What's Your Problem?

102

Every week on What’s Your Problem, entrepreneurs and engineers talk about the future they’re trying to build – and the problems they have to solve to get there.How do you take a drone delivery service you’ve built in Rwanda and make it work in North Carolina? How do you convince people to buy a house on the Internet? How do you sell thousands of dog ramps to weiner dogs all across America when a pandemic breaks the global supply chain? Hosted by former Planet Money host Jacob Goldstein, What’s Your Problem helps listeners understand the problems really smart people are trying to solve right now.iHeartMedia is the exclusive podcast partner of Pushkin Industries.

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Recent Episodes
  • China’s Race to Dominate: Listen to Global Tech Wars
    May 1, 2025 – 25:39
  • Can a Chatbot Treat Depression?
    Apr 24, 2025 – 45:42
  • Will AI Radically Change the World by 2027?... from Risky Business
    Apr 23, 2025 – 47:03
  • Is the Future of Flight Supersonic?
    Apr 17, 2025 – 41:17
  • The Secrets of Silk
    Apr 10, 2025 – 25:20
  • Infiltrating an International Ransomware Gang
    Apr 8, 2025 – 33:14
  • Preparing for the Future of War
    Apr 3, 2025 – 55:09
  • Stopping HIV Without a Vaccine
    Mar 13, 2025 – 27:56
  • Harnessing the Heat Deep Beneath Our Feet
    Mar 6, 2025 – 49:26
  • The Brain Implant That Could Change Medicine
    Feb 27, 2025 – 29:11
  • Building a Mass Market Robot
    Feb 20, 2025 – 45:24
  • Solving Solar’s Biggest Problem
    Feb 13, 2025 – 43:35
  • How Bubbles Power Breakthroughs
    Feb 6, 2025 – 54:43
  • Teaching AI to Build Stuff in the Physical World
    Jan 30, 2025 – 51:24
  • NVIDIA: At the Heart of the AI Boom
    Jan 23, 2025 – 44:24
  • What Claude Shannon Figured Out
    Jan 16, 2025 – 42:05
  • Measles: The Cancer Killer?... from Incubation
    Dec 19, 2024 – 30:30
  • RoboPod and the Perpetual Money Machine – Cautionary Questions 2… from Cautionary Tales
    Dec 12, 2024 – 43:20
  • Turning Solar Energy Into Fuel (The Solar Era, Part 3)
    Dec 2, 2024 – 50:38
  • Get Happier, Help Others: Some Good Ideas About Giving
    Dec 2, 2024 – 51:09
  • Can Hot Bricks Save the World? (The Solar Era, Part 2)
    Nov 28, 2024 – 31:17
  • How the Sun Won (The Solar Era, Part 1)
    Nov 21, 2024 – 44:08
  • Drugs in Space
    Nov 14, 2024 – 31:54
  • The World Is Getting Better (Really)
    Nov 7, 2024 – 44:32
  • Rabies: When Monsters are Real…from Incubation
    Oct 31, 2024 – 28:32
  • Using Gene Therapy to Help the Blind See
    Oct 17, 2024 – 36:26
  • Bringing Back Mammoths and Dodos*
    Oct 10, 2024 – 40:03
  • What Elevators Teach Us About Technology, Design, and Human Behavior
    Oct 3, 2024 – 36:50
  • Can the Plant Microbiome Revolutionize Farming?
