Bestselling author Michael Lewis has spent decades practicing the habits of the sharpest business thinkers: questioning assumptions, navigating past blind spots, and revealing why conventional wisdom so often leads smart people astray.

Lewis is the author of a remarkable run of business bestsellers, including Liar's Poker, Moneyball, Flash Boys, The Big Short, Boomerang, The Undoing Project, and Going Infinite. Both Moneyball and The Big Short were made into Oscar Best Picture-nominated films, as was The Blind Side, another of Lewis's non-fiction classics.

In this exclusive episode of Monday Morning Radio, Lewis reflects on why true success derives from taking the long view rather than aiming for quick results, and how doing the hard, unglamorous work others avoid can create an outsized, enduring advantage.

Lewis's conversation with founding Monday Morning Radio host Dean Rotbart was recorded when the author was honored as a Business News Visionary. While the interview dates back several years, in this abridged version of their talk, the insights Lewis shares are strikingly current — offering inspired ideas that apply to entrepreneurs, executives, and business owners navigating uncertainty, disruption, and change today.

[Michael Lewis will be featured in All You Can Eat Business Wisdom: Second Helpings, coming in April 2026. The anthology is the sequel of co-host Maxwell Rotbart's award winning first edition, All You Can Eat Business Wisdom: A Monday Morning Radio Anthology of Actionable Advice.]

Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart.

Photo Credit: Tabitha Soren
Posted: January 19, 2026
Monday Morning Run Time: 49:22
Episode: 14.33

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Many entrepreneurs and business owners know how to make money. Far fewer truly understand how to protect it, manage it wisely, and plan for the long arc of life once the hard work of earning is done.

Jeffrey Panik is a U.S. Army veteran and a certified financial planner with more than 25 years of experience helping individuals, families, and business owners clarify complex financial decisions. He is the founder of Balance Wealth Partners and the author of two practical, plain-spoken books, one with a focus on young adults who are just starting out and the other on those individuals who are approaching retirement.

Your Future Is Now: A Guide to Mastering Your Finances and Independence

Your Future Is Now: Your Blueprint for Solving Your Retirement Puzzle

Rather than offering one-size-fits-all prescriptions, Jeff shares his emphasis on individualized planning, long-term thinking, and the importance of communication — between spouses, across generations, and with trusted advisors. Drawing on both professional experience and personal history, he challenges common assumptions about financial planning and retirement readiness.

Jeff's bottom line can be summarized in six words: clarity today can prevent regret tomorrow.

Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart.

Photo: Jeffrey Panik, Balance Wealth Partners
Posted: January 12, 2026
Monday Morning Run Time: 39:02
Episode: 14.32

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Monica Ballard knows why so many marketing campaigns fail. It's not for lack of clever slogans, talented spokespeople, or catchy jingles.

Surprisingly, the cause is trying to project "perfection" rather than authenticity, which includes acknowledging the struggles and risks inherent in running a business.

Monica is a veteran marketing strategist, storyteller, and one of the elite Wizard of Ads Partners.

Drawing on her background in theater, radio, and live performance, Monica explains why empathy and emotional honesty create bonds with customers and prospects that no discount or gimmick ever could.

Being real isn't a liability, Monica assures — it's a decisive competitive advantage.

Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart.

Photo: Monica Ballard, Wizard of Ads
Posted: January 5, 2026
Monday Morning Run Time: One Hour, Six Minutes
Episode: 14.31

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