is so much more nuance behind that simple definition, and what goes on in the day to day of a salesperson. So we are thrilled to be discussing applicable lessons from sales that can be useful for any professional with Brian Higgins, a Teaching Assistant Professional at Leeds Business and sales and business development executive. Brian joins host Amanda Kramer to talk about misperceptions many have about working in sales, the art of a good conversation, surprising skills taught in sales courses at Leeds, and the unique mentorship opportunities available here.If you are interested in becoming a mentor for sales students at Leeds, and have 5 years experience employing a sales process with good results, we would love to have you reach out! You can email Brian directly at Brian.Higgins@colorado.edu to learn more.Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.EPISODE QUOTES:The illusion of good and bad personalities[00:10:02] You know what's interesting is that we suffer from this illusion that we have good personalities and bad personalities. There really is no such thing as a good personality and a bad personality. It's that I have a certain kind of personality, and you have a certain kind of personality. And if we're going to get along, we're probably going to need to flex a little bit so that, you know, we can come together in the middle.The value of building relationship in sales[00:02:54] I think what's important is that people understand that no matter how well you communicate, if you don't have the ability to develop some relationship with a person or the people you're selling to, your ability to communicate is not going to be very valuable.On understanding how to sell[00:08:12] Even though you may not be employed to sell, understanding how to sell and understanding what's important in order to sell yourself or your ideas can be very, very helpful in your life.Questions are powerful[00:14:54] Questions are so powerful. The ability to ask questions that are purposeful and meaningful puts the focus on the other person. It's not about us. It's more about you. Tell me about this. Tell me about that. So the ability to ask questions in a conversation is incredibly powerful.SHOW LINKS:Brian Higgins Faculty Profile at the Leeds School of Business

Brock Weatherup is a Leeds alumnus and consumer growth board executive, three-time Exit Startup CEO founder, multi-billion dollar C-suite leader, an active early-stage investor.He was a dedicated startup guy, who went from churning out successful businesses in the pet food & wellness industry, to receiving a diagnosis that changed the entire course of his life. In this episode, he sits down with host Amanda Kramer to discuss his accomplishments, reflect on getting diagnosed with multiple sclerosis just 18 months ago, finding comfort in risk, and diving into opportunities even if you don't feel 100% prepared.Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.EPISODE QUOTES:Take the risk and embrace the knowledge that comes with it[00:25:24] If you don't take risks and don't take stride, you don't know what will happen in life. And it doesn't have to be necessarily a medical thing, but all those other things—how are you going to end up and what are you going to do with it? And the reality is: take the risk and embrace the knowledge that comes with it.How do you build your comfort with risk and live with a risk forward mentality?[00:13:06] If you have that personal infrastructure and the intentionality in your life, those two things allow you to find success if you're willing to be open for it. But you have to be ready to go do that and know that, hey, things fail all along the way. Okay. How are you going to get out of it?On finding the right support system[00:10:56] Find the people that are supportive, and by supportive, it doesn't mean people who are like, "Yay! You're the best Brock." It doesn't mean that it's the people who are truly there for you and care about you genuinely.SHOW LINKS:Brock Weatherup on LinkedIn

So much of our free time is consumed with posting on social media, sharing our day to day lives and crafting a personal narrative or brand online. But how is the effecting our day to day lives, and is it effecting our possibility to truly live in and experience the moments were in?Today we are discussing the intersection between technology and consumer experiences with Alexandra Barasch, an associate professor at the Leeds School of Business. She sits down with host Amanda Kramer to talk all about what makes customers enjoy their experiences, how companies can then create experiences that make consumers more immersed or more engaged in the moment, the pros & cons of 5G and more immersive content, as well as posting posed vs candid photos.Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.EPISODE QUOTES:Authenticity is always the winning strategy[00:27:30] Authenticity, in my view, is always going to be a winning strategy. How to do that is changing. How to signal that you care about that depends on the segment, it depends on the technology, but it's always going to be what people care about.How do you find the most genuine content?[00:19:25] You want to let consumers speak for you. In order to do that, you have to be able to let go. You have to be able to not have full control over your content, and that is how you get the most genuine, authentic content that consumers are sharing and really believe in the product and the brand, and other consumers can judge that very well.Reducing frictions leads to better conversions[00:16:46] Reducing friction is only good when consumers are ready to process it, ready to act, and this is going to also lead to better tracking of conversions, better data and metrics, and analytics as well.You can't compare one social media or type of technology to another.[00:18:18] There's no one social media or type of technology that's better or worse than the others. It's about the selection effects, where certain types of consumers—younger consumers and consumers that are more technologically savvy—are able to embrace and engage with more varied and diverse formats and more interactive content.SHOW LINKS:Alixandra Barasch Faculty Profile at Leeds School of BusinessAlixandra Barasch - Google Scholar

