TED Business

What happens when ordinary people win the lottery? Financial planner Matt Pitcher shares lessons from more than a decade of advising lotto winners, revealing how sudden wealth can unbalance life and spark consumerism — or create profound opportunities for meaning. This talk just might make you rethink the link between money and happiness. Then Modupe reflects on hitting the jackpot at work and what does it mean to have days filled with joy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, credit cards are a $500 billion-a-year industry. Banks consider these lines of credit when deciding whether or not to approve loans, incentivizing customers to maintain multiple credit cards. So, how did this lending system originate? And how did they get to be so popular? Nidhi Upadhyaya digs into the history of credit cards in the United States. [Directed by Jeff Le Bars, JetPropulsion.space, narrated by Bethany Cutmore-Scott, music by Salil Bhayani, cAMP Studio]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What do foot massage parties, otters, and AI robot tutors have in common? To find out, tune into our special end-of-year conversation featuring the hosts from TED Talks Daily, TED Radio Hour, TED Business, and TED Tech! Elise Hu of TED Talks Daily hosted a conversation with Manoush Zomorodi, Modupe Akinola and Sherrell Dorsey, where they discussed the biggest ideas dominating their industry and the lesser-known insights they wished garnered more attention. From pushing back against AI advances to sharing the TED Talks that inspired them, Elise, Manoush, Modupe, and Sherrell reflect on 2025 and look ahead to 2026. Conversations Mentioned TED Radio Hour Could AI extend your life indefinitely? Futurist Ray Kurzweil thinks soWill AI avatars eventually teach our kids?Singapore's otters are butting heads with their human neighbors. Can they coexist?Move fast...and fix democracy? TED Talks A story of moral imagination and bold entrepreneurshipHow AI is unearthing hidden scientific knowledgeThe surprising power of your nature photosThe best way to lower Earth’s temperature — fastCoding a better governmentHow I make vegan food sexyThe high-wire act of unlocking clean energyCRISPR's next advance is bigger than you thinkYou are not alone in your loneliness Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen J. Dubner is an award-winning journalist, bestselling author, and co-creator of Freakonomics—the cultural phenomenon that, over the past 20 years, has grown into a global franchise, changing how millions think, revealing the hidden side of everything, and challenging us to question what we know. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s not enough to do important work — we need to know it truly matters, says journalist Jennifer Wallace. Drawing on her research into firefighters, caregivers and more, she shows how simple acts of acknowledgment and connection can fuel our sense of purpose in a world that too often undervalues recognition. After the talk, Modupe shares how you can practice gratitude. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Energy expert Sebastián Kind helped Argentina go from virtually no renewable energy to generating nearly 40 percent of its electricity from wind and solar in just six years, despite economic crises and skepticism. How did the country's transition off fossil fuels happen so quickly? He shows why the key breakthrough didn't hinge on technology or resources — and explains how other countries can follow the same path. After the talk, Modupe reflects on Sebastián roadmap for promoting renewable energy laws amid a polarized government. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if saving lives and growing a company went hand in hand? Public health expert Myriam Sidibe thinks many businesses are going about social impact all wrong — and leaving millions of dollars on the table at the same time. Drawing from decades of experience, she reveals a playbook for brands to create real impact, proving that what’s good for society can be great for business. After the talk, Modupe challenges you to rethink mealtime conversations as opportunities to start sowing seeds for change. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nobel Prize-winning economist Esther Duflo brings her data-driven precision to the climate crisis — and the numbers are damning. While world leaders haggle over finances at endless summits, rising temperatures will kill millions in the poorest countries by the end of this century. She calculates the staggering cost of wealthy nations pumping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, proving that getting billionaires to pay their fair share in taxes is the best way to cover these damages. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When entrepreneur Samir Ibrahim asked farmers in Kenya what problem they most needed solved, the answer was simple: reliable access to water to irrigate their farms year-round. Samir is the CEO of SunCulture, a company replacing diesel- and petrol-powered water pumps with more affordable solar-powered ones. He sits down with Sherrell Dorsey, host of the “TED Tech” podcast, to discuss how he continues to innovate his product to serve smallholder farmers. Later, Sherrell chats with coffee farmer Josephine Waweru about how SunCulture’s pump revolutionized her farm and the advice she has for young people to succeed. This is episode one of a four-part series airing this month on TED Tech, where host and climate tech journalist Sherrell Dorsey speaks with climate leaders on the technology sparking a greener, more equitable future. Interested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links: TEDNext: ted.com/futureyou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Struggling communities don’t need handouts — they need bold new ways to root wealth. Meet Molly Hemstreet — a TED Fellow, Southern Appalachia native and cofounder of worker support network the Industrial Commons — who’s flipping the script on generational poverty by turning textile waste into $9-per-pound yarn and factory workers into business owners. Discover how her long-haul approach is rebuilding rural economies stitch by stitch, proving that opportunity grows when we stop extracting and start empowering. After the talk, Modupe reflects on how much change-making is site-specific and how you can think about showing up for your communities? Interested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links: TEDNext: ted.com/futureyou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the last 40 years, Brazil has lost an area larger than California to deforestation — and 90 percent of the clear-cutting has been illegal, all part of a multi-billion-dollar global environmental crime economy. Civic entrepreneur Ilona Szabó de Carvalho sees this crisis as an opportunity. Revealing how Brazil is pioneering an economic model actually profiting from protecting