Office Hours: The Paradox of Choice, Dating Advice, and the Value of an MBA for Entrepreneurs

We're revisiting some of our favorite questions and answers from past episodes. Scott answers a question about how Trader Joe’s has succeeded without offering delivery or online shopping. He then gives dating advice to the young and single in an era of dating apps, and offers his thoughts on why business school is still worth it, even if you just want to work for yourself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:01Scott Galloway?

  Support for the show comes from Northwest Registered Agent. Your business identity is everything that makes your business legitimate and professional. With Northwest Registered Agent, you don't just form a business, you start a complete foundation built for privacy, credibility, and growth. That includes registered agent service, a business address, operating agreement, domain, website, professional email, phone number, and built-in privacy. In other words, your home address, personal email, and phone number stay private. Don't pay hundreds or thousands of dollars for what you can get from Northwest for free. Visit northwestregisteredagent.com/profgfree and start using free resources to build something amazing. Get more with Northwest Registered Agent at northwestregisteredagent.com/profgfree.

• 0:49Speaker 01

  This episode is brought to you by Michelob Ultra. Good times mean competitions between you and your friends, like seeing who can throw some pigskin the farthest or rush the field the fastest. Winner gets an Ultra. Because it's not just a superior light beer, it's also giving fans superior access to their favorite sporting events. Superior is worth playing for. Visit michelobultra.com/superioraccess to enter. Enjoy responsibly. Copyright 2026 Anheuser-Busch InBev Michelob Ultra Beer, St. Louis, Missouri.

• 1:26Scott Galloway?

  Welcome to the Prop G Pod's Office Hours. This is the part of the show where we answer your questions about business, big tech, entrepreneurship, and whatever else is on your mind. The dog is on vacation, so today we're running a few of our favorite questions from past episodes. If you'd like to submit a question for when we get back, please visit officehours.profgmedia.com. Again, that's officehours.profgmedia.com. First question.

• 1:49Speaker 02

  Hi, Professor Galloway. My name is Eliana, and I've been listening to you since I found winners and losers back in 2017. So I live in the New York area in Westchester. And one thing I noticed during the pandemic is that while plenty of supermarkets around us were offering online shopping and delivery,

• 2:14Speaker 02

  Trader Joe's never did such a thing. Now, you mentioned in your writings that the grocery sector, in order to stay relevant, any particular chain, will need to offer online shopping and delivery. That seems to make a lot of sense. The question is, how is it that Trader Joe's has been able to buck this trend? How come they seem to be this exception to the rule, remaining afloat while remaining a brick and mortar based company? Can other supermarkets or stores of other kinds replicate their success? If so, how? Thank you so much.

• 2:57Scott Galloway?

  That's a really interesting question. It kind of flies in the face of everything we've been talking about. I think Trader Joe's, simply put, is an inspiration. I have a lot of personal goodwill for Trader Joe's. My mom and I used to go to Trader Joe's in the seventies in the San Fernando Valley, and it was fun. I would go to these huge wood buckets of chocolate-covered almonds and cashews. And my mom would say, okay, you can get a quarter pound. And I would sit there with my scoop saying, okay, a few of these nuts and a few of this chocolate-covered cash, whatever it was. And my mom would go get great wine for like what we thought was great wine.

• 3:39Scott Galloway?

  My mom never made more than $40,000, but we just loved it. And I see Trader Joe's now. I see a line around the block for it. They've done such a fantastic job. And what they've said is, rather than investing in the supply chain, they're going to invest in the experience. And I think all of retail is kind of bifurcating into what I'd call extreme convenience. And that is an unemotional, super adroit experience where you just get what you need at a great price, delivered to your home. Amazon, right? Or it's experiential. Sephora.

• 4:10Scott Galloway?

