Episodes
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Youth baseball — long a widely accessible American pastime — has become overrun by $10,000-per-year, for-profit travel leagues. Zachary Crockett peers inside the dugout.
SOURCES:Linda Flanagan, author.Nick Mackenzie, future New York Yankees shortstop.R.J. Mackenzie, physical education teacher and baseball dad.John Miller, journalist and baseball coach.RESOURCES:"The Cost of Youth Baseball Is Getting Absurd," by Adam Minter (Bloomberg, 2024)."Perfect Game Sees Prosperity Thanks To New Investments In Youth Sports," by Wayne G. McDonnell, Jr. (Forbes, 2024)."How America Sold Out Little League Baseball," by John W. Miller (America Magazine, 2022)."In Youth Sports, Talent Helps but Money Rules," by Roman Stubbs (The Washington Post, 2022).Take Back the Game: How Money and Mania Are Ruining Kids Sports and Why It Matters, by Linda Flanagan (2022)."State of Youth Sports: Parents, Policymakers Better Appreciate Physical Activity, Face Barriers to Help Kids Play," by Jon Solomon (The Aspen Institute, 2022).EXTRA:Take Back the Game: How Money and Mania Are Ruining Kids Sports and Why It Matters, by Linda Flanagan (2022). -
Where is “the cloud,” anyway? It’s in a bunch of nondescript warehouses all over the country. Zachary Crockett serves up the story.
SOURCES: Chris Kimm, senior vice president of global customer care and customer experience at Equinix.Raul Martynek, C.E.O. of DataBank.Clayton Rosati, associate professor of geography at Bowling Green State University.RESOURCES:"How Data Center Alley Is Changing Northern Virginia," by Mac Carey (Oxford American, 2025)."Noisy, Hungry Data Centers Are Catching Communities by Surprise," by Sean Patrick Cooper (The New York Times, 2024)."As Data Centers for AI Strain the Power Grid, Bills Rise for Everyday Customers," by Evan Halper and Caroline O'Donovan (The Washington Post, 2024)."Data Plantation: Northern Virginia and the Territorialization of Digital Civilization in 'The Internet Capital of the World'," by Clayton Rosati, Aju James, and Kathryne Metcalf (Online Media and Global Communication, 2023)."A New Front in the Water Wars: Your Internet Use," by Shannon Osaka (The Washington Post, 2023).EXTRAS:"Why Is It So Hard (and Expensive) to Build Anything in America?" by Freakonomics Radio (2023).Data Center Map. -
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A new thrill ride can cost an amusement park $20 million or more — but roller coasters attract customers like nothing else. Zachary Crockett must be at least this tall to host this episode.
SOURCES:Korey Kiepert, engineer and partner at The Gravity Group.Dennis Spiegel, owner and founder of International Theme Park Services.RESOURCES:"These two amusement park giants just merged. Rollercoaster fans are nervous," by Nathaniel Meyersohn (CNN, 2024)."1,000-foot-tall roller coaster may soon be a reality," by Brady MacDonald (Seattle Times, 2024)."A Century of Screams: The History of the Roller Coaster," (PBS)."The Business of Building Roller Coasters," by Zachary Crockett (Priceonomics, 2014).Roller Coaster Census Report.The Gravity Group.EXTRAS:"January 1884: First U.S. Patent for a Roller Coaster," by LaMarcus Thompson (Advancing Physics, 2004).American Coaster Enthusiasts. -
It takes a highly skilled stenographer — and some specialized equipment — to transcribe TV dialogue in real time at 300 words per minute. Will A.I. rewrite the script? Zachary Crockett tries to keep up.
SOURCES:Doug Karlovits, general manager at Verbit.Katie Ryan, live steno captioner at Verbit.RESOURCES:"The Long Case for Machine Shorthand," by Sam Corbin (New York Times, 2024)."Caption This: Why Subtitling Is Big Business Amid the Content Boom," by Kirsten Chuba (The Hollywood Reporter, 2023)."Everyone Watches TV with Subtitles Now. How’d That Happen?" by Wilson Chapman (IndieWire, 2023)."When is Captioning Required?" (National Association of the Deaf). -
The ability to get into any home, car, or safe can be lucrative — but fixing locks is a tough business. Zachary Crockett gets the key information.
