It’s the early 1970s, and 27-year-old Fred Smith has an idea for a new kind of package delivery service, one that uses its own planes to deliver packages in under 24 hours. Skeptics tell him the start-up costs are too high and the demand too low, but Smith thinks he’s found a way to make it work. He invests millions of his own money to get the new company st ... Show More
Nov 2023
FedEx: Anytime, Anywhere - [Business Breakdowns, EP.135]
Today we are breaking down FedEx. FedEx has a more direct impact on the U.S. economy than 99.9% of U.S. businesses - an actual statistic from Dun & Bradstreet. It was a business started in 1973 by the famous Fred Smith, as his planes delivered 186 packages to 25 cities. Today, Fe ... Show More
56 m
Sep 2020
#97 Secret Sauce or Snake Oil?
Today's founder had everything going for him: a huge market, loads of experience, and $70k in monthly revenue. But then, everything went wrong. Christopher Hussain's startup, RealKey, is supposed to make the complicated mortgage lending process simpler, but his pitch left our inv ... Show More
25m 55s
Aug 2021
JP Sharma - Captain’s Freight Services
When you go from being an employee to an entrepreneur, there is a lot at stake. For JP Sharma, the CEO of Captain's Freight, an International freight forwarder and logistics provider, it meant dipping into his savings in a very strategic way. With many others on a similar journey ... Show More
19m 24s
Apr 2025
Virgin Territory: Richard Branson’s Business Beginnings | Sowing the Seeds | 1
British teenager Richard Branson finds his true calling as an entrepreneur, but it doesn’t take him long to ruffle a few feathers.Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletterListen to ... Show More
33m 12s
Apr 2025
Virgin Territory: Richard Branson’s Business Beginnings | E for Export | 2
Virgin gets into the music business, but 20-year-old founder Richard Branson is caught in an illegal scheme that threatens the future of his fledgling business empire.Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://w ... Show More
32m 11s
May 2025
Virgin Territory: Richard Branson’s Business Beginnings | Flight Path | 4
Virgin Atlantic takes to the sky and upends the aviation industry, but the new venture also throws Richard Branson into battle with one of Britain’s biggest corporations.Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https: ... Show More
34m 30s