Episodes

In keeping with our tradition of Bric-a-brac, Grab-bag, Potpurri, and Miscellany, Ron and Ed will present their thoughts on some articles and posts on varied topics that require more than just a cursory conversation, but not quite a full episode. You can join in by submitting your latest ideas and topics by sending us an email to asktsoe@verasage.com or on X - @asktsoe.

Ron and Ed welcome Bryan Caplan, professor of economics at George Mason University. Bryan is a prolific author and speaker on wide range of economic and other fantastically nerdy topics from voting to role playing games. Bryan's substack, Bet on It, has addressed the following topic in the month of July alone: * Cars and convenience * An offer to illustrate a book of his using AI * Abusers giving vice a bad name * Non rival assets for the poor * Open borders on trial * The status of women Prepar...

Blair Enns is the founder of Win Without Pitching, the sales training organization for creative professionals. He is the author of two books, The Win Without Pitching Manifesto and Pricing Creativity: A Guide to Profit Beyond the Billable Hour. He is the co-host, along with David C. Baker, of the podcast 2Bobs: Conversations on the Art of Creative Entrepreneurship. Best of all, he is the guest on this week’s show with Ron and Ed. A good portion of the show will be spend talking about The Innofic...

Join Ed and Ron as they discuss the book William Donaldson, PhD: Simple_Complexity: A Guide to Systems Thinking. Systems are both simple and complex, which contain amazing constructs that one often must marvel. Systems also have a mind and a rhythm of their own. The parts do not exist independent of the whole, and you can't understand the parts without understanding the whole, and the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Your organization's culture is an emergent property of your system. ...

For the third time, Ron and Ed will welcome back Tim Williams, one of the foremost thinkers about professional firm strategy and positioning. Tim thinks deeply about these topic, but has the ability to simplify and communicate complex topics to us and his audiences worldwide. We will also ask him about his thinking with regard to generative AI and the potential impact on advertising and marketing. If you have a comment or question for Tim, please tag us at @asktsoe on Twitter or send an email to...

In this episode Ron and Ed will dissect a recent blog post by Marc Andreessen entitled Why AI Will Save the World. It is a deep and thoughtful piece by someone who has done some very deep thinking. We will discuss the items upon which agree and those with which we quibble. The post can be found here - https://a16z.com/2023/06/06/ai-will-save-the-world/ - and we welcome any thoughts or questions you might want us to explore. Hit us up on Twitter @asktsoe.

Ron and Ed welcome back the Godfather of modern consulting Peter Block for his second appearance. This episode is dedicated to the possibility that human beings are better served when we confront our freedom (the title of Peter's new book). Doing so, is difficult, challenging, and not for everyone. If you want to begin the process of confronting your own freedom, you are invited to participate in this episode. Safe return doubtful!

Another deep dive into the perils of ESG. This is based on Vivek Ramaswamy's latest book, Capitalist Punishment: How Wall Street Is Using Your Money to Create a Country You Didn't Vote For. Ed and Ron will provide the main points from this critical look at ESG. If you've wondered how FTX can achieve a higher score on its G (Governance) than did Exxon-Mobil, you won't want to miss this show.

Joining Ed and Ron this week is Robin D. Hanson of associate professor of economics at George Mason University. Robin is the author of two fascinating books, The Age of Em and The Elephant in the Brain. He has worked with the Foresight Institute and DARPA, but perhaps his colleague at George Mason Bryan Caplan put it best: When the typical economist tells me about his latest research, my standard reaction is 'Eh, maybe.' Then I forget about it. When Robin Hanson tells me about his latest researc...

Ed and Ron are excited for their interview with George Gilder, author of the brand new book, Life After Capitalism: The Meaning of Wealth, the Future of the Economy, and the Time Theory of Money, published May 30, 2023. This is George’s fourth appearance on The Soul of Enterprise. He is Ron’s 42-year mentor, since his publication of Wealth & Poverty in 1981, which changed Ron’s life forever after. His latest book is a groundbreaking new theory of economics that, at last, explains capitalism as a...

We announced at the end of last week that we planned to talk about Peter Block's new book Confronting Our Freedom, however, this week we learned that Peter has agreed to join us in about a month. YES! Because of this good news we are pivoting to a topical show. There are a few newsworthy items, including a show review that we want to share with you. Of course, if you have any questions or topics you would like us to address, please send them to asktsoe@verasage.com or hit us up on Twitter - @ask...

Ron and Ed last spoke to Dan Mitchell in May of 2020 when Covid was in full swing. We will get an update on the results of the C-19 spending policies and bring the conversation to current tax policies and proposals. Dan opines on his blog International Liberty at https://danieljmitchell.wordpress.com/author/danieljmitchell/ on a far range of subjects. This promises to be a fascinating conversation.

