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Rapid Response

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The pace of change in our culture is unprecedented and shows no signs of slowing. So what is most important to pay attention to when striving to innovate, create, and lead? From the team behind Masters of Scale, Rapid Response features candid conversations with today's top business leaders navigating real-time challenges. Hosted by the former editor-in-chief of Fast Company, Bob Safian.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes432Founded2 years ago
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NewsEntrepreneurshipBusiness NewsBusiness

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Latest Episodes

Every year at Cannes Lions, the advertising world takes stock of itself — what's working, what's not, and what it's pretending not to notice. Autodesk CMO Dara Treseder joins Rapid Response live from the festival to cut through the noise. She breaks ... more

This morning, former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo launched RAISE US, an initiative to directly confront what she calls America's missing piece: a people strategy to match its technology strategy. Raimondo joins Rapid Response to explain h... more

David protein bars went from startup to one of the hottest consumer products in America in under two years. But the ride has been anything but smooth. Founder and CEO Peter Rahal joins Rapid Response to talk about building a breakout brand through la... more

While many tech companies race to build ever-larger AI models, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna sees the future differently. Speaking with host Bob Safian before a live audience during New York Tech Week, Krishna explains why enterprises are overcomplicating A... more

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Recent Guests

Peter Rahal
CEO of David, the protein bar brand
David (protein bars)
Episode: $300m in year two. The controversy came free, with David Protein’s Peter Rahal
Arvind Krishna
Chairman and CEO of IBM
IBM
Episode: IBM’s $10 billion bet on what comes after AI
JT Batson
CEO of the U.S. Soccer Federation
U.S. Soccer Federation
Episode: U.S. Soccer CEO: The unseen stakes of this World Cup
Sam Borden
Global Sports Correspondent for ESPN and investigative reporter
ESPN
Episode: World Cup kickoff: Goals, greed, and geopolitics, with ESPN’s Sam Borden
Parth Patil
AI engineer, Office of Reid Hoffman
Office of Reid Hoffman
Episode: Pioneers of AI: How fast can you upskill in AI? We did a sprint to find out.
DeAngela Napier
Special Events Project Manager, Masters of Scale Summit
Masters of Scale
Episode: Pioneers of AI: How fast can you upskill in AI? We did a sprint to find out.
Madeline McIntosh
Co-founder and CEO of Authors Equity
Authors Equity
Episode: A radical fix for the broken book business, with Madeline McIntosh
Aza Raskin
Co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology
Center for Humane Technology
Episode: The race no one can win: AI’s anti-human crisis, with Aza Raskin
Brandon Tseng
President and co-founder of Shield AI
Shield AI
Episode: AI warfare and the race for a million-drone army, with Shield AI’s Brandon Tseng

Host

Bob Safian
Host of Rapid Response; former editor-in-chief of Fast Company; experienced journalist and business interviewer

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 89 ratings
  • Peer to Peer convo

    love that Bob Safian engages with guest in a curious but informed way - and his guests reflect fresh thinking in business.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LA YMCA user
    United States2 years ago
  • Engaging and Insightful Business Conversations

    Concise and insightful! Bob Safian’s informed questions, combined with his curiosity and wit, make each episode engaging. The end-of-podcast summaries are a perfect wrap-up. A must-listen for quick, valuable business insights.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Goldenrust
    Canada2 years ago
  • Great podcast

    Safian delivers an interesting story and presents ideas I never thought about.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Mbelsky674
    United States2 years ago
  • The best!!

    An excellent, amazingly high quality show that manages to be equally entertaining and informative. Couldn’t recommend it more highly!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    eagleeyes95
    United States2 years ago
  • Come for the interview, stay for the takeaways

    Bob Safian can talk to anybody. But especially with movers and shakers of the business world. Whether it’s a big time CEO, Star Trek’s executive producer, or an educational organizational leader integrating AI into their products, Bob skillfully asks the questions we want to know. If you want relevant and exciting interviews on what biz leaders are doing to navigate life here on earth, and this business machine we all wake up in everyday, this is the spot for you. Pack this podcast and unwrap th... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Travdin Tuck
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Quality interviews with high-caliber guests and a tight, takeaway-driven format are repeatedly highlighted.
The show is described as authentic, insightful, and consistently valuable for practical business takeaways.
Listeners praise the host's curious yet informed interviewing style and the host's ability to draw fresh insights from movers and shakers in business.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

$300m in year two. The controversy came free, with David Protein’s Peter Rahal
Q: What's the plan for keeping momentum after the rapid ascent?
Rahals argues that continuing product innovation, expanding distribution, and maintaining clear, fast communication across platforms is essential, while leveraging education about their ingredients to sustain long-term interest.
The U.S. at 250: The case for reckoning and rebuild, with Ian Bremmer
Q: What gives you hope for a positive path forward for the US by 2026 and beyond?
Hope comes from recognizing that systemic change can be channeled into constructive political revolutions, with institutions evolving to support growth, social safety nets, and a more inclusive civic framework, avoiding a collapse into cynicism or division.
The U.S. at 250: The case for reckoning and rebuild, with Ian Bremmer
Q: You've talked about how the most important new global leaders aren't countries, they're technology companies in a lot of ways. Is there some stability that that provides or is it scary?
The balance is fragile; while tech giants can stabilize certain global dynamics through scale and influence, governments must still safeguard citizens and ensure tech serves society, not just profits. There's no clear balance yet, and governance remains uneven across systems.
Pioneers of AI: What is agentic commerce? Stripe’s CRO of AI explains.
Q: What do you mean by agenda commerce, and how is Stripe enabling it?
Agenda commerce refers to AI-enabled shopping where the buyer is guided by AI within chat interfaces and autonomous agents, and Stripe enables it by building merchant-friendly infrastructure, fraud prevention via a payments foundation model, and seamless integration capabilities for brands to participate.
Pioneers of AI: What is agentic commerce? Stripe’s CRO of AI explains.
Q: That is a very new title. How did that come about?
The role emerged as Stripe sought to formalize AI-enabled revenue and growth functions into a dedicated leadership position, reflecting the growing importance of AI in commerce and payments.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Rapid Response

What is Rapid Response about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Rapid Response delivers concise, high-impact conversations with today's business leaders navigating fast-moving change. Episodes cover AI, autonomy, energy, sports business, space, design, and leadership under scrutiny, often tying macro trends to practical implications for managers and investors. A standout pattern is bringing deep domain expertise to timely, high-stakes topics, with a focus on ethical considerations, strategic pivots, and real-world outcomes. The show tends to attract listeners who want actionable takeaways from executives, founders, and policymakers, and it frequently features guests who operate at the intersection of technology, industry disruption, and leadership culture.

Where can I find podcast stats for Rapid Response?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Rapid Response. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Rapid Response and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Rapid Response get?

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What are the audience demographics for Rapid Response?

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How many subscribers and views does Rapid Response have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Rapid Response has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Rapid Response?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Rapid Response:

1. Pioneers of AI
2. Masters of Scale
3. The a16z Show
4. The Knowledge Project
5. Y Combinator Startup Podcast

How many episodes of Rapid Response are there?

Rapid Response launched 2 years ago and published 432 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Rapid Response?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Rapid Response?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Rapid Response from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on Rapid Response?

Recent guests on Rapid Response include:

1. Peter Rahal
2. Arvind Krishna
3. JT Batson
4. Sam Borden
5. Parth Patil
6. DeAngela Napier
7. Madeline McIntosh
8. Aza Raskin

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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