The Week in Big Ideas - May 9, 2025
What you can learn from Taylor Swift, Gmail, and other viral success stories.
If you’re trying to spark some creative thinking, you could lock yourself in a room and wait for inspiration to strike. Or, you could study the strategies of proven innovators and model your approach after theirs. That’s the approach we recommend here at Next Big Idea Club, and this week we discovered some standout examples of big thinkers whose ideas are well worth borrowing.
This Week on the Next Big Idea Daily Podcast
What would Taylor do?
You don’t build a record-breaking global empire by accident. It takes talent, yes—but also relentless strategy, smart risks, and a deep understanding of your audience.
In There’s Nothing Like This: The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift, Harvard Business Review editor Kevin Evers breaks down the business instincts behind one of the most successful careers in modern music. What he discovers isn’t all pop and paparazzi—it’s a masterclass in growth, adaptability, and influence.
Book Bite of the Week
Former Google designer Jake Knapp shares his system for team creativity, a system that helped power the success of Gmail, Google Meet, and other popular products.
This Week on the Next Big Idea Podcast
Why do we seek out big challenges?
Humans are wired to explore. So why are we less adventurous than ever? Guest: Alex Hutchinson, author of The Explorer's Gene: Why We Seek Big Challenges, New Flavors, and the Blank Spots on the Map.
Happy Pub Week!
Make some room on your nightstand, because this week saw the release of some pretty exciting new books from the likes of Rutger Bregman, Susan Dominus,
, , , , , and more.Coming Up on Author Insider
If you’re a working writer—or an aspiring one—you’ll want to take a look at our growing community on Author Insider. It’s a place to network, share ideas, and learn from one other.
Here’s a peek at our upcoming events:
An interview with Jacob Weisberg — ex-EIC of Slate, co-founder Pushkin, and the man who convinced Malcolm Gladwell to start a podcast — about the state of the podcast industry in 2025, the hallmarks of compelling audio, and why podcasting is still a great medium for non-fiction writers.
A questionnaire with author and entrepreneur
about TikTok, foreign rights, and how to keep track of new ideas.A members-only virtual event with marketing maestro Seth Godin.
A conversation with
— ex-CEO of Penguin Random House and co-founder of Authors Equity — about the health of the publishing industry and the innovations authors should pay attention to.
Elsewhere…
To get a curated selection of the best new fiction sent right to your door—as selected by Malcolm Gladwell, Adam Grant, Susan Cain, and Daniel Pink—check out our hardback subscription club.