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After Hours

TED Audio Collective / Youngme Moon, Mihir Desai, & Felix Oberholzer-Gee

Harvard Business School professors discuss and debate current events that sit at the crossroads of business and culture. Youngme Moon, Mihir Desai, and Felix Oberholzer-Gee engage in a spirited discussion on a range of topics torn from the headlines — from Facebook, to free trade, to the #MeToo movement. Informed by their unique expertise as professors at one of the world’s leading business schools, their takes are always surprising, unconventional, and insightful.

Copyright 2021 Youngme Moon, Mihir Desai, & Felix Oberholzer-Gee

Harvard Business School professors discuss and debate current events that sit at the crossroads of business and culture. Youngme Moon, Mihir Desai, and Felix Oberholzer-Gee engage in a spirited discussion on a range of topics torn from the headlines — from Facebook, to free trade, to the #MeToo movement. Informed by their unique expertise as professors at one of the world’s leading business schools, their takes are always surprising, unconventional, and insightful.

Copyright 2021 Youngme Moon, Mihir Desai, & Felix Oberholzer-Gee
124hr 54min
Thumbnail for "The Best Of Recommendations".
Revisit some of Felix and Mihir’s recommendations.
Thumbnail for " The Best Of After Hours - TikTok & Sports".
Revisit Felix and Mihir’s discussion about TikTok bans and why sports have become so valuable.
Thumbnail for "March 13, 2024".
Mihir, Felix and NYU’s Dolly Chugh discuss the pressure on business leaders to conform to the demands of woke capitalism.
Thumbnail for "ICYMI: The Promise and Peril of AI".
Felix, Sarah and Mihir discuss Chat GPT, if AI is truly transformational, the future of search, and how to digitally detox from all this AI talk.
Thumbnail for "Our Predictions for 2024".
What’s in store for 2024? Mihir and Felix are back with their celebrated predictions episode. Will OPEC implode? Are quant funds in trouble? What’s Argentina’s future? Can inflation in the U.S. really sink to 2%? Is plastic the new asbestos? Who will acquire Electronic Arts? Is AIML a verb? Listen in as the hosts (foolishly) predict what the new year will bring.
Thumbnail for "The Stories of 2023".
Felix and Mihir reflect on the most important stories of 2023
Thumbnail for "Appreciating Late Bloomers and a Big Bank".
Felix and Mihir discuss how JPMorgan has managed to succeed where others fail and how late bloomers manage to succeed after sometimes failing. 
Thumbnail for "Magnificent Markets and Conflict on Campus".
Felix and Mihir discuss the meaning and impact of the increasing concentration of stock market performance via the “Magnificent 7” and the source and resolution of conflicts on campuses.
Thumbnail for "Turbulence at OpenAI — Our Take-Aways".
Felix and Mihir discuss how Sam Altman was fired and reinstated over the course of just a few days. Was the board right to dismiss Altman?
Thumbnail for "The Future of Africa and Empty Lots".
Will Africa fulfill its remarkable promise in the next several decades?
Thumbnail for "Does AI Have a Copyright Problem?".
Felix and Mihir discuss how copyright applies to AI-generated works.
Thumbnail for "House Music".
Felix, Sarah and Mihir consider whether real estate brokers add value, how the world of brokers will be transformed by a recent lawsuit and consider whether investors should be buying music as an asset class.
Thumbnail for "The U.S. economy is stellar. So why are we all so mad?".
In this episode, Mihir and Felix discuss consumer finances, which are remarkably healthy.
Thumbnail for "Bond Market Bedlam".
Felix and Mihir are back, and it’s time to unpack bond market bedlam!
Thumbnail for "Magnificent Markets and Conflict on Campus".
Felix and Mihir discuss the meaning and impact of the increasing concentration of stock market performance via the “Magnificent 7” and the source and resolution of conflicts on campuses. 
Thumbnail for "Going out with a bang: Recommendations for this summer".
This is it, dear friends of the After Hours podcast. We end our sixth season with a long list of recommendations: shows to watch, books to read, foods to savor, places to visit... Thank for spending your time with us. We will be back after our summer break, sometime in September. Have a wonderful summer everyone!
Thumbnail for "Summer Stories to Savor".
Felix and Mihir are joined by friends to discuss their stories to watch this summer, including the bust up of Sequoia, pricing, Gen AI, sports stories, the FTC and PBMs, Amazon in healthcare, and the future of theatres, travel, unions, brand activism, energy tax credits, interest rates and the war in Ukraine.
Thumbnail for "The Portfolio Life: Being Productive and Happy".
Felix and Mihir are joined by Christina Wallace to discuss the meaning of a portfolio life and why U.S. workers are happier than ever but less productive.
Thumbnail for "Taking a week off!".
Taking a week off!
Thumbnail for "The Sunny Side of Bankruptcy".
Felix, Mihir and their colleague Kristin Mugford debate the merits of using bankruptcy to shield companies from consumer lawsuits. Should we allow companies to bundle lawsuits, place them in a designated subsidiary with few assets and let that subsidiary go bankrupt? Might this actually be better for consumers who claim to have been hurt by defective products? Doesn’t everyone deserve their day in court? Plus, what is happening to prices of luxury goods? Are we looking at the next bubble?
Thumbnail for "What’s Your Personal Brand? Is Brand Building Worth it?  ".
Felix, Mihir and Jill Avery consider the merits of personal branding and how to think about the value of a brand. Why do people want to consider their personal brand?  And, why do we still struggle to understand the value of brands given all the data we swim in? 
Thumbnail for "Strike in Hollywood".
In this week’s episode, Felix, Mihir and Bloomberg’s Sarah Green Carmichael discuss the writers’ strike in Hollywood. Why do we suddenly see a strike during “the golden era of television” and amidst intensifying streaming wars?
Thumbnail for "Everything’s Coming up AI!".
Felix, Mihir and Charlotte Howard discuss the recent earnings season with a spotlight on ExxonMobil, Chevron, Autozone, Apple, UPS, Microsoft and PDD – and what it all means for the economy.
Thumbnail for "Better Ways to Say Thank You".
Felix, Mihir and their colleague Kathleen McGinn discuss the role of gratitude at work and at home. Gratitude can be incredibly effective, so why don’t we thank others more often?
