The Nick Halaris Show
The Nick Halaris Show is a podcast about the biggest issues and challenges in the world and the critical questions of our age. Using the powerful lens of the courageous individuals working to make the world a better place, Nick takes listeners on a journey of discovery. People come to learn but walk away empowered and inspired to play a more meaningful role in the world.
What if AI Just Makes Us All Dumber? | Kate Epstein
Up this week is a provocative new episode for The Nick Halaris Show featuring author and historian Kate Epstein. Kate is an Associate Professor for History at Rutgers, the author of two fascinating books—"Torpedo” and “Analog Superpowers”— and a contributor to Persuasion, a publication dedicated to promoting free society.
I came across Kate’s work when a friend and one of my most steadfast supporters forwarded me her must-read essay “We, Robots.” While most are out cheering AI and its potential to make us super intelligent, Kate dares to consider the alternative: what if AI is actually making us...
Unlocking the Secrets of Elite Tutoring | Dan Lerman
I wanted to have Dan on the show to learn more about the inner workings of the mysterious private tutor world. When I was coming up, private tutors were hardly a thing; now, they can be a difference maker. Access to elite educational opportunities is a key line of division in our fracturing society and, while in education we tend to look for systemic solutions, what’s going on with private tutors suggests that individual intervention may be where we want to focus.
Tune in to this fascinating conversation to learn:
Why parents around the world are w...Why the Legal System Is America’s Democratic Lifeline | Mack Jenkins
We are featuring my longtime friend Mack Jenkins, a public-minded lawyer and former US Attorney. As a prosecutor, Mack was responsible for some of the highest-profile and most consequential convictions in modern LA history, including those against multiple elected officials. Mack is now a partner at Hecker Fink, a leading law firm with a strong public interest bent and a staunch commitment to justice.
Tune in to this inspiring conversation to learn:
The crucial role that attorneys can play in shaping the public policy landscapeWhy the criminal justice reform movement is not dead and just needs a d...Redefining Education Through Entrepreneurship | Anand Sanwal
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Anand Sanwal, the co-Founder of The Formidable Fellowship, a non-profit focused on sparking the next generation of young entrepreneurs, and the host of the Future Titans Podcast, a show featuring the inspiring stories of the winners of the Formidable grant. Anand is also the co-Founder and former CEO of CB Insights, a very successful AI and data company, a writer, and working on building a national network of schools for entrepreneurship (more on this in a future episode!).
Ready to dive in? Listen to this episode on A...
How Business Can Help Us To Stop Wasting So Much Food | Ben Kuethe Oaks
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Ben Kuethe Oaks, the Vice President and General Manager at Divert, a circular economy company on a mission to prevent food from being wasted through nationwide infrastructure and innovative technologies. We waste a staggering amount of food here in America—something like 40% of everything we produce. Meanwhile, there are over 40M food insecure households in America alone and millions more around the world. Something is not right here!
Ready to dive in? Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and YouTubeor on you...
How American Farmers Can Thrive and Protect the Environment | Mitchell Hora
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Mitchell Hora, the founder and CEO of Continuum Ag, a company helping farmers better understand their carbon footprint, implement regenerative agriculture practices, and take advantage of exciting new government credit programs.
Ready to dive in? Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and YouTubeor on your favorite podcast platform.
I wanted to...
Darius Dale | The Truth About What’s Possible with DOGE
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are welcoming back Darius Dale, the founder and CEO of 42 Macro, a leading Macro Risk Management serving investors around the world! Check out his first episode here for a master class introduction to the art of macro risk management in investing.
Ready to dive in? Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and YouTube or on your fa...
Leveraging the Overlooked Power of State Legislatures - Melissa Walker
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Melissa Walker, the Head of the Giving Circles Program at the States Project, an organization focused on leveraging the consistently overlooked and massively underestimated power possessed by State legislatures in our system. On top of being a passionate civic activist, Melissa is a popular author of teen novels and an accomplished magazine contributor.
Ready to dive in? Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and YouTubeor on your favorite podcast platform.
I wanted to have Melissa o...
Understanding Our Role as Shareholders of America | Poppy MacDonald
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Poppy MacDonald, the President of USAFacts, a non-profit dedicated to empowering the American people with accessible data. USAFacts publishes a must-read weekly newsletter with over 370K subscribers and has become an important rational, non-partisan voice in our over-polarized political world. Its “Just the Facts” video series has over 40M views and its detailed reports are educating American citizens, political leaders, and policymakers alike on the truth about America.
Ready to dive in? Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and YouTube or on your favorit...
