World Lens by WTCI

It seems like everything today is stored "in the cloud." But the cloud is a real place, powered by high tech Datacenters. Nancy Novak from Compass Datacenters joins us to talk what it takes to power our digital world.

Register for the upcoming AGILE Innovation Series on April 15, 2025: https://wtci.org/events/agile-global-innovation-series-2/register/

Ask around how people are doing and you might hear that, "the vibes are bad." But unemployment numbers are down, the job market is competitive! Can both things be true at the same time? Michelle and Bruce chat about why, even when we're doing well, things feel just so off right now.

The Northeast corridor is connected by railway, but there's a company looking to change the way we think about rail travel in the United States. Northeast Maglev wants to make train travel between DC and Baltimore take just 30 minutes. We're joined by Bill Scott, Maglev's President and Chief Operating Officer, who walks us through this exciting project.

Tariffs, tariffs, tariffs. They'll destroy the economy! They'll save the economy! Maybe they'll do both? We're joined by Alex Koff, a partner at Venable, to understand just what's going on with all these tariffs - and what you can do to prepare your business.

Bruce McIndoe is not just the co-host of this podcast, he's a renowned professional that advises businesses on how to avoid risk. Bruce takes us inside his company, McIndoe Risk Advisory, and details why he's the go-to for what's happening in the world.

Connect with Bruce on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mcindoe/

President Elect Donald Trump is making news already. Could Greenland be the next state? Can the US retake control of the Panama Canal? We're talking (potential) US territories today - is any of this possible, and why is Greenland such a big deal?

It's one specialized part, how hard could it be to make? It can be hard, very hard. And that's where WTCI member Root3 Labs comes in. We're joined by founder and CEO Chad Schneider who walks us through what it takes to design some truly outrageous products.

Join us as we explore the increasing trend of social media bans worldwide and delve into the complex situation in Georgia.

Phillips Foods specializes in seafood, especially crab meat. But when you notice that, year after year, the crabs are getting smaller, what do you do? Brice Phillips joins us to discuss his work as Chairman of the NFI Crab Council - a group dedicated to preserving crab through sustainability efforts.

Note: This episode was recorded on October 31, 2024.

Two candidates, one winner. What do their policies mean for the future of the United States of America?

Working at a family business can be tough. Taking over the family business? Even tougher. But Ryan Polakoff, the next CEO of Nexterus (and WTCI member) has been preparing for this moment his whole life. Join us for an inside look at what it takes when it's time to take the reins.

Welcome to Season 2 of the World Lens Podcast! I’m sure nothing significant happened during the summer break, right? Stalwart co-host Bruce McIndoe is back to chat about some of the major news stories we missed. From the Paris Olympics to exploding pagers, we’re back to look at what’s happening in the world through a global business lens.

It's time for our summer break! But before we go, let's revisit some topics we covered and see what's changed. From TikTok to China to the Francis Scott Key Bridge, this episode revisits many of the topics we covered over the course of the last 20 episdoes.

Congratulations to Mexico's newly elected president Claudia Sheinbaum! What does a new president mean for the US - Mexico relationship? Are there any other changes on the horizon?

How do you protect your home when there aren't any insurers left? It's a real problem in states like Florida and California, and it could be a harbinger for other states. As insurers pull out, and devastating weather events increase, what happens to insuring your home?

What does it take to recognize a new nation state? What happens when some countries do and some don't? This week, we're looking at Palestine, specifically in regards to what happens when a country decides to recognize a Palestinian State.

America's power grid is aging. Extreme weather events are causing more frequent blackouts, solar panels are forcing negative energy prices, and political battles are shaping how we think of energy. Is our energy future secure?

You may have seen the reports about doors falling off of airplanes mid-flight, or quality control issues at Boeing. The headlines are grabby, but do you really need to be looking up what type of jet you're traveling on the next time you fly?

Yes! But the beautiful lights aren't the only side-effects of this solar activity. Electronics and communications devices are at risk when major solar events happen.