Thumbnail for "Betting on Netflix, Co-CEOs and India".
Felix and Mihir discuss the state of Netflix and streaming, the co-CEO model, and Incredible India.
Thumbnail for "Taming AI".
In this episode, Felix and Mihir debate with their colleague Deborah Spar, Senior Associate Dean for Business and Global Society at Harvard Business School, the role of government in regulating AI. How do we make sure we get the best out this groundbreaking technology?
Thumbnail for "The Renaissance of Barnes & Noble and Dark Ages for Commercial Real Estate?".
Felix and Mihir discuss the durability of a book retailer's turnaround, the durability of that revival, the future of commercial real estate and whether all the doomsaying is correct.
Thumbnail for "Women at Work—First-time Managers".
Felix is joined by Bloomberg’s Sarah Green Carmichael and Harvard Business Review editor Amy Bernstein to discuss the particular challenges that women face when they first assume managerial roles. Why is it that women do not experience the increase in personal satisfaction that is typical for men?
Thumbnail for "The Future of Venture Financing and Philanthropy".
Felix, Mihir and Christina Wallace consider the SVB business model, what its loss means for entrepreneurial finance and what they make of new models of philanthropy.
Thumbnail for "Woke CEOs—the Backlash".
In this episode, Felix, Mihir and Semafor’s Liz Hoffman debate the backlash against woke CEOs. Did America’s corporate leaders go too far when they embraced broad social and political goals?
Thumbnail for "After Hours Special: The Crisis in Banking".
Mihir and Felix think about the current crisis in banking. Why did Silicon Valley Bank fail? Is the demise of Credit Suisse a result of the contagion in the United States? And what’s the future of banking?
Thumbnail for "Primary Care Acquisitions and Wage Compression".
Felix, Mihir and Charlotte Howard of The Economist consider why retailers are buying primary care providers and if wage compression will last and what it means for the economy.
Thumbnail for "Finally-- A Clinically-Proven Way to Lose Weight. Now what?".
Felix, Mihir and The Economist’s Charlotte Howard debate the merits of a new class of weight-loss drugs that drastically lower a person’s weight.
Thumbnail for "The Promise and Peril of AI".
Felix, Sarah and Mihir discuss Chat GPT, if AI is truly transformational, the future of search, and how to digitally detox from all this AI talk.
Thumbnail for "Turmoil in Energy Markets".
Mihir and Felix are joined by Rawi to talk about the far-reaching consequences of the current turmoil in energy markets.
Thumbnail for "Bed, Bath and Beyond Annuities!".
Felix and Mihir debate the latest phase of meme-stock craziness and the wisdom of retirement planning without annuities.
Thumbnail for "Sports!".
In our first-ever After Hours sports episode, we ask why sports teams have become so valuable (is it really just the vanity of billionaire owners), debate the merits of paying amateur athletes, and explore why tennis pros receive such a small fraction of the sport’s overall revenue. Can hedge fund icon Bill Ackman save tennis?
Thumbnail for "The End of Google and Fruit Beetles?".
In this episode, Felix, Mihir and Sarah consider the merits of the most recent antitrust actions against Google, the ethics of unpaid labor, and the end of Noma.
Thumbnail for "Workplace Problems—Fixed!".
Felix, Mihir and Frances Frei discuss why many workplace issues seem so vexing—and how to fix them.
Thumbnail for "A Lunar New Year Special: BYD, EVs and Chinese Capital Allocation".
Felix and Mihir celebrate Lunar New Year by talking about BYD, Electric Vehicles, and capital allocation in China.
Thumbnail for "Banning TikTok, Lessons from Southwest’s Meltdown".
Sarah Green Carmichael and Felix discuss the ban of TikTok by India and the U.S. Federal Government.
Thumbnail for "Our Predictions for 2023".
Curious about 2023? Youngme, Mihir and Felix are back with their celebrated predictions episode.
Thumbnail for "2022-The Stories We Loved (and a Few Others)".
In this episode, Youngme, Mihir and Felix share what they loved about 2022.
Thumbnail for "China, Chips, Child Poverty & Measuring Inequality".
Felix and Mihir are joined by The Economist’s Charlotte Howard and they discuss the geopolitical battle over semiconductors and the surprising victories in battling poverty.
Thumbnail for "Why Are Financial Regrets So Common?".
Mihir, Felix and Bloomberg’s Sarah Green Carmichael talk about financial regrets. Why are they so widespread?
Thumbnail for "Holding a Global Sports Event in Qatar?".
We debate the choice of Qatar as the host of FIFA’s World Cup.
Thumbnail for "The Thanksgiving Food Episode!".
In celebration of Thanksgiving, Felix and Mihir are joined by Youngme to talk about all things food!
Thumbnail for "Washington Gridlock—How Will the Markets Respond".
Mihir, Felix and Charlotte Howard discuss how companies will respond to political gridlock in the United States.
Thumbnail for "Workplace Big Brother and Fresh Starts".
In this episode, Felix and Mihir are joined by Katy Milkman to discuss workplace surveillance and the value of a fresh start.
Thumbnail for "Who Is Afraid of Woke Capitalism?".
Mihir, Felix and NYU’s Dolly Chugh discuss the pressure on business leaders to conform to the demands of woke capitalism
Thumbnail for "The limits of Goldman and technology".
Felix and Mihir consider the future of Goldman Sachs and the limits of technology in human interactions.
Thumbnail for "War in Ukraine—How will it end?".
Rawi joins Mihir and Felix to discuss the war in Ukraine: What is most surprising about the evolution of the conflict?
Thumbnail for "Twitter under Musk and Bonds, Bonds, Bonds!".
On this week's episode, Felix, Sarah, and Mihir discuss the future of Twitter under Musk and bond market craziness.
Thumbnail for "Mark Cuban doesn’t believe in following your passions | ReThinking w/Adam Grant".
Mark Cuban has gone from selling garbage bags door-to-door to selling internet companies for billions, acquiring an NBA team, and becoming a beloved “Shark” on Shark Tank
Thumbnail for "Quiet Quitting".
Have members of your team quit quietly? Is that even a thing? And if not, why is everybody talking about it?
