As the ceremonial intro music chimes in the background, the three “Boardroom Breakdowns” co-hosts clear their throats and thoughts. The microphones are now on, and Junior Reilly Mapaye opens the conversation like usual, introducing the podcast’s new weekly topic from a business perspective. Though these three junior students are still relatively new to the business world, they seek to examine and discuss real-world case studies with the same expertise as an MBA graduate, learning through their new podcast.
Founded in late 2024, “Boardroom Breakdowns,” a podcast hosted by juniors Reilly Mapaye, Brody Suba, and Trisha Prabandham, was created to give a voice to younger generations in the often adult-saturated business world, offering new, modern viewpoints across various topics. From investigating McDonald’s timeless grip on the fast-food industry to examining The Laver Cup’s newfound profitability, this young trio looks to redefine the podcast space one step at a time, releasing new episodes on their Spotify channel every other week.
“I started Boardroom Breakdowns in an attempt to present new business ideas through the perspective of young people and high schoolers to break the narrative that is often used in the business field that prioritizes experience. By asking each other questions that aren’t typically seen in a high school classroom, we’ve learned a variety of new skills that we apply to a variety of appealing topics,” Mapaye said.
Since the podcast’s launch in early January, “Boardroom Breakdowns” has released a total of 8 episodes, ranging from 8-25 minutes in length. The co-hosts also recently adopted a new recording format called “Flash Analysis,” where each host chooses a specific case study topic and deliberates the idea live on air. So far, the podcast has covered many themes including new marketing strategies utilized by Fortune 500 companies such as Starbucks and Nike, company growth outlooks seen through struggling companies like AmazonFresh, and the rise of AI in the digital marketplace on sites like Airbnb.
“My favorite episode was the study on Nike because it was relatable, as I own many of their products. I was motivated to explore these topics because I wanted to start processing real-world issues at an early stage in life,” Suba said.
While this venture is uncharted waters for the three co-hosts, “Boardroom Breakdowns” is beginning to push through its growing pains as the crew learns to operate a podcast on the go. From production to digital distribution on Spotify, Prabandham, Suba, and Mapaye all had to learn the ins and outs of skills like audio editing and digital marketing while balancing school and other activities to deliver a better experience for their listeners. Despite small early setbacks, the podcast has now grown to its near full-fledged potential, with its three co-hosts growing increasingly comfortable with the idea of putting their voices out there. As the podcast enters its ninth episode, the trio looks forward to expanding their operation, reaching more listeners, and offering a better, smoother experience for Spotify users across the digital space.
“I can already see the progress we’ve made in the last couple of months. I have realized that seeing our skills grow is just a byproduct of the true goal of the podcast: to present practical business ideas through the perspective of young individuals to inspire future generations,” Mapaye said.