nature, she shares the ambitious restoration goals and innovations in forest mapping that are turning the country into a "nature superpower." Get a glimpse of what an economy rooted in regeneration, not extraction, could look like. After the talk, Modupe reflects on her experience traveling through Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya and how you can change public opinion and treat the natural world better. Interested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links: TEDNext: ted.com/futureyou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brené Brown is a researcher, storyteller, and author who hosts the podcast Dare to Lead and has given some of the most popular TED Talks of all time. Brené joins Adam live at Authors@Wharton to talk about her new book, Strong Ground. They discuss how to identify your core values, what courageous leadership looks like, and whether vulnerability has gained popularity. They also address the problems with “executive presence,” compare notes on how to have hard conversations and set boundaries, debate the merits of the “tush push,” and reflect on what Brené learned from working with FBI hostage negotiators. Interested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links: TEDNext: ted.com/futureyou TEDAI San Francisco: ted.com/ai-sf Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Africa’s booming youth population is often seen as a "jobless generation." But in Kenya alone, young people are already adding more than 530 million dollars a month to the economy through informal businesses. Social entrepreneur Anuj Tanna, who cofounded a social network to connect these entrepreneurs, challenges us to rethink the narrative: What if the informal economy isn’t a problem to fix, but a powerful engine to fuel the future of work? Interested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links: TEDNext: ted.com/futureyou TEDAI San Francisco: ted.com/ai-sf Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is the surprising story of how Texas – rich in oil and gas – became America's biggest producer of wind energy. For our first episode, Ryan and Anjali talk with Pat Wood, once George W. Bush’s right hand man and head of Texas's Public Utility Commission, to uncover the innovative approach that turned Texas into a renewable energy powerhouse. It’s a story about what could get done before partisan politics got in the way of good climate policy, and it shows that economic incentives for consumers, government, and companies can play a huge role in supercharging clean energy. Interested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links: TEDNext: ted.com/futureyou TEDAI Vienna: ted.com/ai-vienna TEDAI San Francisco: ted.com/ai-sf Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Interested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links: TEDNext: ted.com/futureyou TEDAI Vienna: ted.com/ai-vienna TEDAI San Francisco: ted.com/ai-sf Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You’ve probably had a bad boss, but you might not realize how easy it is to become one. Leadership experts Jamie Woolf and Christopher Bell unpack “power blindness” — how authority can warp your perspective — and share smart, practical ways to break the cycle of toxic bosses for good. After the talk, Modupe shares one more exercise to help you become a better boss. Interested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links: TEDNext: ted.com/futureyou TEDAI Vienna: ted.com/ai-vienna TEDAI San Francisco: ted.com/ai-sf Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Remember that gut-clenching fear of speaking up in class? Organizational psychologist Rafael Chiuzi reveals how that same feeling shows up in the workplace, limiting productivity and the free exchange of ideas. Backed by decades of research and hands-on consulting, he unpacks the science of psychological safety — and shares three actionable steps to build teams where curiosity thrives and courage replaces fear. Interested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links: TEDNext: ted.com/futureyou TEDSports: ted.com/sports TEDAI Vienna: ted.com/ai-vienna TEDAI San Francisco: ted.com/ai-sf Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a conversation about visionary leadership, M-PESA CEO Sitoyo Lopokoiyit speaks with impact investor and Acumen CEO Jacqueline Novogratz about how he grew a nascent mobile payment service into Africa’s largest fintech platform — which now handles nearly 60 percent of Kenya's GDP and more than a billion dollars in daily transactions. They draw on insights from both of their careers to explore how trust, innovation and moral imagination can unlock opportunity in overlooked places. For a chance to give your own TED Talk, fill out the Idea Search Application: ted.com/ideasearch. Interested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links: TEDNext: ted.com/futureyou TEDSports: ted.com/sports TEDAI Vienna: ted.com/ai-vienna TEDAI San Francisco: ted.com/ai-sf Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kickstarter cofounder Yancey Strickler unveils a radical new economic model that could transform how creative people build sustainable careers, amass collective wealth and escape the burnout of hustle culture. Hear his vision for how artists can pool resources, share profits and own their work in a new kind of economy, as he poses a tantalizing view of the future: What if the next Disney wasn't a corporate giant but an artist-owned collective? After the talk, Modupe reasons, if artists are becoming their own entrepreneurs, why don't we trust them more when they say the current AI business model is not serving them? For a chance to give your own TED Talk, fill out the Idea Search Application: ted.com/ideasearch. Interested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links: TEDNext: ted.com/futureyou TEDSports: ted.com/sports TEDAI Vienna: ted.com/ai-vienna TEDAI San Francisco: ted.com/ai-sf Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Quick Fixes episode, Anne and Frances work to solve three different callers’ tricky work problems in under 20 minutes. One listener searches for the best way to level up his small business, the next plans to approach their manager about a dramatic role change, and a final caller is interviewing for a new leadership position that would require him to manage problematic colleagues. What problems are you dealing with at work? Text or call 234-FIXABLE or email fixable@ted.com to be featured on the show. You can find transcripts for Fixable at ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcripts For a chance to give your own TED Talk, fill out the Idea Search Application: ted.com/ideasearch. Interested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links: TEDNext: ted.com/futureyou TEDSports: ted.com/sports TEDAI Vienna: ted.com/ai-vienna TEDAI San Francisco: ted.com/ai-sf Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.