Netflix vs. HBO. Nike vs. Adidas. Business is war. Sometimes the prize is your wallet or your attention. Sometimes, it’s just the... more
It’s 1976, and Atari founder Nolan Bushnell is on a mission to launch a family arcade disguised as a pizza... more
Get ready for a Business Wars pizza party! Sporkful podcast host Dan Pashman and Eater NYC reporter Melissa McCart join David to settle the... more
Beyond Meat and Impossible Burger boomed in the 2010s, but changing tastes have turned their sizzle into a fizzle. And... more
It’s 2022 and Kim Kardashian is chowing down on a Beyond Burger. But the Internet buzzes over whether she actually... more
What drives a regular person to risk it all in the criminal underworld? On Wondery's Criminal Lives, host Danny Gold... more
It’s 2019 and plant-based meats are on fire. But they’re also under fire. Supporters of the beef industry start a... more
It’s 2016 and both Pat Brown’s Impossible Foods and Ethan Brown’s Beyond Meat are cooking up plant-based burgers for mass... more
It's 2008 and two men, both vegans, ponder what they can do to improve the climate. Though they’re on separate... more
From smash burgers to plant patties, this episode is serving up some of the biggest trends in the burger world,... more
Once upon a time, it was Anna Wintour’s world and we were all just living in it. Now, social media... more
It’s the 1990s and new media is changing the game for all the glossies. InStyle leads the way in featuring... more
It’s the 1930’s and Harper’s Bazaar publisher William Randolph Hearst steals away Vogue’s star editor, Carmel Snow. Harper Bazaar is... more
It’s the 1970s, and Cosmopolitan’s circulation is exploding. But just as Cosmo establishes itself, Elle magazine debuts in the U.S.... more
IKEA has been in the game for about 80 years, earning a spot as the largest furniture retailer in the... more
In 2023, CNN ousted CEO Chris Licht after just a year on the job. His goal was to restore CNN’s... more
It's February 2017 and CNN is mounting a comeback through its clashes with President Donald Trump. And Fox News is... more
It's September 11, 2001 and CNN and Fox News race to keep the nation up to date as the tragedy... more
It's 1996 and Fox News is getting ready to launch, but when CNN owner Time Warner tries to block it,... more
It’s 1978 and Ted Turner’s out to reinvent the news with CNN, the first 24-hour news network. The challenge nearly... more
It’s 1978 in Miami, Florida. The hottest spot in town is a club located inside the world famous Mutiny Hotel.... more
In the 1970s, a pair of brothers and their longtime friend begin smuggling cocaine from their home city of Cali,... more
Crocs are the comfy foam clogs people love to hate. Yet today, they're seen everywhere from memes to the red... more
The seas were especially rough for the cruise line industry during the Covid-19 pandemic. There was a time when people... more
As the cruise industry enters the 21st century, Carnival and Royal Caribbean square off again as they battle to acquire... more
As Carnival cements its success by going public, founder Ted Arison and his son and CEO Micky set their sights... more
After his bitter exit from Norwegian Cruise Line, Ted Arison has limited time to make his new company Carnival a... more
In 1950, an enterprising Miami businessman has the idea to use a passenger liner to ferry retired Floridians to the... more
The Pac-12 was one of the most prestigious college football conferences in the nation, until its leading schools left for... more
It’s George Kliavkoff’s third week in charge of the Pac-12. But his new job will become a nightmare when the... more
With the College Football Playoff boosting the sport’s worth, the rivalry between the Power 5 conferences is heating up. But... more
Pac-12 boss Larry Scott wants a media empire that can outshine the Big Ten. But to do it, he must... more
It’s the 90s. College football’s a hot mess of untapped profit potential. But two TV execs have an answer. It’s... more
Soda has had its fair share of ups and downs, but now, a new wave of prebiotic pop promises to... more
David is going behind the scenes with Ford’s Director of Vehicle Personalization, Mark Grueber, who helped power the “Bronco Underground.”... more
It's 2008 and the U.S. government spends tense months deciding whether, and then how, to bail out the U.S. auto... more
It's 1996, and the last Bronco rolls off the assembly line in Michigan. Ford is moving on to bigger, lusher... more
It’s 1965 and as the Bronco bucks onto the market, the Jeep boosts its engine power in hopes of catching... more
It's 1940 and as Adolph Hitler’s forces storm across Europe, the American army pays a nearly broke U.S. carmaker to... more
Allbirds was once valued at $4.1 billion. The sustainable shoe brand had a fast and meteoric rise that mirrored the path... more
A lot has happened at OpenAI since that whiplash week in November 2023 when the board ousted its chief executive.... more
After five intense days, Sam Altman prevails over the OpenAI Board and is reinstated as CEO, with a new board... more
OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever’s move to fire Sam Altman with no warning kicks off five days of chaos for the... more
From the outside, OpenAI looked like one of Silicon Valley’s biggest success stories. In 2022, it had stunned the world with... more
Costco's membership retention rate is the stuff of other retailers' dreams, nevermind the love they get on social media. With... more
With everything Taylor Swift’s been up to lately, being a Swiftie is almost a fulltime job. Today, David speaks with... more
When Taylor Swift began planning The Eras Tour, she probably didn't expect to be at the forefront of an antitrust battle that could... more
By 2019, Taylor Swift's battle to get her masters back from Scooter Braun has gone public. She decides to fight... more
By 2014, Taylor Swift has spread her wings into pop. But as her self-confidence grows, so does her discontent with... more
When Taylor Swift signed to an upstart country label as a teen, she probably didn't realize that she was signing... more
We’ve got the keys to Barbie's dream house and we’re unlocking her legacy, staying power and what’s ahead. We're joined... more
When the Apple Watch first debuted, designer Jony Ive envisioned the gadget as a must-have in the world of high... more
It’s 2016 and in the wake of a major PR fiasco, Samsung is rolling out their new round smartwatch with... more
It’s 2012 and Apple’s legendary designer in chief, Jony Ive, decides the company’s first product launch after Steve Jobs’ death... more
It’s 1936 in a small town in Korea and a rakish scion of a wealthy family realizes he has to... more
Before Apple and Samsung took over our wrists, there was Fitbit. The fitness tracker was just about the coolest thing... more
Can you imagine video games without Sony? A partnership between Sony and Nintendo could have changed the future of Playstation... more
It’s 2016 and Xbox boss Phil Spencer’s leading a reboot of the Xbox brand after the Xbox One’s fumbled start.... more
It’s 2007 and both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 are in trouble. Microsoft’s dealing with an epidemic of dying... more
It’s 2002 and the race to build the next generation of game consoles is already underway. And Sony’s got big... more
It’s the year 2000. Sony’s PlayStation 2 is ready to conquer the game business and leave its Japanese rivals Sega... more
American Girl or Barbie? Transformers or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? The Game of Life or Monopoly? We're putting your favorite... more
‘Tis the season for toys! First, we’re getting an update on where toy retailers stand today with Forbes Senior Contributor... more
It’s 2004 and toy retailers across America are assessing the post-holiday damage from Walmart’s brutal price attack. And with KB Toys... more
It’s 1999 and the world wide web is the new retail frontier. And both KB Toys and Toys “R” Us... more
It’s 1990 and Toys “R” Us rules toy retail. But when big-box retailers Walmart and Costco threaten to intrude on... more
It’s the 1950s and in Washington D.C., Charles Lazarus is running a small baby furniture store in the house he... more
We're talking about legendary toy stores and how they can compete today with comedian Gianmarco Soresi, who's in the new... more
Between overworked pharmacists, healthcare consolidation, and rising drug costs, pharmacies are constantly having to adapt. Dan Weissmann, host of the... more
It’s 2013 and CVS boss Larry Merlo is formulating a plan to wipe two-billion dollars off of the company’s sales... more
It’s 2009 and Walgreens is in crisis. It’s just lost its CEO and surrendered its top-dog status to CVS. But it’s... more
It’s the late 1990s and CVS and Walgreens are battling for control of the nation’s best street corners and there’s... more
It’s 1895 and Chicago’s a boom town that’s overflowing with pharmacies. But one drugstore is about to emerge from the... more
No tricks, just treats in this chat with New York Times retail reporter Jordyn Holman and comedian Max Fine. We're talking about candy,... more
Mike Calore and Lauren Goode from Wired are back! The pair co-host Wired’s Gadget Lab podcast, where they’ve been diving... more
With the popularity of ChatBots exploding, Microsoft invests billions of dollars into AI-assisted internet search,trying to strike at Google’s core... more
Google is the undisputed leader in the race to dominate AI, in part because of its reputation as a company... more
You've heard about how AI is poised (and already) revolutionizing just about everything. We're digging deeper into that and... more
For decades, AI stagnated with only a few dedicated scientists working on it. But in 2012, a researcher at the... more
Grab your suitcase, because we’re taking a vacation! Today, we’re joined by Allison Pohle, travel reporter for the Wall Street... more
It’s 2001 and the hotel industry is reeling from 9/11. But terror attacks are only the one of the new... more
It’s the early 1990s and Marriott’s a financial wreck heading for the rocks, and running out of time to find... more