SOURCES:Wayne Winton, owner of Tri-County Locksmith Service.Philip Mortillaro Sr., co-owner of Greenwich Locksmiths.Philip Mortillaro Jr., co-owner of Greenwich Locksmiths.RESOURCES:"Tools of the Trade," by Tim O'Leary (Locksmith Ledger International, 2022)."KeyMe Plans To Use New $35 Million Funding Round To Build 10,000+ Retail Locations," by Marley Coyne (Forbes, 2020).Tri-County Locksmith Service.Greenwich Locksmiths.EXTRAS:LockPickingLawyer Youtube Channel. -
Those tiny treats that predict your future may come free at the end of a Chinese meal, but they’re big business (and not Chinese). Zachary Crockett will go on a long journey.
SOURCES: Jennifer 8. Lee, documentarian and author of The Fortune Cookie Chronicles.Norman Wong, C.E.O. of Wonton Food.RESOURCES: "Canadian Influencer’s Amazement at Absence of Fortune Cookies in China Restaurants Triggers Amusing Online Discussion About Origins of Snack," by Yating Yang (South China Morning Post, 2024)."Fortune Cookies: They’re Japan’s Best-Kept Secret!" by Thalia Harris (Sakuraco, 2023)."What I Learned Eating at 8,000 Chinese Restaurants," by Zhaoyin Feng (BBC News, 2021).The Fortune Cookie Chronicles, by Jennifer 8. Lee (2008)."Lottery Winners Find Good Fortune in Cookies," (NBC News, 2005).EXTRAS: "Girl Scout Cookies," by The Economics of Everyday Things (2023). -
When you hit the slopes, you might not be thinking about water rights, controlled avalanches, and liability insurance — but someone has to. Zachary Crockett shreds the pow.
SOURCES:Andrew Gast, general manager of Mt. Ashland Ski Area.Rob Goodell, chief operating officer at Loveland Ski Area.RESOURCES:"State of the U.S. Ski Industry" (National Ski Areas Association, 2024)."U.S. Ski Resorts in Operation During 2023/24 Season" (National Ski Areas Association, 2024)."Snowmaking 101" (Snow State).Loveland Ski Area.Mt. Ashland Ski Area.EXTRAS:"What it Takes to Run a Nonprofit Ski Hill," by Lily Ritter (Ski, 2020). -
We reach for it twice a day — without thinking about the decades of research and engineering that went into that squeezable tube of minty goo. Zachary Crockett extracts the last bit.
SOURCES:Stephan Habif, chief technology officer at Colgate-Palmolive.Sergio Leite, global head of Oral Care R&D at Colgate-Palmolive.Peter Miskell, professor of international business history at the University of Reading.EXTRAS:"History of Toothpaste" (Delta Dental of Arkansas, 2019)."Cavity Protection or Cosmetic Perfection? Innovation and Marketing of Toothpaste Brands in the United States and Western Europe, 1955–1985," by Peter Miskell (Business History Review, 2011).RESOURCES:"9,000-Year-Old Dentistry," by WIRED Staff (WIRED, 2006). -
When a Fortune 500 company needs a new leader, it turns to a well-connected headhunter who assesses candidates with psychological tests and mock TV interviews. Zachary Crockett activates his network.
SOURCES:Julian Ha, partner at the executive recruiting firm Heidrick & Struggles.Jane Stevenson, global vice chair of board and CEO services at Korn Ferry.RESOURCES:"The Transformation of the CEO," by Stephen Langton, Rusty O'Kelley, Laura Sanderson, and Sean Roberts (Russell Reynolds Associates, 2024)."Executive Paywatch" (AFL-CIO, 2023)."Diversity matters even more: The case for holistic impact," by Dame Vivian Hunt, Sundiatu Dixon-Fyle, Celia Huber, María del Mar Martínez Márquez, Sara Prince, and Ashley Thomas (McKinsey & Company, 2023)."CEO Tenure Rates," by Joyce Chen (Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governenance, 2023)."Best Industries to Recruit for in the US" (Precision Global Consulting). -
Security guards make malls feel safer, but what can they do when there’s trouble? Zachary Crockett observes and reports.
