Business Wars
Episodes
Crypto Wars | Block Busting | 4
01 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 2015 and Coinbase is out to carve up the crypto scene with its new exchange. But it’s about to face strong headwinds in the form of state reg...
Crypto Wars | The Great Slow Motion Swindle | 3
27 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 2013 and bitcoin’s gaining traction at last. But just as crypto reaches for credibility, bitcoin is blindsided by high-profile arrests, corpo...
Crypto Wars | The Untouchables | 2
25 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 2011, and Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss are trying to move on from their legal battle with Mark Zuckerberg over who created Facebook. And their ...
Crypto Wars | Generate Coins | 1
20 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 2009 and in a modest suburban home, a monetary revolution is beginning. It’s called bitcoin and it arrives with a whimper. There’s just no ...
Fast Fashion | Can Fast Fashion Sustain Itself? | 6
18 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Fast fashion has a crisis on its hands. The industry is wreaking havoc on the environment, and even the execs are starting to notice. Massive amounts ...
Fast Fashion | Long Haul | 5
13 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 2019, and the internet is overflowing with videos of satisfied customers showing off their Shein hauls. But it’s not all smooth sailing when ...
Fast Fashion | Dress for Excess | 4
11 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 2018, and H&M is drowning in billions of dollars worth of unsold inventory. Brick and mortar stores are struggling. But on the internet, Sh...
Fast Fashion | Clothes Call | 3
06 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 2010, and a series of deadly tragedies at factories in Bangladesh paint H&M and the fast fashion industry in a negative light. In response,...
Fast Fashion | Stitch by Stitch | 2
04 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 1974 and Amancio Ortega, determined to break the cycle of poverty he experienced growing up in Spain, uses his background in retail and manufac...
Fast Fashion | Fire Sale | 1
29 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 1987 and Jane Shepherdson, a star buyer for retail chain Topshop, is using her keen ability to predict trends to put the company on the map as ...
Death Row Records vs Bad Boy Records | Life After Wartime | 6
27 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The battle between Death Row and Bad Boy Records wasn't long, but it was intense. Rather than staying on wax, the beef came off the records and into t...
Death Row Records vs Bad Boy Records | You’re Nobody ‘til Somebody Kills You | 5
22 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The rivalry between the East and West Coasts of hip-hop has become an all out war, with Death Row and Bad Boy on the front lines of the conflict. With...
Death Row Records vs Bad Boy Records | Hit ‘Em Up | 4
20 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
By the time Biggie Smalls meets Tupac Shakur, Tupac is already a big star. He hasn’t yet signed with Death Row, but he’s already sold millions of ...
Death Row Records vs Bad Boy Records | Ready to Die | 3
15 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the 70 and 80s, the founders of Death Row and Bad Boy are coming of age. In the Los Angeles neighborhood of Compton, a young Dre is spinning record...
Death Row Records vs Bad Boy Records | Interns & Intimidation | 2
13 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This episode contains explicit language.In the 70 and 80s, the founders of Death Row and Bad Boy are coming of age. In the Los Angeles neighborhood of...
Death Row Records vs Bad Boy Records | Life After Death | 1
08 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This episode contains explicit language.In the 1990s, the landscape of American music was changed forever by two titans of hip hop: Death Row and Bad ...
Summer Food Frenzy: Best of Business Wars Daily
06 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Summer is a time for barbecues, picnics, and maybe even a stiff drink. When it’s warm out, the business of food really starts booming. That’s why ...
The Birth of Vegas | Can Sin City Survive? | 7
01 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
From a turn-of-the-century railroad stopover to a glamorous entertainment oasis, the evolution of Las Vegas has been one for the books. Casino moguls ...
The Birth of Vegas | Gambling on the Future | 6
30 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Sin City shapeshifts from its long-held ranking as the supreme adult playground on the planet to a bizarre family-friendly amusement park. Steve Wynn ...
The Birth of Vegas | Sharks In the Lobby | 5
25 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The mob’s longtime stranglehold on Las Vegas is weakening as the feds press down harder than ever. Just a few years ago, no one built anything on th...
