On Episode 560 of Impact Boom, Stéphane Akoki of Elevate Côte d'Ivoire discusses why remote jobs are unlocking economic mobility across West Africa and his personal journey from necessity entrepreneur to social innovator reshaping employment for under-resourced communities.

If you are a changemaker wanting to learn actionable steps to grow your organisations or level up your impact, don't miss out on this episode!

If you enjoyed this episode, then check out Episode 369 with Mariam Mohammed on delivering tailored financial education for disadvantaged Australians -> https://bit.ly/42fSWnW

The team who made this episode happen were:
Host: Indio Myles
Guest(s): Stéphane Akoki
Producer: Emma Dimech

We invite you to join our community on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram to stay up to date on the latest social innovation news and resources to help you turn ideas into impact. You'll also find us on all the major podcast streaming platforms, where you can also leave a review and provide feedback.

Episode 560 (2025) Stéphane Akoki On Creating Self-Reliance Through Remote Work

We start with a recap of Ian's trip to Japan (spoiler: it was awesome). 

We then get to discussing Webex backgrounds with some very serious opinions - are you a virtual background person?

We wrap up by identifying ways to create balance at work, especially at a company that is heavy on meetings. Also, we definitely don't want to return-to-office, but we do want to see people in person (trust us, this makes sense). All in all, a great, somewhat off the rails episode! 

Learn more about Cisco's solutions for SMBs: www.cisco.com/c/en_uk/solutions/…mall-business.html


404 Script Not Found: Working in Tech

In this episode of Scale The Podcast, Daniel Ramsey, CEO of MyOutDesk, is joined by Chris Ronzio, Founder & CEO of Trainual, to break down the five essential elements every business needs in its onboarding playbook. Whether you're scaling a startup or fine-tuning a mature operation, these foundational strategies will help you simplify training, reduce turnover, and align your team from day one.

From sharing your founding story to clearly outlining company processes, learn how to onboard new hires with purpose, speed, and clarity—without overwhelming them with information they don’t need on day one.

💡 Bonus: If you're tired of playing catch-up with remote staff or struggling to delegate effectively, this episode is your game plan to scale with structure.

The 5 Pillars of Onboarding: Scale Faster with Better Training & Team Alignment

Prof. Prithwiraj Choudhury, the Lumry Family Associate Professor at Harvard Business School, shares transformative insights from his debut book, “The World Is Your Office: How Work from Anywhere Boosts Talent, Productivity, and Innovation.”

Prof. Choudhury’s pioneering research on the Future of Work, particularly the shifting Geography of Work, offers valuable insights into how work is evolving in a digital and remote-first world. His research examines the productivity effects of geographic mobility, the barriers to geographic immobility, and the impact of remote work models such as ‘Work from Anywhere’ and ‘All-Remote.’ Before becoming a part of Harvard Business School, Prof. Prithwiraj held a position at the Wharton School. He serves as an Associate Editor at Management Science and was recognized in the 2023 Forbes Future of Work-50 list. His research has been published in leading academic journals, including Management Science, Organization Science, Strategic Management Journal, Research Policy, The Review of Economics and Statistics, Journal of Development Economics, and Review of Financial Studies. His work has also appeared in Harvard Business Review and has been cited by major media outlets such as Freakonomics, BBC, Bloomberg Businessweek, CNBC, PBS, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, among others.

Prof. Choudhury holds a doctorate from Harvard University, in addition to degrees from the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur and the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta. His professional background includes experience at McKinsey & Company, Microsoft, and IBM.

This podcast is brought to you by Global Management Consultancy. For more information, please visit www.globalmanagementconsultancy.com.

Disclaimer:

A. The background music used in this video is the property of its respective developer and is protected by Copyright. Although it is a free version, Business Talk, Global Management Consultancy and Deepak Bhatt do not hold the rights to this music.

B. Prof. Prithwiraj Choudhury generously shared profound insights from his book, “The World Is Your Office: How Work from Anywhere Boosts Talent, Productivity, and Innovation,” during his appearance on the Business Talk podcast channel. The uploaded video contains copyrighted material; therefore, any modifications to graphics, music, or the presence of the author or host are strictly prohibited.

All content is © 2025. All rights reserved.

The World Is Your Office: Prof. Prithwiraj Choudhury on the Future of Work

Is the recent strident opposition to working from home driven by real performance data — or by outdated management egos?

