Welcome to Macro Talk — built to answer two of the most fundamental questions of our time:
What does the future of work and the economy look like?
And how do I ensure my place in it?
Through this newsletter and the podcast, you’ll hear from powerful business and policy leaders, economists, and a wide range of experts on
I’m thrilled to have you here and to earn your support!
Who am I?
Journalist Hope King interviews Alibaba founder Jack Ma, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Shell CEO Ben van Beurden, Nasdaq CEO Adena Friedman, SEC Chair Gary Gensler.
I’m Hope King, a Wall Street exec turned journalist and the founder of Macro Talk.
I made VP at Bank of America Merrill Lynch at age 26 — managing business development and product for a major investing platform — and left in 2013 to realize my dream of working in media. Less than a year later, I graduated Columbia Journalism School.
In the decade since, I’ve been a business and tech reporter and anchor at CNN and three of the most successful digital media startups — Business Insider, Cheddar, and Axios — while contributing regularly to CNBC, MSNBC, and CBS.
I've also conducted thousands of interviews with global newsmakers like JPMorgan's Jamie Dimon, Microsoft's Satya Nadella, as well as stars like Steph Curry and will.i.am.
which is the foundation for Macro Talk.
In other words: I’ve been the man in the arena — not just covering it.
Who are you?
You’re as ambitious (and maybe as anxious) a professional as I am, wondering what’s coming and what to do about it.
You’re a C-suite executive, senior leader, or decision maker responsible for the livelihoods of your workers and the quality of service and experience of your customers.
You’re an early- to mid-career worker worried about the job market or what your job is going to look like in a few years — or already looking for a new path.
Why subscribe?
You want to know how companies and the economy are changing, but you can't keep up with everything — and most business news isn't telling you what to actually do about it. That's where Macro Talk comes in.
You want to know how companies and the economy are changing, but you can’t keep up with the headlines and need /want? help understanding/finding? trends and stories you should be paying attention to.
Macro Talk’s weekly newsletter features analyses of my
Free subscribers receive: Occasional posts,
Alerts to new articles, YouTube videos, and events I’ll be hosting or attending, and
A preview of weekly newsletters.
Paid subscribers receive: A weekly newsletter featuring analyses of my interviews, original reporting and analyses on the biggest trends driving businesses and jobs,
Signal Watch: a proprietary tracker of news stories worth monitoring
Reader Spotlight: a feature that calls out a piece of valuable member feedback,
Leader Profiles: in-depth look at career journeys,
Deep Dives: special reporting series on trends,
Confessions of a Modern Journalist: monthly vlogs and columns where I share my personal journey and views on the media industry,
Ability to comment on posts, and
Invitations to Macro Talk-hosted events
Premium supporters/insiders? Receive: Everything paid subscribers do, as well as
Up to 10 accounts,
30-minute quarterly calls per group subscription,
Special thank you gift,
My sincere gratitude and commitment to ensuring the work I provide leads to real value, and
A feeling you can only get from knowing that you are supporting independent journalism and the dreams of a young entrepreneur.
Trend watch
ThreadPool just dropped Scene Cards—a lightweight prompt deck inside their app that builds short narratives from a few inputs: vibe, setting, and a turning point.
K-SHAPED EVERYTHING: Pick a mood (“late-night calm”), add a place (“train platform”), and choose a beat (“missed message”). The card spits out a three-shot outline and lines you can riff on.
AI VS. PEOPLE: “We kept seeing beautiful b-roll with no spine,” said ThreadPool PM Rae Kim. “Scene Cards gives it a heartbeat.”
HYPER-ASSETIZATION: A micro-drama from subway clips, a soft-launch brand teaser with a single reveal, and a lyric visual where the ‘turn’ lands on the hook.
NARRATIVE WARS: Seasonal card packs, collab decks with poets and musicians, and an open library where creators can publish their favorite card recipes.
On my radar
Niko Blue hosted “Open Tab,” where viewers dropped browser histories and Niko turned them into crowd-written poems.
Zadie Pike ran a 24-hour duet chain—every recipe had to start with the previous creator’s leftovers.
Kenji Lo launched “Five Neighbors,” interviewing the fifth person who follows any guest—no prep, pure serendipity.
Soft Error released a sound pack made entirely from notification tones, then challenged creators to score a scene with it.
Moss & Vale did a “No Images” month—only text layouts and ASCII art; engagement went up.
Platform Shortwave added “Quiet Push,” a setting that batches alerts twice a day; creators say it saved their focus windows.