It’s the late 1960s and succession is top of mind at both Hilton and Marriott. Conrad Hilton’s almost 80 and about... more
It’s 1919 and Conrad Hilton is among the fortune seekers in the oil-boom town of Cisco, Texas. But when his... more
We'll take a look at the hotel industry landscape this summer, including the "Taylor Swift effect," and the amped up... more
We’ve spent this season telling the story of how Quiznos and Subway battled to create a sub sandwich that would... more
It’s 2008 and as the Great Recession sinks in, Panera, Jersey Mike’s and Firehouse Subs amp up the competition. Quiznos... more
It’s 2003 in Miami, Florida and a Subway franchisee comes up with a catchy promotion: the 5 Dollar Footlong. But... more
It’s 1987 in Denver, Colorado, and a 22-year-old stockbroker named Rick Schaden invests a market windfall into a Quiznos franchise.... more
It’s 1965 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and 17-year-old Fred DeLuca needs money to pay for college. A family friend makes him... more
Can old school fast food chains lure in hipper, younger diners with AI-powered features, EV charging stations and playgrounds? We'll... more
Is your house team Target or team Walmart? Depending on where you live, or what you’re trying to buy, the... more
It’s 2013 and Target’s troubles are multiplying. The Minneapolis retailer’s big push into Canada is getting the cold shoulder and... more
It’s early 2005 and Walmart’s reeling from a dismal holiday season. It hoped to improve its image by playing nice... more
It’s the 1990s and Walmart’s replaced Kmart as America’s biggest retailer. But now that it’s on top, its business practices are... more
This is a safe place for parents to get away from it all. It’s a cliche that having kids is... more
It’s 1962 and a new retail trend’s catching fire – big-box discount stores that reinvent shopping with out-of-town locations, huge... more
What's old is new again. Second-hand shopping is taking off online and the big brands want a piece of the... more
It’s 2017, and after months of sky-high price rises, the crypto bubble is about to burst. But as scammers and... more
It’s the mid-2010s and a new blockchain called Ethereum is shaking up crypto. It’s the creation of nineteen-year-old Vitalik Buterin,... more
It’s 2015 and Coinbase is out to carve up the crypto scene with its new exchange. But it’s about to... more
It’s 2013 and bitcoin’s gaining traction at last. But just as crypto reaches for credibility, bitcoin is blindsided by high-profile... more
It’s 2011, and Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss are trying to move on from their legal battle with Mark Zuckerberg over... more
It’s 2009 and in a modest suburban home, a monetary revolution is beginning. It’s called bitcoin and it arrives with... more
Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter was… messy, to say the least, and now the multi-billionaire is the CEO of three... more
After weathering an investigation by the government for their EVs catching on fire, Tesla is hit by another probe after... more
The battle to dominate the EV market is on. Tesla’s market value is now around $20 billion. At this rate,... more
In 2010, Tesla Motors has already experienced tremendous highs and devastating lows. Elon Musk is a polarizing figure whose goal... more
While the U.S. government pushed automakers to make low-emission vehicles in the 1990s, consumers loved their gas-guzzling trucks and SUVs.... more
The AI revolution is here and the tech behemoths are building and releasing their own chatbots. To talk about their... more
First there was Weight Watchers, then there was Noom, and now there’s…Wegovy? Bloomberg health reporter Emma Court helps us understand... more
It's the 2010s and the weight-loss industry's battling intensifying headwinds. Calorie-counting smartphone apps are attracting millions of users and the... more
It's the early 1990s and the diet boom is over. Weight Watchers is now a millstone around Heinz's neck, Jenny... more
It's 1983 and civil war's broken out within Nutri/System. But while CEO Harold Katz fights his franchisees, his former colleague... more
It's 1961 and in a supermarket, housewife Jean Nidetch is about to get a shock that will send her on... more
We're celebrating the five-year anniversary of Business Wars with a special episode that takes you behind the scenes. We'll delve... more
We’re going behind the scenes of your favorite Disney animated movies with Andrew Millstein, former president of Disney Animation. He... more
It’s 2006 and with Pixar part of Disney, Ed Catmull and John Lasseter now face the task of fixing Disney... more
It’s the 2000s and Disney and Pixar are locked in a high-stakes game of chicken. Disney’s deal with Pixar is... more
It’s 1995 and Pixar’s Toy Story is just months away from release. But as the premiere of the first computer-animated... more
It’s 1985 and Steve Jobs is fuming after being fired from Apple. He wants a second act, and he thinks... more
It’s 1985 and Steve Jobs is fuming after being fired from Apple. He wants a second act, and he thinks he’s found... more