The fundraising headlines are misleading founders, and we are breaking it down. In Q1 2026, startups raised a record $297 billion — but $122 billion of that went to a single company: OpenAI. If you have been waiting for the market to turn around, this is the reality check you need before next week's full fundraising episode drops May 5th.

Plus, we get into the headlines shaping culture and business this week:

• The Michael Jackson biopic opens to $217 million globally. Was that a surprise? We break down why international numbers tell a different story.
• Hollywood's biggest names — Ben Stiller, Emma Thompson, Jane Fonda — sign petitions against the Paramount and Warner Bros. merger. One family is about to own CBS, HBO, CNN, BET, Nickelodeon, DC Comics, and more. We call it what it is.
• Keith Lee brings his first food festival to New Orleans and immediately catches controversy over $70 tickets, a random lineup, and a Live Nation partnership that may have cost him the community buy-in he needed most.

Rich Takes drops every week as a quick-hit segment from the Rich Lessons podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube so you never miss an episode.

🎙️ Next week on Rich Lessons: our deep dive on fundraising in 2026—what’s changed, what hasn’t, and what founders need to know now.

From Tim Cook stepping down as CEO of Apple after 15 years to mass layoffs hitting Big Tech, media, and beyond, the future of work is changing faster than most people are ready for.

Starting September 1, 2026, Tim Cook officially steps down as Apple CEO after 15 years, handing the reins to John Ternus, current SVP of Hardware. Was this a long time coming? Is Apple too stagnant to survive another decade without a Steve Jobs-level disruption and innovation? We're getting into all of it.

Then, big tech layoffs are back, and this time they're spreading. Meta is cutting 10% of its workforce (~8,000 jobs). And it's no longer just a Silicon Valley problem. Disney, Sony, Warner Brothers, hospitality, finance, retail — nobody's safe. We also tackle the real question: will AI actually create new jobs, or is universal basic income closer than we want to admit?

And Anthropic is out here testing limits — literally. Claude Design is making waves, Claude Code may be getting pulled from the $20/month Pro plan, and we're breaking down what that means for everyday builders and creators trying to keep up without breaking the bank.

Plus: the gatekeeping debate is back, sparked by designer Law Roach — and we're not holding back.

Topics covered:

• Tim Cook steps down + who's taking over Apple
• Big tech layoffs spreading beyond Silicon Valley
• AI, job replacement & the universal basic income conversation
• Claude Design, Claude Code & Anthropic's pricing moves
• Gatekeeping in business: good or bad?

🎙️ New episodes of Rich Lessons drop every Tuesday. Rich Takes drops every Thursday.

📍 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify & YouTube — search Rich Lessons

In this episode of Rich Lessons, we sit down with powerhouse executive Deb Grant—GE's first Black female corporate officer, former president of the GE Foundation (overseeing a $130M budget), board director, and CEO of Corporate Playbook—to decode what actually moves the needle and what it really takes to succeed in corporate America and beyond—and it's not just “working harder.”

From becoming GE’s first Black female corporate officer to advising top executives and sitting on public boards, Deb shares the unfiltered truth about corporate power, board access, and strategic visibility that nobody puts in a LinkedIn post.

We dive into:
• Why hard work alone won’t get you promoted
• The critical difference between mentors vs. sponsors (and why it changes everything)
• How to get on corporate boards and build real influence
• The importance of visibility, relationships, and executive presence
• How Black women can navigate corporate spaces, funding gaps, and leadership barriers
• The unwritten rules of career growth no one teaches you

This conversation is a masterclass for entrepreneurs, professionals, and anyone looking to strategically level up their career.

Key takeaway: It’s not just who you know. It’s who speaks your name in the room.