Down to Business English

Skip Montreux, Dez Morgan & Samantha Vega | Business English Instructors
  • 4.7 (29)
  • Language Learning

A podcast for people who use English as a Second or Foreign Language (ESL/EFL) in their work environment and want to improve their overall language skills. In each episode, hosts Skip Montreux, Dez Morgan, and Samantha Vega discuss Business news making headlines around the world. Through their discussions, Skip, Dez and Samantha introduce English vocabulary & phrases related to business, review grammar, and identify cultural differences found in International business situations. An excellent way to improve listening comprehension skills, keep up with business trends, and advance your career.

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  1. 1d ago

    RAMageddon

    The rapid growth of artificial intelligence is creating enormous demand for advanced memory chips. As chip manufacturers move more of their resources toward High Bandwidth Memory, or HBM, the supply of traditional RAM and flash memory is being squeezed. In this episode, Skip Montreux and Samantha Vega examine the global memory shortage that has been dubbed “RAMageddon” and explain why it is increasing the cost of laptops, smartphones, cars, medical equipment, and many other products. Skip begins by explaining the three main types of memory involved in the current shortage. RAM allows computers and other devices to operate software, while flash memory stores data after a device has been turned off. High Bandwidth Memory, or HBM, is a faster and more powerful form of memory that is essential for running artificial intelligence systems and large language models. Skip and Samantha then look at why HBM production is reducing the supply of traditional memory. Producing one wafer of HBM can use the same manufacturing resources as three wafers of standard RAM. As demand for AI infrastructure increases, memory manufacturers are therefore moving more of their production capacity toward HBM. They also discuss the role of major technology companies such as Amazon Web Services, Alphabet, Meta, Microsoft, and Oracle. These companies are investing heavily in data centers, which require large amounts of HBM. This demand has encouraged manufacturers to prioritize the AI market over the consumer electronics market. The episode also examines Micron’s decision to close its Crucial consumer memory brand and redirect resources toward HBM production. Next, Skip explains how HBM has disrupted the traditional boom-and-bust cycle of the memory chip industry. In the past, higher prices encouraged manufacturers to expand production. Once the new production capacity became available, supply increased and prices fell. However, strong and continuing demand from the AI industry has changed this familiar pattern. Finally, Skip and Samantha examine the consequences for businesses and consumers. Contract prices for RAM increased by between 90 and 95 percent, while flash memory prices rose by 75 percent. Delivery lead times have also extended beyond 58 weeks, and some manufacturers must pay for their orders in advance. These pressures are raising the cost of any product that requires computer memory. This episode helps listeners understand the global memory chip market while building practical Business English skills. In this episode, you will learn: What RAM, flash memory, and High Bandwidth Memory are. Why HBM is essential for artificial intelligence and data centers. How producing HBM reduces the manufacturing capacity available for standard RAM. How AI demand has disrupted the traditional boom-and-bust cycle of the memory industry. Why RAM and flash memory prices are increasing. How longer delivery times and advance-payment requirements affect manufacturers. Do you like what you hear? Become a D2B Member today for to access to our -- NEW!!!-- interactive audio scripts, PDF Audio Script Library, Bonus Vocabulary episodes, and D2B Member-only episodes. Visit d2benglish.com/membership for more information. Follow Down to Business English on Apple podcasts, rate the show, and leave a comment. Contact Skip, Dez, and Samantha at downtobusinessenglish@gmail.com Follow Skip & Dez Skip Montreux on Linkedin Skip Montreux on Instagram Skip Montreux on Twitter Skip Montreux on Facebook Dez Morgan on Twitter RSS Feed

  2. Jul 15 ·  Bonus • Subscribers Only

    Calculating Inflation - Bonus Vocabulary

    Skip Montreux and Samantha Vega provide bonus vocabulary explanations and examples for words and phrases used in D2B 416 - Calculating Inflation. After explaining the words and expressions in the context of how they were used in D2B 416 - Calculating Inflation, Skip and Samantha demonstrate how these words and phrases can be used in a business-related role-play. The words they explain are: 🔸 To be lined up (passive verb) 🔸 The nuts and bolts (idiom) 🔸 A long story short (expression) 🔸 Disposable income (noun collocation) 🔸 An immediate picture (noun collocation) 🔸 A valid criticism (noun collocation)

