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In the final episode of the season, hosts Ray Horton and Sandi Wright lead listeners into an engaging live discussion with eight distinguished Columbia Business School alumni, whose careers in social enterprise span industries from climate adaptation to financial inclusion, education equity, and impact investing.

During an event hosted by the School’s Distinguished Speaker Series, the former CEO shared how Shake Shack grew from a single hot dog cart into a global brand — without compromising quality, culture, or community.

Michael Posner, the Jerome Kohlberg Professor of Ethics and Finance at NYU’s Stern School of Business, is director of the school’s Center for Business and Human Rights, a long-time leader in the field, luminary thinker, advocate, former State Department Official, and the author of the new book, Conscience Incorporated. 

Seven days, five Italian cities, six company visits, and more than a dozen engaging sessions—the “CAFE in Italy” Global Immersion course took 16 graduate students on a deep dive into the heart of Italian family enterprises. Led by Professor Gaia Marchisio, participants met with owners, next‐generation leaders, and seasoned advisors. Stops included Barilla, Petrolifera Italo Rumena (PIR), Ascoli Bottoni, Acetaia Giusti, Ferragamo, and Frescobaldi, as well as discussions with DeAgostini, Bocconi University, Association of Italian Family Businesses, and Fideuram Intesa Sanpaolo. Students gained behind‐the‐scenes insight on succession, brand evolution, governance, and family values. The result was a vivid illustration of how tradition and innovation can combine to keep family legacies thriving across centuries.

Advising enterprising families calls for more than just business savvy; it requires understanding trust, legacy, and emotion. While advisors are often skilled in governance and strategy, many overlook the “human architecture” that truly drives family enterprise success. Below, we explore how to bridge this critical gap.

Research from Columbia Business School Reveals how Leaving Negative Online Reviews Affects Those who Write Them

Brian P. Lancaster is a Senior Lecturer in the Discipline of Finance at the Columbia Business School.  Professor Lancaster teaches the following courses: Real Estate Finance, Real Estate Debt Markets, Residential Real Estate Finance:  Dirt, Debt and Derivatives, Capital Markets and Investments, Real Estate Entrepreneurship, and Debt Markets in the MBA, EMBA, PhD and MS&E programs. Professor Lancaster received the Robert. W. Lear Award in 2023 which is presented annually to the faculty member who most clearly demonstrates commitment to students through accessibility and an overall contribution to the improvement of student life and education.  He was also chosen by the Student Government Executive Board and MBA Class of 2025 as the winner of the 2025 Singhvi Prize for Scholarship in the Classroom, which is awarded to a full-time faculty member who exemplifies excellence in the classroom, based on his or her dedication to teaching and ability to communicate knowledge and encourage students.He is also a faculty sponsor of Chazen Global Study Tours as well as the faculty sponsor for joint Chazen Institute-Real Estate Association Global Study tours. 

Janno Lieber is the chairman and CEO of New York’s MTA, one of the world’s oldest, largest, and most complex public transit systems. “New York is my passion,” Lieber says, and the throughline of his career.

New Research Shows That the Majority of Post-2020 Investment in Black-Founded Startups Came From Investors with No Prior History of Working with Black Founders