In this episode, we're stepping into the AI battleground where open-source disruption is shaking Big Tech to its core. The rules of the game are changing, and if you thought the AI revolution was slowing down, think again. Here’s what’s on today’s strategy agenda:

🔥 The Monopoly Meltdown – AI dominance used to be about spending more, computing faster, and guarding trade secrets. But what happens when a cutting-edge model like DeepSeek R-1 is trained for a fraction of the cost—and then given away for free?

⚡ The Power Shift – With AI models now running on consumer-grade hardware, the balance of power is tilting away from tech giants and into the hands of startups, researchers, and even individuals. If anyone can build and deploy state-of-the-art AI, what’s left to control?

💰 The Investor Uprising – Billions have been poured into AI R&D under the assumption that scale equals dominance. But if DeepSeek proves that’s no longer true, how long before investors start demanding answers?

🏢 The Business Shake-Up – From Netflix-style personalization running locally to SMBs wielding AI once reserved for the Fortune 500, we break down how industries are adapting—or struggling to keep up.

🚀 The Final Question – If AI is no longer a product you buy, but a tool anyone can build and customize, what happens next? And more importantly—how do you position yourself to thrive in this new landscape?

Whether you're running a company, investing in the future, or just trying to make sense of where AI is headed, this episode will challenge the way you think about strategy, power, and competition in an AI-driven world.

Pull up a seat—because the AI playbook is being rewritten, and the future of business is on the table.

Do you love the smell of synergies brewing in the morning? Industry titan Gerald Thompson certainly does!

Join us for a special episode where Thompson's unshakeable faith in corporate combinations collides with his caller Elsbeth's down-to-earth wisdom. It's a strategic showdown that's more revealing than a corporate retreat's trust-fall exercise, complete with a giant jazz-playing inflatable Santa-saurus.

Through Thompson's corporate confidence and Elsbeth's whimsical wisdom, we'll explore:

• When "2+2=5" becomes "2+2=Achoo!"
• Why some combinations create fireworks while others just cause heartburn
• The art of knowing when to let divisions keep their own recipes

Whether you're planning your next merger or just trying to understand why your division got stuck with someone else's "perfect solution" again, grab your corporate Benadryl and join us for this essential guide to corporate combinations. Sometimes the best strategy is knowing when to let 2+2 just equal 4!

Ready for a battle of business minds? This episode pits the old-school, control-it-all mentality of Business Mogul Gerald Thompson against Elsbeth’s nimble, modern approach to strategy. It’s an all-out clash of vertical integration, outsourcing, and everything in between—with plenty of unexpected twists along the way.

What’s in store:

• Make or Buy? Thompson’s "do everything in-house" empire meets Elsbeth’s argument for flexibility. Which one really keeps the lights on?

• Spaghetti Logic: How does a business untangle its operations without ending up in a mess? Elsbeth has a few things to say about streamlining Thompson's spaghetti junction of tasks.

• Vertical Integration or Ketchup Overload? Is controlling every aspect of your business really worth it, or are you just spending too much time perfecting the ketchup while missing the main dish?

• Franchise or Flop? Thompson insists on owning every delivery truck and factory, while Elsbeth questions if that's really the best strategy for scaling—especially when local expertise could do the heavy lifting.

• Taking Over the World or Adapting to It? As they dive into global expansion, Thompson’s rigid approach might just hit a wall, while Elsbeth’s flexible mindset breezes through obstacles.

Here’s the kicker: combining Transaction Cost Economics with Zero-Based Thinking is like making the perfect soufflé—one part efficiency and smart cost management, one part letting go of the stuff that no longer works, and voilà! Your business is ready to rise. The secret’s in knowing when to cook in-house and when to order takeout.

Tune in to find out which strategy will conquer the world—or at least avoid turning your next business venture into a blooper reel of missed opportunities and bad decisions.