As some organisations begin to reverse their confrontational stance on remote work, the question remains: should we sit back and see what happens, or step up and lead by prioritising staff well-being and evidence-based policy?

In this second interview, Professor David Hensher calls for a broader, more balanced approach to evaluating staff performance — one that focuses on outcomes, not just outputs.

📽️ Catch up on the first interview, recorded a few months ago, which explores the foundational research behind work-from-home strategies: 

https://soundcloud.com/drivenmedia/the-impact-of-hybrid-work-on-transport-and-urban-planning-insights-from-professor-david-hensher


Time to Lead on Work-from-Home Policies, Not Follow

In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong chats with Andrew Leonard, founder and partner at Geometric Wealth Advisors, about how the firm has rapidly grown to over $1 billion in AUM since Leonard founded it by catering to a specific client niche: executives working inside large consulting firms like McKinsey, Bain, and BCG. 

In fact, many of its advisors, as well as the firm’s chief operating officer, come from those same firms. Geometric Wealth’s advantage is a deep understanding of the internal resources, career paths and investment plans available to its clients, as well as the professional trajectories and personalities of those who work there. By focusing on such a narrow pool of prospects, the firm ironically brings in twice as many referrals as it can onboard annually—a capacity problem, not a growth problem. 

Leonard talks about how the niche focus drives most strategic decisions at the firm. That includes a commitment to 100% remote work, the firm’s business development strategy (and how “marketing” looks very different when focusing on a specific niche) and the commitment to remaining an employee-owned partnership with no outside investor taking ownership.

Leonard also discusses:

- The benefit of hiring career-changers from the same consulting firms where they prospect for clients, and the advantages that brings in terms of subject-matter expertise and new client referrals. 
- Why he made the decision five years ago, as a much smaller firm, to bring not just tax planning, but tax preparation in-house and the difference that has made for his clients (many with unique tax situations that come with the partnership arrangements of the consulting firms).

Resources:
 
RIA Edge Podcast: http://bit.ly/3YVhfof 
 
Connect With David Armstrong:
 
WealthManagement.com: http://bit.ly/3RKHvyY 
LinkedIn: WealthManagment.com: https://bit.ly/3YkoRAv 
LinkedIn: David Armstrong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/djamesarmstrong/ 
Twitter: David Armstrong: https://twitter.com/djamesarmstrong 
LinkedIn: Informa: https://bit.ly/3leEF9g 

Connect With Andrew Leonard:

Geometric Wealth Advisors - https://geometricadvisors.com/ 
LinkedIn: Geometric Wealth Advisors: https://www.linkedin.com/company/geometric-wealth-advisors/
LinkedIn: Andrew Leonard: http://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewscottleonard/ 

About Our Guest:

Andrew founded Geometric Wealth Advisors in 2015.  He spent the prior eight years as a Partner with Classic Capital, where he served as a Wealth Advisor for high net worth families and individuals.  He sold his stake in Classic to build a firm devoted entirely to serving his peers. Andrew lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife, Shelley, and daughters, Eve and Brooke.

RIA Edge Podcast: The Power of Specialization with Andrew Leonard

What if the person logging into a U.S. tech job from Minnesota… was actually in North Korea?

In our first episode of ITvisa News, we dive into an explosive report from The Wall Street Journal uncovering how North Korean operatives used ordinary Americans—and platforms like LinkedIn—to infiltrate U.S. remote jobs, steal data, and fund a sanctioned regime.

🔍 What you'll gain:
✅ A real-world case study on remote work risks
✅ Awareness of growing identity fraud tactics in global tech
✅ Business English listening practice through real news
✅ Insight into how cybercrime intersects with gig culture

🎙️ Listen to a 6-minute English-language summary & analysis powered by AI—perfect for busy professionals who want to stay informed, globally aware, and sharp in their language skills.

📖 Read the full article:
https://www.wsj.com/business/north-korea-remote-jobs-e4daa727

🌐www.ITvisa.de

ITvisa News | Episode 1 — When Remote Work Becomes a Frontline for Cyber Scams

Professor Matthew Bidwell, the Xingmei Zhang and Yongge Dai Professor of Management at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, shares valuable insights from his research titled “Post-COVID Labor Strategy: Remote Work, Reorgs, and the New Corporate Reset.”