Thumbnail for "We’re Back!".
Felix, Mihir, and Youngme kick off a new season of After Hours with a host of random questions, including: Are we witnessing the slow death of Facebook? Does Adam Neumann (WeWork) deserve a second chance? Is the War for Talent real?
Thumbnail for "A Mega-Recommendations Episode for the Summer".
Youngme joins Felix and Mihir to offer recommendations for the summer on things to read and watch, places to visit, food to eat, and lots more!
Thumbnail for "Are we witnessing a sharp decrease in income inequality? And: Why is Mihir watching inventory levels?".
In this episode, Felix and Mihir discuss stories they will follow this summer. These include the fate of neobanks, credit conditions in the United States, a major advance in AI, as well as changes in income inequality. Plus, Mihir makes a major prediction how founders will spend their time now that the stock market has imploded.
Thumbnail for "How to fix commuting and the legacy of Sheryl Sandberg".
How to fix commuting and the legacy of Sheryl Sandberg
Thumbnail for "Index investing and the future of airline mergers".
In the latest episode, Felix and Mihir discuss the potential dark side of the rise of index investing and who should end up owning Spirit Airlines, JetBlue or Frontier.
Thumbnail for "A Super-Sized Edition".
In this super-sized episode, Felix and Mihir are rejoined by their friend Youngme to discuss everything from Magical Thinking to Elon Musk.
Thumbnail for "Time to Panic?".
Felix and Mihir discuss the turmoil in financial markets and how best to respond as an investor or a corporate executive. Is it time to panic? What is the longer-term outlook for the economy? Will the Federal Reserve be able to tame inflation without causing a recession? They also discuss the fate of Upstart, an AI-supported lending platform. The former Wall Street darling lost much of its value, seemingly overnight. Can Upstart recover? Are we really better off with more consumer credit?
Thumbnail for "Managing the Chip Shortage and the Future of Ride Sharing".
In this episode, Felix, Mihir and Charlotte discuss what countries and companies should do about the chip shortage and discuss the future of Uber, Lyft and Doordash.
Thumbnail for "Ring the Bell?".
In this episode, Sarah, Felix and Mihir discuss startups that piqued their interest. Bet there are some names you have not heard of? Who will go public first? Who is doomed to fail? Also: Mihir’s CRY for help.
Thumbnail for "Is the four-day work week ever going to happen?".
Should you bet on a four-day work week? Felix, Mihir, and Sarah discuss the sports betting industry and the future of the work week.
Thumbnail for "Is this the end of globalization?".
Felix, Mihir and Stephanie Mehta debate if we are witnessing the end of an era, the slow but steady demise of globalization. We also discuss the future of Zoom. With its stock sharply down and growth slowing, will the star of the COVID period have to sell itself to survive?
Thumbnail for "The Vibe Economy and Amazon Moves into Space".
Felix, Mihir and guest host Stephanie Mehta discuss the recent spate of companies going public without profits and what Amazon’s moves into space mean for their competitors and consumers.
Thumbnail for "Unionization Makes a Comeback! Really?".
Unionization Makes a Comeback! Really?
Thumbnail for "Will the SEC and Disclosure Solve the Climate Crisis and Further Divide the China and the US?".
In this episode, Felix and Mihir are joined by Charlotte Howard of the Economist and discuss the impact of new disclosure rules for geopolitical relations between China and the U.S. and the future of climate. Are these changes fundamental to the future of climate and the world, window dressing, or a manifestation of deeper problems?
Thumbnail for "How to Fight Fake News".
Felix, Mihir and Sarah Green Carmichael debate how to best fight misinformation. What is the role of liability? Can we leave the battle against fake news in the hands of the internet platforms? Can we fact-check our way out of this crisis? The three hosts also discuss the corporate withdrawal from Russia.
Thumbnail for "The War in Ukraine".
In this bonus episode, Felix and Mihir welcome back their colleague and friend Rawi Abdelal to discuss the origins of the conflict, the effects of the sanctions, and how the situation might evolve. 
Thumbnail for "Let’s Talk About Your Salary, Shall We?".
Sarah, Felix and Mihir discuss the new laws that require greater salary transparency. Is this a good idea? Will pay increase or decrease as a result? Who will benefit most? We also debate the surge in activist investing. Why do activists now resemble private equity investors?
Thumbnail for "Peloton, the Fitness Industry, and Microsoft's Acquisition of Activision ".
What is the future of Peloton and the fitness industry?  And, what should we make of Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision?  On this episode, we welcome Sarah Greene Carmichael and discuss these developments.
Thumbnail for "The Future of Mobility and Economic Lessons from the Pandemic".
What are the most exciting companies and development in mobility today? 
Thumbnail for "Is the Great Resignation real?".
Felix and Mihir debate the state of the labor market. Is the Big Resignation real? Are we confused about the data? We also discuss earnings releases that caught our eye: Time to flee fintech? UPS anyone?
Thumbnail for "Our Predictions for 2022!".
Youngme, Felix and Mihir share their predictions for 2022! Join them as they share their predictions about everything ranging from cryptocurrencies to Oscar winners…
Thumbnail for "Our Year-End Award Episode!".
Youngme, Felix and Mihir look back on 2021 and share their picks for Business Person of the Year, Story of the Year, Trend of the Year, and Buzzword of the Year!
Thumbnail for "The Future of Twitter and GE".
Felix and Mihir contemplate the future of Twitter and GE as Jack Dorsey leaves Twitter and GE splits into three separate companies.  What do these events tell us about these companies and this moment? 
Thumbnail for "Holiday Travel Headaches!".
Youngme, Felix and Mihir invite their friend and colleague, Professor Ryan Buell, onto the show to discuss the travel headaches experienced by air travelers and hotel visitors. What’s behind all of the disruptions, and when will things get better?
Thumbnail for "The Food Episode! ".
Youngme, Felix and Mihir talk all things food, including TikTok recipes going viral, the chicken sandwich wars between fast food chains, the proliferation of milk alternatives in the supermarket, OpenTable vs. Resy, and more!
Thumbnail for "Can Hertz turn it around? Are Crocs back? Plus, Are Generational Stereotypes Fair? ".