The Birth of Vegas | Casino Combat | 4
23 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Vegas is getting a bad rap in the press, thanks to the increasing spotlight on the mob’s control. The legitimate powers in the halls of Nevada gover...
The Birth of Vegas | Nevada Doubles Down | 3
18 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The mob faces its biggest threat yet when Nevada governor Grant Sawyer wants control of the state’s top-grossing industry—gambling. The attack inc...
The Birth of Vegas | The Feds Get Fed Up | 2
16 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Backing from a legitimate Mormon banker creates major funding for the Vegas mob infrastructure. The underworld is coming out on top in Sin City. But t...
The Birth of Vegas | Sunrise on Sin City | 1
11 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In 1931, the massive Hoover Dam project brings thousands of workers to Nevada. They have paychecks and nowhere to spend them. The state legalizes gamb...
Häagen-Dazs vs Ben & Jerry's | Big Chunks O'Love | 1
09 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's the '70s and best buddies Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield are about to open an ice cream parlor. These hungry hippies only want to have fun making...
Bacardi vs Pernod Ricard | Does Cuba Still Love Havana Club? | 7
04 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
For Cubans, rum is more than just a drink. It's become a symbol of identity, culture and politics, and each bottle has a lot to say — especially whe...
Bacardi vs Pernod Ricard | Last Call | 6
02 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Pernod Ricard believes it’s just a matter of time before Cuba’s embargo is dropped. It dramatically expands its distilleries in Cuba for the momen...
Bacardi vs Pernod Ricard | Rum Punch Politics | 5
28 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Bacardi manages to best Pernod Ricard by using both the courts and Capitol Hill to keep the embargo in place against Pernod Ricard’s rum of the same...
Bacardi vs Pernod Ricard | The Liquor Lobby | 4
26 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Bacardi has one-upped Pernod Ricard by deploying a U.S. trade embargo to block imports of Pernod Ricard and Cuba’s rum. So Castro announces that Cub...
Bacardi vs Pernod Ricard | The Bat Out of Hell | 3
21 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Bacardi is now America’s favorite rum, but two former French spirits rivals -- Ricard and Pernod -- have joined forces to challenge Bacardi. An...
Bacardi vs Pernod Ricard | Hunter or Prey | 2
19 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Before they were billion-dollar behemoths owning many of today’s biggest booze brands, Bacardi and Pernod Ricard were three tiny, family-run compani...
Bacardi vs Pernod Ricard | Rum and Revolution | 1
14 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When family-run rum maker Bacardi was kicked out of Cuba in 1960, it vowed to go to extremes to get revenge on Fidel Castro. So when French spirits co...
Encore: Southwest vs American Airlines | Free LUV | 6
12 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Thanks to deregulation, no-frills knock offs of Southwest take to the skies like crows. About 120 airlines have gone out of business or filed for bank...
Encore: Southwest vs American Airlines | The Cult of Herb | 5
07 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone loves Herb Kelleher—even FAA regulators. The onetime corporate counsel-turned-CEO is coming into his own at the helm of Southwest. But his ...
Encore: Southwest vs American Airlines | The Darling of Deregulation | 4
05 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As deregulation dawns, Southwest Airlines’ founder and CEO are locked in a power struggle. In the middle is Herb Kelleher, Southwest’s corporate a...
Encore: Southwest vs American Airlines | Aviation Cyber Wars | 3
30 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The computer age is on the horizon, and American Airlines has a secret weapon: SABRE. Sure, the airline is top of the heap under the current pen-and-p...
Encore: Southwest vs American Airlines | Dogfight Over Dallas | 2
28 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Baniff and Southwest battled in court for domination over the skies. Southwest came out on top for a little while, but Baniff pushed back with prices ...
Encore: Southwest vs American Airlines | Clearing the Runway | 1
23 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In Texas in the 1960s, Rollin King had a crazy idea. He wanted to create a no-frills airline service that served San Antonio, Dallas and Houston. All ...
Food Delivery Wars | Can Food Apps Ever Deliver Profits? | 5
21 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the wake of the unexpected jolt of the COVID-19 pandemic, food delivery app businesses are looking for stability and profitability any way they can...
