Episode 102
The Button That Broke the Internet (and Built It Too)
The like button is more than a symbol — it’s a case study in how innovation really happens. Martin Reeves, chairman of the BCG Henderson Institute and co-author of Like: The Button That Changed the World, unpacks the messy, social, and often surprising process behind major breakthroughs — and what leaders can learn from it as they navigate the AI era.
Learn More:
Martin Reeves: https://on.bcg.com/4pWlAph
Like: The Button That Changed the World: https://www.amazon.com/Like-Button-That-Changed-World/dp/B0D8XM8GZT
What the Like Button Can Teach Us About Innovation: https://on.bcg.com/48MmONK
Vote for Georgie Here: https://vote.lovieawards.com/PublicVoting#/2025/podcasts/features/best-hosts
Chapters:
01:19-02:50 The Story of ‘Like’
02:51-03:42 Was the like button an invention?
03:43-05:00 Why do we like to ‘like’?
05:01-05:31 Is online liking the same as real world liking?
05:32-06:38 What has been the economic impact?
06:39-08:01 How to get innovation right
08:02-08:28 How do you foster an innovative environment?
08:29-09:33 What role does storytelling play?
09:34-12:10 The like button and regulation
12:11-13:21 What lessons can be applied to new tech?
13:22-14:31 The structure of the book
14:32-16:44 Surprises when researching for the book
16:45-17:57 The business of thought leadership
17:58-18:46 What is the future of thought leadership?
18:47-19:34 What is next for innovation?
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