SOURCES:Gus Parsons, mall cop in the San Diego area.David Levenberg, owner of Center Security Services.RESOURCES:"Mall of America's security team will start using facial recognition software as part of safety plan," by Derek James (CBS News, 2024)."The Problems Inside North America’s Largest Security Firm—and Third-Biggest Employer," by Alana Semuels (Time, 2023)."Malls Work on Their Security, but Keep It in the Background," by Ronda Kaysen (New York Times, 2013).Center Security Services.EXTRAS:"NYPD subway robot, Knightscope, gets sacked after two-month pilot program," by Vineet Josan (The Ticker, 2024)."The State of the American Mall," by Sapna Maheshwari (New York Times, 2021). -
How do TV producers decide how much money to give away? A little psychology and a lot of math. Zachary Crockett phones a friend.
SOURCES:Bowen Kerins, math teacher and former contestant on Who Wants to Be A Millionaire.Arthur Smith, CEO of A. Smith & Co. Productions and author of "Reach: Hard Lessons and Learned Truths from a Lifetime in Television."Aaron Solomon, television producer.RESOURCES:"‘The Price Is Right’ Celebrates 10,000 Episodes With Extra Big Wins for Contestants That Top Off at $100,000!" by Rosemary Rossi (Variety, 2025)."Why haven’t more game show prizes been adjusted for inflation?" by Janet Nguyen (Marketplace, 2023)."Deal or No Deal? Decision Making under Risk in a Large-Payoff Game Show," by Thierry Post, Martijn J. van den Assem, Guido Baltussen, and Richard Thaler (American Economic Review, 2008)."Why Game Shows Have Economists Glued to Their TVs," by Charles Florelle (Wall Street Journal, 2006).EXTRAS:"Bowen Kerins on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" (2000). -
A fast-food burger has to taste the same — and cost the same — thousands of times a day at restaurants across the country. Zachary Crockett mans the fryer.
SOURCES:John Karangis, vice president of culinary innovation at Shake Shack.Walter Zuromski, owner and chief culinary officer of the Chef Services Group.RESOURCES:"How Shake Shack’s New Test Kitchen Is Shaping the Future of the Brand," by Stefanie Tuder (Eater, 2018).EXTRAS:"Truffles," by The Economics of Everyday Things (2023). -
American golfers lose 300 million balls a year — and all those bad swings are someone else’s business opportunity. Zachary Crockett hits the links.
SOURCES:Todd Hutchinson, president and owner of BallHawker.Lashan Wanigatunga, founder of Two Guys With Balls.RESOURCES:"BallHawker, Challenge Enterprises Turn Wayward Golf Shots Into Successful Endeavor," Natalie Gilstrap (Clay Today, 2023)."Temecula Golf Ball Diver Nets $100,000 a Year," by Jeff Zevely (CBS8, 2022)."Golf’s Recycled Ball Market is Big Business," by Erik Matuszewski (Link, 2021)."The Inside Story of What the Original Titleist Pro V1 Launch Was Really Like," Andrew Tursky (Golf Digest, 2020)."Head of Golf Ball Retrieval Company Sentenced for Manslaughter After Diving Death at Wales Golf Course," by Alex Myers (Golf Digest, 2017)."Man Dies While Illegally Diving for Golf Balls," by Alex Myers (Golf Digest, 2015).EXTRAS:"Greg Norman Takes On the P.G.A. Tour," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2023). -
Before a guide dog can help a blind person navigate the world, it has to pass a series of tests, then go through $75,000 worth of training. Zachary Crockett sniffs around.
SOURCES:Peggy Gibbon, director of canine development at The Seeing Eye.Charles Pat McKenna, assistant division director of the New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired.RESOURCES:"Why Seeing Eye Dogs Are So Expensive To Breed and Train," by Abby Tang and Emily Christian (Business Insider, 2024)."For decades, the blind have used canes to get around. Now a special wristband gives them a ‘sixth sense.'" by Peter Holley (Washington Post, 2017).The Seeing Eye."History of Guide Dogs," by The International Guide Dog Federation."Facts and Figures" by The International Guide Dog Federation.EXTRAS:"Morris Frank," by The International Guide Dog Foundation (Vimeo, 2021). -
Behind that 70% off sign, there’s a liquidation consultant trying to maximize retailer profits. Zachary Crockett seeks a deal.