Food Delivery Wars | Just Deserts | 4
16 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's July 2019. DoorDash is finally bigger than Grubhub, but it's coming under fire for pocketing tips from its drivers. Now DoorDash needs to rehab i...
Food Delivery Wars | Deliver or Die | 3
14 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's December 2014, and Grubhub's Matt Maloney is feeling the heat. Competitors are eating away at his market share, so he decides to change direction...
Food Delivery Wars | Who's The Boss? | 2
09 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's 1990 in Champaign, Illinois, and 15-year-old Tony Xu is washing dishes in the Chinese restaurant his mother manages. He wants to help people like...
Food Delivery Wars | Hot Ticket | 1
07 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's December 2011 in San Francisco. Bastian Lehmann is getting ready to launch his courier app, Postmates. But when he and his co-founders discover p...
Encore: WWF vs WCW | How AEW Dynamite Reignited the Wrestling War | 7
02 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
WWE might have thwarted WCW’s effort to claim the pro wrestling crown, but after 20 years of unchallenged supremacy, a new competitor has entered th...
Encore: WWF vs WCW | Down for the Count | 6
31 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 1998 and the slugfest between Vince McMahon’s WWF and Ted Turner’s WCW is reaching a critical juncture.McMahon’s on a mission to pull wre...
Encore: WWF vs WCW | Shock Tactics | 5
26 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 1996 and with Monday Nitro topping the TV ratings, WCW is out to end WWF’s time as the biggest player in the wrestling business.It’s plotti...
Encore: WWF vs WCW | New World Order | 4
24 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 1995 and the Monday Night Wars are underway. WCW’s new show Monday Nitro is grappling with the WWF’s Monday Night Raw to win TV viewers’ ...
Encore: WWF vs WCW | Prime Time | 3
19 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 1994 and WCW is stepping up its game. To get the jump on WWF, Ted Turner is writing big checks to steal away the WWF’s biggest stars and spon...
Encore: WWF vs WCW | Bulking Up | 2
17 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the dawn of the 1990s and Vince McMahon’s WWF is the king of wrestling. But trouble’s brewing: a steroids scandal is about to deal a body b...
Sponsored: Small Business Stories | Columbia Sportswear | 2
14 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is brought to you by Wondery in partnership with Dell Technologies. In honor of small businesses, we're featuring inspiring stories of su...
Encore: WWF vs WCW | Titan Rising | 1
12 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the early 1980s and there’s peace in the wrestling business. For years regional wrestling companies have maintained order by sticking to thei...
Sponsored: Small Business Stories | Domino's Pizza | 1
11 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is brought to you by Wondery in partnership with Dell Technologies. In honor of small businesses, we're featuring inspiring stories of su...
Vaccine Wars | Big Pharma's Big Gamble Pays Off | 7
10 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
BioNTech, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca. These companies are now household names thanks to their COVID-19 vaccines. The gambles these bu...
Vaccine Wars | Arms Race | 6
05 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s late 2020 and the first vaccines are going into arms across the world.With supplies tight, the nations of the world are pushing and shoving to ...
Vaccine Wars | Trials and Tribulations | 5
03 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s fall 2020 and the world’s waiting for the first results from the vaccine trials.But as the moment of truth nears, the pressure on the vaccine...
Vaccine Wars | Warp Speed | 4
28 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s summer 2020 and with Covid infections surging across America, the Trump administration’s ready to spend billions to get a vaccine fast.For va...
Vaccine Wars | Long Shot | 3
26 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s February 2020 and drugmaker Moderna’s sprinting ahead – its Covid vaccine is already poised to enter human trials.But Moderna and its rival...
Vaccine Wars | The Hype Cycle | 2
21 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 25 years before the pandemic and at the University of Pennsylvania a Hungarian biochemist is fighting a one-woman campaign to figure out how to...
Vaccine Wars | This is Not a Drill | 1
19 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s early January 2020, and a mysterious new virus is overtaking the city of Wuhan, China.At first the outbreak barely makes the news, but as the t...
KFC vs Chick-fil-A | The Fried Chicken Future | 7
14 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
After decades in KFC’s shadow, Chick-fil-A rode a wave of chicken sandwich obsession to industry dominance. But for how long? Will consumers tire of...
