The Best One Yet
Episodes
“Burger King is jealous of Popeye’s fried chicken-palooza” — Brandless shuts down. Coronavirus’ lenders. Popeye’s power earnings.
11 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Restaurant Brands International happens to own both Burger King and Popeye’s, but it was Popeye’s chicken-powered quarter that’s getting all the...
“Warner Music is Venture Capital for musicians” — Uber’s profit shocker. Ericsson/Nokia 5G awkwardness. Warner Music’s IPO.
10 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Warner Music filed to IPO because streaming saved the music industry. Uber shares surged 10% before the weekend on word it’s actually planning to be...
“Dunkin’ stealthily went fancy” — WWE’s XFL problem. Twitter’s record surge. Dunkin’s premium coffee strategy.
07 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Dunkin’ announced earnings, but we’re focused on the subtle hints that it’s transforming into a fancy coffee chain. World Wrestling Entertainmen...
“By that math, Instagram is worth $150B” — Chipotle’s Taco Bell-ification. Instagram owns Facebook. Spotify’s acquires the Ringer
06 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Turns out Spotify just made (another) acquisition in the podcast space because it’s trying to build a “gated garden.” Instagram’s numbers leak...
“Why Tesla is like a young avocado tree” — Visa’s swipe tax. BP’s empire. Tesla’s Elon-sanity.
05 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Snackers want to know why Tesla stock has surged a freakish 60% in the last week, and the answer lies in avocado trees and orange groves. Visa is alre...
“YouTube sells more ads than ABC/NBC/FOX… combined” — Harry’s razors acquisition gets sued. Coronavirus-benefiting companies. Alphabet’s YouTube surprise.
04 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Alphabet’s stock fell 5% after its earnings report, but the real highlight was YouTube — the company disclosed financial info for the first time. ...
“One Medical is the Equinox of doctors” — Nike’s olympics shoes. Pinterest’s makeup feature. One Medical pops 47% IPO pop.
03 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Shares of One Medical jumped 47% because it’s trying to make you love doctor’s appointments. Nike’s freakishly performance-enhancing shoe just g...
“Juul’s Darth Vader moment” — Amazon surges 10%. The Bouqs raises $30M for wedding flowers. Altria devalues Juul e-cigarettes (again).
31 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Juul was supposed to save the world from smoking, but it made a critical decision that its new owner, Altria, is now paying for. The Bouqs direct-to-c...
“Barstool’s t-shirts follow a simple formula” — Barstool Sports becomes a half-icorn. SAP’s FOMO Marketing. Apple’s iRecord quarter.
30 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Apple’s 4 divisions are as big as 4 other super companies. Barstool Sports hits a $450M valuation after an investment from a casino company. And SAP...
“Who’s gonna buy James Bond?” — Casper’s un-unicorning. MGM’s bidders. Bird’s newest acquisition.
29 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Scooter pioneer Bird just acquired a German rival, but it’s a sign the future scooter wars are going to look a lot like today’s delivery wars. Cas...
“WE are a real estate company (not a tech company)” — The Wing loses its big investor. Detroit becomes GM’s electric car HQ. Coronavirus messes with stocks.
28 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Women’s coworking icon The Wing enjoyed a major investment from fellow coworking pioneer WeWork… which just sold off that stake. GM’s latest mov...
“Eaze is cannabis’ bubblish-moment” — Intel stock reaches 2000 levels. The man who coined “disruption.” Eaze pot delivery has problems.
27 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The “Seamless of Weed” is Eaze, but it’s having problems growing. Intel’s stock hit its highest point since the first internet boom, so we’r...
“Tinder supports safe sexting” — Google’s camouflaged ads. The Athletic hits $500M. Tinder’s new security launch.
24 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Tinder is adding new security features for your first date — it’s consistent with a trend that’s defining tech in 2020. Google made a minor twea...
“Cell-Based Meats disrupting Plant-Based Meats” — Memphis Meats raises $161M. Delta shares $1.6B of profits. GM launches a true robocar.
23 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Delta unveiled the biggest corporate bonus plan ever, so we’re looking at its Return On Investment strategy (Happy flight attendants = Happy fliers)...
“Amazon is turning your palmprint into a credit card” — Amazon’s new payment method. Uber’s “name your own price.” PetMed Express’ aging dogs.
