Monkey Business

Ep7. Duolingo: How long can the streak go on?

In this episode, we discuss the evolution of Duolingo, its integration of AI, and the impact of gamification on user engagement. We uncover why Ale LOVES Duolingo and explore why Mirah may not be such a big fan. We look at the balance between learning, user metrics, and the company's revenue model. We ask if Duolingo should develop it’s AI model in house or partner externally? We will also cover the competitive landscape, future directions for Duolingo, and take some interesting insights into the financial valuation of Duolingo - it is truly a stand out! But might that spell bad news? Sound Bites "I am a big, big fan of Duolingo." "Duolingo is going to be AI first." "Duolingo is in a category of its own!" Takeaways * Duolingo is evolving with AI integration. * Gamification is a key factor in user engagement. * User metrics are essential for measuring learning outcomes. * AI features enhance user experience but must maintain quality. * In-house AI development may be beneficial for Duolingo. * Duolingo is unique in its success amongst adult language learning. * Expanding beyond language learning could dilute the brand. * Valuation insights reveal Duolingo's strong but precarious market position. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Duolingo and Its Evolution 01:54 Gamification and User Engagement 05:41 The Role of AI in Language Learning 10:21 Future Directions for Duolingo 16:48 Rethinking Business Dependencies 20:42 Expanding Beyond Language Learning 24:35 Evaluating Duolingo's Market Position 28:35 Duolingo's Unique Value Proposition Keywords Duolingo, AI, language learning, gamification, user engagement, education technology, market analysis, app development, user metrics, financial insights This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit monkeybizz.substack.com [https://monkeybizz.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Ep.6 Leadership Lessons and AI

In this episode, we share personal updates, including a recent trip to New York and the emotional journey of dealing with the loss of a beloved pet. We discuss the importance of leadership and management styles, emphasizing the need for emotional intelligence and understanding the 'why' behind decisions. We then shift into the role of AI in business, exploring its potential to enhance productivity and decision-making while also addressing concerns about job displacement. Sound Bites "This is Mochi. Yes, so cute!” "The higher up you go, the harder it is to discern what is truly going on." "I think effective managers help guide their teams through emotional challenges." "We ended up generating Mr. Ick, an AI image of all the icks put together." Takeaways * Mochi is a new addition to the family. * July was a busy month filled with ups and downs. * The trip to New York was quick but memorable. * Dealing with the loss of a pet is challenging. * Feedback is crucial for effective management. * AI can enhance productivity, but should be used thoughtfully. * Creating a safe environment is essential for team dynamics. * Understanding the 'why' behind decisions fosters better leadership. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Personal Updates 05:43 Reflections on Leadership and Management 15:16 The Role of AI in Business and Society Key Words personal updates, leadership, AI, management, emotional intelligence, dealing with loss, new beginnings, workplace dynamics, technology, business insights This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit monkeybizz.substack.com [https://monkeybizz.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Ep.5 Adobe: To Gen AI or Not

