logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2021
1h 17m

Merge Records: Laura Ballance and Mac Mc...

Guy Raz | Wondery
About this episode
As college students in the late 1980s, Laura Ballance and Mac McCaughan launched two projects that came to define their trajectories as entrepreneurs: the "punky but poppy" band Chunk, and the scrappy record label, Merge. For decades, the partners juggled the demands of managing their own band while negotiating record deals and recording dates for other indi ... Show More
Up next
Apr 20
KIND bars: Daniel Lubetzky. From peace in the Middle East to a $5 billion snack bar
What if the thing you care about most ... might be what’s holding your business back?Daniel Lubetzky didn’t leave his law job to build a straightforward business. He left it to build a company he believed would support peace in the Middle East. Daniel named it, aptly, PeaceWorks. ... Show More
1h 5m
Apr 16
Advice Line with Chieh Huang of Boxed
Today’s callers: Alec from California wonders if it’s time to bring production for his beef tallow skincare brand out of his kitchen to a co-manufacturer. Then, Jessica from California has a hit horse care product on her hands: is a major pet distributor a dream partnership or a ... Show More
51m 3s
Apr 13
iRobot: Colin Angle. How The Roomba Became a Household Icon
Colin Angle didn’t start out trying to clean people’s floors.He started out trying to shape the future–with robots. In the early days of iRobot, there was no business model. No steady funding. No clear customer.Just a belief that robotic technology would one day make the world a ... Show More
1h 3m
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2022
Taylor Swift vs. Scooter Braun | Breaking Down the Big Machine | 4
<p>It’s safe to say that Taylor Swift and Scooter Braun are…never, ever, getting back together. Taking us inside their battle is <a href="https://variety.com/author/chris-willman/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Chris Willman</a>, senior music writer at Variety, who’s ... Show More
36m 3s
Sep 2022
Best of Business Wars Daily | An Unfinished Song | 6
<p>While music streaming platforms have exploded, many critics argue the status quo isn't working for artists. We're taking a deep dive into the music industry, exploring the relationship between artists, labels, fans and the internet. On this episode, we're joined by music journ ... Show More
39m 9s
Jul 2021
Miles Copeland's life in the music business
Lessons from nearly fifty years producing and managing bands, with industry veteran Miles Copeland III. From brilliantly promoting his brother's band The Police, to founding a record label for all the misfits in the industry: the Buzzcocks, the Cramps, The Go Go's, R.E.M., The Ba ... Show More
17m 29s
Sep 2023
The secrets of being a successful music manager
<p>Kim Chakanetsa talks to two female music managers who have made a significant impact in an often male-dominated field. </p><p>Kei Henderson was the personal manager of rapper 21 Savage for several years. She is the CEO and founder of Third and Hayden, a management company tha ... Show More
27m 13s
Apr 2019
Perta: Life Just Before Rock Stardom
<p>The band Perta has landed a glossy <a href="http://papermag.com/perta-from-fire-2558827706.html">magazine profile</a> and is represented by star-making talent agents WME. They've got big labels knocking at the door, attracted by a stunningly talented frontman and a funky, catc ... Show More
38m 25s
Sep 2023
The History of the 2010s Part 2: The Role of Indie Rock
Traditional wisdom says that the recorded music industry is dominated by the major labels...there used to be a bunch of them, but over the last 25 years, their number has been whittled down to just three companies: universal (the biggest), Sony, and warner music... Here’s somethi ... Show More
27m 19s
Jul 2023
Becoming the people we want to be, with Gina Birch, Kathleen Hanna, Mark Moore, and Stephen McRobbie
Gina Birch, Kathleen Hanna, Mark Moore, and Stephen McRobbie how their teenage years influenced their path into music, how it felt to be doing something creative and combative for a living, and being at peace with themselves later in life.Gina Birch was inspired to form post punk ... Show More
29m 24s
May 2023
Music and business: Breaking in
The music industry is worth billions of dollars and creates thousands of jobs across the world, but how do you become part of such a lucrative but exclusive industry? The global head of music operations at Tik Tok tells us how the app has become a game-changer in the industry. Ke ... Show More
18m 45s