    Calculating Inflation - Bonus Vocabulary

  3. Jul 10

    Calculating Inflation

    Inflation affects almost every part of the economy — from food prices and wages to pensions, mortgages, and central bank policy. But how is inflation actually calculated? In this episode, Skip Montreux and Dez Morgan look at the Consumer Price Index, or CPI, and explain how governments measure changes in the cost of goods and services over time. They start by explaining CPI, one of the main figures used to measure inflation. Dez explains how the Office for National Statistics in the UK tracks the price of a representative basket of goods and services. This basket includes many things people commonly buy, such as groceries, clothes, transport, household items, and services. Skip and Dez then discuss how this basket changes over time. The items are updated every year to reflect changes in consumer habits and lifestyles. This year, items such as hummus, alcohol-free beer, pet grooming services, and motorhomes were added to the UK basket, while premium lager bought in a pub was removed. Next, they look at why accurate inflation data is so important. CPI can influence pension increases, wage negotiations, and central bank decisions. If inflation is above a target level, a central bank may raise interest rates, which can affect mortgages, credit cards, and economic growth. Finally, Skip and Dez discuss some of the more complicated methods used in inflation calculations. These include substitution, Chained CPI, Owner’s Equivalent Rent, and hedonic adjustments. These methods can be controversial because they raise an important question: should inflation measure only what people spend, or should it also consider changes in product quality? This episode helps listeners understand how inflation is calculated while building practical Business English skills. In this episode, you will learn: How CPI is used to measure inflation. What a representative basket of goods and services means. Why the CPI basket changes as consumer habits change. How CPI can affect pensions, wages, interest rates, and central bank policy. What substitution, Chained CPI, Owner’s Equivalent Rent, and hedonic adjustments mean. Why some people are skeptical of how inflation is measured. Do you like what you hear? Become a D2B Member today for to access to our -- NEW!!!-- interactive audio scripts, PDF Audio Script Library, Bonus Vocabulary episodes, and D2B Member-only episodes. Visit d2benglish.com/membership for more information. Follow Down to Business English on Apple podcasts, rate the show, and leave a comment. Contact Skip, Dez, and Samantha at downtobusinessenglish@gmail.com Follow Skip & Dez Skip Montreux on Linkedin Skip Montreux on Instagram Skip Montreux on Twitter Skip Montreux on Facebook Dez Morgan on Twitter RSS Feed

  4. Jun 21 • Subscribers Only

    Tokenmaxxing and the Corporate AI Pullback - Bonus Vocabulary

    Skip Montreux and Dez Morgan provide bonus vocabulary explanations and examples for words and phrases used in D2B 414 - Tokenmaxxing and the Corporate AI Pullback. After explaining the words and expressions in the context of how they were used in D2B 414 - Tokenmaxxing and the Corporate AI Pullback, Skip and Dez demonstrate how these words and phrases can be used in a business-related role-play. The words they explain are: 🔸 To pad something (verb phrase) 🔸 Seamlessly (adverb) 🔸 Behind-the-scenes (expression) 🔸 To hit the brakes (idiom) 🔸 To jump on the bandwagon (idiom) 🔸 To cash in (phrasal verb)

    Tokenmaxxing and the Corporate AI Pullback - Bonus Vocabulary

  5. Jun 13

    Tokenmaxxing and the Corporate AI Pullback

    AI tools were expected to help companies work faster, spend less money, and become more productive. But what happens when employees use so much AI that costs become too high? In this episode, Skip Montreux and Dez Morgan look at tokenmaxxing — a new business problem where AI costs grow much more than expected and why some companies are reducing their AI use. They start by explaining what tokens are and why they are important. Many AI companies charge businesses based on the number of tokens their employees use. When employees use too many tokens, AI costs can increase very quickly. Skip then explains how agentic AI is different from normal AI prompts. Instead of doing one task, agentic AI can work more independently. It can search for information, make decisions, check results, and repeat tasks many times. This can be very useful, but it can also use a lot of computing power and become expensive. Next, they discuss several large companies. Uber reportedly spent its yearly AI budget in only four months, which led to strict monthly token limits for developers. Amazon stopped an internal AI leaderboard, and Microsoft canceled many internal Claude Code licenses after AI costs increased too quickly. Finally, Skip and Dez talk about the bigger business impact. Companies are no longer focusing only on how much AI employees use. Instead, they want to measure how much useful work AI produces. This idea is called Inference Yield. This change could have a big effect on AI companies, especially companies like Anthropic and OpenAI as they prepare for possible future IPOs. This episode helps listeners understand the business costs of using AI while building practical Business English skills. In this episode, you will learn: How token-based AI pricing can lead to unexpected costs for companies. Why agentic AI can use many more tokens than normal AI prompts. How companies like Uber, Amazon, and Microsoft are dealing with high AI usage. Why businesses are focusing more on useful AI results than on AI activity. How limits on AI spending could affect the future value of major AI companies. Do you like what you hear? Become a D2B Member today for to access to our -- NEW!!!-- interactive audio scripts, PDF Audio Script Library, Bonus Vocabulary episodes, and D2B Member-only episodes. Visit d2benglish.com/membership for more information. Follow Down to Business English on Apple podcasts, rate the show, and leave a comment. Contact Skip, Dez, and Samantha at downtobusinessenglish@gmail.com Follow Skip & Dez Skip Montreux on Linkedin Skip Montreux on Instagram Skip Montreux on Twitter Skip Montreux on Facebook Dez Morgan on Twitter RSS Feed

