"A High-Speed Leadership Test" — Kai Ryssdal on Life Off the Air

Kai Ryssdal says he keeps his hands off his own investments for both practical and ethical reasons: his wife manages the household portfolio, and he wants no exposure to stories about companies like Amazon or Nvidia that he covers for Marketplace. Asked what he would tell a child with $10,000 to invest, he repeatedly punts to his wife.

His off-air routine is built around soccer. Ryssdal referees high school and college matches, saying the job appeals to him because it forces split-second decisions under pressure and demands total presence. He also says the work mirrors the discipline of his morning runs, since both are ways to clear his head and focus fully on the moment.

Ryssdal also addresses his recent absence from Marketplace, explaining that he was sick, then in Prague for a conference, then off for the holiday and a high school playoff game. On politics, he says Gavin Newsom will almost certainly run for president in 2028 and gives him about a 50/50 shot at the Democratic nomination, while arguing that California and San Francisco are not fair targets for blanket decline narratives. He closes by describing the late start that changed his career: an internship at KQED at age 34, followed by his entry into Marketplace in 2001.