Frank Rohde – The Financial Innovation Creating an On-Ramp for First Time Homebuyers
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Frank Rohde, the Founder and CEO of Ownify, a company creating a new path to ownership by partnering aspiring first time homebuyers with socially conscious investors. Frank is a serial entrepreneur with a long track record of success and someone who deeply understands the financial, social, and political barriers standing in the way of widespread, affordable homeownership.
Ready to dive in? Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify...
Daniel Dorfman – The Secret to Helping Renters Build Wealth
Hi Everyone and Welcome Back!
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Daniel Dorfman, the co-founder and CEO of Roots, a socially conscious real estate company dedicated to helping renters build wealth alongside investors and property owners.
Ready to dive in? Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and YouTubeor on your favorite podcast platform.
I wanted to have D...
Yasmina Zaidman – How Entrepreneurship and Patient Capital Can Solve Our Biggest Problems
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Yasmina Zaidman, the Chief Development and Partnerships Officer at Acumen, a pioneer and global leader in social impact investing. Acumen—probably the coolest, most inspiring organization I’ve ever come across—is dedicated to using the power of entrepreneurship and patient capital to solve some of our world’s most intractable issues. Over the last several decades, they have invested $250M in over 200 companies and have materially improved the lives of an estimated 650M people all over the world.
Ready to dive in? Listen to this epi...
Sean Devlin – Unlocking the Power of Positive News
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Sean Devlin, the founder of Nice News, a daily newsletter read by over 840,000 people. Each day, Nice News offers readers a different and decidedly more optimistic window into what’s happening in our world than traditional media. Through carefully curated stories from science, health, and culture, uplifting human interest stories, and inspiring, entertaining links, Nice News presents the positive, inspiring, and hopeful side of modern life.
Ready to dive in? Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, <...
Nate Helbach – How to Make Real Estate More Sustainable and Regenerative
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Nate Helbach, the founder and CEO of Neutral, a regenerative development company. Neutral’s mission is to develop financially responsible, sustainable living spaces that foster healthy lifestyles and friendly neighborhoods.
Ready to dive in? Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and YouTube or on your favorite podcast platform.
I wanted to have Nate on the sho...
James Fishback – The Importance of Meritocracy and Open Debate
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring James Fishback, the Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Azoria Partners and the Founder of Incubate Debate. James, a rising star in the investment world, has become a passionate advocate for meritocracy and open debate.
Ready to dive in? Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and YouTube or on your favorite podcast platform.
I wanted to have James on the show to hear his latest thinking on markets and the global economy and learn more about his mission to foster more ope...
Eugene Volokh – What’s the Truth about Free Speech in America
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring prominent legal scholar and free speech expert, Eugene Volokh. Eugene is a Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, the author of The Volokh Conspiracy, a widely read legal blog, and a co-host of the Free Speech Unmuted Podcast. For thirty years, he has been a professor at the University of California – Los Angeles School of Law, where he has taught First Amendment law, copyright law, criminal law, tort law, and firearms regulation policy.
Free speech debates are all the rage today and I wanted to have...
Dmitri Mehlhorn–Venture Approaches Against Fascism
Hi Everyone and Welcome Back!
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Dmitri Mehlhorn, the Founder and Executive Director of Oakland Corps, an organization dedicated to standing in solidarity with Oakland-born Kamala Harris. Dmitri is a prominent Democratic donor and strategist. Previously, he served as co-founder of Investing in US, a novel group that has deployed venture capital principles to political investing.
I wanted to have Dmitri on the show to learn more abou...
Deb Otis – How to Create a Better Election System in America
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Deb Otis, the Director of Research and Policy at FairVote, a nonpartisan organization seeking better elections in America through two key reforms: 1. Ranked choice voting and 2. Proportional representation in Congress. Deb is a passionate and experienced civic activist and an expert on comparative electoral systems.
I wanted to have Deb on the show to learn more about FairVote’s two big ideas for reforming American elections and understand why she and her colleagues thin...
Dara Albright – How to Create a Better, Fairer, and More Equitable Financial World
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring fintech educator, investor, and financial literacy advocate, Dara Albright. Dara is a Board Member of Worthy, a fintech company providing unique fixed-income products for retail investors. She’s also a newsletter author, podcaster, and frequent media contributor.
Ready to dive in? Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and YouTube or on your favorite podcast platform.
I wanted to have...
Pablo Arredondo – How AI can transform and improve our legal system
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Pablo Arredondo, the Vice President of CoCounsel at Thomson Reuters, an AI-driven legal service that is revolutionizing the industry. Pablo, one of my closest friends from Stanford Law School, is a legal tech entrepreneur with an incredible track record of success. He’s been at the forefront of the industry for fifteen years, co-founded Casetext in 2013, which sold to Thompson Reuters earlier this year, and has played a huge role in the development of AI tools for the legal world.