Youngme, Felix and Mihir discuss whether Hertz can make a comeback, why everyone seems to be wearing Crocs, and whether generational stereotypes are accurate or helpful.
Thumbnail for "Intel Attempts a Turnaround; Plus Zillow, Utopian Cities, and More".
Youngme, Felix and Mihir discuss Intel’s attempts to stage a turnaround in the all-important chip industry; plus Zillow, utopian cities, and more.
Thumbnail for "How Much Should We Fear Inflation? Plus, The Meta Rebrand and More".
Youngme, Felix and Mihir discuss how fearful we should be about inflation; they also discuss the Facebook rebranding (Meta) and the prospects for Snap.
Thumbnail for "Is Netflix winning the Streaming Wars?".
Youngme, Felix and Mihir discuss the long-term sustainability of Netflix’s content strategy; plus content trends in streaming.
Thumbnail for "Nike, Walmart, and Costco Defying the Odds, plus Letters from Listeners".
Youngme, Felix and Mihir discuss how legacy retailers like Nike, Walmart and Costco have managed to defy the odds and outperform expectations, despite an onslaught of fresh competition. They also respond to more letters from listeners, including questions about President Biden’s $3.5 trillion spending plan and more.
Thumbnail for "Rivian Electric Vehicles, Duolingo, Gingko Bioworks, Moderna, Unicorn Valuations, Facebook, and More".
Youngme, Felix and Mihir discuss the red hot IPO market, highlighting a few of the companies reflecting a “sign of the times” including: Rivian Automotive, Duolingo, and life science companies like Gingko Bioworks and Moderna. They also answer a few letters from listeners, including questions about the soaring valuations of private company unicorns, the latest Facebook scandal, and more.
Thumbnail for "The Global Housing Crisis, Amazon’s Newest Employee Benefit, Women Outpacing Men in College Enrollments, Carbon Capture Goes Online, and More".
Housing prices are on the rise in cities all around the world, and Youngme, Felix and Mihir discuss whether there’s an end in sight. Plus they discuss other headlines, including: Amazon’s decision to start paying for college tuition for its workers; women outpacing men in college enrollments; the first major carbon capture facility going online; and more.
Thumbnail for "Why Are Shelves Still Empty? Supply Chain Woes, plus Other Economic Takeaways from the Pandemic".
Why are items still missing from grocery store shelves? Why are package deliveries being delayed? Youngme, Felix and Mihir unpack the global supply chain mess, while warning listeners to start their holiday shopping early! They also share their personal economic takeaways from the pandemic.
Thumbnail for "Has Apple Peaked? Plus, Celebrities Changing Hollywood".
It’s been 10 years since the death of Steve Jobs. Has Apple peaked after 10 years of Tim Cook’s leadership or is the best yet to come? Youngme, Felix and Mihir debate the prospects for Apple; they then discuss the celebrities changing the way Hollywood does business, including Reese Witherspoon, Rihanna, and more.
Thumbnail for "China Cracks Down, Fox Launches a Weather Channel, Visa Buys an NFT, and More".
Youngme, Mihir and Felix talk about how to make sense of China’s crackdown on industries ranging from Big Tech to Videogaming. They also share thoughts on other stories in the news, including people behaving badly on planes, Fox launching a Weather Channel, Visa buying an NFT, and Boston Dynamics’ latest robot video.
Thumbnail for "We’re Back! Our Summer Round-Up".
Youngme, Mihir and Felix discuss some of the biggest stories from the summer, including their thoughts on the Robinhood IPO, what’s going on in the current labor market, whether the Olympics matter anymore, Simone Biles, and more.
Thumbnail for "Season 4 Finale: Stories We’re Watching This Summer and a Mega-Round of Recommendations".
Youngme, Mihir, Felix, Rebecca, and Rawi share the stories they will be watching this summer, before doing a mega-round of recommendations for things to read, watch, listen, and do.
Thumbnail for "United States–Russia Relations and YOLO!".
Do we pay too much attention to Russia, a relatively small economy without important U.S. trade relations? And is this YOLO moment a good thing?
Thumbnail for "Naomi Osaka and the G7’s Global Minimum Tax".
What is the meaning of Naomi Osaka’s exit from the French Open? Does the G7’s bid for a global minimum tax make sense? Rawi and Mihir discuss.
Thumbnail for "Old Habits and New Rituals (with Mike Norton)".
Youngme and Felix invite their friend and bestselling author, Harvard Business School professor Mike Norton, to discuss the old habits and new rituals we have formed over the past year, during the pandemic.
Thumbnail for "The Shopping Episode: Retail Trends We’re Watching".
Youngme, Mihir, and Felix share their shopping habits and the retail trends they’re keeping an eye on.
Thumbnail for "Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace (with Frances Frei)".
Youngme and Felix invite their friend and celebrated author, consultant, and Harvard Business School professor Frances Frei, to discuss the challenges of bringing true diversity and inclusion into the workplace.
Thumbnail for "Raising the Capital Gains Tax, and Creating Better Simpler Strategy".
Youngme, Mihir, and Felix debate whether it makes sense to raise the capital gains tax. They also discuss how companies can create better and more creative competitive strategies – the topic of Felix’s new book, “Better Simpler Strategy.”
Thumbnail for "Earnings Roundup: Crocs, Danone, PayPal, and More".
Is Danone an example of failed stakeholder capitalism? Why did Zynga acquire Chartboost? Rebecca, Rawi, and Felix discuss earnings and the recent performance of companies they follow.
Thumbnail for "Biden’s Climate Change Plan and Europe’s Super League".
Rebecca, Rawi, and Felix discuss how U.S. climate change policy will influence global efforts to slow climate change. And they debate why the idea for a European soccer Super League failed in spectacular fashion.
Thumbnail for "The Art of Negotiation".
Youngme, Mihir, and Felix invite their friend and negotiations expert, Harvard Business School professor Deepak Malhotra, to discuss the art of negotiation, as well as his new science fiction novel, The Peacemaker’s Code.
Thumbnail for "The Future of Substack and Amazon’s Failed Union Effort".
Rebecca, Mihir, and Felix discuss how the newsletter platform Substack could change news consumption and competition for talented writers. Plus, they examine why the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union failed to unionize an Amazon warehouse in Alabama.