22 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Amazon is pursuing a new feature to sell to retail stores to take on Apple Pay — We’re talking “pay by hand” (and we’re calling it “Amazon...
“‘Mealkitting’ never became a verb” — HelloFresh vs Blue Apron. Signet Jewelers’ 40% surge — Microsoft pulls a Sierra Club
21 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve got a new #1 in the US meal kit market — HelloFresh is beating Blue Apron (even though mealkitting may be in trouble). Zales/Kay/Jared’s o...
“Peacock is the 761st streaming service” — Gap won’t spinoff Old Navy. NBC reveals Peacock. China weaponizes the wallet
17 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Shares of the Gap pop 5% on word it’s doing the opposite of what it planned to do — it’s no longer spinning off Old Navy, its best-performing br...
“Baby Yoda is Build-a-Bear’s Rudy moment” — Build-A-Bear jumps 14%. Califia Farms’ fund raise. Phase 1 trade deal
16 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We finally got to see what was actually in the Phase 1 trade deal that was just signed. We noticed Build-A-Bear shares popped 14% because it’s worki...
“Half of America has a Chase account” — JP Morgan’s record profit. Visa acquires Plaid. BlackRock fights climate
15 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s big bank earnings season, so we went financial on this one. JPMorgan Chase apparently covers half of America, which led to its record profit (m...
“Casper is the Peloton of Slumber, not the Nike of Sleep” — Casper’s IPO. 23andMe’s transition. Primo Water’s acquisition.
14 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We slept on the Casper IPO documents released over the weekend, then realized they spent $80M just dealing with mattress returns last year. 23andMe hi...
“Sweetgreen is the most innovative company in food” — Hershey. Quibi. Sweetgreen
13 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Quibi raises (another) $400M to create a new “era” (their words) beyond video streaming. Sweetgreen gets a profile in the NYT, and we think it may...
“Verizon's ‘pros before cos’ problem” — Wine tariffs, Softbank layoffs, and Verizon
10 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Verizon whips up a new pricing model for its cable TV, but it’s basically creating subscripturation in our lives. Softbank startups like Zume Pizza ...
“These delivery apps are like mafia families” - Grubhub, Spotify, and Tough Mudder
09 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We’re testing out a new title format, Snackers. Grubhub shares jumped 13% on news it’s trying to sell itself. Spotify’s launching a dynamic new ...
Tesla, the #1 most valuable US car company (ever) — Goldman transparentizes — Impossible creates plant-based pork (and drops McD’s)
08 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Impossible Foods is adding plant-based sausage — but rival Beyond Meat’s stock jumped 10%. Goldman Sachs’ stock has barely budged in the last 3 ...
SmileDirectClub goes to Walmart — Taco Bell’s owner devours hamburger chain — The taser creator could split in 2
07 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
SmileDirectClub abandoned its direct-to-consumer ways to launch in Walmart stores, but it’s missing one big thing: Its core product. Taser-inventor ...
Snapchat buys the “Cameos” company — One Medical’s IPO moves — Apple’s 2020 HomeKit mantra
06 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Aaaand we’re back. While you were unwrapping gifts, Snapchat treated itself to an augmented reality startup that makes the hilarious filters for Sna...
Last pod of 2019: Our 3 bold wishes for 2020
20 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In our last pod of 2019 (we’re taking a 2-week break until Monday, January 6th), we’re going digestibly bold: Our 3 bold predictions for 2020. Wil...
Ikea’s tech pivot — FedEx’s ‘horrific’ profits — Flavors & Fragrances plant-based merger
19 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Ikea’s always been focused on furniture, now it aims to democratize smart furniture (but it needs help). FedEx plummeted 10% because it’s losing i...
Oprah’s 9-city Weight Watchers tour — Boeing’s worst year ever — Alexa’s profit pivot
18 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Weight Watchers tried to turn itself around the last couple years by adding Oprah to the board, but now she’s headlining a 9-city WW wellness tour. ...
H&M’s “Moneyball” strategy — Intel’s $2B AI acquisition — Sprout Social’s social-ish IPO
17 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
H&M has spent 2 years trying to burn fewer clothes (literally), and an 11% sales rebound shows it’s finally working. Intel splurged $2B on a chip co...
