Paige Sopcic's Profile

Teddy – this post has me excited to watch baseball, a rare feat. The story described in Moneyball by Michael Lewis seems fully outdated after learning more about what baseball teams are doing today with PitchF/X, HitF/X etc.
There are two areas I’m curious about…
First, given the incredible about of data teams are collecting, how well do you think they are analyzing and making decisions off this data? Do teams have it all figured out or are there areas of improvement/analysis we are discovering daily?
Second, are you seeing any college or high school teams bring this technology into their strategy? It would be really interesting to watch players grow from high school to professional levels. By tracking which young players were most successful in the MLB, could we begin to predict which high school players have the most potential better?

Fantastic post Sarah! Before HBS, I was a practicing yogi attending class at least 3 times a week. Since arriving at school, this form of meditation has completely dropped from my schedule and I’m constantly searching for opportunities to fit in meditation time. I was one of your cited user who used the free version of Headspace and never upgraded to a paid account…this article was a perfect reminder that maybe it’s time to upgrade.
Personally, I feel the break from spiritual to scientific was a fantastic strategy for Headspace. I believe this helps the everyday user accept the benefits of meditation without having to commit to or connect to the spiritual aspects. As meditation has been around for millenia, how do you see this app transforming in the future? For instance, we’ve all seen the incremental steps apps like Uber, Snapchat and Instragram have taken to stay relevant. Is there room for Headspace to improve and grow?

I have experienced the ‘magic’ of magic bands first hand last year and was incredibly impressed by their operational flexibility and efficiency. Losing a hotel key at the pool or forgetting your credit card at dinner are simply no longer concerns. I’m curious, does Disney see any opportunity for these bands to be used outside the magic kingdom? Perhaps, children can use these as their own version of paying via phone or being tracked by their parents. Also, what do you think has stopped Disney in the past from providing 1 comprehensive Disney ID? One risk I see is that an ESPN sports fan may not like being branded as a Disney fan in the same way a family leaving Disney world would.

Great post! Although I’m very familiar with GoPro cameras, I’ve never heard of Ambarella and their behind-the-scenes technology. In the last year, GoPro stock has been in decline. Does Ambarella have a diverse enough client mix to avoid being damaged by GoPro company performance? Beyond the in-car market, does Ambarella have line of sight to other potential product needs for HD cameras? Part of Ambarella’s success has been their ability to be first to market over Intel etc. As we move into an AI generation, I would be worried Ambarella product could not pivot fast enough to beat Intel etc. in new potential markets.

Interesting insight! In this case, the digital transformation appears to deal more with how Amazon and the Washington Post are using reader’s data rather than actually transforming the content of the newspaper as I initially expected. I appreciate that Jeff Bezos’ goal is to ultimately charge readers less, but I’m concerned this strategy is simply creating a customized Facebook feed to replace a newspaper. I’m curious, do Jeff and the team truly believe newspapers can be transformed beyond moving online and to our phones? Do they have a vested interest in journalism or simply learning more about their Amazon customers through a different avenue?

AS – Fantastic post. It was terrifying to read that a child dies every minute of every day due to a water related disease. Although water and sanitation are essential to everyday life, I have taken both completely for granted. Sadly, I would imagine that is not uncommon across people in developed countries. While I believe advocacy, fundraising and programming are crucial steps for NGOs going forward, I would also recommend NGOs like WaterAid strengthen their external communication of these issues to people beyond fundraising. For instance, (RED) gained great momentum in its fight against AIDS by leveraging celebrities and pop culture to expand and promote their message. Is there an opportunity for WaterAid to do something similar?

Jules – this was an equally informing and laugh-inducing read! With a background in chemical engineering and energy, I’m a huge proponent for nuclear energy in any form. It’s captivating to imagine a future where fusion is the main source of energy worldwide. However, I believe it would be useful to analyze a specific company, their progress to date and practical expectations in the next ten years. Further, how successful has funding been in this space? Have any important technical challenges been overcome recently? Are there any other technological advancements that allow fusion applications to accelerate?

Izkandar – Such an interesting article! Although not often discussed, this is clearly an important industry to target given that the demand for palm oil will triple by 2050. The business incentives are clearly aligned for palm oil producers to begin taking mitigation steps i.e. converting its fleet of vehicles to run on BioCNG and generating electricity for rural communities. Given the need to adapt, how can the Malaysian government partner with companies like SDP to enable faster implementation of the steps described? Further, with the increasing demand for palm oil, there will likely be an increase in the number of production facilities. What framework should be established so these facilities are designed with sustainability in mind first to avoid costly upgrades in the future?

Claire – Wow! I’m now re-evaluating every item in my closet. Your post does a fantastic job explaining why defining all costs is critical to the success and improvement of Everlane’s business going forward. However, there is an additional environmental framework I believe is worth exploring for companies like Everlane. Beyond direct costs, sustainability is reliant on quality and useful life a product; total greater sustainability can be achieved if consumption and therefore, production of items like jeans is reduced. How do manufacturing companies like Everlane incorporate this trade-off into their business model?

Ty – Great post and even greater title. I enjoyed your structural comparison between what Tyson is currently doing and what you suggest Tyson does going forward. I think your recommendations are thoughtful and practical. However, I wonder if Tyson should take greater risks for potential greater rewards in the future? A 5% stake in plant-based protein producer, Beyond Meat, is commendable; however, what would it look like if Tyson pivoted and put a significant stake (20-50%) in plant-based protein? I believe this is an interesting area to explore considering both the increase in vegetarians worldwide and the environmental impact from livestock.

Cathal – Very interesting insight! I enjoyed exploring the contrast between a country perceived as being environmentally sustainable and a NZ company responsible for such significant carbon emissions. You clearly described the trade-offs the farmers are facing in balancing adaption steps with dairy output. Further, you clearly described that Fonterra is not doing enough now to mitigate their total emissions footprint. However, I’d like to see more on the steps you think Fonterra should take going forward. Are there other dairy cooperatives around the world taking effective measures? Are there other agricultural companies Fonterra can benchmark their performance against? Would it be beneficial for Fonterra to take a more active role in NZ farmer’s operation? For instance, Nestlé First Milk Sustainability Partnership is committed to improving sustainability through the entire dairy supply chain.