  You're just going into a Lululemon, going into a Restoration Hardware, and going into a Trader Joe's. It's just got such a great feel, such great value. They've gone all vertical. About 80% of its inventory is private label, and it has fewer SKUs. I think they've, I mean, I think they've just set the tone for so many great trends in marketing. And the first is the paradox of choice. And that is, I think, the biggest mistake we make in marketing is believing that choice is a good thing. It's not. Consumers don't want more choice. They want to be more confident in the choices they make. That's why Netflix is one of the most successful companies in history, because it immediately starts pulling your data and observing your viewing patterns and says, Scott, we think if you like The Queen's Gambit,

• 4:53Scott Galloway?

  that you're really gonna like, I don't know, Landscapers. Wait, that's HBO Max. Oh, shit, I can't figure out the analogy. But the bottom line is, I can go onto Netflix and the recommendation engine, it says, okay, World War II in color. Scott, you're clearly this angry old man, and you love watching anything about World War II. So they're always merchandising to me, okay, 1917, or Dunkirk, or what have you. And they do a really good job. Because I don't want choice. The thing I can't stand with my boys, whenever we do a guys' night, and we do a movie together, and I make dinner. Actually, that's a lie. I order dinner, I don't make it. And they pick a movie. And I just hate sitting there for 30 minutes arguing, because anyways, whatever the younger one wants to watch is guaranteed the older one. Too much information.

• 5:38Scott Galloway?

  Anyways, less choice, being more confident in the choice you make is the gangster move. And Trader Joe's gets that. It's also a lesson in when you start hearing folks like myself saying something is an absolute, that usually means there's incredible opportunity to zig while everyone else is zagging. Restoration Hardware never really embraced online. Gary Friedman, who's probably the most important merchant in the last 30 years. Overinvested in the stores. Said, you know, okay, we'll let people order online, but it's going to happen in the stores and we're going to inspire them. And we're going to put in a restaurant. Or, I mean, they just, I could live in one of those stores. Anyways, there's always opportunity. Shopify said it's not about gathering data.

• 6:18Scott Galloway?

  It's not about abusing your third-party retailers and totally being consumer-driven. Let's focus on the retailer. Let's let them control what goes into the box. Let's let them control the packaging. Let's give them all the data. Let's give them custody to consumer. And retailers will be drawn to us and we'll build a company. That is one of the most valuable companies in the history of Canada. So there's always opportunity to zig when others are zagging. It's a matter of execution. Trader Joe's has addressed the paradox of choice, verticalized into private label and reinvested all that money that everyone's spending on supply chain and fulfillment into the in-store experience. An absolute inspiration and proof that there's always room for the outlier or the manager that says, everyone's going this way. Everyone's zagging, let's zig.

• 7:03Scott Galloway?

  Thanks for the question. Next question.

• 7:05Speaker 03

  Scott, what is up, big dog? My name's Eric from San Francisco. I got a fun one for you today. What advice would you give to your earlier self or a young, single male as far as dating in a post-pandemic era? And also, we got to tie it back to tech. So what are your thoughts on dating apps? And the whole scene, Hinge, Bumble, Tinder and versus Facebook Dating? Is there more disruption to be done in this area? Doesn't seem like it. And maybe even taking a lens beyond dating. What would you double down on? Whether it be investments, relationships, soft skills,

• 7:50Speaker 03

  building those, building knowledge? And you talk a lot about empathy. So maybe what advice would you give your earlier self to double down on or just really to hammer in on?

• 8:05Scott Galloway?

  Okay, a lot there, Eric. We're going to need a bigger boat. So first off, I am not an expert on dating and relationships. This is one of those questions I'd love to have Esther Perel. So this is Pulse Marketing and I'll just give you some thoughts. I did not grow up in the dating app era, so I don't know. I think dating has changed dramatically. And unfortunately, there's what I would call we're suffering from a tremendous mating inequality. And that is that typically when there's digitization of any sector, whether it's media, whether it's social media, whether it's digitization of retail, you incur a consolidation where it becomes kind of winner take most. And the same thing unfortunately is happening in mating specifically. And I'm going to look at this through the lens of a young man.

• 8:49Scott Galloway?