  6. Jun 3 ·  Bonus • Subscribers Only

    Guyana’s Oil Boom - Bonus Vocabulary

    Skip Montreux and Dez Morgan provide bonus vocabulary explanations and examples for words and phrases used in D2B 412 - Guyana’s Oil Boom. After explaining the words and expressions in the context of how they were used in D2B 412 - Guyana’s Oil Boom, Skip and Dez demonstrate how these words and phrases can be used in a business-related role-play. The words they explain are: 🔸 To be reliant on something (adjective) 🔸 A legacy (Noun) 🔸 To reconcile (Verb) 🔸 A paradox (Noun) 🔸 A windfall (Noun) 🔸 To trickle down (Phrasal Verb)

    Guyana’s Oil Boom - Bonus Vocabulary

  7. May 28

    Guyana’s Oil Boom

    Guyana has become one of the world’s fastest-growing economies after major offshore oil discoveries transformed its economic outlook. In this episode, we look at how this small South American country is managing a sudden oil boom — and the opportunities and risks that come with it. In this episode of Down to Business English, Skip Montreux and Samantha Vega get Down to Business with Guyana’s offshore oil boom. They begin by discussing how rising oil prices and global supply concerns show how sensitive the world economy is to energy markets and Middle East tensions. Then they turn to Guyana, a country traditionally known for mining, agriculture, tourism, biodiversity, and untouched rainforest. Skip explains how ExxonMobil’s 2015 Liza-1 discovery opened the door to more than 30 additional oil discoveries. The discussion then moves to the economic impact. Guyana’s GDP growth has surged but the boom also brings challenges, including labor shortages, pressure on traditional industries, and the need for highly skilled offshore drilling workers. Finally, Skip and Samantha explore a major paradox — Guyana produces large amounts of crude oil but lacks domestic refining capacity, leaving the country exposed to fuel shortages and high import costs. This episode gives listeners a clear look at how a natural resource boom can transform a national economy In this episode, you will learn: How oil production is changing Guyana’s economy, workforce, and public finances. Why the Natural Resource Fund is important for managing oil revenues. How Guyana is trying to balance oil production with its green development strategy. Why a country that produces crude oil can still suffer from fuel shortages. Do you like what you hear? Become a D2B Member today for to access to our -- NEW!!!-- interactive audio scripts, PDF Audio Script Library, Bonus Vocabulary episodes, and D2B Member-only episodes. Visit d2benglish.com/membership for more information. Follow Down to Business English on Apple podcasts, rate the show, and leave a comment. Contact Skip, Dez, and Samantha at downtobusinessenglish@gmail.com Follow Skip & Dez Skip Montreux on Linkedin Skip Montreux on Instagram Skip Montreux on Twitter Skip Montreux on Facebook Dez Morgan on Twitter RSS Feed

  8. May 15 ·  Bonus • Subscribers Only

    Sneakernomics Revisited - Bonus Vocabulary

    Skip Montreux and Dez Morgan provide bonus vocabulary explanations and examples for words and phrases used in D2B 410 - Sneakernomics Revisited. After explaining the words and expressions in the context of how they were used in D2B 410 - Sneakernomics Revisited, Skip and Dez demonstrate how these words and phrases can be used in a business-related role-play. The words they explain are: 🔸 A landscape (noun) 🔸 To go down the same/similar road (expression) 🔸 o be cut and dry (expression) 🔸 To mock (verb) 🔸 Scrutiny (noun)

    Sneakernomics Revisited - Bonus Vocabulary
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4.7
out of 5
29 Ratings

About

A podcast for people who use English as a Second or Foreign Language (ESL/EFL) in their work environment and want to improve their overall language skills. In each episode, hosts Skip Montreux, Dez Morgan, and Samantha Vega discuss Business news making headlines around the world. Through their discussions, Skip, Dez and Samantha introduce English vocabulary & phrases related to business, review grammar, and identify cultural differences found in International business situations. An excellent way to improve listening comprehension skills, keep up with business trends, and advance your career.

Information

  • Creator
    Skip Montreux, Dez Morgan & Samantha Vega | Business English Instructors
  • Years Active
    2010 - 2026
  • Episodes
    224
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025
  • Show Website
    Down to Business English
  • Provider
    Malcolm Kostiuk

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