The Spirit Airline-ification of cars — Pandora’s talking ads — and the Phase I trade deal
16 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
V-commerce — aka “voice commerce” has new momentum after online radio Pandora tests ads that let you talk back. Car prices are starting to mimic...
Lyft launches car rental — Disney didn’t tell Hasbro about Baby Yoda — Delta is really a credit card
13 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
If you noticed that Avis shares plunged, that’s because Lyft just whipped up a car rental service. The hero of Disney+ has been Baby Yoda, but toy-m...
Lulu tries to become Nike — How Saudi Aramco makes $90B in profits/year — Away’s drama arrives
12 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Oil legend Saudi Aramco is the most valuable company in the world and it just IPO’d, but how does it make money? Luggage brandicorn Away went throug...
Vail Resorts’ adds 17 slopes — Yumi’s epic investors — NAFTA is reborn as USMCA
11 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Just in time for your first turns, Vail Resorts’ earnings gave insights on where you should ski — and highlighted the growing showdown on ski pass...
Airbnb’s investment in the WeWork for housing — Amazon’s JEDI business ethics — The Volker Rule
10 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Yesterday we broke down why Airbnb shouldn’t acquire a competitor — now they just took the first step in acquiring another called Zeus. Amazon los...
Waymo’s robotaxis hit the app store — Otis Elevator spinoff — HipCamp could be Airbnb’s next acquisition
09 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Alphabet’s self-driving car company, Waymo, just took a big step towards real robotaxis — an app for the general public. Otis Elevators made skysc...
Rent The Runway hooks up with W Hotels — GM & LG joint venture a battery — Tupperware’s plastic strategy
06 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Rent the Runway partnered up with W Hotels so you don’t have to pack clothes for vacation. GM and LG are launching a joint venture focused on car ba...
Canada Goose’s freezing store — Nintendo’s best week ever — Duolingo hits $1.5B valuation
05 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Absurdly expensive coat designer Canada Goose just opened up a store that literally snows inside — “experiential retail” is now “sensational r...
Google co-founders retire — Zume robot pizza aims for $4B valuation — Roku’s ratings drama
04 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Google’s legendary co-founders are stepping down effective immediately, but it’s probably because Google’s had its most controversial year in ev...
Shopify is “The Force” — Jack Dorsey is MIA in Africa — McDonald’s enters the Crispy Chicken Sandwich Wars
03 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Cyber Monday set a record as the biggest online shopping day in US history — but the real winner this year is Shopify. Jack Dorsey is busy being the...
Rename Black Friday — SoulCycle vs. Peloton — Dollar Tree’s 19% stock plummet
02 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Black Friday in-store shopping actually fell from last year — but purchases made on smartphones and with in-store pickup dominated, so we’re renam...
*Live* at Spotify - Part II: Why Spotify is doing podcasts — Our interview with Max Cutler, Founder & MD of podcasts at Spotify
27 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The 2nd half of our Snacks recording live from Spotify. We sit down with Max Cutler, the Founder & MD of Parcast Studios at Spotify — his startup wa...
EBay sells off StubHub for $4B — Uber gets cancelled from London — Charles Schwab’s Lannister-style acquisition of TD Ameritrade
26 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Ebay snagged StubHub for itself in 2007 for $300M, but it just sold the ticket company for a cool $4B. Uber has officially been rejected from London b...
Amazon knocks off Allbirds — Target’s shipping nirvana — PayPal buys $4B of Honey
25 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Allbirds’ CEO noticed that Amazon’s been knocking off its go-to shoes — Amazon calls them “equivalents,” we call them “knock-offs”. Targ...
*Live* at Spotify - Part I: How we build this (every day)
22 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Spotify invited us to their NYC offices to record a live podcast — it’s a podcast about podcasts for our podcast listening Snackers. We introduce ...
Victoria’s Secret needs a new CEO, Chobani launches Oat (milk), and TJ Maxx vs. Urban Outfitters
21 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Victoria’s Secret still has its 83 year old CEO despite (another) rough quarter — So we whipped up a gameplan for them to get less out of touch wi...
Warby Parker launches its 2nd product, Microsoft vs. Slack (Microsoft is winning), and Home Depot’s DIY website problems
20 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Warby Parker is the OG disrupter, cutting out the middle man of retail — now it’s launching its 2nd everproduct line: “Scout” contacts. Micros...