SOURCES:Bradley Snyder, executive managing director at Tiger Group.Zac Rogers, associate professor of supply chain management at Colorado State UniversityRESOURCES:"What Went Wrong: The Demise of Toys R Us," by Angie Basiouny (Knowledge at Wharton, 2018)"Retail apocalypse 2024: All the once-popular stores and restaurants that shuttered locations this year," by Sarah Bregel (Forbes, 2024)"BBB Tip: Avoid bogus bargains at going out of business sales" by Better Business Bureau (2024)"There’s a science and art to running a going-out-of-business sale. (And business is booming.)" by Courtney Reagan (CNBC, 2018)EXTRAS:"I don't wanna grow up: The first day of the end of our childhoods," by Mike Higdon (Reno Gazette-Journal, 2018) -
Picture day is an annual tradition for American families — and, for the companies that take the photos, a lucrative one. Zachary Crockett smiles for the camera.
SOURCES:Ken Murphy, C.E.O. of LifetouchJeremy McColm, senior manager of photography at LifetouchRESOURCES:"The money and stress and failed hairdos of school picture day," by Kaitlyn Tiffany (Vox, 2019)"The School Photo Industry Is a Master Class in Drama," by David Gauvey Herbert (New York Times, 2019)"With Lifetouch Acquisition, Shutterfly Claims Leadership In Picture Memories Market," by Pamela Danziger (Forbes, 2018)"Exclusive School Photography Agreement" (Vernon Public School District, 2019)EXTRAS:"Money Schools Earn From Student Portraits Varies Widely," by Scott MacFarlane, Rick Yarborough, and Jeff Piper (NBC News Washington, 2016) -
They're not always the nicest places to go — but for their owners, portable toilets are a lucrative revenue stream. Zachary Crockett lifts the lid.
SOURCES:Ron Inman, vice president of Honey BucketVeronica Crosier, executive director of Portable Sanitation Association InternationalRESOURCES:"Providing Toilets for 39,000 Runners," by John Branch (New York Times, 2008)"Platinum Equity-owned United Site Services weighs $4B sale – Reuters," by Pam Rosacia (S&P Global, 2021)"Renting Portable Units," by Portable Sanitation Association InternationalPolyJohn HistoryEXTRAS:"The Porta-Potty King of New York City Faces a Threat to His Throne," by David Gauvey Herbert (Intelligencer, 2019) -
You can be a top model and still not get recognized on the street — as long as you keep your cuticles healthy and your moons white. Zachary Crockett points a finger.
SOURCES:Dani Korwin, managing director of Parts Models.Ellen Sirot, hand model.RESOURCES:SAG-AFTRA Network TV Code 2024 - 2025 Extension Agreement Rates."How to Become a Hand Model," by Jack Smart (Backstage, 2024)."Meet New York’s Top Hand and Foot Model Agent (It’s a Real Thing!)," by Christian Allaire (Vogue, 2021).EXTRAS:"The Puffy Shirt" S5.E2 of Seinfeld (1993). -
A watercolor of a harbor? A black-and-white photo of a pile of rocks? Some hotels are trying to do better. Zachary Crockett unpacks.
SOURCES:Melanie Kettring, director of studio design at Best Western Hotels.Jessica Poundstone, visual artist. Gavi Wolf, founder and C.E.O. of Indiewalls.RESOURCES:Indiewalls.Best Western.EXTRAS:"Used Hotel Soaps," by The Economics of Everyday Things (2023)."The Hidden Side of the Art Market," series by Freakonomics Radio (2021). -
Before beef ends up at your favorite steakhouse, it passes through the hands of a trained specialist with an encyclopedic knowledge of bovine anatomy. Zachary Crockett chews the fat.
SOURCES:Bryan Flannery, co-owner of Flannery Beef.Katie Flannery, co-owner of Flannery Beef.RESOURCES:"National Weekly Boxed Beef Cutout And Boxed Beef Cuts — Negotiated Sales," U.S.D.A. Agricultural Marketing Service (U.S.D.A. Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News, 2025)."Understanding Beef Carcass Yields and Losses During Processing," (Penn State Extension Articles, 2022)."Beef Cow-Calf Production," by Cheryl A. Fairbairn, Lynn F. Kime, Jayson K. Harper, and John W. Comerford (Penn State Extension Articles, 2020)."Major Supermarket Chains Changed How They Label Meat, Surprising Customers and USDA," by Roberto A. Ferdman (The Washington Post, 2014)."What’s Your Beef — Prime, Choice or Select?" by Larry Meadows (U.S.D.A Blog, 2013)."From Calf to Kitchen: The Journey of a Beef Cow," by Dave Eames and Mike McGraw (The Kansas City Star, 2012).EXTRAS:"The Future of Meat," by Freakonomics Radio (2019). - Show more