David Brown on The Art of Business Wars | 7
13 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Our new book, The Art of Business Wars, takes fans through stories they've heard on Business Wars and some that are completely new. Host David Brown i...
KFC vs Chick-fil-A | Sandwichmania | 6
12 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the the early 2000’s and the animal rights group PETA accuses KFC of cruelty in their poultry processing and creating “Frankenchickens...
KFC vs Chick-fil-A | The Colonel’s Last Stand | 5
07 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the 1970’s and Kentucky Fried Chicken has yet another new owner: Heublein, the company known for introducing Americans to Smirnoff’s vodka....
The Art of Business Wars Lesson 4: Positioning
06 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
oo often in business, taking two positions is the same as taking none. You can only carve out one at a time — so choose wisely. To read more lessons...
KFC vs Chick-fil-A | The Henhouse Heats Up | 4
05 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the late 1960s and Kentucky Fried Chicken’s new owner takes the rapidly expanding franchise public. America’s hottest new IPO makes dozens ...
KFC vs Chick-fil-A | The Birth of the Bucket | 3
31 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the 1950s in Kentucky and Harland Sanders faces bankruptcy once again. 65-years-old, broke, unemployed and desperate, he barnstorms the country...
KFC vs Chick-fil-A | Fast Fists and Failure | 2
29 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the 1900’s and a young Harland Sanders learns how to cook out of sheer necessity when his widowed mother leaves him at home to care for his y...
KFC vs Chick-fil-A | Guns, Guts, and Gravy | 1
24 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's the Great Depression, and in one of Kentucky’s toughest corners, Harland Sanders defends his gas station business with sheer moxie and a loaded...
Late Night Wars | Late Night for the TikTok Generation | 7
22 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Since the disruption of the broadcast viewing experience, late night comedy has gone through some growing pains. It’s no longer must-see TV, but lat...
Late Night Wars | Late Night Stars Collide | 6
17 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Jay Leno takes it on the chin from NBC when the network informs him his future as Tonight Show host has a looming shelf life. He needs to hand the key...
Late Night Wars | A Darker Night Ahead | 5
15 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
CBS makes David Letterman a very attractive offer to leave NBC—a move he’s very willing to make—but his long-time network is desperate to keep h...
Late Night Wars | There Goes Johnny! | 4
10 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When longtime Tonight Show host Johnny Carson shocks NBC with the surpriseannouncement of his departure, Jay Leno is anointed as the next host of the ...
Late Night Wars | Late Night Explodes | 3
08 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Johnny Carson – the man who defined the Tonight show – is nearing retirement. But NBC has yet to settle on an heir. And that sets the stage f...
Late Night Wars | The Dawn of Tonight | 2
03 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The late night saga begins in the uncharted wilderness of after-hours programming. In the early 1950s, an era when television broadcasting literally s...
Late Night Wars | The Stars Realign | 1
01 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The cutthroat evolution of late-night talk shows is a long and fierce battle for advertising riches, ratings and sheer egotistical triumph. It’s the...
Estée Lauder vs L'Oréal | How Influencers Are Changing the Beauty Industry | 7
24 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As the beauty business shifts towards boutique brands and upstarts, traditional titans of the industry like L'Oreal and Esteé Lauder are struggling t...
Estée Lauder vs L'Oréal | Lipstick Lockdown | 6
22 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 2007, and the L'Oréal founding family is thrust into the media spotlight when a scandal erupts. The daughter of Liliane Bettencourt, heiress t...
Estée Lauder vs L'Oréal | Buying Spree | 5
17 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 1991, and after the financial crash of 1987, Estée Lauder is looking for a new way to continue expanding without sinking millions of dollars a...
Estée Lauder vs L'Oréal | Face to Face | 4
15 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 1979 and Estée Lauder is on top of the world after launching another in-house brand, Prescriptives. But after decades of being primarily known...
Estée Lauder vs L'Oréal | Skin in the Game | 3
10 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 1962, and Estée Lauder is on fire, with well-received new products helping solidify their position as the top high-end makeup brand. But Revlo...
