It’s the late 1940s and two small toymakers are taking their first uneasy steps. The names of these young hopefuls are Hasbro and Mattel. One’s an offshoot of a pencil manufacturer. The other a husband-and-wife garage start-up.
But toy-mayking, they soon discover, is an unexpectedly cutthroat business. If either of these companies hopes to survive--let alon ... Show More
Aug 2019
Business Battles | Monster vs Beats by Dre | 1
<p>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 wh ... Show More
26m 16s
Aug 2023
Building Lego | Out of the Ashes | 1
<p>A small Danish toy company survives World War Two thanks to its quality craftsmanship, but behind the scenes all is not well. Despite its good reputation, Lego teeters on the edge of bankruptcy, and a choice to change production methods threatens to tear the family-owned compa ... Show More
35m 40s
Feb 2024
? “Mickey’s Metaverse” — Disney’s Fortnite investment. Build-A-Bear’s adults-only website. America’s new trade bestie.
<p>Fortnite, the world’s biggest video game, just got a whopping $1.5B investment from Disney — Because when it comes to innovation, evolution is easier than creation.</p><p>Build-A-Bear newest teddy bears are laughably for 18+ — It shows the power of the “Velvet Rope Effect.”</p ... Show More
20m 4s
Mar 2024
? “The Best Deal in History” — Ben & Jerry’s Unilever deal, undone. MrBeast’s Amazon game show. Nvidia CEO’s wild origin story
<p>Unilever is spinning off its $9B ice cream biz into a separate company, they’re unwinding Ben & Jerry’s 24 years after they acquired it — We’re looking at how Ben & Jerry managed to get rich and stay king.</p><p>The biggest YouTuber on earth, MrBeast, is partnering wit ... Show More
22m 25s
Feb 2024
? “The #1 restroom'' — Wawa’s convenience store secret. ChatGPT’s AI Spielberg. Capital One’s Discover acquisition.
<p>Capital One is acquiring Discover Card for $35B, the biggest acquisition of the year — Because credit cards are still a fashion accessory.</p><p>Wawa, the Philadelphia-based convenience store, is expanding nationwide — But Wawa’s secret to success isn’t the hoagies, it’s the b ... Show More
20m 46s