October 24, 2025 by Nick Halaris

Reimagining Capitalism #84

 Hi Everyone and Welcome Back!

Up this week is an important new episode for the Nick Halaris Show featuring Mats Lederhausen, a Co-Founder and the CEO of Andas, an investment firm dedicated to inspiring human progress.  Mats is an incredibly accomplished business leader with a diverse background that includes everything from being the CEO for the McDonald’s Sweden franchise, to serving as the Global Head of Strategy for McDonald’s Corporation, to being the Lead Director and Chairman at Chipotle.  Along the way, he has become one of the world’s most prominent champions for inspirational capitalism, espousing ideas that are the core of the Profit+ philosophy—that business can and should be a force for good and that it takes both profit and purpose to foster lasting success.    

Ready to dive in? Listen to this episode on  ApplePodcastsSpotifyAmazon Music and YouTube or on your favorite podcast platform.

I wanted to have Mats on the show to explore his ideas around purpose-driven business and to discover what he has learned while trying to put them into practice.  From pioneering sustainable business practices in the fast-food industry to supporting the next generation of socially conscious entrepreneurs, Mats is someone who has actually been putting his heart, soul, and money to work in support of this mission.

Tune in to this inspiring episode to learn:

  • Why young people around the world are increasingly losing faith in capitalism and looking elsewhere for solutions to societal problems like housing affordability, wealth inequality, and health care

  • How capitalism can be reformed, rather than thrown out, to meet the challenges of the moment

  • How short-term thinking and incentive structures are standing in the way of progress throughout our global system

  • Why businesses that prioritize purpose over product and seek to contribute rather than extract are poised to dominate the future

    &

  • Much, much more

Stay tuned to the end to hear how studying the remarkable power of the placebo effect has convinced Mats we have great reason to hope for a better a future.  You’ll also learn why Mats thinks our education system needs a system reboot in the direction of life skills like fostering connection and relationships, learning how to learn, and how to be happy.

As always, I hope you all enjoy this episode.  Thanks for tuning in!     

Ps.  Mats writes an excellent newsletter called Elevate, which I highly recommend.  His recent 8-part series on “Capitalism 3.0” is a must read!

Love this episode? Please rate, subscribe, and review on your favorite podcast platform to help more users find our show. 🙏 Thank you

 

Keywords

Capitalism, Business, Purpose, Long-Term Thinking, Short-Termism, Education, Happiness, Community, Service, Culture

takeaways

  • Capitalism can be a force for good if rebooted.

  • Short-term thinking is detrimental to business and society.

  • Long-term solutions require patience and investment.

  • Purpose-driven businesses attract talent and foster loyalty.

  • Cultural negativity can hinder progress and solutions.

  • Education should include lessons on happiness and relationships.

  • Service to the community can build cohesion and purpose.

  • Access to knowledge is crucial for societal improvement.

  • Building relationships is key to personal happiness.

  • A collective mindset can enhance individual success.

Summary

In this engaging conversation, Nick Halaris interviews Mats Lederhausen, a prominent business leader and thinker, about the future of capitalism and its potential to be a force for good. They explore the concept of Capitalism 3.0, discussing the imperfections of current capitalist systems, the dangers of short-term thinking, and the importance of long-term solutions. Mats emphasizes the need for purpose-driven businesses and the role of education in fostering happiness and relationships. The discussion also touches on cultural challenges and the necessity of service to build a cohesive society. Ultimately, the conversation inspires hope for a better future through collective action and a renewed focus on what truly matters in life.

Titles

  • Reimagining Capitalism: A Path Forward

  • The Power of Purpose in Business

Sound Bites

  • "Capitalism can be a force for good."

  • "Cultural negativity hinders progress."

  • "Service builds cohesion in society."

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Mats Lederhausen

01:01Exploring Capitalism 3.0

05:28 The Imperfections of Capitalism

10:32 Short-Termism vs. Long-Term Thinking

36:23 Rebooting Capitalism for Good

37:39 The Need for Unity and Agreement

41:52 A Call for Positivity and Hope

45:33 The Power of Belief and Placebo

48:07 Cultural Challenges and Individual Responsibility

52:50 Redefining Happiness and Success

01:05:31 The Importance of Purpose and Service