Kylie Jenner’s makeup exit, Ford’s Mustang e-SUV, and FedEx’s tax-cut-apalooza
19 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Coty cosmetics realized it was probably easier to just acquire 51% of Kylie Jenner’s beauty brand than compete (so it did). Ford unveiled its Mustan...
Warren Buffett bets on Restoration Hardware, Pinterest is too nice, and Peloton follows Tesla’s playbook
18 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Fancy home goods chain Restoration Hardware jumped 8% after an investment by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway… and it’s totally not Warren’...
Canada’s shocking cannabis oversupply, Tesla’s 1st-mover e-advantage, and 1Password’s one password rules them all
15 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Canopy Growth is the most valuable cannabis company, but the price of cannabis it sold last quarter dropped by 27% because Canada’s got an oversuppl...
Google’s checking account, Nike’s breakup with Amazon, and Convoy is our “Unicorn of the Day”
14 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Google plans to launch a checking account, another sign that Big Tech wants to understand your daily spending. Nike decided it no longer wants to sell...
Instagram knocks off TikTok, Alibaba’s $38B day, and Almond milk = Dean Foods’ downfall
13 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
TikTok set a record for app downloads, so Facebook just decided to knock it off with a new Instagram feature. Alibaba’s Singles Day set a sales reco...
Adidas closing US “Speedfactory,” Bumble & Walgreens’ private equity love, and Apple’s potentially iPhone-less AR future
12 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Adidas tried to update its manufacturing with a fancy new “speedfactory,” but now it’s relocating them out of the US and into Vietnam and China....
Zillow is flipping houses, CEOs are getting fired, and Party City stock dropped 67% in 1 day
11 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Party City’s stock dropped 67% after a brutal Halloween and helium crisis, so we’re looking at what issues it can actually control. Zillow has piv...
Airbnb’s 7M-home trust pledge, Coke’s new (caffeinated) sparkling water, Toyota’s “muda” hatred
08 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Airbnb’s suffering a sudden trust crisis so it’s responding proactively(ish) with a bold move: Verifying all 7 million of its listings by next yea...
Uber Eats’ “Browser Billboard” strategy, Kroger’s “Operation Restock,” and Xerox may acquire HP
07 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
An Uber Eats job posting revealed that it’s further monetizing the food delivery app by sticking ads into the search results for “pizza”. Grocer...
Peloton gets no love for its Personal Record, Wag wants to sell itself, and Match expands international (hard) with respect
06 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Match Group shares dropped because it’s not as ambitious about the upcoming holidays as investors wanted — so we looked at Hinge and its adorable ...
Uber lost $543,478 per hour last quarter, Walmart launches alcohol pickup, and Under Armour plummets 18% on sneakers
05 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Uber lost a shocking $1.2B last quarter, but now it’s hoping/planning to hit profitability in 2021 (same as Lyft). Under Armour is suffering from a ...
Google gets a Fitbit, AIG’s anti-catastrophe quarter, and Quip flips the razor/razorblade model
04 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Remember when we mentioned Google could acquire Fitbit last Friday? It did. So we’re looking to understand why Google’s paying almost double the n...
Dunkin’s grand slam game plan, Apple’s wearables, and WWE’s 16% stock drop
01 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Dunkin’ shares popped 6% after it spent the last 3 months amping up its 4-part game plan for fast food innovation. Apple’s earnings revealed that ...
Twitter bans political ads, Mirror raises $34M, and Fiat Chrysler & Peugeut are mega-merging
31 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Jack Dorsey just took a jab at Mark Zuckerberg by banning political ads from Twitter, via tweet. Peloton rival Mirror snagged $34M in fresh funding fr...
Free Prime grocery delivery, GrubHub’s stock falls 43%, and Lockheed Martin’s $34B fighter jet order
30 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
We just realized today’s Snacks has a delivery theme. GrubHub stock lost nearly half its value because the CEO thinks you’ve been “promiscuous”...
Virgin Galactic’s space IPO, Beyond Meat’s 1st ever profit, and Tiffany’s $14.5B acqui-proposal
29 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic just became the first ever space tourism IPO, but investors don’t have anything to compare this to. Beyond M...