    Sep 26, 2024 – 38:34
  • Turning Pollution into Jet Fuel
    Sep 19, 2024 – 38:45
  • Reinventing Mining to Power the World
    Sep 12, 2024 – 40:39
  • Inventing a Vaccine for Bees
    Sep 5, 2024 – 35:29
  • A Better Way to Make the Chemicals in Everything
    Aug 29, 2024 – 39:24
  • How Refrigeration Changed the World
    Aug 8, 2024 – 44:18
  • Detecting Deepfakes With AI
    Aug 1, 2024 – 39:18
  • Turning Old Cans Into Clean Energy
    Jul 25, 2024 – 36:52
  • Moneyball, Soccer, and the Gap Between Analytics and the Real World
    Jul 18, 2024 – 41:28
  • Using Computer Vision to See What Coaches Can’t
    Jul 11, 2024 – 42:24
  • Scanning Every Muscle to Help Olympians Get Stronger
    Jul 4, 2024 – 41:29
  • Making Blood Vessels in a Factory
    Jun 27, 2024 – 42:06
  • Creating the Second Atomic Age
    Jun 20, 2024 – 45:34
  • Lifetime Terms, Lifetime Bans, and the Return of Roaring Kitty from Risky Business
    Jun 13, 2024 – 44:17
  • When the Robots Take Over… from Cautionary Tales
    Jun 6, 2024 – 40:02
  • Making Palm Oil Without Palm Trees
    May 30, 2024 – 44:47
  • Fighting Cancer with CRISPR
    May 23, 2024 – 34:41
  • How to Start 40 Companies (and Counting)
    May 16, 2024 – 28:39
  • The Cutting Edge of Energy Storage: Rust
    May 9, 2024 – 36:03
  • The First Pig to Human Kidney Transplant
    May 2, 2024 – 36:19
  • Designing a Drone That Delivers
    Apr 25, 2024 – 37:55
  • How Do Psychedelics Work?
    Apr 18, 2024 – 32:28
Recent Reviews
  • Pollart
    Interesting content
    I agree with some of the previous reviewers that in the first year or so Jacob’s interview style left much to be desired. It seemed like he had too much coffee before the interview started and interrupted his guests for too often. But in the last 6 to 12 months, he has dramatically improved his interview style. Some other recent episodes have been really terrific. This is now on my shortlist of favorite podcasts. Keep up the good work and keep finding interesting and articulate guests that are working on important technological challenges!
  • kaerf81
    Love it!
    One of my favorite podcasts!
  • etherdog
    Spurious associations don’t make a logical chain
    Get a lot of data, like Skynet . That worked out well, didn’t it? Jacob gets so many things wrong (SBF, for instance, but to his credit he admitted it and did a good self-analysis). Unhedged is just awful, and anyone promoting it probably doesn’t have a good grasp on reality. Unfortunately, the whole Pushkin brand is dissonant and tarnishes the reputation of Alexander Pushkin. The question is whether Pushkin should survive or die. It should and must die. I cannot believe how simplistic Jacob’s questions are and how racist his characterization of the employment rate is.
  • Bruce JM
    Very fun podcast
    this podcast started slowly, but it has turned into one of my faves!
  • MaoMaoXxX
    Audio is a mess
    Latest episode is completely not fit for listening. Narration is barely audible. Music is super loud at times. Interview is two different volumes for the two sides. Get a decent sound editor and QA your episodes before publishing.
  • J messi 87345
    poor interviewer
    Dear Jacob please shut up and let your guests speak. You are interrupting them every 5 seconds and it ruins the show.
  • ashra043
    Stop interrupting guests so often
    It’s one thing to pause the guest and re-explain a concept to the audience… but Jacob overdoes it and it comes of as rude. This is one of my favorite shows, but the last episodes nearly turned me off because he does it so often.
  • Ampers&&nd
    Love the show, hate the ads!
    The ads are back?!? For the last several episodes, my subscriber edition episodes are no longer commercial free. Please sort this out! ————————————- Been listening since the beginning, loving the content but bristling at the ads as a Pushkin+ subscriber. Tuned in today, and guess what - no more ads! Woohoo!!!
  • BribBrib
    Great Podcast!
    Recently discovered and I’m hooked. Love hearing about the tough issues and the brilliant folks trying to solve them. Gives me hope for the future. Thank you!
  • randyw57
    One of my favorites!
