Teaching Economics While Traveling the World

What happens when a high-powered economist ditches Wall Street to dive into philanthropy in the Galapagos Islands? In this compelling episode, Mike Mannino sits down with Francisco Zalles—a world-traveling professor of economics, serial entrepreneur, and passionate conservationist. From leading undergraduate programs in Spain to conducting deep-sea dives in Cozumel, Francisco shares his insights on reinvention, failure, global economics, and the future of money.

Francisco’s journey winds through the dollarization of Ecuador, the stresses of high-stakes leadership, and his current mission: bringing autonomy and conservation funding to the Galapagos Islands. Whether he's lecturing on macroeconomics or exploring marine ecosystems, Francisco’s story is full of rich lessons on resilience, innovation, and purpose.

In this episode:

• Why the Galapagos Islands are a unique case study in both ecology and economics

• What hypomania, ADHD, and entrepreneurship have in common

• The failures that taught him the most—and how he rebounded

• Insights into the future of money, AI, and trade on Earth (and Mars)

• Why conservation must be led by the people who live it

 

 

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