VSB Inspiring Minds Podcast Villanova School of Business

Millions of people have been working from home for many months due to the pandemic. The shift has drastically altered commuting habits, spending patterns and --for many -- workplace communication. People feel disconnected from their colleagues and cranky about perceived slights. In this episode of Inspiring Minds, Jake Galgano ‘21 VSB talks with Manuela Priesemuth, PhD, Associate Professor, Management & Operations, about the ways companies can support their WFH employees while continuing to set expectations and effectively manage for success.

NOTE: This podcast was recorded at the height of the pandemic and references events from March through September of 2020.

In this episode of Inspiring Minds, alumni Chris Josephs '18 VSB and Ryan Mazzie '18 VSB talk with Assistant Professor of the Practice Keith Wright, Accounting & Information Systems, about their highly successful tech start-up and the mindset of younger investors, who are used to sharing their entire lives online, including what stocks they buy and how much they pay. In January of 2021, Wall Street hedge funds bet that they could drive down GameStop’s stock price. The Reddit “hivemind” had other ideas. This is perhaps the best example of the way social media has changed the day trading landscape, as zero-commission trades and apps like IRIS have altered the Millennial and GenZ trading landscape forever.

For many people, the path to success can seem hard to follow. Even high-achieving students and employees can find themselves unsure about which choice to make when they reach a fork in the road. Critical decisions can be easier to make with the help of a mentor. In this episode of Inspiring Minds, Patrick Haley ‘21 VSB talks with Joyce E. A. Russell, PhD, The Helen and William O’Toole Dean of the Villanova School of Business about the positive benefits of mentoring -- not just for the person seeking advice, but also for the mentor.

Payday lenders have few friends in the financial world. But without them, people who are unbanked would lose access to cash for necessary expenses. In this episode of Inspiring Minds, Kelsea Wong ‘21 VSB talks with Father Craig McMahon, Assistant Professor, Economics, about the complicated realities of the payday loan market, including the viability of alternative lenders and the effects of economic crisis on borrowers and lenders.

When your flight arrives at gate K, how long will it take you to walk to gate C, where your connecting flight departs? What about a walk from your hotel on 37th street to a park on 45th? Cities and businesses label our journeys in myriad ways, and those labels have an effect on how we perceive distance. In this episode of Inspiring Minds, Liz Ford ‘21 VSB talks with Shelly Rathee, PhD, Assistant Professor, Marketing & Business Law, about the expectations people have when destination labels use letters or numbers, and how businesses can use those expectations to drive consumer behavior.

Many researchers have studied how abusive managers negatively affect their employees but what are the personal implications of their toxic behavior? In a previous episode of Inspiring Minds, Manuela Priesemuth, PhD, The Megan ’07 and Matthew ’06 Baldwin Assistant Professor, Management & Operations, shared her research into the effects of workplace abuse on those who witness it. Now Dr. Priesemuth talks with Samantha Moccia ‘20 VSB about the effects of workplace abuse on the perpetrators themselves.