In this episode, we are discussing innovation and inclusivity in entrepreneurship with Ethan Poskanzer.Ethan is an Assistant Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship in the Leeds School of Business, and studies how organizations can select and connect people to develop innovative ideas and how the opportunity to innovate can be democratized and made more inclusive.Host Amanda Kramer sits down with Ethan to discuss his latest research: the science behind matching entrepreneurs and mentors, some striking data in how gender factors into mentor/mentee relationships, and what we can learn from pitch evaluation & sequencing.Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.EPISODE QUOTES:Why do entrepreneurs need to stick to their convictions?[00:07:38] One thing that I would encourage entrepreneurs to do is stick to their convictions about what they need help with and to reach out to people who they think can help them, because they know what's going on under the hood more than other people do.Gender differences in funding referrals[00:17:42] Women mentors are about equally likely to make a referral for a man, entrepreneur, or a woman entrepreneur. But men mentors were much more likely to make referrals for men. So that meant that through those same-gender relationships, men had greater access to this super coveted resource of introductions to investors and the opportunity to pitch their businesses for funding.Something to keep in mind in the entrepreneurial process[00:24:31] That's something important to keep in mind that an organization is designing a process to select new ideas to fund an investment that you think of. We need to be really careful about defining the criteria that we're going to use to select this. SHOW LINKS:Ethan Poskanzer Faculty Profile at Leeds School of BusinessEthan Poskanzer - Personal WebsitePaper: Who Becomes an Inventor in America? The Importance of Exposure to Innovation, by Alex Bell, Raj Chetty, Xavier Jaravel, Neviana Petkova, John Van Reenen

Commercial construction and real estate development is a difficult space to break into, and building plans can change at the drop of a hat, forcing you to be flexible and nimble with clients. So joining us to talk about this dynamic and ever-growing industry is Case Swenson, alumnus and president/CEO at Swenson in the San Francisco Bay area.Case joins host Amanda Kramer to share the trends and challenges he is seeing in the construction and real estate space, so-called “green building,” the skillset needed to enter this industry, and what he's learned from scaling a 4 generation family-owned business. Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.EPISODE QUOTES:The importance of understanding your market[00:11:22] I've seen a lot of different contractors go outside of their area, and a lot of times, they get hurt by doing that because they don't understand the market there, they don't understand the labor there. And it is very important to really understand the market that you're in, how much it costs per square foot, how high you can build, how wide you can build, what kind of municipality you're dealing with, and how difficult they are.The value of leverage[00:12:19] Leverage is the most important part of development and something that you should really focus on understanding. There's a difference between the science of money and the science of maybe something like brain surgery, and the science of money is complicated. But your deep understanding of that is the most helpful thing when it comes to doing development and construction.What is the current challenge in the construction industry?[00:05:24] Right now, the biggest challenge for us is the economic cycle. We have rising interest rates. Also, bring up cap rates, which is how your building is valued at the end of the day. SHOW LINKS:Swenson - The Swenson GroupCase Swenson on LinkedIn