Thumbnail for "CEOs Speak Out on Politics and the Future of Digital Currencies".
Rawi, Rebecca, and Mihir discuss how and why CEOs are speaking out on politics and what China’s digital renminbi means for economics and politics.
Thumbnail for "The Future of Restaurants, Take-Out, and More".
Youngme, Mihir, and Felix discuss the future of food delivery, ghost kitchens, virtual restaurant brands, and more.
Thumbnail for "Our Wellness Episode".
Youngme, Mihir, and Felix discuss the wellness trends they love, hate, and aren’t quite sure about – from the fitness wars to touchless spas and more. Plus, they share their personal wellness habits and hacks.
Thumbnail for "The NFT Craze and the Future of Spotify and Streaming Music".
Youngme, Mihir, and Felix discuss the hype surrounding NFTs (non-fungible tokens). They also dig into recent music industry trends and what they mean for the future of Spotify and other streaming players.
Thumbnail for "The Shecession and the Meaning of Harry and Meghan".
Rebecca, Rawi, and Mihir discuss the impacts of the Covid-19 recession on women and what Oprah’s recent interview with Harry and Meghan might tell us about the future of the monarchy.
Thumbnail for "Mandatory Vaccinations and the Big Freeze in Texas".
Rebecca, Mihir, Rawi, and Felix debate whether or not businesses should require workers to get vaccinated before they return to work. They also discuss why the energy market in Texas failed during a recent winter storm.
Thumbnail for "The New U.S. Stimulus Package and the Meaning of Brexit".
Felix, Rawi, and Mihir discuss the new U.S. stimulus package and the departure of the UK from the European Union.
Thumbnail for "The Future of WFH and Competing Against the Giant Internet Platforms".
Youngme, Mihir, Felix, and Rawi discuss whether companies should allow employees to work from home permanently. They also debate whether it’s possible for small players to compete against the giant internet platforms.
Thumbnail for "Companies We’re Watching: Affirm, Patagonia, Clubhouse, and More!".
Youngme, Mihir, and Felix discuss companies they’re keeping an eye on, including fintech lender Affirm, outdoor clothing brand Patagonia, social media app Clubhouse, and one that may surprise you.
Thumbnail for "Bezos Steps Down as Amazon’s CEO and Raising the Minimum Wage".
What are Jeff Bezos’s most significant accomplishments at Amazon? What’s troubling about the business that he built? Rebecca, Rawi, and Felix look back at Jeff Bezos’s career. They also debate the wisdom of raising the U.S. minimum wage to $15.
Thumbnail for "Tesla and Bitcoin: Are You a Believer?".
Youngme, Mihir, and Rawi discuss Tesla as the competition gets heated in the electric vehicle market. They also discuss how to make sense of the bitcoin craze.
Thumbnail for "Bonus Episode: GameStop Traders Rock the Financial Industry".
Youngme, Mihir, and Rawi share their thoughts on how a group of individual investors went head-to-head with Wall Street hedge funds, pushing up GameStop’s stock price and raising questions for the entire financial industry.
Thumbnail for "Google’s Dominance, and Smart Cities".
Google’s Dominance, and Smart Cities
Thumbnail for "PACs and SPACs!".
PACs and SPACs!
Thumbnail for "Big Tech Bans, and the Alleged Russian Hacking".
Youngme, Felix, and Rawi discuss Twitter and Facebook banning Trump from their platforms, as well as Apple, Google, and Amazon banning the Parler app. They also discuss the alleged Russian hacking of U.S. government and military systems.
Thumbnail for "Bonus Episode: Reflections on the Tumult in Washington D.C.".
In this bonus episode, Youngme Moon, Felix Oberholzer-Gee, Mihir Desai, and Rebecca Henderson share their thoughts and reflections on the violence at the U.S. Capitol.
Thumbnail for "A Year-End Mega-Episode! Our Predictions for 2021".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir invite their new co-hosts, Harvard Business School professors Rebecca Henderson and Rawi Abdelal, onto the show to share their predictions for 2021, covering everything from business to politics to fashion.
Thumbnail for "We’re Back! Our Reflections on 2020".
In this first episode of Season 4, Youngme, Felix, and Mihir share their reflections on 2020 and discuss what they learned from the pandemic. They also offer their recommendations for what to watch, read, and do over the holiday break.
Thumbnail for "Season 3 Finale: Stories to Watch This Summer and Summer Recommendations".
In this final episode of the season, Youngme, Felix, and Mihir discuss the stories they'll be watching this summer, including how businesses will re-open. They also offer an extended set of recommendations for watching, reading, and other projects during the summer months.
Thumbnail for "Earnings Reports from Apple and Facebook, and Warning Signs for Uber and Lyft".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir debate what they've learned from first quarter earnings reports from Apple, Facebook, and others. They also discuss warning signs for Uber and Lyft, and share their thoughts about the recession.
Thumbnail for "Companies and Consumers Show Their True Colors During the Crisis".
Youngme, Felix and Mihir discuss how companies, industries, and consumers are revealing their true colors during the Covid-19 crisis.
Thumbnail for "Apple and Google Team Up for Contact Tracing, and the Federal Reserve’s Rescue Plan".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir debate Apple and Google's Covid-19 contact tracing plan. They also discuss the Federal Reserve, which has taken a series of unprecedented actions to prop up the economy.
Thumbnail for "Predictions for the New Normal".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir debate how the world will be changed by coronavirus. Their predictions for the “new normal” span healthcare, education, the sharing economy, working from home, and more.
Thumbnail for "Bonus Episode: Reimagining Capitalism (with Rebecca Henderson)".
Felix Oberholzer-Gee welcomes a guest to the podcast, Harvard Business School professor Rebecca Henderson, who argues that capitalism needs to be reimagined in light of the urgency associated with climate change.
Thumbnail for "Standout Companies and Breakout Phenomena".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir discuss companies that are standing out during the coronavirus crisis, including Zoom and World Central Kitchen (founded by Chef José Andrés‎). They also discuss breakout phenomena associated with the widespread shutdown.
Thumbnail for "Bonus Episode: Letters from Listeners".