Adobe, as a company with a large portion of its customer base being creatives, has a unique position and questions facing it - how can it integrate AI without alienating its customers? In this episode, we explore the evolution of Adobe, from conception to March 2022, and reflect on the importance of research and development. Sound Bites "How do we use GenAI?" "General AI is nothing new." "Adobe started in 1982." Listen Now Spotify Apple Takeaways * Adobe's journey reflects the evolution of technology and creativity. * The shift to a subscription model was crucial for Adobe's financial stability. * GenAI presents both opportunities and ethical challenges for artists. * Adobe's acquisition strategy has historically strengthened its market position. * AI integration in Adobe tools enhances user experience and creativity. * The importance of internal research and development in tech companies. * Gavin Miller's vision for AI at Adobe was pivotal for its strategy. * The competitive landscape for Adobe includes emerging AI tools and platforms. * Ethical considerations in AI art generation are increasingly relevant. * Adobe's future success hinges on its ability to innovate and adapt. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Technical Challenges 09:08 AI Development and Adobe's Innovations 12:38 The Role of Ethics in AI 16:22 The Future of AI and Adobe's Strategy 23:52 AI in Image Generation 25:32 Adobe's Struggles and Market Positioning 27:22 Ethical Concerns in AI Art Creation 29:04 Adobe's Strategic Choices: Partner, Acquire, or Develop? 35:57 Adobe's Unique Position and Future Prospects 42:01 The Impact of Generative AI on Creativity Corrections & Clarifications * At 3:30, when Mirah mentioned a suite of products Adobe had acquired, Illustrator was incorrectly bundled with Photoshop. Illustrator was one of the few “inventions” that Adobe’s co-founder, John Warnock, developed to help his wife, who was a graphic designer. Photoshop, however, was acquired in Jan 1995 * At 4:33, when discussing labelled vs. unlabelled datasets, Ale highlighted the importance of labelled datasets and how companies can learn from labelled images. This type of data is typically used in supervised learning. And unlabelled data can be used in unsupervised learning Keywords Adobe, AI, Generative AI, Subscription Model, Ethics, Digital Media, Technology, Innovation, Creative Tools, Business Strategy Facts * Gupta, Sunil, Rajiv Lal, and Allison Ciechanover. "Adobe: GenAI Opportunity or Threat?" [http://hbr.org/product/Adobe--GenAI-Opportunity-/an/525052-PDF-ENG] Harvard Business School Case 525-052, April 2025. * This Avocado Armchair Could be the Future of AI - Will Douglas Heaven [https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/01/05/1015754/avocado-armchair-future-ai-openai-deep-learning-nlp-gpt3-computer-vision-common-sense/] * Goodfellow, I. et al., 2014. Generative adversarial nets. In [https://arxiv.org/abs/1406.2661]Advances in neural information processing systems [https://arxiv.org/abs/1406.2661]. pp. 2672–2680. [https://arxiv.org/abs/1406.2661] * Harold Cohen: ‘Once upon a time there was an entity named Aaron’ [https://www.katevassgalerie.com/blog/harold-cohen-aaron-computer-art] * AI-Generated Art Won a Prize. Artists Aren't Happy. [https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/02/technology/ai-artificial-intelligence-artists.html] * Vaswani, Ashish, et al. "Attention Is All You Need." ArXiv, 2017, https://arxiv.org/abs/1706.03762 [https://arxiv.org/abs/1706.03762]. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025. * John McCarthy - American mathematician and computer scientist [https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-McCarthy] * Xerox Parc’s Engineers on How They Invented the Future [https://spectrum.ieee.org/xerox-parc] * ImageNet [https://www.image-net.org/] * Evolution of the PostScript Language [https://www.adobe.com/products/postscript.html] * What is data labeling? [https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/data-labeling] * March 2024 - Remove red eye in Lightroom [https://helpx.adobe.com/in/lightroom-cc/using/red-eye.html] * Firm for Analyzing Web Traffic Bought by Adobe for $1.8 Billion [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/16/technology/companies/16adobe.html] * Adobe Acquires Stock Content Marketplace Fotolia For $800M In Cash [https://techcrunch.com/2014/12/11/adobe-acquires-stock-content-marketplace-fotolia-for-800m-in-cash/] * The Rise and Fall of Adobe Inc. [https://designharder.substack.com/p/adobe] * Adobe Subsidiaries [https://insights.greyb.com/adobe-subsidiaries-and-acquisitions/] * What is supervised learning? [https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/supervised-learning] * What is unsupervised learning? [https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/unsupervised-learning] * It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas: Adobe Lays off 680+ [https://thefutureofpublishing.com/2009/11/its-beginning-to-look-a-lot-like-christmas-adobe-lays-off-680/] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit monkeybizz.substack.com [https://monkeybizz.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Ep4. BTS: The K-Pop Dilemma

In this episode, we explore the complexities of the K-Pop industry, focusing on BTS and Big Hit Entertainment - the rigorous training and contractual obligations faced by K-Pop artists, the mental health challenges within the industry, and the innovative strategies employed by Big Hit to foster a more artist-friendly environment. We also delve into the significance of fandom, marketing strategies for global reach, and the impending military service obligations for BTS members, raising questions about the future of the group and the company. Takeaways * K-Pop artists face a grueling path to stardom, often starting training as teenagers. * The chance of becoming a K-Pop star is extremely low, at about 0.15%. * Contracts in K-Pop often involve profit-sharing models that favor companies over artists. * Mental health support is lacking in the K-Pop industry, leading to burnout. * Big Hit Entertainment has adopted a more artist-friendly approach compared to traditional K-Pop companies. * BTS's unique connection with their fans has been a key factor in their success. * K-Pop's global appeal has been enhanced by mixing Korean and English lyrics. * The military service requirement poses a significant challenge for BTS's future. * Big Hit's investment in talent development aims to replicate BTS's success with new groups. * The K-Pop market may allow for multiple successful groups, rather than a winner-takes-all scenario. Keywords K-Pop, BTS, Big Hit Entertainment, music industry, mental health, contracts, fandom, military service, talent development, global audience Show Notes Elberse, Anita, and Lizzy Woodham. "Big Hit Entertainment and Blockbuster Band BTS: K-Pop Goes Global." [http://hbr.org/product/Big-Hit-Entertainment-and/an/520125-PDF-ENG] Harvard Business School Case 520-125, June 2020. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit monkeybizz.substack.com [https://monkeybizz.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Ep3. Rent the Runway: Scale Fast or Fix First?

Welcome back to the podcast 💼🐒, where Harvard Business School cases come alive with sharp storytelling, bold insights, and business drama. In this episode, we zip into the high-fashion, high-stakes world of Rent the Runway, the company that disrupted closets everywhere by letting customers rent designer clothes instead of buying them. But in 2015, Rent the Runway faced a choice that startups everywhere eventually do:Should we raise more money now to chase market share, or wait—and risk falling behind—while we fix our ops? Join us as we unpack: * The allure (and danger) of scaling before you're ready * What it takes to balance tech, operations, and growth * The cost of saying “yes” to customers before your systems say you're ready Whether you're team “Grow Now” or “Get Your House in Order,” this case reveals just how tough it is to time growth right. 🎓 Case: Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Laura Winig. "Rent the Runway." [http://hbr.org/product/Rent-the-Runway/an/812077-PDF-ENG] Harvard Business School Case 812-077, November 2011. (Revised December 2012.) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit monkeybizz.substack.com [https://monkeybizz.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]