Crowdfunding and volunteer mobilization are at the heart of how non-profits function on a day-to-day basis. But how does this work in an ever-growing remote workforce? And how can this ethos transfer to the business sector and for-profit organizations?Joining us to answer some of these questions and more is Gloria Urrea, an Assistant Professor of Operations Management in the Strategy, Entrepreneurship, and Operations Management (SEO) Department at the Leeds School of Business. Gloria studies operations of humanitarian organizations (HOs), whose mission is to alleviate human suffering and improve the quality of life of the most vulnerable population. She joins host Amanda Kramer to discuss crowdfunding in emergency support situations, mobilizing donors without burning them out, weighing volunteer experience, and the power of transparency.Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.EPISODE QUOTES:Getting to know your volunteers is important[00:10:02] When we think about volunteer management, we are thinking about people that are donating their time. It's also important to recognize their heterogeneity, how they are different, and how they may have different priorities, or how I can offer them different tasks depending on who they are.The role of retention in volunteering [00:17:42] Retention is also important because charities want to avoid losing knowledge and experience. Moreover, research has already shown that when volunteers gain experience with a platform, they are more willing to take over maybe monotonous tasks or other tasks that are needed to be done for the long-term sustainability of the platform. The power of transparency[00:08:54] There is also a lot of research showing that even revealing some sensitive information to an extent, like costs, also incentivize people, really makes customers feel more valued by the companies. And they appreciate that with more loyalty or purchasing more, one key takeaway for businesses in general and for people is the power of transparency.SHOW LINKS:​​Gloria Urrea Faculty Profile at Leeds School of BusinessGloria Urrea - Google Scholar

If we look at the events that have unfolded in the first part of the year, our guests believe likelihood of a recession has increased, and changed expectations for the economy.Joining us today for this discussion on the economy and a look ahead, are Rich Wobbekind, the Dean for Business and Government Relations and Senior Economist at Leeds as well as Brian Lewandowski, Executive Director of the Business Research Division at Leeds.We dive deeper into the SVB crash and its ripple effects this episode, including effects on smaller community banks, the current status of inflation and interest rates on a national and state level, the status of labor shortages and where cryptocurrency fits in the economy. Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.EPISODE QUOTES:What are the implications of the collapse on smaller community banks? [00:08:40] Richard Wobbekind: People have much more technology-based mobility now than they've had historically, and that is allowing or encouraging the flow of these funds out of the banking system.On the current status of inflation and interest rates[00:25:09] Brian Lewandowski: When we look at Fed policy, the fear or concern is that the Fed would stop too soon. If they pause or even make that bold decision to change direction and lower interest rates because of what's going on in the economy, that signal would sort of derail some of the progress that's being made on inflation right now.Post-pandemic trends that may contribute to recession[00:24:49] Richard Wobbekind: I think we've gotten much better at working remotely. We've really adapted to the use of technology more. We've become efficient in a number of ways, and it helps us recruit people from all over the country. If you have a remote job, we can have people working anywhere. And that's one of the things that may be impacting us locally.SHOW LINKS:Richard L. Wobbekind | Leeds School of BusinessBrian Lewandowski | Leeds School of Business

Everything on paper was perfect for Ashish. A successful job with McKinsey, a beautiful wife and baby, a happy and peaceful life in Boulder. But everyday, he would wake up with intense anxiety, nausea, and an overwhelming sense of doom. Where was this coming from, and what could it be pointing to? This is when the real journey began, and Happiness Squad was created. With a goal to help enhance joy, health, love, and meaning in your life, Happiness Squad works with organizations as well as individuals to help people reach their highest potential.Ashish Kothari is the Founder of Happiness Squad, author of Hardwired for Happiness, and a friend of the Leeds School of Business. He joins our host Amanda Kramer to debunk myths surrounding happiness & success, help us find happiness in our work, job crafting, and how we can integrate more happiness, gratitude and good habits into our own lives. Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.EPISODE QUOTES:Burnout, stress, and anxiety affect people everywhere[00:04:59] I thought stress, anxiety, and burnout are prices insecure overachievers pay to climb the ladder and accumulate wealth. When I did this research to build this offering, I realized how wrong I was. I realize how big this issue of stress, anxiety, and burnout was in our world.Happiness is something that ensues[00:07:16] You can't actually pursue happiness. Those who have happiness as a goal are inherently unhappier because they're so focused on, Am I happy? Am I happy now? Why am I not happy now? And Tal talks a bit about this notion of happiness being something that ensues. You can't see the light, but you can break the light into its different components, and you can see the different colors.How companies help reduce stress and anxiety and increase performance[00:09:18] We can be less stressed if organizations join forces to fundamentally shape cultures of flourishing. It can make a big difference, both in an individual's life but even bigger in the performance of organizations.SHOW LINKS:Daniel Goldman, PsychologistHappiness SquadSonja Lyubomirsky Martin SeligmanEd DeinerTal Ben ShaharWhat Job Crafting Looks Like, by Jane E. Dutton and Amy WrzesniewskiBJ FoggDr. Kristin NeffHardwired for Happiness by Ashish KothariHappiness Squad Podcast