Ron and Ed welcome Cato Institute's vice president for international studies and director of its Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity, Ian Vasquez. Among other topic they will discuss the latest Human Freedom Index, of which Ian is a co-author. For those of you unfamiliar the Human Freedom Index presents the state of human freedom in the world based on a broad measure that encompasses personal, civil, and economic freedom. Human freedom is a social concept that recognizes the dignity of indi...

Ron and Ed welcome back Joe Woodard, CEO of Woodard and host of the Scaling New Heights Conference at which Ron and Ed will be delivering keynotes and sessions. We'll chat about the conference and likely foray into AI and other issues facing the accounting profession. If you have a question for Joe, please Tweet us - @asktsoe.

Doug Sleeter was a well-known entrepreneur and thought leader in the accounting industry. He was the founder and former CEO of The Sleeter Group, a company that provided training, consulting, and research services to accounting professionals. Sadly, Doug Sleeter passed away in November 2019. - ChatGPT 3.5, March 2023 Yup, ChatGPT says Doug Is Dead. The good news, he is very much alive and has a bone to pick with ChatGPT. This one is personal.

We first spoke with Joe Pine way back in March of 2015 primarily about his books, The Experience Economy and Infinite Possibility. Our key takeaway from Joe's work is his Economic Value Progression graph which asserts that transformations are the highest level (at least in this world). This insight has become even more important as organizations move to subscription based models. We are looking forward to getting Joe's take and ask him about his recent piece in the Harvard Business Review - The ...

It is with heavy hearts that Ed and Ron share the news of Dr. Reginald Lee's passing on March 8, 2023. He was a dear friend, a mentor, a teacher, and a maverick who was fearless in challenging the conventional wisdom of cost accounting. We were privileged to know him and be able to spend time with him. We will also keep his teaching and his legacy alive. Join us to celebrate the life and work of this dear friend, who leaves behind the imperishable crown of a good name. Read more tributes to Regi...

Back in October of 2016, Ron and Ed interviewed Professor Timothy Chou of Stanford about his books Cloud: Seven clear business models and Precision: Principles, Practices and Solutions for the Internet of Things. This time around we are pleased to get an update on his work and talk a bit more about AI and the recent explosion of interest around ChatGPT.

Ron and Ed welcome Hector Garcia to the show. We will talk about the business model for professionals and all things technology including AI. Hector is a long-time listener and has put many of the idea we talk about into practice at his organization Quick Bookkeeping of Miami LLC, a family owned practice that has been helping small business with their tax and accounting needs for over 13 years in Doral and all over the world. His YouTube channel has over 222,000 subscribers.

Ron and Ed welcome patent attorney and advocate for abolishing intellectual property, Stehan Kinsella to the show. We will explore what is (and is not) intellectual property and then have a conversation about why Stephan thinks these forms of property should not exist and why the world would be better if they did not. If you have any questions that you would like Ed and Ron to ask Stephan, please shoot us an email at asktsoe@verasage.com or hit us up on Twitter at @asktsoe.

In his book, The Cloud Revolution, Mark P. MIlls explains how the conventional wisdom on how technology will change the future is wrong and lays out a radically different and optimistic vision for what’s really coming. According to Mark, a convergence of technologies will instead drive an economic boom over the coming decade, one that historians will characterize as the “Roaring 2020s.” It will come not from any single big invention, but from the confluence of radical advances in three primary t...

Ron and Ed once again take the show on the road. For the third time, they are honored to appear at the Meeting of the Minds. Aside from taking questions from the attendees, they will have a conversation about an Harvard Business Review article from Joe Pine et al entitled, The “New You” Business. - https://hbr.org/2022/01/the-new-you-business

Inspired by A. J. Jacobs when he appeared on Russ Robert's great podcast EconTalk (and Curly from City Slickers), Ron and Ed have each been keeping a One Thing journal for the last few years. They first shared from this journal back in October 2021, but the time has come to share some more of their best One Things. If you tweet your one things, be sure to include #asktsoe and #OneThing.

Ed and Ron are honored to welcome Natasha Lance Rogoff to The Soul of Enterprise. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, the timing appeared perfect to bring Sesame Street to millions of children living in the former Soviet Union. With the Muppets envisioned as ideal ambassadors of Western idealistic values, no one anticipated just how challenging and dangerous this would prove to be. In Muppets in Moscow, Natasha Lance Rogoff brings the story to life. Lance Rogoff, a young A...