Dr. Matthew’s research explores evolving patterns in careers and employment, with a particular focus on the rise of short-term, market-oriented work relationships and the diverse career trajectories emerging in today’s labor market. His work has been published in leading academic journals and featured in prominent media outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Financial Times. Prof. Matthew’s scholarship has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Scholarly Achievement Award from the Academy of Management’s Human Resources Division, the John T. Dunlop Outstanding Scholar Award from the Labor and Employment Relations Association, and the Scholarly Contribution Award from Administrative Science Quarterly.

At Wharton, he is a multiple recipient of the Wharton Teaching Excellence Award. He has served as a Senior Editor at Organization Science and currently holds leadership roles as Faculty Co-Director of the Wharton People Analytics Initiative and Faculty Director of the Wharton CHRO Program. Dr. Matthew earned his Ph.D. from the MIT Sloan School of Management, and Master of Science in Political Science from MIT, and a Master of Chemistry from the University of Oxford.

This podcast is brought to you by Global Management Consultancy. For more information, please visit www.globalmanagementconsultancy.com.

Disclaimer:

A. The background music used in this video is the property of its respective developer and is protected by Copyright. Although it is a free version, Business Talk, Global Management Consultancy and Deepak Bhatt do not hold the rights to this music.

B. Prof. Matthew Bidwell has generously shared profound insights from his research on “Post-COVID Labor Strategy: Remote Work, Reorgs, and the New Corporate Reset,” during his appearance on the Business Talk podcast channel. The uploaded video contains copyrighted material; therefore, any modifications to graphics, music, or the presence of the author or host are strictly prohibited.

All content is © 2025. All rights reserved.

The Post-COVID Workplace: Wharton Professor Matthew Bidwell Explains the Shift

In this special episode of the MODcast, Daniel Ramsey (Founder & CEO of MyOutDesk) sits down with Josh Harmatz, Executive Director of GivePower, to unpack a story of global transformation — from burnout to purpose, from business to clean water, from privilege to perspective.
In this opening clip, Daniel shares how a GivePower trek with his son helped him see that true success isn’t about scale—it’s about service.

"Where Happiness Comes From" MyOutDesk | GivePower ~ Daniel Ramsey & Josh Harmatz

In this MODcast episode, Josh Harmatz, Executive Director of GivePower, reflects on taking his teenage son on a GivePower trek—and the silent, powerful impact it made.

This isn’t just a story of travel. It’s about shaping future leaders through immersive service.

Redefining Leadership: A Father-Son Trek to Purpose | GivePower ~ Daniel Ramsey & Josh Harmatz

Welcome to Business Talk, your go-to podcast for the latest trends, insights, and thought-provoking discussions in the business world. Whether you're a business professional, entrepreneur, researcher, or academic, our episodes will challenge you to rethink conventional wisdom and inspire actionable ideas.

Brought to you by Global Management Consultancy, we are committed to driving innovation and excellence in the business community. All content Copyrighted 2024 by Global Management Consultancy.

For more information about our past and upcoming podcasts, please click here:https://www.deepakbbhatt.com/businesstalk

Impact Boom searches the globe to find the people, stories & inspiration to help you create maximum positive impact.

We interview world-leading social innovators, entrepreneurs, changemakers, designers, educators, thinkers and doers who share Insights, ideas & inspiration. As long as these leaders are focussing their efforts on creating positive social and environmental change, we'll make sure you hear about it.

The Cisco Podcast Network is a collective of podcasts from across Cisco spanning technology to culture and everything in between. Hear from Cisco customers, partners, and Cisco insiders on the topics that matter most to you. Email us with your feedback and suggestions. Discover your favorite playlists today!

Overdrive: Cars, Transport and Culture.

A weekly radio program featuring motoring & transport news from Australia & around the world, road tests, feature interviews & quirky stories.

David Brown is a respected motoring broadcaster heard online and across Australia on commercial, public and community radio.

Learn how to leverage & scale your business with MyOutDesk — the industry leader in virtual assistant services, with over 17 years of experience serving 7,500+ clients. Last year, we saved our clients $55 Million Dollars as the highest-rated Virtual Assistant company with more than 800 verified 5-star business reviews in real estate, mortgage, IT/tech, human resources, healthcare, and more!

New tracks tagged #remotework