  You asked me to give advice to my 25 year old self. But what you have on dating apps now, if there's 100 people on Tinder, if there's 50 women and 50 men, four of the men receive the attention of 46 of the women. And that leaves 46 men fighting for the attention of four women. And there are really three things that women look for in a mate. And this is backed by research. The first is resources. And I know how terrible that sounds, but it's the truth. People are instinctively hardwired to want to protect their children. And as a mate, if you can bring to the table resources, you bring a greater likelihood that your children will survive. And women find that attractive in a potential mate.

• 9:32Scott Galloway?

  The number two reason or the number two criteria for a mate from women or from the female side of the species is intellect. If you're smart and can demonstrate that you make good decisions, again, the family is more likely to survive. I think an interesting observation I made was the way I was able to occasionally convince someone to date me was I would make them laugh. Laughter and humor is a sign of intelligence. And I've always said that if you can make someone laugh, that they will date you. And then the third thing is kindness. It really doesn't matter the resources you have and how smart you are if you're an asshole, if you don't demonstrate a certain level of empathy and kindness.

• 10:15Scott Galloway?

  So I would say dating or your success at night dating is a function of what you do during the day. And that is, I think, to focus on your career and demonstrate responsibility, hard work, and that you are and are going to be successful and be a good provider. And I realize how 50s that sounds. Is a component is a function of how successful you will be. As a matter of fact, and it's scary on these dating apps. Those four men that garner all the attention are able to signal resources either through the right degree from the right college or even living. If you geotag yourself in a high income area, you're much more likely to have someone swipe right on you. And then the other thing is, I would say this for both men and women, is be aggressive. And we've conflated masculinity with toxicity.

• 11:00Scott Galloway?

  And I don't think that's true. I think being aggressive, which is a male attribute, is a wonderful thing. I think you should ask people out. I think you should express interest in people. And if you don't know the difference between expressing interest and being aggressive, then making someone feel unsafe or uncomfortable, then you've got much bigger problems. And also, there's just no getting around it. If you take more swings at the plate, you're more aggressive, ask more people out, are more open to rejection and failure. The most successful people in the world have one thing in common, and that is they're willing to eat shit. And what I mean by eating shit is they're willing to put themselves in a place where they might be rejected. And if you want to punch, if you want to punch above your weight class in terms of

• 11:43Scott Galloway?

  mating, it means approaching that strange person at a bar, at a restaurant, wherever it might be. And I'm not talking about in any way making someone uncomfortable. It's okay. If you approach somebody and they're not interested, they'll let you know and you can be respectful and leave. But I don't think there's anything wrong with approaching people and trying to establish relationships. In terms of, what would I double down on? I think in your first few years, I don't buy this balance. I think your twenties are about being a warrior, and that is being very, very focused on three things. The first is work. And by the way, balance, okay. If you're listening to this podcast, you don't want balance, you want relevance, you want to be a baller, you want to be more successful than your average bear.

• 12:28Scott Galloway?

  And guess what? Guess what? That takes a ton of fucking work. It takes a lot of fuel to make the jump to light speed. So burn a lot of it. Don't do what you're asked to do. Do what you're capable of doing. Show that you come to play. Work really, really hard. And you will, you have a chance of getting escape velocity. The trajectory of your career in your 40s and 50s or the ground you cover is a function of the velocity you establish in your 20s and 30s. The first is, I think your 20s and mostly your 30s are about work, quite frankly, and trying to become great at something. Two, relationships. Try and invest, even if it's just a little bit. Invest in relationships. I'm not just talking about romantic relationships. I mean, occasionally checking in on friends, pinging your parents, just checking in.

• 13:13Scott Galloway?

  Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad. Small investments, small text messages, congratulations to friends, checking in on people, helping people out. Doesn't take a ton of time. It's more about making little investments. We talk about how small investments of money can grow to be huge things. It's the same way with relationships. And then third, be a fucking warrior. Be mentally and physically super strong. Try to work out. I've been working out four times a week for the last 40 years. I think a physical, stronger version of yourself is a happier, more attractive, more confident version of yourself. You should be able to walk into any room, any room, and think you can overpower, outlast, or endure more pain than anyone in the room. And I realize how macho that sounds.

• 13:58Scott Galloway?

