The Soul of Enterprise: Business in the Transformation Economy by THRESHOLD

What happens when 19th-century ideology meets 21st-century technology? In this provocative and irreverent episode, Ed and Ron “sit down” with none other than Karl Marx—resurrected through the magic of AI voice synthesis and large language models—for a spirited, satirical, and intellectually charged conversation.

No question is off-limits as they press “Karl” on th...

In this episode, Ron and Ed sit down with Dan Morris, Chief Dragon Slayer at Morris and D’Angelo, for his fourth appearance on The Soul of Enterprise. Dan shares captivating stories from his decades-long career in international tax and accounting, including memorable IRS cases and the nuances of navigating complex tax law. The conversation explores the evolving future of the accounting profession, the impact of AI and automation, a...

In this episode, we sit down with Adam Thierer, Resident Senior Fellow at the R Street Institute, to unpack his recent analysis—AI Policy in Congress Mid‑2025: Where Are We Headed Next? We explore shifting congressional priorities, from the AI–China ...

Ron and Ed are thrilled to welcome back Kimberlee Josephson for the sixth time, diving into her fascinating latest piece: “Superman, Sneaking Snacks into Movies, and the Mystery of Social Order”. In it, Kimbe...

We throw the word strategy around so much that it risks becoming meaningless. Is it a plan? A budget? A list of goals? In this episode of The Soul of Enterprise, Ron and Ed revisit the meaning of strategy through the lens of John Hillen’s book The Strategy Dialogues: A Primer on Business Strategy and Strategic Management.

Strategy, Hillen argues, is not chosen — it’s designed. It’s not abou...

For years, GDP has been treated as the ultimate scorecard of economic performance. But GDP only measures final goods and services. It’s like judging a business by gross margin while ignoring sales.

Economist Mark Skousen’s innovation, Gross Output (GO), fixes that. GO is the “Top Line” of the economy—capturing total sales and revenues at every stage of production, from raw materials to fini...

Sometimes the best conversations come from the stories that don’t neatly fit into a single theme—but are too good to ignore. In this week’s episode of The Soul of Enterprise, Ron and Ed bring you a lively grab bag of pricing and business news, insights, and oddities they’ve collected from around the world. From surprising trends in how companies set prices, to cautionary tales in leadership, to t...

On their first independent episode, Ron and Ed will share some thoughts on the new format, the transformation economy, their new entity (THRESHOLD), and their Jerry Maguire mission statement to the professions entitled The REVELATION. 

From the Preamble

We affirm that the raison d’être of business is not profit, but human flourishing. Profit is the echo of value well delivered, the index of one...

Ron and Ed (well, just Ed, really) announced their transition from VoiceAmerica to their own platform. The show will continue streaming on Fridays at 3 PM Eastern/Noon PT, with the streams available at thesoulofenterprise.com or thresholdnow.com/tsoe.

In addition to a few announcements, Ed shares the audio version of the Preamble to the REVELATION - a mission statement outlining their vision for the Transformation Economy focused o...

Despite Ben Franklin’s witticism, time is not money. In economic reality, money is time. That’s because we buy things with money, but we pay for them with time.

In this episode of The Soul of Enterprise, Ed and Ron explore how consumers, firms, and even the Federal Reserve are starting to measure value not in dollars, but in time well spent.

Drawing on a May 2025 articl...

Ron and Ed explore the legacy and leadership lessons of Fred Smith, the visionary founder of Federal Express. From a bold undergraduate paper (legend has it that he only got a C+) to building one of the world’s most transformative logistics companies, Smith’s journey is a case study in perseverance, innovation, and strategic execution. We’ll unpack what made him not just a successful entrepreneur but a memorable mento...

Ron and Ed welcome Nick Asbury to a conversation about his book, The Road to Hell: How purposeful business leads to bad marketing and a worse world And how human creativity is the way out. 

From the book jacket

The road to hell is paved with good intentions, says the proverb. Never has that been truer than in the case of corporate purpose, the movement that took over the business and advertising world following the financial crisis...

In this episode of The Soul of Enterprise, hosts Ron Baker and Ed Kless are joined by Barry LaBov, founder and CEO of LABOV Marketing Communications and Training. A two-time Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and inductee into the Entrepreneur of the Year Hall of Fame, Barry brings a wealth of experience in brand differentiation and leadership. He has authored over a dozen business books, including The Power of Di...

In this episode of “The Soul of Enterprise,” hosts Ron Baker and Ed Kless engage in a dynamic conversation with Dr. Jackie Meyer, a trailblazer in the accounting profession. As the founder of TaxPlanIQ and host of “The Concierge CPA” podcast, Dr. Meyer has been recognized as a “40 Under 40” honoree since 2018. She is renowned for her innovative approach to tax planning and her commitment to enhancing the health, wealt...

You’ve heard us talk tariffs. You’ve definitely heard us talk Trump’s tariffs. So this week, in a bold act of podcasting restraint, we’re doing something radical: no tariff talk whatsoever. Instead, we tackle a roundup of current business events—from curious market moves to eyebrow-raising headlines—with our signature commentary and a touch of irreverence. Think of it as a tariff-free zone for your brain. You’re welco...

In this episode of The Soul of Enterprise, Ron and Ed welcome Dr. Jeffrey A. Singer, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and a seasoned general surgeon, to discuss his latest book, Your Body, Your Health Care. Dr. Singer delves into the erosion of patient autonomy in the modern healthcare system, attributing much of it to increasing government intervention. He advocates for a return to a patient-centered approach, e...

Ron and Ed sit down with Doug Reuter, the inventive mind behind the beloved board game Sequence. Doug shares the fascinating journey of bringing Sequence to life—a process that spanned four years of development, three years to secure licensing, and nearly another year before it hit store shelves in 1982. Beyond his success in the gaming industry, Doug delves into his political career, highlighting his two terms in the...