Listeners around the world write in to ask questions and share their experiences of Covid-19 with Youngme, Felix, and Mihir.
Thumbnail for "The Varying International Responses to Covid-19, and the U.S. Stimulus Package".
Why have countries varied so much in their response to Covid-19? And, was the U.S. stimulus package designed appropriately?
Thumbnail for "The Housing Crisis, and Helping Renters During the Pandemic".
In this episode, Youngme, Felix, and Mihir discuss the housing crisis and what the coronavirus pandemic means for renters, in particular.
Thumbnail for "Bonus Episode: Coronavirus News and Industry Bailouts".
In this bonus episode, Youngme, Felix, and Mihir discuss the latest coronavirus news, debate whether the airlines deserve a bailout, and share some of their personal reflections on the crisis.
Thumbnail for "Reflections on the Ongoing Coronavirus Crisis".
Youngme and Mihir discuss the latest economic fallout from the coronavirus crisis and share some of their personal reflections from the week.
Thumbnail for "Making Sense of the Economic Impact of the Coronavirus".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir discuss the impact of the coronavirus on the economy. How alarmed should people be about swings in the stock market? Should the Federal Reserve cut interest rates further? What should be the government's fiscal policy response?
Thumbnail for "Healthcare Companies We’re Watching, and Productivity Hacks".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir discuss some of the healthcare companies they're keeping an eye on, before sharing their favorite productivity hacks. (Listeners are invited to join our mailing list by signing up here: After Hours Survey.)
Thumbnail for "The Future of Movie Theaters, and Radical Salary Transparency".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir debate the future of movie theaters, as well as the controversial notion that companies should make everyone's salary transparent to all employees. (Listeners are invited to join our mailing list by signing up here: After Hours Survey.)
Thumbnail for "Casper and DTC Brands, Plus California’s New Freelancer Law".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir debate the fate of DTC brands like Casper mattresses and whether independent contractors should be classified as employees under California's new AB5 law. (Listeners are invited to join our mailing list by signing up here: After Hours Survey.)
Thumbnail for "Coronavirus, 5G, and Earnings Season".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir discuss the impact of the coronavirus; the rollout of 5G and whether the advertising hype is legitimate; earnings reports from Tesla and the big banks; and what Google's earnings tell us about YouTube.
Thumbnail for "Academy Awards Episode: “Parasite” and “American Factory”".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir celebrate Academy Awards week by discussing two of their favorite nominations: the film "Parasite" and the documentary "American Factory."
Thumbnail for "Remembering Clayton Christensen (with Harvard Business School Dean Nitin Nohria)".
Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen died January 23, 2020. Christensen, one of the world’s leading business thinkers, is remembered in this conversation with Harvard Business School Dean Nitin Nohria.
Thumbnail for "Alcohol Trends and Super Bowl Political Advertising".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir mark “Dry January” by discussing trends in the alcohol industry. Then they discuss the decision by Trump and Bloomberg to purchase Super Bowl ads for their campaigns.
Thumbnail for "Tabloid Edition: Fugitive Carlos Ghosn and Royal Family Drama".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir debate whether former Nissan executive Carlos Ghosn was justified in fleeing Japan, before discussing the British Royal Family drama and what's next for Harry and Meghan.
Thumbnail for "Predictions for 2020".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir review last year’s predictions for business, technology, politics, and culture. Then they debate their new predictions for 2020.
Thumbnail for "2019 Awards Episode!".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir hand out their “awards” for 2019, including best/worst trend of the year, their sleeper award, comeback of the year, most under-reported story of the year, most over-hyped story of the year, and person of the year.
Thumbnail for "The Good and Bad of Modern Airports and the End of an Era at Google".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir discuss the good and bad of modern airports. They also discuss the end of an era at Google/Alphabet, with the co-founders now stepping away from their operating roles.
Thumbnail for "Under-the-Radar Companies, including OYO Hotels, Carbon Engineering, Whim, and more!".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir discuss some of the under-the-radar companies that they think people should be paying more attention to.
Thumbnail for "The FOOD Episode!".
In this special Thanksgiving edition taped a few days before the holiday, Youngme, Felix, and Mihir discuss all things food, including food halls, the plastic problem, vertical farming, CBD menu sightings, culinary tourism, and fast whiskey.
Thumbnail for "The Launch of Disney+, the War on Billionaires, and the 4-Day Work Week".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir discuss several topics from a busy news week, including the launch of Disney+ (what does it mean for Netflix?), the growing public animosity towards billionaires, and proposals to move to a 4-day work week.
Thumbnail for "Biggest Money Mistakes People Make, and the Rise of the Micro-Influencer".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir discuss the biggest money mistakes people make when managing their personal finances. They also discuss the rise of the social media “micro-influencer.”
Thumbnail for "Google Buys Fitbit, and Twitter Bans Political Ads".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir discuss Google’s announcement that it’s buying Fitbit and what this tells us about the future of wearable computing. Later in the show, they discuss how Twitter and Facebook are handling political advertising.
Thumbnail for "TikTok, Museums, the Audio Explosion, and Other Trends in Entertainment".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir discuss a variety of trends from the world of entertainment -- including TikTok, the resurgence of museums, the audio explosion, newspaper paywalls, spiked seltzer, entertainment genres, and binge-watching vs. appointment-viewing.
Thumbnail for "Making Sense of the China-NBA Firestorm, and Debating the Wealth Tax".
Youngme, Felix and Mihir try to make sense of the firestorm sparked by the NBA’s clash with China. They also debate the merits of a wealth tax of the kind proposed by Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders.
Thumbnail for "Amazon Under Attack, and Household Financial Stress".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir discuss the problem of household financial stress. They also debate whether current criticisms of Amazon are justified.
Thumbnail for "The Race for Space, and the Invasion of the Electric Scooters".
Does Space represent a real economic opportunity or are expensive endeavors like SpaceX a form of billionaire hubris? Youngme, Felix and Mihir discuss the Race for Space, before debating the viability of the electric scooter market in cities around the world.
Thumbnail for "Apple, Facebook, Amazon, Google – Who Won the Summer? Plus, WeWork’s Fall from Grace".