  I'm not talking about being ripped or being jacked. I'm talking about lifting heavy weights and running long distances, not only in the gym, but in your mind. Demonstrate a level of grit. Be kind, invest in relationships, and try and become mentally and physically tough. And again, again, your success, your success at night, your success in dating is a function of what you do during the day. And to demonstrate kindness, to garner the resources such that you can be kind, a good citizen, a good person. We have one quick break before our final question. Stay with us.

• 14:35Scott Galloway?

  Support for the show comes from Nutraful, the number one dermatologist recommended hair growth supplement brand used by over one and a half million people. With age comes knowledge, patience, and for some, hair loss. Didn't say it was all good things. And for those who want to do something about it, there's Nutraful. Nutraful has formulas built for men at different life stages. They have Nutraful Men for guys age 18 to 49, plus the new Nutraful Men 50 and older. That's the first product of its kind specifically for men over 50. You can now address the key root causes of thinning wherever you are in life. Grow visibly thicker, fuller hair in just three to six months. Start Nutraful today and make the hat optional. Visit nutraful.com and enter promo code PROP G for $10 off your first month's subscription and free shipping.

• 15:20Scott Galloway?

  Find out why Nutraful is the best-selling hair growth supplement brand at nutraful.com, spelled N-U-T-R-A-F-O-L dot com, promo code PROP G. That's nutraful.com promo code PROP G.

• 15:38Scott Galloway?

  Support for the show comes from Vanta. As AI adoption grows, so does your company's security risks and requirements. New frameworks, audits, and vendors keep piling on, but your team isn't getting any bigger. Most compliance tools promise automation, but you're really stuck doing all the work by hand, chasing screenshots, validating controls, and playing catch-up when audit season comes around again. Vanta works differently. The regentic trust platform is built to scale with you, not slow you down. With over 1,400 automated tests across 400-plus integrations, Vanta collects evidence and monitors your controls year-round, cutting your audit prep by 82%. Plus, you can access the Vanta agent everywhere you work, whether your team is in Vanta every day or living in tools including Claude or Cursor. Want proof?

• 16:23Scott Galloway?

  Over 16,000 fast-growing companies like Ramp, Ryder, and Harvey save time and resources while scaling fast with Vanta. Learn more at vanta.com/profg and get $1,000 off. That's spelled V-A-N-T-A dot com slash PROP G for $1,000 off.

• 16:45Scott Galloway?

  Welcome back. Question number three.

• 16:47Speaker 04

  Hey Prof G. My name's Will. I live in LA. I work in the advertising tech space and I'm a rapid listener. I feel accept the flattery. You're slated on my list of dream dinner guests. So thanks for everything you've already done for me. I've chosen out a path to business school and I think I have a real shot at a top-tier MBA. But in recent reflection, I realized my happiness is always going to be capped unless I'm working for myself. It seems like half of a great MBA program is just recruiting back into the corporate world. I'd love to keep doors open in case things don't work out, but does a full-time MBA make sense for entrepreneurship? I appreciate the advice.

• 17:27Scott Galloway?

  Oh, Will from Los Angeles. That's a really good question. What is the value of a top-tier MBA as it relates to entrepreneurship? First off, first off, as a narcissist, I heard that you, I'm on your dream list for dinners. I generally, and I'm not, I'm not being humble here. I have huge imposter syndrome and I, I think that when most people meet me in person and or have dinner with me, that they're generally disappointed. I think the person you're hearing and having contact with across my content is much more impressive and interesting than I am. I'm generally in person, a fairly intense and quiet person. And I think seven in 10 people who meet me or spend time with me are sort of disappointed.

• 18:09Scott Galloway?

  And that is they recognize that I'm just not as interesting as, as I am on this show. But anyways, that's not what you asked. When I got out of business school 20 odd years ago, there were two people in my entire class starting a business. One was me and the other was my partner. Nobody started businesses. That has changed. And now I think something like a third or half of HBS's graduating class is going to be either starting a business or joining a startup. So much of this is situational. The first is what kind of school you get into. I do believe that a top 20 MBA, it's basically 19 or 20 months if you have the money. Kind of hard to go wrong. It's just, it's great certification for the rest of your life.

