Business Innovators UnPlugged

Episodi

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  Tina Knowles on Legacy, Resilience, and Reclaiming Your Voice 14.10.2026 31min

  Tina Knowles sits down for a candid conversation about Matriarch, her memoir, and the line of resilient seamstresses she uncovered while tracing her family history. Ms. Knowles talks openly about rebuilding her self-worth after a 33-year marriage and the stage one breast cancer diagnosis that taught her to put herself first. She also covers building Houston’s biggest hair salon for professional women and how she became the stylist for Destiny’s Child almost by accident. Along the way, she shares how she raised Beyoncé and Solange as individuals, what makes a great leader, and the four words she would tell her 25-year-old self. Recorded at the 2025 Inspirational Women Forum & Leadership Awards. Learn more about this year’s speakers at https://www.latimes.com/IW. 00:00 Introduction 02:30 The message behind Matriarch 04:40 Tracing a legacy of enslaved seamstresses 06:21 Who Tina Knowles is today, at 71 07:20 What it really means to be a matriarch 09:20 Raising Beyoncé and Solange as individuals 13:20 Healing and self-worth after a 33-year marriage 19:15 Breast cancer and the case for self-care 22:05 Building Houston’s biggest hair salon 24:45 How she became Destiny’s Child’s stylist 28:15 Leadership, joy, and purpose 29:20 Four words for her 25-year-old self
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  AI & The 73-Day Knowledge Boom: Rebuilding Trust in Healthcare with City of Hope CEO Robert Stone 08.10.2026 24min

  By 2020, the pace of medical knowledge was already doubling every 73 days. With innovation accelerating even faster today, are we moving quickly enough to get life-saving breakthroughs to the patients who need them most? conversation with City of Hope CEO Robert Stone from the 2026 LA Executive Forum. Stone discusses how academic medical centers can better serve patients by focusing on "bedside to bench and back" innovation, breaking down silos between research and clinical care, and leveraging artificial intelligence to accelerate drug discovery, imaging, and cybersecurity. Beyond technology, Stone shares the strategy behind Access Hope, a bold spinout expanding specialized oncology care to up to 10 million people across the country, and explains why physician empathy and genuine human connection remain essential to rebuilding public trust in institutions. 00:00 Introduction: The LA Executive Forum 00:55 The Real Competition and Bedside to Bench Innovation 03:39 Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare 06:10 Accessibility and Equity in Cancer Care 12:18 Rebuilding Public Trust in Institutions 17:20 Staying Grounded in a Demanding Executive Role 18:57 Optimism for the Future of Medicine 23:25 Conclusion and Outro
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  Anthony Marguleas, Founder, Amalfi Estates 07.04.2026 18min

  In this episode of "Business Innovators UnPlugged," real estate agent and Amalfi Estates owner Anthony Marguleas breaks down why buying a home in Los Angeles feels harder than ever. Marguleas, who lost his Pacific Palisades home in last year’s fires, also discusses who is buying in burn areas, who's staying and what those communities may look like after the rebuild. Marguleas and BIU host Anna Magzanyan discuss how the rise of celebrity-driven real estate has reshaped the market and why he turned down an offer to be in a reality TV show. And for first-time buyers, he shares what actually works if you’re trying to break into today’s market.
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  Sabina Gault, CEO, Konnect Agency 31.03.2026 18min

  Sabina Gault is founder and CEO of Konnect Agency, a full-service communications and marketing firm in Los Angeles. She discusses building her brand, offers tips on crisis communications, and explains how she is rethinking PR for today’s audiences. Those interested in building a creative, high-profile agency will find insight here.
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  Meet the developer behind Koreatown’s comeback 24.03.2026 15min

  Jaime Lee helped turn Koreatown into one of Los Angeles’ most active development hubs. As the former CEO of Jamison, one of the city’s largest private landlords, she led major office-to-residential conversions, including 38 apartment buildings since 2013. Lee has often been the only Asian woman serving on civic and nonprofit boards of directors. Her volunteer service has included the Board of Harbor Commissioners for the Port of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles City Employees’ Retirement System Board of Administration, and the Board of Trustees for USC, where she earned undergraduate and law degrees. She’s currently serving as a member of the California Coastal Commission. Now, she’s calling out the obstacles slowing housing and sharing how the city can fix them.
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  Fusion energy: Can it solve the world’s energy crisis? 17.03.2026 14min

  Can fusion provide a clean energy solution to the challenges created by climate change? Joe Paluska, chief marketing officer of Commonwealth Fusion Systems, says it could. He explains how the company’s technology works, why fusion could transform how electricity is produced and what it’s like to work for a startup trying to change how the world powers its infrastructure.
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  Meet the architect changing the game and beating the odds 10.03.2026 16min

  HOK design principal Adaeze Cadet is one of the very few Black female architects shaping skylines in America today. Less than one percent of all licensed architects in the U.S. are Black women. Cadet opens up about beating the odds, the projects she's most proud of, and how she’s working to inspire the next generation of designers. It’s a conversation about vision, resilience, and what it really takes to change the face of architecture from the inside out.
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  Ford CEO Jim Farley on the ‘make or break’ moment for the auto giant. 03.03.2026 24min

  With most of the world’s electric vehicles produced and sold by China, Ford CEO Jim Farley is blunt about what it will take for American companies to win the EV race. In this episode, Farley details how Ford plans to stay competitive amid industry disruption, the Chinese in-vehicle technology that humbled him, his concerns about the shortage of skilled workers and what the future of driving looks like.
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  Sizzlin’ hot: Arman Oganesyan on building Dave's Hot Chicken 24.02.2026 17min

  Host Anna Magzanyan sits down with Arman Oganesyan, co-founder of Dave’s Hot Chicken. He and a few friends launched the brand with just $900 and a pop-up in a Hollywood parking lot. They sold the business last year for $1 billion and distributed $1 million each to more than a dozen employees. We get into how it all unfolded, how a glowing restaurant review almost derailed everything, and why they believe Los Angeles was the only place this story could have taken off. If you love a good underdog story —and spicy chicken — you’ll want to hear this one. photos provided by Dave's Hot Chicken
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  Luc Robitaille: From Long Shot to Icon 17.02.2026 25min

  In this episode of "Business Innovators UnPlugged," NHL Hall of Famer and president of the Los Angeles Kings, Luc Robitaille, joins host President Anna Magzanyan to talk leadership, longevity and building winning cultures. Robitaille shares what opponent he feared the most, his transition from player to executive, and what lies ahead for the Kings post- Anže Kopitar.
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  That time Haider Ackermann met Tom Ford for the first time 10.02.2026 19min

  In the premiere episode of Business Innovators UnPlugged, Haider Ackermann shares the story of meeting Tom Ford for the first time, a rare personal moment between two fashion icons. The meeting marked the start of a relationship that led Ford to personally select Ackermann as creative director of Tom Ford. Ackermann sits down with host Anna Magzanyan to discuss his first year at Tom Ford, being named GQ’s Designer of the Year and his love of camping. Catch video episodes of "Business Innovators UnPlugged" on Youtube & Spotify.
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  Introducing: Business Innovators UnPlugged 09.02.2026

  LA Times Studios' newest podcast Business Innovators UnPlugged spotlights the people building what's next. Host Anna Magzanyan sits down with the CEOs from some of America's most recognized companies, as well as leaders of companies you may not know yet - but definitely should. No buzzwords. No hype. Just real conversations what it actually takes to build and lead.