    Excellent show. Very interesting topics. Great host. Just listened to the episode where they brought previous guest back for a check-in. Very interesting. Highly recommend!
  • parkscdp
    So good I look forward to every episode
    This podcast has been so inspiring, I love hearing about how people are tackling some amazing challenges. 😃
  • mvelasco07
    Love this show!
    What’s Your Problem has quickly become a favorite in my feed! I’m consistently impressed by the engaging conversations, insightful content, and actionable ideas. Thank you Jacob for putting out such a superb show - keep up the great work!
  • Nickname1792804
    Come for the host, stay for the content
    I probably wouldn’t have picked up this podcast if it wasn’t for the host, Jacob Goldstein. I’ve enjoyed his work before and this is a solid continuation. The entire team has done a bang up job on making interesting content. My only critique is that I greatly dislike ads that are geolocated. Update: still love the podcast many months later, however the ads are still garbage. I keep the 5 star review because because the pod team is still doing great. However, I feel like Pushkin has an algorithm for creating the most unbearable ads (a little embellishment).
  • Dr. Pigler
    Love this show!
    The combination of cutting edge tech and entrepreneurship is fascinating! Favorite podcast of the week!
  • a98726262
    The Quilting episode!!!
    Long time listener…and I almost skipped this one because, well, quilts sound boring. But - wow - what an amazing story, and an episode that feels like it could be an entire MBA course. Love hearing about innovation that doesn’t involve a “platform”. A must listen - along with the rest of episodes - such a good take on meeting challenges.
  • Mary Nagel
    Great topics
    Thanks for your wonderful show. I can always count on an interesting time.
  • schweppes92
    Insightful & intelligent topics
    Jacob dives into timely and interesting “problems” to highlight challenges faced by some incredible entrepreneurs and puts them into simple language for us non-engineers. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about self-driving cars and drones delivering medicine in Africa. In just enough time to walk the dogs and complete an episode. Never dull! Always makes me feel a little smarter and more worldly after listening!
  • zenongirlofthe31stcentury
    Ads are aggressively bad for sensory sensitivity
    First, I actually really enjoy the host and the content, but the ads are so bad that I’m giving it only 2 stars. Content-wise, it’s easily 5 stars. But the ads are as bad as old school TV ads, where abruptly the volume increases 10x and it’s aggressively in your face. And the ads have gotten worse every episode. If you have even 1% sensory issues, just skip this show.
  • dldnh
    Excellent
    An excellent podcast, always very interesting.
  • vuvuzelaa
    Average show with extraordinary amount of ads
    I agree with Creator economy needing money to thrive but the amount of ads in this pod are preposterous. 20 minute pod filled with at least 11 minutes of ad. That's my problem. I hope you read and rectify this. Listeners will love you if you give love first to us.
  • StaceyVS
    Goes by so fast!
    I love these conversations and they go by so fast. I feel smarter at the end and like I’ve taken a deep dive into a new world. Also, Jacob is the best!!
  • LppCo
    Great Podcast
    Always interesting, easy to relate to and understand, often amusing.
  • disappointed 206
    Like excellent content but like really like fix your vocabulary
    If you edited out the superfluous "likes" in your vocabulary you would sound more knowledgeable and less like bubble headed teens. I suggest playing some episodes back and count how many times you use that verbal tick. Like really.
  • austinhm94
    Smart and engaging
    I love Jacob Goldstein, from all of his work at NPR as well as his book! No big surprise that I would end up being a huge fan of this show. Perfect length of 30 mins gives him time to interview his guests about the big problem they’re trying to fix. Similar to How I Built This but about things that people are working on *right now*
  • Moltak
    Well done
    I love this show so much! I enjoy the broad range of topics and interviewees but I also really appreciate the pacing of the show. Very well done show with some thought-provoking content.
  • ryplane
    I love the inherent curiosity and pragmatism of these interviews.