Ready to dive in? Listen t...
Sarah Dusseault – How to solve the homelessness crisis
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring my friend Sarah Dusseault, a prominent local civic activist and the lead strategist at LA4LA, a first-of-its-kind government, philanthropy and private sector alliance formed to unlock affordable housing options in Los Angeles at scale and speed. She’s also my colleague at the Angeleno Project and one of the most dedicated, passionate, and professional civic activists I’ve ever come across.
I wanted to have Sarah on the show t...
Francis Barry – What Holds America Together
Hi Everyone and Welcome Back!
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Francis Barry, the author of “Back Roads and Better Angels,” an important and inspiring new book examining the heart and soul of the American democracy. Francis, a Bloomberg Opinion columnist and member of the editorial board there, is a sought-after voice for those seeking more rational and civil discourse and has an impressive track record working to make America a better place as a journalist, speechwriter, and advisor to former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
I...
Barry Lynn – Why antimonopoly policy is so crucial to building a better future
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Barry Lynn, the Executive Director of the Open Markets Institute, an organization dedicated to using competition policy to build stronger democracies, more just and equitable societies, and more innovative and sustainable economies. Barry, a highly-regarded journalist, is also the author of 3 important books and a sought-after advisor for politicians on both sides of the aisle concerned about things like supply-chain fragility and the extreme concentration of economic power.
I w...
Daniel Hettwer – How to Have Fun While Doing Good in the World
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Daniel Hettwer, founder and CEO of Hidden Worlds Entertainment, an innovative company responsible for pioneering the Impactainment industry, where businesses try to do good while having fun. Daniel, a perfect example of a socially conscious entrepreneur, has an inspiring vision for how to merge our ever-present desire for fun experiences with our deep human needs for meaning, connection, and purpose.
Ready to dive in? Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and YouTube or on your favorite podcast platform.
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How Housing Can Boost Economic Mobility In America | Cristian Ahumada
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Cristian Ahumada, the Executive Director of Holos Communities, one of the leading non-profit affordable housing developers in Southern California. Cristian, my friend of many years, is one of the most passionate, impact-focused leaders I’ve ever come across and has a decades-long track record of making a positive difference in the world. He’s developed over 2000 units of affordable housing, is completely dedicated to ending homelessness, and is a highly respected civic leader.
Cristian is someone who has...
Nathan Labenz – The Dark Side of the AI Future
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Nathan Labenz, a founder of Waymark, a company using AI to help businesses easily make compelling marketing videos, and the host of a very popular AI-focused podcast called Cognitive Revolution. As you all know by now, Nathan is a gifted thinker and communicator, the world’s best AI scout, and one of the most sought-after voices and thought leaders in the industry.
In part one of this int...
Nathan Labenz – AI’s Revolutionary Potential and the Need for a New Social Contract
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Nathan Labenz, a founder of Waymark, a company using AI to help companies easily make compelling marketing videos, and the host of the Cognitive Revolution podcast. Nathan, our first guest on the show who went to my high school, has carved out a niche for himself in the crowded online world as an AI scout and is fast becoming one of the most sought-after voices in the industry.
I ha...
Yuen-Li Chan – How Technology Can Help Solve the Global Garbage Problem
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Yuen-Li Chan, the COO of Phoenix Waste Solutions. Yuen-Li and her business partner Tamara Webb have patented a zero-fuel waste disposal apparatus that turns trash into ash and energy. The Phoenix can thermally degrade unsorted municipal solid waste without using any fuel and produce 98% less greenhouse gasses than landfills or incinerators. It can process 5 to 8 tons per day at less than half the cost of landfill tipping fees.
I wa...
Tracy Gray – The Crucial Role That Capital Can Play in Creating a More Equitable World
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Tracy Gray, the Founder and Managing Partner of The 22 Fund. Tracy is an innovator and visionary leader passionate about justice and dedicated to building a more equitable world. Her fund is incredibly unique, not only in its socially conscious intent but also in its investment strategy.
I wanted to have Tracy on the show to shine a big spotlight on the important work she’s doing with The 22 Fund and get her views on wh...
Zach Rausch – Why smartphones and social media are bad for kids
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Zach Rausch, an Associate Research Scientist at NYU-Stern School of Business and the lead researcher for social psychologist Jonathan Haidt’s new book “The Anxious Generation.” Zach’s research for the book, both convincing and frightening, marks a major contribution to an ongoing conversation about the health of our kids and, ultimately, our nation.
I wanted to have Zach on the show to highlight the important ideas outlined in “The Anxious...
