Podcast Episodes
Back to SearchEp.576 Mailchimp Was the Side Project. Client Work Paid the Bills.
Season 3 Episode 55
Before Mailchimp became a global marketing platform, its founders were running a web design agency. That business paid the bills while they quietly d…
1 day, 14 hours ago
Ep.575 American Express Got Paid Upfront. The Real Bill Came Later.
Season 3 Episode 54
A healthy bank balance can hide a dangerous cash flow problem. In 1891, American Express introduced travelers’ cheques, allowing customers to pay upf…
2 days, 14 hours ago
Ep.574 Steve Wozniak Didn’t Need a Crowd. He Needed the Right Room.
Season 3 Episode 53
Before Apple became one of the world's biggest companies, Steve Wozniak introduced the Apple I to a small group of computer enthusiasts at the Homebr…
3 days, 14 hours ago
Ep.573 American Express Had $100 Million on Paper—and Just $6 Million in Oil
Season 3 Episode 52
The most dangerous number in your financial reports may be the one nobody has bothered to verify. In 1963, American Express became entangled in one o…
4 days, 14 hours ago
Ep.572 NASA Promised $207 Million. It Stopped at $32 Million.
Season 3 Episode 51
A massive contract can become a financial disaster when payments are tied to promises instead of measurable results. In 2007, NASA terminated its agr…
5 days, 14 hours ago
Ep.571 WD-40 Failed 39 Times—So One Bad Launch Means Almost Nothing
Season 3 Episode 50
A failed launch can feel like proof that the entire idea was wrong. WD-40 exists because its creators refused to treat failure that way. In 1953, the…
1 week, 1 day ago
Ep.570 Nintendo Beat Better Technology With a Product That Simply Worked
Season 3 Episode 49
Most businesses assume the newest technology automatically creates the strongest product. Nintendo proved otherwise with the Game Boy. While competit…
1 week, 2 days ago
Ep.569 Henry Ford Doubled Pay When Everyone Else Was Trying to Cut Costs
Season 3 Episode 48
Cutting labor costs can look like the fastest way to protect profit, until turnover, weak performance, and constant replacement start costing even mo…
1 week, 3 days ago
Ep.568 Ferruccio Lamborghini Turned One Insult Into a Supercar Empire
Season 3 Episode 47
Rejection can either wound your ego or become fuel for your next move. Ferruccio Lamborghini was already a successful tractor manufacturer when repea…
1 week, 4 days ago
Ep.567 Marvel Put Iron Man on the Line—and Built an Empire
Season 3 Episode 46
Most founders want exponential upside while protecting every valuable asset from risk. Marvel made a different bet. In 2005, the company secured a $5…
1 week, 5 days ago