Big ideas don’t win on brilliance alone—they win when the incentives line up. From ARPA-I’s public projects to Google’s $9B data bet, we unpack how to fund breakthroughs that actually last.

Everyone wants innovation—until the incentives get in the way.
In this episode of Follow the Carrot, we explore how tax codes, procurement rules, and political timelines quietly shape what gets built—and what doesn’t. From pandemic-era vaccine breakthroughs to the bureaucratic slowdowns stifling energy projects, we examine how the public sector often funds innovation, but the rewards—and risks—aren’t always evenly shared.

If you’ve ever wondered why good ideas stall while bad ones scale, this episode is for you.

Why does Congress keep careening toward government shutdowns?
In this episode of Follow the Carrot, we unpack the incentive structures behind America’s recurring budget brinkmanship. From missed deadlines to media showdowns, we explore why threatening a shutdown often pays off more than solving the problem. You’ll hear how outdated rules, partisan fundraising, and committee politics reward gridlock—and what realignment might take to make collaboration more than a campaign slogan.

Tune in to understand why dysfunction isn’t just tolerated—it’s incentivized.

When a single number determines success, even well-meaning people can go off course. In this episode, we examine how flawed metrics warped behavior at Macy’s and Wells Fargo—and explore what smart leaders can do to build systems that reward what really matters. From KPIs to culture, this is a crash course in how to measure what matters without creating collateral damage.

Two major CEOs stepped down in July 2025—but not for the reasons you think. This episode unpacks what’s really driving the shake-ups: investor impatience, cultural mismatch, and a leadership system built on misaligned incentives.

Follow the Carrot goes beyond headlines to make sense of the world today. Everyone follows the money, we follow the motives.