Estée Lauder vs L'Oréal | Do or Dye | 2
08 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's 1904, and ambitious French chemist Eugène Schueller quits his job as a researcher to focus on formulating the first synthetic hair dye. Teaming ...
Estée Lauder vs L'Oréal | Telephone, Telegraph, Tell-A-Woman | 1
03 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 1946, and after years of building a cult following thanks to free samples and loyal customers, Estée Lauder finally has an opportunity to join...
SpaceX vs Blue Origin | To Infinity And Beyond | 7
01 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As the Space Race moves into the present day, Elon Musk recoups SpaceX’s losses and edges ahead of Blue Origin.But now his competition is coming not...
SpaceX vs Blue Origin | The Next Generation | 6
27 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's 2016 and Virgin Galactic is about to re-enter the space race following its fatal test flight two years earlier.But the company's early lead in hu...
SpaceX vs Blue Origin | Space War | 5
25 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's 2013 and the long cold war between Blue Origin and SpaceX is about to go nuclear.The clash begins when NASA puts its most famous launchpad up for...
SpaceX vs Blue Origin | Rise of the Dragon | 4
20 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's 2009 and a new president is looking to shake up the space world by opening up the stars to private industry. But with NASA’s space shuttle...
SpaceX vs Blue Origin | Burning Up | 3
18 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's 2005 and SpaceX is about to find itself exiled to a tropical island, but this is no vacation. It's in a race against time to get the Falcon 1 roc...
SpaceX vs Blue Origin | Reaching for the Stars | 2
13 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's 2003 and in the Mojave Desert, renegade aviation genius Burt Rutan is building a spaceship funded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen.But while Ru...
SpaceX vs Blue Origin | Rocket Men | 1
11 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's 2001 and a 30-year-old Elon Musk has just been fired from Pay-Pal, the company he co-founded. In need of a second act, he hits on the idea of ban...
Encore: Hasbro vs Mattel | Screen Dreams | 6
06 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
With the world plugging into the Internet, toys are under pressure. Kids are swapping plastic play for screen-based entertainment and both Mattel and ...
Encore: Hasbro vs Mattel | The Shotgun Wedding | 5
04 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A few months ago, Mattel’s revenues were just fifty million dollars behind Hasbro’s. But now that Hasbro’s swallowed Tonka—the classic maker o...
Encore: Hasbro vs Mattel | Resurrection Joe | 4
30 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the early 1980s and things are not looking good for Hasbro. The company hasn’t had a hit since Hungry Hungry Hippos; its founding CEO Merrill...
Encore: Hasbro vs Mattel | The House of Cards | 3
28 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Sizzlers, Mattel’s new motorized Hot Wheels, were supposed to be the top toy this Christmas. But sales have fizzled, leaving Mattel $30 million belo...
Encore: Hasbro vs Mattel | Boy Toy | 2
23 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the 1960s and Hasbro is struggling. The pencil manufacturer turned toymaker hasn’t had a major success since Mr. Potato Head hit the shelves ...
Encore: Hasbro vs Mattel | Dream Doll | 1
21 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the late 1940s and two small toymakers are taking their first uneasy steps. The names of these young hopefuls are Hasbro and Mattel. One’s an...
TikTok vs Instagram | The TikTok Effect | 6
16 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
With TikTok’s legal future hanging in the balance, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg hasn’t been shy about borrowing what works from the Chinese upstar...
TikTok vs Instagram | Lights Out | 5
14 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It's July 2020. TikTok usage has skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it faces an unexpected threat — powerful politicians with their own a...
TikTok vs Instagram | Hitmaker | 4
09 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s November 2018. Mark Zuckerberg takes a hit as his copycat TikTok product fails miserably. Then, Instagram faces another disaster when a securit...
TikTok vs Instagram | Dance, Dance, Revolution | 3
07 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It's August 2016 and Instagram co-founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger are about to pull off the tech equivalent of a heist — and they just might...
TikTok vs Instagram | Small Place, Big Dream | 2
02 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the mid '90s and Kevin Systrom is editing a video game. It's his first taste of coding, but it won't be his last. When he grows up, he's going ...