• 18:53Scott Galloway?

  You make great contacts. It's a shit ton of fun. You get to kind of go back to college and have a little bit of arrested adolescence or revisit your adolescence. I went to business school at the Haas School at Berkeley and it was just great going back to football games. So, but at the same time, if you already have kids, you already have a mortgage, you're killing it at work, you have access to capital to start your own business, maybe you don't need business school. So it's situational, but if you get into a great school, and a lot of these questions are moot. It's like, well, I kind of sense that probably the next step is for you to apply and see where you get in and then wring your hands around these questions. I can't stand when kids come to my office hours and say, should I go to work? You know, should I go to work for Google or Amazon? I'm like, do you have offers from both? They're like, no. I'm like, what the?

• 19:38Scott Galloway?

  You don't have a fucking decision. You don't have offers. Get out of my office or, you know, wait till this is a real decision or problem. If you're thinking about business school, apply. And if you have a really high bar and you have opportunities costs, then apply to your two or three dream schools. And if you don't get in, let the market make a decision. Then you go start a business. It does help. It does help. There's, there's a lot of very well-publicized stories about the most successful entrepreneurs in the world, not only not going to business school, but dropping out. Assume you are not that person. There are tremendous skills you garner in business school. But if you get into a great school, if you're not already kind of at letter C or D with a startup and you have the wherewithal to go to a great school, you can afford it or

• 20:22Scott Galloway?

  you get a scholarship, you have the freedom and the flexibility, then I'd say go for it. You're incredibly blessed. Very few people, 99.99% of America can't go to business school. If you have kids, it probably means you can't go. If you don't have access to a quarter of a million dollars in capital or debt, if you're not freakishly remarkable and do really well on the GMAT, all those things, all these moons have to line up for you to go to an elite MBA. So I would say, boss, if you have the opportunity. The 20, the 19 to 22 months to get an MBA, oh my gosh, it goes so fast. It was transformative for me. It doesn't sound like I was, it sounds like you're more talented than me, but I think it's very impactful in terms of contacts,

• 21:06Scott Galloway?

  domain expertise, credibility for starting a business. So unless you're already off and running, boss punch that ticket. Go get an MBA. Become part of the Navy SEALs of an information age business economy.

• 21:20Scott Galloway?

  That's all for this episode. Again, if you'd like to submit a question, please submit a voice recording by visiting officehours.profgmedia.com.

• 21:38Scott Galloway?

  Our producers are Caroline Shager and Drew Burrows. Claire Miller is our associate producer. If you like what you heard, please follow, download and subscribe. Thank you for listening to the Prop G Pod from the Vox Media Podcast Network. We will catch you on Thursday. A quick reminder before we sign off. My new book, Adrift: America in 100 Charts, is now available for preorder on Amazon. Please preorder it. Preordering is super important in terms of building momentum. The team, we put a ton of work into this. I think you'll enjoy it. It's an attempt to sort of distill down the macro and microeconomic trends, societal trends that make up the fabric that is America, including some suggestions on how we become more moored to each other,

• 22:21Scott Galloway?

  connected, and how this great American experiment continues to be the best experiment in the history of mankind. Anyways, Daddy Wants a Bestseller. Preorder now.

• 22:31Speaker 05

  We just moved into our new house and I didn't realize just how close we were to the neighbors. That's when my friend told me about blinds.com.

• 22:39Speaker 06

  Blinds.com isn't a medication, but it can improve how you feel about your home. Customers who shop at blinds.com experience excellent customer service, from consultation to installation. Side effects including increased privacy and better sleep. Talk to your partner today and see if blinds.com is right for you. Visit blinds.com to order your free samples.

• 23:01Speaker 07

  Now at Kroger, your points add up to more ways to save every trip. Use them your way to take dollars off groceries at checkout or save at the pump. You can even save up to $35 on your next fill-up. Same points, more choices. And with low prices on fresh, quality food, plus digital and personalized offers tailored to how you shop, your dollar goes further. Redeem your points online or in the app. Kroger: Fresh for Everyone. Restrictions apply. See site or store for details.