    The format, style, and subject of these interviews are all in my wheelhouse. I appreciate the founders’ candor that Jacob seems to earn with his conversational style.
  • nicknelson15
    Lovely
    I just wanted to say that I love the show! I find it inspirational and motivating. Keep up the good work!
  • Old IM'er
    Too many ads!
    The content is okay, but you have to dig through the insane amount of ads to get to the meat. For that reason, this podcast typically falls to the bottom of my list when I order my shows manually. I don’t think I’ll be a listener for much longer since I’m forever flailing for my phone to fast forward.
  • Old Man Barrett
    Great Show, WAY too many commercials
    Show content is fantastic, very refreshing to have a true lighting round of questions. Has very quickly become a vessel for as many commercials as could possibly fit into a succinct podcast. A bummer!
  • Curious2022
    Interesting!!!
    I’m interested in information and education so I listen to grammar girl! I found David Pogues Unsung Science: mind blowing folks designing mind blowing stuff—and explaining it all!!! Then I heard about What’s Your Problem! OMG! So interesting and inspiring! The reality of business, how commerce works today, and hurdles the everyday joe or hill has endured to succeed! Thank you!!!
  • 1st Down & Punting
    Great podcast for the curious mind.
    Jacob Goldstein just has a knack for getting to the universally appealing part of any issue. Some of the products or services aren’t particularly of interest to me, but in discussing them I learn so much about process and how others work through issues that I am constantly trying to figure out how to put that to use in my setting.
  • Mentally-gone
    Phenomenal Show
    Jacob was always the best part of Planet Money so happy to have a daily dose of his wit.
  • Marlboroman9882
    Good show/too many ads
    I really enjoy this show but it has so so so many ads! I would not expect this many ads on a podcast 2 hours long let alone one that’s 30 minutes.
  • Notdrwatson88
    Good show, great host, too many commercials
    I realize you have to pay for this, and I don’t mind commercials. I buy often from vendors advertising on podcasts. I fast forward through your commercials because of the volume of them. Jacob Goldstein I enjoyed on NPR and love his interview style. But a 24 min podcast shouldn’t have 4 breaks for multiple commercials in it. May have to lose this from my list.
  • lrhhrl
    Very good.
    Way too many commercials for a short show. Super annoying. I skip them all and often miss a few seconds of the show but can’t stand multiple ad breaks.
  • Rabble Rousing RZA
    Love the concept!
    It’s getting hard to find original podcasts lately, and the idea behind this one is great. It makes you believe that “hey, other people have solved bigger problems, so I can definitely solve this one!” Inspirational while interesting
  • YGlen
    Very enjoyable topics
    Just like hanging out with some good friends for some enjoyable conversation on a wide variety of topics - and often learning something along the way. This podcast was another great recommendation from David McRaney’s ‘You Are Not So Smart podcast’.
  • RBMCommenter
    Great conversations
    I enjoy Goldstein’s thoughtful conversations and look forward to hearing more!
  • Yoga dogs
    Another reasonably ok business show.
    Con: Interviewer cuts off speaker. Could have helped guest reveal more about technique and challenges of relocating manufacturing from Asia to Mexico. Pro: topic and scale of business was appropriate for proprietor or lifestyle business, or small business. Good insight I to current on line marketing and sales.
  • Frogs Feet
    Great!
    It’s a fun and informative listen, great for the ride home and or commute! Thanks!
  • CharlieCurve
    Essential listening for entrepreneurs
    Always loved Jacob on Planet Money. I think this podcast is even better so far. Going beyond the standard profile of a growing business, what’s your problem tackles specific issues real life entrepreneurs are facing every day. Give it a download and next time you’re stuck, step away from your computer, get some fresh air, and listen to Jacob’s guest share ideas for solving your startup challenges.
  • langabean
    How to make business fun!
    I love this show. Just what I have always wanted in a business show. Fun, insightful and interesting. Am so done with boring business!
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