After Hours is back for Season 3! Youngme, Felix, and Mihir debate which of the Big Tech companies (Apple, Facebook, Amazon, or Google) had the best/worst summer, before digging into the WeWork saga.
Thumbnail for "Looking Back, Looking Ahead".
It's a wrap for Season 2, as Youngme, Felix, and Mihir head off on a summer hiatus. Note to listeners: After Hours will return for Season 3 in the fall.
Thumbnail for "Stories to Watch This Summer".
In their final episode of Season 2, Youngme, Felix, and Mihir count down the top stories they'll be keeping an eye on over the summer. A note for listeners: After a summer hiatus, After Hours will return for Season 3 in the fall.
Thumbnail for "Mailbag Episode: Questions from Listeners".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir answer questions from listeners and end up discussing everything from the U.S.-China trade dispute to Disney, CVS Health, short-termism, and how to express an opinion persuasively.
Thumbnail for "Should Vaping Among Teens Be Banned? And the Promise of Precision Medicine".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir debate whether the FDA should crack down on teen vaping. They then discuss whether the promise of precision medicine is real or hype.
Thumbnail for "Facial Recognition Fears and Rihanna + LVMH".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir debate the pros and cons associated with the increased use of facial recognition technology and whether San Francisco's ban on such technology makes sense. They then discuss whether Rihanna represents the future of the world's largest luxury conglomerate, LVMH.
Thumbnail for "Debating the Sackler Family Role in the Opioid Crisis, and Using AI Bots to Conduct Job Interviews".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir discuss whether pharmaceutical players like the Sackler family members should be held accountable for the current opioid crisis. They then debate the growing reliance on artificial intelligence bots by human resource departments in the job screening process.
Thumbnail for "Beyond Meat, and Facebook’s Pivot to Privacy".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir talk about the Beyond Meat IPO and whether plant-based meat alternatives like Beyond Burger and Impossible Burger will become mass-market products. They then discuss Facebook's announcement that it is pivoting to put greater emphasis on user privacy.
Thumbnail for "Quick Takes on Uber, Apple/Qualcomm, Pinterest, Brexit, and More".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir offer short takes on six different topics, including: Uber's S-1, Apple and Qualcomm settling their lawsuit, Pinterest's prospects as a public company, Brexit, and the best TV shows about business.
Thumbnail for "Disney+, Notre Dame Donations Spark a Backlash, and Mihir’s New Book!".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir discuss the upcoming launch of Disney's new streaming service (Disney+), as well as the backlash sparked by billionaires pledging money to repair Notre Dame Cathedral. They then do a bonus segment about Mihir's new book, "How Finance Works."
Thumbnail for "Big Tech vs. the EU, and Why Is College So Expensive?".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir debate the effectiveness of the European Union’s attempts to regulate Big Tech. They then discuss the reasons underlying the soaring price of college in the U.S.
Thumbnail for "Has Car Ownership Peaked, and Is Joe Biden Too Physical?".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir discuss whether we have officially reached “peak car” -- meaning can we now expect a steady decline in private car ownership? They then debate whether Joe Biden’s physical displays of affection are appropriate.
Thumbnail for "Apple’s Big Event, Plus Is Corporate Debt at a Crisis Level?".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir share their reactions to Apple's big event announcing the launch of its new TV+ service. They then discuss whether corporate debt levels are reaching crisis potential.
Thumbnail for "Peloton and Partisan Political Prejudice".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir debate Peloton, the high-flying exercise startup. They then discuss why partisan political prejudice is worse in some parts of the country than others.
Thumbnail for "Food Delivery Wars and Boeing’s Crisis Management".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir discuss the food delivery war between DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub, and others. Then they evaluate Boeing's crisis management performance in the wake of two recent air disasters.
Thumbnail for "Airbnb, Plus Lessons from Kraft Heinz and Zero Based Budgeting".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir debate how well Airbnb is managing growth amid backlash from cities like New York City. They also discuss Kraft Heinz's controversial zero-based budgeting approach to management.
Thumbnail for "IPO Fever, and Do Bullies Make Good Bosses?".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir discuss why so many high-profile companies (Uber, Lyft, Pinterest, Airbnb, Slack, Postmates, Casper, Peloton, etc.) are planning to go public this year. They also debate whether it’s acceptable for bosses to throw temper tantrums at work.
Thumbnail for "Walmart’s Strategy to Beat Amazon, and Millennial Socialism".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir discuss how Walmart is trying to compete against Amazon and whether the strategy is working. They also debate the rise of socialism in U.S. millennials -- is it a healthy phenomenon or a dangerous one?
Thumbnail for "WeWork, and Can the Government Really Print as Much Money as It Wants?".
Youngme Moon, Felix Oberholzer-Gee, and Mihir Desai discuss whether WeWork's success is sustainable. Plus, can the government really spend as much money as it wants without worrying about deficits? What in the world is Modern Monetary Theory and does it actually make sense?
Thumbnail for "Medicare for All, plus Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Amazon HQ2, Marie Kondo, Toys, Spotify and Podcasting, and More".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir debate Medicare for All and ask whether the U.S. healthcare system is broken. They then offer quick takes on everything from Amazon's latest HQ2 news, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's influence, Marie Kondo, the toy industry, Spotify's aggressive push into podcasting, and more!
Thumbnail for "Fears About Huawei, and Facebook Earnings (What We Learned)".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir debate U.S. fears about Huawei and implications for U.S.-China relations. They also offer their interpretation of Facebook's latest earnings results, before sharing their After Hours picks for the week.
Thumbnail for "Taxing the Rich, and the “Woke” Advertising Trend".
Taxing the Rich, and the “Woke” Advertising Trend
Thumbnail for "High CEO Churn, and the 401(k) Turns 40".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir discuss why CEO departures are occurring so frequently, before unpacking the flaws in our 401(k) system. They also offer their After Hours picks for the week.
Thumbnail for "Apple in China, and Payday Lending".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir discuss Apple's position in the Chinese market; debate whether payday lending is good or bad for workers; and ask whether companies should be doing more to help employees manage cash shortfalls. They also offer their After Hours picks for the week.
Thumbnail for "New Year’s Crystal Ball Episode".
