5 Trending Authority Magazine Interviews That Took the Internet By Storm

Authority Magazine is a leading digital publication that has featured icons, leaders, and trailblazers from different industries across the globe. Launched in 2018, this Medium publication has been committed to telling the stories of people who are in authority in the world of business, tech, pop culture, social impact, and wellness. This idea was ignited by Yitzi Weiner in collaboration with Kristin Marque and a prolific team of 30 writers and editors.

What sets the magazine apart from other publications is its in-depth dive and coverage around a single, empowering topic through a series of large, detailed interviews where experts, leaders, public figures, and celebrities get up close and personal with their journey in their respective niches. As of today, around 50,000 interviews were conducted.

Throughout its run, 5 notable interviews took the internet by storm with their off-the-cuff discussions and expert opinions, providing valuable insights to readers:

Ava DuVernay

Article: How Filmmaker Ava DuVernay’s Groundbreaking Body of Work Can Help To Heal Our Fractured World

Film & TV

As far as breaking records, filmmaker Ava DuVernay is no stranger to pushing boundaries, breaking ground, and paving the way for aspiring female directors of color. She became the first African-American woman to win Best Director at the Sundance Film Festival in 2012 (Middle of Nowhere), be nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Director in 2014 (Selma), direct a film nominated for a Best Picture Oscar (Selma), and direct a studio film with over a $100 million budget (A Wrinkle in Time).

In her interview with Authority Magazine back in 2020, DuVernay shares her thoughts on the importance of telling stories that highlight Black history, as well as her strides in breaking historic records:

“Our experiences can’t be taken away, because they are always deeply there,” DuVernay says.

“The battle is whether or are you are empowered enough to be able to center them, prioritize them, make them not be tangential to someone else’s history, but to prioritize your own. That’s the way I approach my work.”

Shaquille O’Neal

Article: NBA Legend Shaquille O’Neal: My professor gave me an F because he couldn’t see my vision; If I’d listened to him, who knows where I’d be today

Sports

Four-time NBA champion and three-time NBA Finals MVP, retired athlete Shaquille O’Neal is widely regarded as one of the most influential icons in sports history. What’s more, he also has a Ph.D. in Leadership and Education under his belt, a feat he accomplished 17 years after leaving college to join the NBA. He earned a GPA of 3.813 at Barry University in Miami.

In his interview with Authority Magazine, O’Neal reflects on his extraordinary career path, the people who contributed to his success, and the things he wishes he knew before he skyrocketed to fame.

“Education matters,” O’Neal says. “I went back to school multiple times, both during my NBA career and afterwards. And, I’m better for it. Education imparts self-discipline, opens your mind up to a world of shared knowledge, and for many, it can help you find a new passion.”

Mark Cuban

Article: Entrepreneur & Television Personality Mark Cuban: “I’ve invested probably more than a hundred million dollars over the years with people I’ve never met; I’ll tell you exactly how it works”

Business

American billionaire, serial entrepreneur, media proprietor, and television personality are just some of Mark Cuban’s titles under his belt. With a net worth of $4.6 billion, Cuban is ranked no. 177 on Forbes 400 list of 2020. Moreover, he’s also known as the inventor of 11 patent families, the owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, and the ABC reality television series, Shark Tank.

Cuban talked to Authority Magazine about the skills and tools that contributed to his success, finding the balance between being a demanding and empathic leader, and the type of personality one needs to have to be a good salesperson.

“Really it isn’t about getting into a class to learn how to sell it,” says Cuban. “Selling is really knowing your product and really knowing your prospect. If I decide to sell to Hugh Gallagher, I’m going to find out all I can about you and your business. And by understanding your business, then I can figure out how I can make my product or service make you happy. If I’m making you happy, you’re going to write your check, right? And if you write your check, I’m happy, you’re happy. We all just have a smile and a drink.”

Ori Manor Zuckerman

Article: The Future of Communication Technology: Ori Manor Zuckerman of SubStrata On How Their Technological Innovation Will Shake Up How We Connect and Communicate With Each Other

Tech

As far as disrupting communication technology and paving the way for dealmakers to turn prospects into supporters, SubStrata Founder and CEO Ori Manor Zuckerman is the man for the job. SubStrata has developed an innovative social-signal processing technology to support a new generation of socially aware AI solutions that allows business leaders to read between the lines – from motions, dispositions, perspectives, attitudes, perceptions of social status, to power struggles.

Zuckerman recently shared with Authority Magazine his humble beginnings, insights on the cutting-edge solution that he and his company is developing, and the potential Black Mirror-esque drawbacks of technology on people.

“We created Substrata to empower salespeople,” says Zuckerman. “To make them more subtle, sensitive, sophisticated, and attuned to others. We’re adding a layer of social intelligence and other soft skills to people who can benefit from it.”

Jane Goodall

Article: Dr. Jane Goodall: How Humanity Needs To Pivot After The COVID-19 Pandemic

Social Impact

English primatologist and anthropologist Dr. Jane Goodall has a collective 6-decade contribution to animal welfare. She rose to prominence due to her study, observation, and preservation of the social and family interactions of wild chimpanzees, which originated in 1960 when she went to Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania.

In her interview with Authority Magazine, Dr. Goodall reflects on her 60-year-long career, the sinister threats of the world today in terms of climate change, and the things left on her bucket list that she still desires to accomplish.

“As an 87-year-old woman, not all my dreams will be accomplished while I’m alive, but I hope they might be later,” Dr. Goodall shares. “I want to see our youth programs, not only Roots and Shoots, but other youth programs with similar goals, missions, and ethics. I want to see a critical mass of young people who understand that we need a certain amount of money to live, but we shouldn’t live for money.”