Jack Kravici-Kramer

Maybe even better.

Because Candido Jacuzzi now knows that this freaky metal hummocker schlemer of a water tub machine may save his son. And his family business is water pumps, so he's got to whip up one of these for their home. But turns out it ain't as easy as filling a tub. Because remember, yetis, Candido's the salesman. He's not the engineer.

Thank God.

I feel like you can't get anything done with this crew unless you bring it up at dinner and like half the table's voting on this. So how do his brothers react to this new application of their legendary, famous family farm pumps?

Now, Jack, becoming a consumer-facing business, a B2C business, that's a totally different strategy.

Just ask Sonos about that. That's a story for another pod. Well, Jacuzzi's current pump and irrigation business, it's doing great right now, Jack. Like, they just built a two and a half million dollar facility in Richmond, California.

And honestly, it's kind of crazy to think about how close this was to not happening, right? Because if Ken hadn't gotten sick, or if Candido had listened to the skeptics in his family, somebody else would have probably invented this.

Their first sales are via special orders to other pain sufferers like Ken.

Yes.

Shout out to Glengarry, if you know, you know. Here we go, Jack. For the tired businessman and the harried housewife. For the golfer with sore muscles. For the aches and pains of senior citizens. For frolicking youngsters and for those who just want to relax and pamper themselves with a hydro massage bath.

Besties, those who do benefit now have more disposable income, more savings, and more buying power for products besides the essentials. They have money for their starter home and money for their lawnmower and a stand mixer and a coffee maker, all of that to boot. And Jack, this consumerist environment, that's exactly where Jacuzzi finds themselves as they launch a new product.

So let's talk about the TAM here, the total addressable market, because the total addressable market of everyone is a whole lot bigger than the addressable market of people with disabilities.

Now, Ray, he's an ex-sports writer from Oakland, California, and he's the in-law of Giocondo Jacuzzi. So Ray joins the gang as the head of Jacuzzi Research Publicity. And when it comes to seeking out product placements, he takes big swings. And he's got his eye on a new game show that's just debuted, Lights Out.

Backstage, four women are getting their hair and their makeup touched up for their big moment. because we're on the set of a new game show where housewives dealing with terrible hardships tell their stories on air. The audience then votes by applause for the woman with the saddest story. And then she wins prizes and a very particular title.

You get a car. You get a car.

So Ray Schwartz, he's sitting at home miles away from that TV set. But as he's watching it, he's starting to smile. Because this is the start of something big.

It checks out.

He persuades the likes of silver screen legends Rita Hayworth, Jane Mansfield, and Marilyn frickin' Monroe to strip down, loosen up, and pose with...

Oh, and not just posing in, Jack. Talk about that there jacuzzi bathtub. Because they're giving testimonials, too. I mean, Jack, if you think about it, this is really one of the first influencer campaigns in America. Nothing sold the tub quite like a mid-century Kim Kardashian.

It is humans.

But there is another feature, which we heard Jack Lemmon mention, that will become the source of another major pivot.

Roy Jacuzzi has entered the chat, and he's going to take Jacuzzi in a new, exciting, and, dare we say, Jack, sexy direction. Time to toss on that speedo.

And he's all in on the Jacuzzi family business even before he graduates from college.

Lovely.

Another innovation from the jacuzzis, which allows them to create unique shapes and sizes within the tub itself.

Okay, so we're talking bigger tubs and smaller tubs and heart-shaped tubs, like in-ground, above-ground, tricked out with lights.

Al Pacino's in a giant round hot tub smoking a cigar and yelling at Michelle Pfeiffer.

By the late 1970s, there are over 100 grandchildren of Papa and Mama Jacuzzi, and most of them, they actually work for the Jacuzzi company.

Now, this is a key moment because that's when Jacuzzi decides to go public. They want to have an IPO. But then, as we know from covering IPOs, the macroeconomic environment can have different plans for you.

Hot tub time machine.

Jack, my takeaway on Jacuzzi is this. The best minds in business change their minds. Yetis, Jack and I first covered this concept with Domino's Pizza on our daily podcast show. For years, Domino's said they would only do their own delivery and would never use a third-party delivery app like Uber Eats. But then last year, Domino's pivoted. They did a 180.

They changed their minds and they adjusted to a new reality, selling their pizza on delivery apps.

Yeah.

Because they pivoted from airplanes to agriculture pumps to bathtub pumps and then to full-on hot tubs because the best minds in business change their minds.

Also, Jacuzzis are still very much part of pop culture. They've got a recurring role in The Bachelor and Love Island, honestly, like Roy always wanted.

In fact, back when the J300 Jacuzzi was patented, Ken earned a 1% cut of all the royalties for the use of his likeness in advertisements.

Oh, Jack, I think I know where we got to go celebrate finishing recording this episode, man. Is it a jacuzzi? No, I'm thinking jacuzzi winery. You got to get over here. We got to hit the road, man.

What's the dress code?

In the meantime, share this episode and give our show a five-star rating on Apple or Spotify to help us grow.

You already look fantastic over there, Jack. Besties, we'll see you then.

We want to hear it.

Ken Jacuzzi's 2005 book, Jacuzzi, A Father's Invention to Ease a Son's Pain.

We want to get to know you.

Now, after this episode's over, subscribe to the show, The Best Idea Yet, to get episodes just like this every Tuesday.

Now the crowds are oohing and the crowds are aahing as they watch the stunt pilot of one of these aeroplanes in action. But there's one observer who's not so impressed.

More on them in a minute.

In the meantime, Jack, let's hit Jacuzzi.

Back in the old country, Rakeli and his family had been known as the Iakutsis.

You and Molly love popping up to Napa.

You're so right. But you know what's funny? Like when you're driving up to Napa and everyone's envisioning what it is, like this wine mecca of the world. Yeah. The first winery that you pass, when you make a right off a 101, it says the Jacuzzi Winery. It's got to be a typo. Well, you know, I saw that at first and I was like, well, this sounds like a fun idea.

Like think about Netflix, how it began as a DVD company only to pivot to online streaming once the technology evolved and people started moving away from DVDs.

Remember, Rekele, he's an expert in fluid dynamics. And these skills can also translate from air to water.

The Jacuzzi pump.

America is sliding into the Great Depression, and yet the big new invention transforming California's economy are these jacuzzi freaking pumps.

Yeah, I would do a wine tasting in a hot tub. Not too shabby.

I mean, I know Robert Mondavi is pretty famous up there. Jacuzzi sounds Italian as well.

Without Rekele, there would be no pumps. He took the company from the air to the ground. So now everyone is wondering, who will leave the jacuzzis next?

Yes, it does. Jack, this ain't no translation error. I mean, Jack and I did get curious about this Jacuzzi winery situation. Well, it turns out when you check out the ownership structure of this winery, it actually is the Jacuzzi family, like Jacuzzi Incorporated, Jack.

Candido is married. He's got four kids. Now, unfortunately, the Jacuzzis, they are no strangers to tragedy. And while Candido is in his office one day, he receives awful news. His youngest son, two-year-old Kenneth, has been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.

Well, we should point out, Jack, that almost nothing is working because one of Kenneth's doctors tries a new technology, a little something that hasn't actually been applied yet to kids.

$100,000.

It was our MVP.

I got that feeling again. Something familiar but new. We got it coming to you. I got that feeling again. They changed the game in one move. Here's how they go.

I can't wait for takeaway on this story, Jack. I can't wait for takeaway on this story, Nick.

30%?

I would define reclaiming as to take back what was yours. Something you possess is lost or stolen, and ultimately you triumph in finding it again. Listen to Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky wherever you get your podcasts.