Napster co-founders Shawn Fanning and Sean Parker finally get to Silicon Valley, where their dream for music sharing is supposed to take off. When word gets out about what Napster is doing, software programmers are literally banging on the doors, begging to work for Napster for free. Their idea is solid, but the finances are weak. It’s time to incorporate a ... Show More
Aug 2019
Business Battles | Monster vs Beats by Dre | 1
With all the hype around portable and smart speakers, it’s easy to forget that they didn’t always exist. In fact, it took one fateful meeting with Monster Cables and Interscope Records to really kick the industry off. In this one-episode Business Battle, we explore the time when ... Show More
26m 16s
Mar 2020
Starbucks vs Dunkin - A Steamy Culture Clash | 1
A former high school dropout named Bill Rosenberg has big dreams and a passion for coffee. In 1950, in the small town of Quincy, Massachusetts he’s got a thriving coffee and donut shop called Dunkin Donuts. In front of the store he proudly puts up a huge sign that reads, World’s ... Show More
25m 28s
Nov 2020
#99 The Friends & Family Gap
In VC, before you pitch investors, you’re expected to get some initial cash from friends and family. Getting this money is a critical first step for a new startup. But what if your friends and family aren’t wealthy? Two founders tell us what that experience is like, and how it’s ... Show More
29m 18s
Aug 2020
Napster fought the law and the law won
The recording industry, Metallica, and ultimately federal court put the brakes on Napster’s music file sharing. But before exiting the stage, Napster changed the way we listen to music—and how much we’re willing to pay for it.[Editor’s note - Sept. 1, 2020: This episode has been ... Show More
38m 25s
Jul 2023
346: How the wealthiest people that I know started
<p>The way the world portrays and views people like Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg, Entrepreneurship seems flashy, new, and revolutionary. That's not exactly what it is for the majority of entrepreneurs, however. Smart people who have good ideas think they have to bring on a bunc ... Show More
5m 32s