Evan Armstrong – Will the Moral Tech Billionaire Please Stand Up
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Evan Armstrong, the author of the popular Napkin Math newsletter and the lead writer for Every, a technology publication focused on the intersection of AI, finance, and business. Evan regularly writes thought-provoking, extensively researched, original articles on the most important trends and issues in the tech world. His Napkin Math newsletter has become a must-read for executives, venture capitalists, technologists, and investors around the world and something I always look forward to reading.
I wanted to have Evan on the show to highlight his important and compelling wr...
Danielle DiMartino Booth – Why the Fed is Bad for America
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Danielle DiMartino Booth, the CEO and Chief Strategist at QI Research. She is an economist, thought leader, and former Federal Reserve insider, the author of Fed Up: An Insider’s Take on Why the Federal Reserve is Bad for America and The Daily Feather newsletter, and one of the most widely followed, most respected voices in global economics and finance.
I wanted to have Danielle on the show to get her take on what’s happening in the economy and explore her provocative ideas on why the Fed ma...
What's really happening on the frontlines of the border crisis | Erin Hughes
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Erin Hughes, the co-founder and Executive Director of Solidarity Engineering, an organization dedicated to using engineering to protect the public health of communities in crisis. They got their start back in 2020 by providing clean water and sanitation facilities at asylum-seeker camps that formed as a result of the controversial Remain in Mexico policy. Now, they are providing humanitarian support at camps across the US-Mexico border and around the region. Their primary focus is on water, sanitation, and hygiene programs, but the...
Using science to reimagine society and solve our biggest problems | Robin Hanson
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Robin Hanson, an economics professor at George Mason University, the author of several fascinating books and the popular “Overcoming Bias” newsletter, and a true maverick, polymath thinker. He has an incredible body of work and has studied and written about everything from AI and aliens to the psychology of bias and decision-making to how we can use betting markets to improve our society. As you’ll hear in the episode, he’s even envisioned provocative ideas on how we might reimagine the idea of money itself and has proposed alternativ...
Practical ideas for preventing mass gun violence | Katherine Schweit
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Katherine Schweit, a former FBI agent and one of the most influential gun violence advocates in the country. She conducted the first mass shooter study while at the FBI, is the founder and co-host of the Stop the Killing Podcast, and is the author of two really important books—“Stop the Killing” and “How to Talk About Guns With Anyone.” And she’s just getting started. With a Ted Talk coming soon and a forthcomi...
How America can thrive in the emerging new world order | Dee Smith
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Dee Smith, the Founder and CEO of the Strategic Insight Group, a global intelligence firm with a decades-long track record investigating the most important issues in the world. Dee is a geopolitical expert, author, educator, and entrepreneur who advises some of the world’s most influential investors and business leaders. He’s also one of the most fascinating people I’ve ever met and a very kind and humble individual.
I wanted to have Dee...
How to help stop the most evil thing in the world | Matt Murphy
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Matt Murphy, a former Green Beret and the President of the Sentinel Foundation, an innovative non-profit working to save kids from the horrors of child trafficking. Matt, a warrior, patriot, father, and now non-profit leader, exemplifies everything we care about here at Profit+ and The Nick Halaris Show. After courageously serving America on the front lines of the war on terror, he has now dedicated himself to the hard work of the fight against child trafficking.
Why re-industrialization is just one piece of the puzzle to revitalize America | Julius Krein
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Julius Krein, the founder and editor of the American Affairs Journal. Julius is an incredibly deep thinker, a patriot, and someone who has dedicated his life to advocating for a better America. He launched the American Affairs Journal to provide an antidote to the dumbed-down, overly partisan forums of conventional media. On account of his eloquence and the quality of his thinking, Julius is fast becoming one of the most important public policy voices in the world today.
...
The pressing need for transparency, accountability, and competition in our economy | Wolf Richter
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Wolf Richter, the publisher of the Wolf Street Website. Wolf is an incredible financial mind and his site has become one of the go-to sources for those on global Wall Street seeking sophisticated, in-depth, and independent analysis of economic trends and market dynamics. I stumbled across Wolf Street several years ago and was blown away both by the quality of Wolf’s content and the sheer volume. Every single day, Wolf releases several articles with detailed analysis, helpful charts and table...
How to level the playing field for college access in America | Ibert Schultz
This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring non-profit leader, Ibert Schultz. Ibert is the Executive Director of Black College Success, an organization committed to increasing opportunities through college access and career success for Black high school students. He’s a dedicated activist and public servant with a long, diverse track record of success working to create a better world. He’s also a great friend. We met a few years ago while volunteering for our kids’ school and became fast friends, bonding over many things, especially our shared val...
