Smarter in Ten Podcast

David Ricardo’s Theory of Rent

today we’re going back to one of the foundational ideas in classical economics. It’s a theory that explains why some land is more valuable than other land, why landlords profit even without improving anything, and why inequality in resource ownership can persist for centuries.
This is David Ricardo’s Theory of Rent — a simple, elegant model that reshaped how we think about land, location, and economic surplus.
Let’s get smarter.

Creative Destruction

What Is Creative Destruction?
The phrase was popularized by economist Joseph Schumpeter in the 1940s. In his book Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy, he described capitalism as a system of constant upheaval — where new innovations relentlessly destroy old ways of doing things.
His exact words?
“The process of industrial mutation... incessantly revolutionizes the economic structure from within, incessantly destroying the old one, incessantly creating a new one. This process of creative destruction is the essential fact about capitalism.”
It’s not just a side effect — it’s the main event.
Innovation doesn’t politely add new features. It breaks things. It replaces jobs, bankrupts old businesses, and reorganizes entire markets.

Malthusian Theory — Population Growth Risks

I’m David Peterson from the DMP Strategy Group, and today we’re turning back the clock to explore one of the most influential — and, in many ways, controversial — economic theories of the past 200 years.
This is Malthusian Theory, and it’s all about a fear that has haunted societies for centuries:What happens when population growth outpaces the food supply?
Let’s get smarter.

"Master Your Career: The 10-Year Question Unlocked"

Welcome to another insightful episode of Smarter in 10, where we explore the transformative power of the 10-year question. Host David Peterson of the DMP Strategy Group introduces a pivotal shift in career thinking. Instead of being trapped in short-term cycles, learn to shape your professional and personal life by envisioning where you want to be in a decade.The episode unfolds key strategies used by elite performers to reverse-engineer success through "backcasting." Discover how to zoom out, prioritize clarity over chaos, and build a career path aligned with a long-term vision. From thought experiments and role audits to annual resets and milestone maps, this episode equips you with the tools to design your future intentionally and strategically.

Unleashing Your Career Moat: Be Indispensable

Welcome to another episode of Smarter in 10, where big ideas meet eager minds. This time, David Peterson from the DMP Strategy Group explores the concept of building a career moat, an essential strategy for safeguarding and enhancing your value in the fast-evolving job market. Discover how to construct your personal moat by developing a unique combination of skills, reputation, network, adaptability, and platform. Learn to become indispensable, not just employable, with insights on skill stacking, reputation management, networking, adapting to change, and owning your narrative. Whether you're perfectly content in your current position or looking to brace for future job market challenges, this episode provides practical steps for auditing and strengthening your moat. Equip yourself with the tools to not only survive but thrive amidst change. Tune in and future-proof your career today!

How to Find Work That Fits

today we’re talking about a subject that sits at the heart of your working life: how to find work that actually fits you — not just your résumé, not just your bills, but you.
It’s called The Career Compass, and the goal today is not to give you a magic answer, but to help you ask better questions. Because until you get the questions right, you’ll never get the career right.
Let’s dive in.
🧭 Why Most People Drift
Let’s be honest: many people fall into their careers.
Maybe you took the first job that said yes.
Maybe you picked a major, then stuck to the default track.
Or maybe you followed the prestige — law, finance, tech — only to wake up wondering why you feel out of place in a “successful” life.
 

What Is the Laffer Curve?

Today we’re tackling one of the most controversial and politicized ideas in economics: a concept that’s been used to argue for lower taxes, stimulate growth, and at times — let’s be honest — oversimplify fiscal policy.
It’s called the Laffer Curve, and it asks a bold question: Can raising taxes actually reduce revenue?
Let’s get smarter.
 

Behavioral Economics — Nudges and Decision-Making

We’re talking about Behavioral Economics — and more specifically, how nudges can help steer decision-making without restricting freedom.
This is the science behind why you choose the salad or the fries, why you sign up for retirement savings or don’t, and how small design tweaks can have outsized effects on behavior.
Let’s get smarter.

Tragedy of the Commons

What happens when everyone acts in their own self-interest with shared resources? In this episode, we explore the Tragedy of the Commons - a fundamental concept that explains everything from overfishing and climate change to traffic congestion and office kitchen etiquette. Discover why rational individual choices can lead to collective disaster, learn about real-world examples that affect your daily life, and find out what solutions actually work to prevent these tragedies. Whether you're interested in economics, environmental issues, or just understanding human behavior, this episode will change how you see shared spaces and resources forever.

What Is Monetarism?

Monetarism is a macroeconomic theory that emphasizes the importance of money — specifically, the supply of money — in determining a nation’s economic health.
The central claim?
“Inflation is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon.”
That’s economist Milton Friedman, the intellectual father of Monetarism.
Friedman argued that when a central bank increases the money supply faster than the economy grows, inflation is inevitable. Too much money chasing too few goods — prices rise. Simple as that.