Talks at Google

In her 18 years at Google, Jenny Wood grew from entry-level to executive and ran a large operations team that helped drive billions of revenue per year. She is the founder of Own Your Career, one of the largest career programs in Google’s history with over 50,000 people benefitting in nearly 100 countries. Jenny's work has been featured in the Harvard Business Review, CNBC, Business Insider, Entrepreneur, Inc., and Forbes. Now, Jenny’s back at Google to discuss her book, “Wild Courage: Go After What You Want and Get It.” "Wild Courage" coaches you to smash through your fear of discomfort, failure, and the judgement of others, and to embrace your boldest self. The book is an empowering and energizing guide to embracing your ambition and chasing after what you want. Watch this episode at youtube.com/TalksAtGoogle.

Just about everything we do – like what we wear, what we eat, and even where we work – is informed in some way by our cultural subscriptions. Marcus Collins studies cultural contagion, and how it manifests in society at large. He joins Google to discuss the evolution of brand and his book, “For the Culture: The Power Behind What We Buy, What We Do, and Who We Want to Be.” Marcus is a professor at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, and previously served as the Chief Strategy Officer at Wieden & Kennedy in New York. Before his time in advertising, he worked at the intersection of music and tech, leading iTunes and Nike’s sports music initiatives and running digital strategy for Beyonce. He’s a recipient of AdAge’s 40 Under 40 award and Crain’s 40 Under 40 award. Originally published in May 2023. Watch this episode at youtube.com/TalksAtGoogle.

Almost everything we do involves words. Words are how we persuade, communicate, and connect. They’re how leaders lead, salespeople sell, and parents parent. But certain words are more impactful than others. They’re better at changing minds, engaging audiences, and driving action. What are these magic words, and how can we take advantage of their power? Jonah Berger joins Google to discuss his book, “Magic Words: What to Say to Get your Way.” Jonah is a Wharton Professor, internationally bestselling author, and world‐renowned expert on change, word of mouth, natural language processing, and how products, services, and ideas catch on. He has published over 70 articles in top-tier academic journals, teaches one of the world’s most popular online courses, and accounts of his work often appear in places like The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Harvard Business Review. Originally published in June 2023. Watch this episode at youtube.com/TalksAtGoogle.

Lewis Howes, entrepreneur and host of "The School of Greatness" podcast, joins Google to discuss his book, “Make Money Easy: Create Financial Freedom and Live a Richer Life.” The book leverages insight gleaned from the many financial experts on his podcast, the latest research around the psychology of money, and his own journey to success, and offers both practical advice and the mindset reframing needed to achieve financial peace and fulfillment. Lewis is a two-time New York Times bestselling author, a lifestyle entrepreneur, keynote speaker, former professional football player, and USA Men’s National Handball Team athlete. He was recognized by The White House and former President Obama as one of the top 100 entrepreneurs in the country under 30. He has been featured on Ellen, The New York Times, People, Forbes, Fast Company, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Men’s Health, The Today Show, and more. Watch this episode at youtube.com/TalksAtGoogle.

Seth Godin has published over 20 bestselling books that have been translated into nearly 40 languages. He’s the founder of the altMBA and The Akimbo Workshops, which have been taken by more than 60,000 people. He hosts a podcast, also called Akimbo, and has 5 TED Talks. Seth joins Google to talk about his book, “The Song of Significance: A New Manifesto for Teams.” The book contemplates all things work: why it is the way it is, why it’s gotten so bad, and what all of us–especially leaders–can do to make it better. Originally published in June 2023. Watch this episode at youtube.com/TalksAtGoogle.  

David Allemann is the Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of the Swiss sportswear brand On. Since its founding in 2010, On has become one of the fastest-growing global sports brands with a presence in over 60 countries and more than 9,000 retailers. David joins Google to discuss his career journey, the story of On’s IPO, and how they were able to become a prominent name in the saturated market of athletic shoes. Watch this episode at youtube.com/TalksAtGoogle.  

Stuff You Should Know has been one of the top podcasts since it started in 2008. The podcast overviews and simplifies a truly extensive range of topics, from the history of refrigeration to how Saturn works to forensic dentistry and peacocks. Chuck and Josh released over 1,500 episodes, toured the world, and even had a TV show that ran for one season on the Science Channel. They also have a Trivial Pursuit game and they once had their own category on Jeopardy’s National College Championship. Chuck and Josh join Google to give a behind the scenes look at how they’ve become experts in educating us about common things and how they work. Originally published in December 2016. Watch this episode at youtube.com/TalksAtGoogle.

Everywhere you look, there’s talk of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Daniela Rus and Gregory Mone have dedicated their lives to studying both. Daniela is a world expert in robotics. She’s the first female director of MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab, and a MacArthur “Genius” Fellow. Gregory has authored 19 books and is a former columnist for Popular Science magazine. He’s collaborated with Neil deGrasse Tyson, Susan Cain, Bill Nye, and Skeletor. They join Google to talk about their book, “The Heart and the Chip: Our Bright Future with Robots.” The book overviews the interconnected fields of robotics, AI, and machine learning. It reframes the way we think about intelligent machines while also weighing the moral and ethical consequences of their role in society.  Watch this epsode at youtube.com/TalksAtGoogle.

George R.R. Martin is an author and a television producer and writer. He’s most famous for his series, “A Song of Ice and Fire,” which was then adapted by HBO into the overwhelmingly popular television drama, “Game of Thrones.” In 2017, Time Magazine dubbed him an “American Tolkien.” He joins Google for a Q&A session and to share more about his novel, "A Dance with Dragons." Originally published in August 2011. Watch this episode at youtube.com/TalksAtGoogle.

Award-winning kitten rescuer Hannah Shaw and professional cat photographer Andrew Marttila  join Google to discuss their book, “Cats of the World,” where they explore cat culture and welfare around the globe, documenting their travels with photos and stories from 30 different countries. Hannah and Andrew are both cat experts in their own specialties. Hannah is a New York Times bestselling author of over 10 books and the founder of Orphan Kitten Club, a nonprofit focused on saving the lives of neonatal kittens. Andrew is a professional animal photographer who specializes in cats. He’s been featured on the cover of National Geographic and on Good Morning America, and has also authored several books.  Watch this episode at youtube.com/TalksAtGoogle.