Both Silicon Valley and Signature Bank are two of the top three largest bank failures in American history, both in terms of dollars, but also on an inflation-adjusted basis. And they happen just a few days apart, just over 2 weeks ago now. To get more insight on this incredible financial event, we sat down with Shaun Davies. He is an associate professor and research director of the Burridge Center for Finance at the Leeds School of Business. We grabbed some time with Shaun during this hectic week to get the low down on what the SVB collapse means, the parallels between the 2007/2008 financial crisis and today, and what to look out for moving forward. Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM. EPISODE QUOTES: Bank fraud still exists [00:09:01] Typically, when we think about bank runs, we think back to black-and-white movies, like "It's a Wonderful Life," and we think that bank failures, they’re a thing of America's past. Well, the Silicon Valley Bank failure showed us that bank runs still exist. They can still happen. The unexpected failure of Silicon Valley and Signature Bank [00:03:44] Silicon Valley and Signature Bank are two of the top three largest bank failures in American history, both in terms of dollars but also on an inflation-adjusted basis. Even when we take bank failures 25 to 30 years ago, these are still larger, even on an inflation-adjusted basis. And it's hard to believe we saw that out of nowhere. And in the span of a few days. Moments of crisis should be expected [00:24:38] There will never be a time in which all risks are hedged, and everything is safe. Moments of crisis, massive stock market volatility, moments of your portfolio going down in value. Those should be expected. They're not fun, but they should be expected.

20+ years ago, if you were featured in an editorial story in the New York Times could keep customers coming to you for years. But in 2023, we are all too aware that the fight for you attention is happening at all times, and from all angles and devices. So how can PR agencies keep up and keep you focused? Alexis Walsko is a Leeds alumna and founder of Minneapolis-based agency Lola Red, starting the company when she was just 22 years old. This episode dives into all things PR and strategy, touching on the history of traditional PR and the rise of the influencer, what to look for in an influencer and how to evaluate their effectiveness in your campaigns, micro vs macro influencers, and Alexis’ work in the early days of Love Your Melon hat and beanies. Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of the Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM. EPISODE QUOTES: Great brands make great partnerships with people [08:29] Great brands do great partnerships with people; that partnership is not about just a monetary exchange. It's actually about a deeper brand relationship. Consider the influence you leave on others [25:56] Always consider influence because we are all always being influenced. And so pay attention to that as a consumer, but also from a worldly perspective. And in the vein of what I got from my amazing time at Leads and at Boulder, was also to consider the influence that you have on others. How companies are using information and data? [04:19] Information and data are so accessible today, and companies are using any means possible to get it to the appropriate parties.

Spring is almost here, and so is season 3 of Leeds Business Insights! Join host Amanda Kramer Wednesday, March 15th for another series of outstanding guests and topnotch analysis to help you stand out from the herd. We’re diving into the world of influencer marketing, balancing startup life with personal wellness and a difficult diagnosis, and digging into the science behind happiness and purpose, just to name a few topics. We know you're not going to want to miss this batch of episodes, so make sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. We’ll catch you right here on March 15th with episode one, and every other Wednesday after that. We can't wait for you to hear them!