Episodes
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Click⊠That satisfying sound of Lego bricks has brought joy to millions of kids - and adults (kidults?) for more than 70 years. But did you know it all started in a Danish carpenter's workshop during WWII? And that boxes of Lego were used to smuggle grenades to resistance fighters? Today, family-owned Lego is the biggest toy company on earth, but this plastic empire almost came tumbling down more than once. Lego dodged disasters (four fires), product mis-steps (bangle bracelets?), and some spectacular business snafus before taking over the world brick by brick â All thanks to the founderâs visionary son. Find out why every Lego piece is precision-engineered to 0.005 mm, how Jar Jar Binks breathed new life into minifigures, and why Lego is the best idea yet.
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PEZ - the fruity, sugary tablets dispensed from your favorite cartoon characterâs neck conjure up sweet childhood memories of swapping and collecting dispensers. (Iâll trade you my red Power Ranger for your Pikachu) But when these Austrian-born sweets hit the candy aisle almost 100 years ago, they had a seriously adult mission: Help people quit smoking. Yep, PEZ was essentially Juul before Juul, minus the toxic side effects. But when PEZ came to America, it shed that medicinal past to become a joyful kidâs candy, cult fave, and collectorâs item commanding thousands on the secondary market. Find out how PEZ made the leap from sober grownup treat to toy juggernaut⊠and how a mysterious figure called âThe PEZ Outlawâ upended the entire system, earning $4 million and (almost) getting away with it. Hereâs why PEZ is the best idea yet.
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Itâs simply the most popular sneaker in history. With $7B in annual sales today, Nike and Michael Jordanâs shoe deal changed sports, fashion and marketing forever - But it never wouldâve happened without skilled negotiating by MJâs Mom. Originally banned by the NBA, Air Jordans have sold hundreds of millions of pairs, made Michael Jordan worth almost $2 billion (thatâs why he always has a cigar), and saved the entire Nike company.. Find out how Nike rewrote the rules on celebrity endorsements, why salaries are stable but equity is exciting ⊠and why Air Jordans is the best idea yet.
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Itâs the OG of instant photography â It paved the way for the iPhone, inspired Instagram, and fills every photo album on your parentsâ bookshelf. Polaroid became a fave of world-class artists like Ansel Adams and Andy Warhol, but did you know its inventor, Edwin Land, actually got the original idea from his 3-year-old daughter? Find out how Polaroid and rival, Kodak, went from friends to frenemies⊠why Steve Jobs was obsessed with this company⊠and why Polaroid is the best idea yet. FYI: If youâre listening, OutKast, youâre actually *not* supposed to shake the picture (weâll explain why on the pod).
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Break out the bubbly, turn on the jets, and hop into our Hot Tub Time Machine: weâre going back to the origins of the Jacuzzi. The worldâs most iconic whirlpool has become a symbol of status and luxuryâthink Scarfaceâs bathtub. But its roots are humble, starting with a family of seven Italian immigrant brothers. Over three generations, they pivoted one technology from airplanes to agriculture to the 1st-ever modern hot tub. Itâs also the story of overcoming tragedies, and a devoted father trying to save his young sonâs life. Find out why family businesses actually end⊠why half a pivot is more like a flinch⊠and why the Jacuzzi is the best idea yet.
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What do Old West gold miners, biker gangs and Marilyn Monroe all have in common? The same pair of jeansâŠInvented by a down-on-his-luck immigrant tailor in the 1870s, this classic riveted pant launched a global denim market worth over $70B. How? By teaming up with Levi Strauss & Co., a Gold Rush-era startup that became the most popular clothing brand in America. (Fact: Leviâs won a popularity contest over Nike, Adidas, and Old Navy.) â And it all began with the 501s. Find out how the original âstraight fitâ jeans used the âcupholder effectâ to drive demand, how a storytelling hack transformed an everyday product into a symbol of freedomâŠand why Leviâs 501s are the best idea yet.
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Chances are youâve got a bottle of Sriracha chilling in your fridge right now, but have no idea who invented it â or the spicy story of how he made it happen. Entrepreneur David Tran fled Vietnam in the late 70s, smuggling gold bars into the US to start his venture - selling hot sauce out of a van. Little did he know his thick, spicy red jalapeño concoction would make him the worldâs first hot sauce billionaireâŠwithout ever spending a single dollar on advertising (FYI: Kraft dropped $750M on marketing alone in 2023). For over 40 years, Davidâs stayed laser-focused on making âa rich manâs sauce at a poor manâs price.â But when massive pepper shortages threatened the entire business, he faced a choice more painful than Tabasco on a paper cut. Find out how David puts âCoâs before Proâsâ (customers before profits)...and why Sriracha is the best idea yet.
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The Jeep isnât just a car, itâs a cult: inspiring clubs, meetups, even its own âJeep Wave.â From cameos in M*A*S*H to Mean Girls, the Jeepâs been ranked the most patriotic brand in America for 20-straight years (sorry, Coke). But did you know that Jeep actually started as a group project? Learn how three fiercely competitive rivals came together for some emergency teamwork to help Allied Forces win WWII, how a freelance designer almost didnât get the credit, and how its name was (maybe) inspired by a mythical character from Popeye. Jeep isnât just the worldâs most epic 4x4⊠it literally saved the world. Jump in Yetis, weâre going exploring⊠Find out why Jeep is the best idea yet.
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The Birkenstock Arizona has adorned famous feet from John Lennonâs to Steve Jobsâ to Barbieâsâbut the brand itself is older than America, and has gone through more eras than Taylor Swift (plus, won over just as many haters). From a cobblerâs shop in 18th-century Germany to KendaIl Jennerâs Insta feed, this 250-year old shoe brand has found staying power by embracing both 5-starâŠand 1-star reviews. Learn how an obsessed family of shoemakers created the most comfortable sandal ever, and how an immigrant dressmakerâs love of Birks helped them conquer the USâand IPO at a $9 billion valuation. Slip on something comfy, and find out why the Birkenstock Arizona is the best idea yet.
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Mario isnât just the most beloved plumber in history - heâs the most successful video game character of all time. With over 800 million games sold, Mario and his brother Luigi have âwahoo-edâ their way into multiple spinoffs, (Mario Kart sesh anyone?) Hollywood blockbusters⊠even their own amusement park. But the Super Mario Bros. origin story will surprise you like a rogue turtle shell: It features Donkey Kong, Popeye, and an artist from a forest in Kyoto. Find out how an angry landlord changed the course of video game history, and how Nintendo perfected a strategy called âThe Infinite Gameâ to keep creating hit after world-dominating hit. Jump down that green pipe, and listen to find out why Super Mario Bros is the best idea yet.
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The Happy Meal is the most successful meal in human history. With over 35 billion units sold, or about four for every person on Earth, McDonaldâs iconic âFood and Fun in a Boxâ has also made the company a bigger toy distributor than Hasbro or Mattel (and maybe even Santa). But few know the Happy Mealâs contested origin story. Was the creator a mom of five in Guatemala, an ad man from Kansas City, or a forgotten franchise called âBurger Chefâ? Spoiler, it wasnât Grimace. Hear how McDonaldâs perfected a strategy called the âwindow of loyalty,â and visit a little place called âHamburger University.â Listen to find out why The Happy Meal is the best idea yet!
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