Taped a few days before heading off for the holidays, Youngme, Felix, and Mihir share their After Hours Predictions for 2019, covering everything from Big Tech, to food, to finance, to entertainment.
Thumbnail for "2018 Awards Episode".
2018 Awards Episode
Thumbnail for "Not Everyone Can Build a Digital Ad Business, Plus Debating Radical Transparency".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir discuss Verizon's write-down on Oath (Yahoo, AOL) and the challenges with building a digital advertising business. They also debate the notion of Radical Transparency, before sharing their After Hours picks for the week.
Thumbnail for "The Student Debt Crisis, and the FIRE Movement".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir discuss staggering student debt levels, the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) Movement, and share their After Hours picks for the week.
Thumbnail for "Microsoft Trending Up, Apple Trending Down…? Plus, The Marriott Data Breach".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir debate whether Microsoft is trending up while Apple is trending down, before discussing the Marriott (Starwood) data breach. They also share their After Hours picks for the week.
Thumbnail for "Tackling Climate Change, and Making Sense of the Nissan-Renault Drama".
Youngme, Felix, and Mihir tackle climate change, discuss the Nissan-Renault soap opera, and share their After Hours picks for the week.
Thumbnail for "Grading The New York Times’ News Coverage, and Quick Takes on Random Things".
Youngme and Felix decide to "grade" The New York Times' news coverage, before sharing their quick takes on other random things. They also share their After Hours picks for the week.
Thumbnail for "Uber Prepares to Go Public, and China’s Social Credit System".
Youngme, Mihir, and Felix discuss how much Uber is worth as it prepares to go public, before debating China's controversial Social Credit system. They also share their After Hours picks for the week.
Thumbnail for "Can Netflix Keep Winning? And Why People Are Fleeing Latin America".
Youngme, Mihir, and Felix debate whether Netflix's success is sustainable, before trying to wrap their heads around the unthinkably high murder rate in Latin America. They also share their After Hours picks for the week.
Thumbnail for "How Bad is Airline Service, Really? And Other Customer Service Complaints".
Youngme and Mihir welcome their colleague Ryan Buell to discuss whether airlines deserve their reputation for terrible customer service. They also share other customer service pet peeves, as well as their personal "Customer Experience Picks."
Thumbnail for "Is Retail Dying? Plus, How Are Companies Spending their Tax Cuts?".
Youngme, Mihir, and Felix discuss whether the "retailpocalypse" is real, try to figure out how companies are spending their Trump tax cuts, debate whether share buybacks are a good thing or a bad thing, and offer their picks for the week.
Thumbnail for "Debating Minimum Wage, and Reflections on a Year of #MeToo".
Youngme, Mihir, and Felix are back with Season 2 of After Hours! In this episode, they debate whether the federal minimum wage should be raised, offer their personal reflections on a year of the #MeToo movement, and share their picks for the week.
Thumbnail for "New Media and Predictive Policing".
In this episode, Felix and Mihir explore the prospects for media outlets like Vice and Buzzfeed, discuss their thoughts on predictive policing, and offer their After Hours picks for the week.
Thumbnail for "Trade and Soccer".
In this episode, Mihir and Felix discuss trade, soccer, offer their After Hours picks.
Thumbnail for "Food, food, and more food!".
In this light-hearted episode taped a couple of weeks ago, Youngme, Mihir and Felix discuss the #eatclean movement, their most/least favorite food trends, and offer their After Hours picks for the week.
Thumbnail for "The #MeToo Movement and Its Impact on Business (Live)".
In this LIVE! episode taped in front of an audience of Harvard Business School alumni, Mihir and Youngme discuss the #MeToo Movement and its impact on business.
Thumbnail for "Is the Job of the Presidency Too Big? Plus, Vaping Among Teens".
In this episode, Youngme, Felix and Mihir debate whether the job of the presidency is too big even for the most competent of executives; discuss whether the vaping trend among teenagers should have us worried; and offer their After Hours picks for the week.
Thumbnail for "Brainstorming Gun Control Ideas, and the Affordable Housing Dilemma".
In this episode, Youngme, Mihir and Felix brainstorm out-of-the-box ideas for gun control; discuss whether cities like Boston should be trying to attract companies like Amazon despite the affordable housing crunch created; and offer their After Hours picks for the week.
Thumbnail for "A Conversation with Teens".
In this special episode, Youngme asks three teenagers (including her own son) a set of 10 random questions that address everything from how they think about social media, to bullying in high schools, to how optimistic they are about the future.
Thumbnail for "Antitrust and Big Tech, and Is Corporate Lobbying A Good or Bad Thing?".
In this episode, Youngme, Mihir and Felix discuss antitrust and whether we should be concerned about the size of the big tech companies; debate the propriety of corporate lobbying; and offer their After Hours Picks for the week.
Thumbnail for "Why Management Practice Matters".
Why Management Practice Matters
Thumbnail for "The Rise of Voice Assistants like Amazon Echo, and How to Punish Wells Fargo".
In this episode, Youngme, Felix, and Mihir discuss why voice assistants like Amazon Echo and Google Home are all the rage; debate how to punish Wells Fargo for criminal wrongdoing; and offer their After Hours picks for the week.
Thumbnail for "The Future of Newspapers, and Debating Big Tech".
The Future of Newspapers, and Debating Big Tech
Thumbnail for "Why They Do It: White Collar Criminals".
Why They Do It: White Collar Criminals
Thumbnail for "The Gender Wage Gap, and Debating the Benefits of Retail Medicine".
In this episode, Youngme, Felix, and Mihir debate what it would take to close the gender wage gap; discuss whether retailers like Walmart and CVS entering the medical care space is good or bad for consumers; and share their After Hours picks for the week.
Thumbnail for "Zuckerberg Faces Congress, and the Plight of the Post Office".
In this episode, Youngme, Felix, and Mihir give their quick takes on Mark Zuckerberg’s appearance before Congress; discuss the plight of the U.S. Post Office; and share their picks for the week.
Thumbnail for "Trump’s Trade War, and the Fate of Tesla".
In this episode, Youngme, Felix, and Mihir vent about trade deficits and potential tariffs against China; they also debate the future of Tesla. Plus, their After Hours picks for the week.