Budweiser’s US Bud-pocalypse, Airbus is 2019 airplane champ, and Waste Management stock cleans up
28 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Shares of Bud-owner AB InBev plummeted 11% on word it’s losing beer market share (fast), so it’s betting big on (wait for it…) sparkling seltzer...
Amazon’s “Era of Less Profitability,” Twitter’s midlife ad crisis, and Barclays’ ATM drama
25 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Shares of Amazon dropped 7% on word 1-day shipping is really, really costly. Twitter plummeted 21% on its midlife ad crisis. And Barclays pulled the s...
Tesla’s 3 big surprises, Zuck’s crypto day with Congress, and Six Flags... is actually 6 different flags
24 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Tesla popped after an earnings report with 3 big surprises (including a profit). Six Flags makes almost half its money from July through September, bu...
WeWork’s bailout, McDonald’s got more money from fewer diners, and Nike & Under Armour’s CEOs are out
23 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Without its IPO, WeWork was about to run out of cash in weeks — now it’s signed a bailout deal that drops its valuation from $47B to about $8B. Mc...
Spotify’s earnings preview, Ford’s Explorer problems, and Destination Maternity’s bankruptcy
22 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Spotify’s earnings are next week, so we’re previewing how they’re making money (and the unique global strategy). Ford’s kinda dependent on its...
Quibi’s T-Mobile partnership, Powerbar’s IPO, and the Shampoo Wars
21 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The owner of PowerBar jumped after its IPO, so we’re looking into its “convenient nutrition” strategy that it boasts as “asset light.” Unile...
Ford-Amazon-VW fix electric “range anxiety,” Venmo launches credit card, and Airbnb’s unprofitability
18 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Airbnb’s financial info was leaked, revealing that it’s splurging big on marketing. Ford just teamed up with Amazon and Volkswagen on its “Team ...
Netflix’s 130 seasons of non-english shows, Facebook’s Libra crypto drama, and GM’s 1-month strike is ending
17 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Even though everyone’s launching a streaming service, Netflix surged after its latest earnings report. Facebook’s global cryptocurrency project, L...
Google kills its VR headset, Schwab’s secret profit puppy, and Emerson Electric’s burn book
16 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
At Google’s product day in New York, the focus should’ve been on what it took away (a VR headset) not what it unveiled (more Pixel products). Char...
The $399 iPhone, SmileDirectClub’s California problem, and Goldman’s WeWork worry
15 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
SmileDirectClub has become the worst performing IPO of 2019, but fell another 13% Monday after a new California law was signed by California’s gover...
Ghost kitchens are having a moment, the new mini Trade Deal, and Papa is the “grandkids on demand” app
14 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Rachael Ray and GrubHub just teamed up. Uber Eats launched one last week. We’re looking at the “trend of the week” — Virtual Kitchens. Stocks ...
Grammarly hits $1B, Tootsie Roll is 110% in on candy, and Waze becomes Google’s secret weapon
11 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Your other map go-to, Waze, is owned by Google’s parent, Alphabet, and it’s the company’s potential future profit puppy. Tootsie Roll is 100% fo...
American Airlines’ rough 5 years, Bed Bath & Beyond’s innovative new CEO, and Lithium Ion Batteries’ big week
10 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Bed Bath & Beyond stock is down over 80% in the last 5 years, but it just snagged a new CEO who revolutionized shopping at Target. Compared to Delta, ...
China vs. the NBA, Domino’s focuses on “carryout” pizza, and One Medical preps to IPO
09 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Domino’s already fights in the Pizza Wars and Delivery Wars — now it’s focused on takeout (they prefer “carryout”) to win. A Houston Rockets...
Unilever hates virgin-plastic, Harley’s e-bike isn’t connecting, and Walmart tries to return its ecommerce acquisitions
08 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The owner of Ben & Jerry’s, Unilever is making an epic sustainability pledge: cut 400K tons of virgin plastic per year. Harley designed an electric ...
Zola launches “Honeymoons,” Target adds Disney stores-within-stores, and HP drops 10% because printers are like fax machines
07 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Target is pulling a Best Buy — it’s adding Disney stores within its own stores (and it kind of looks like the future of malls). HP dropped 10% bec...
Corona’s hard seltzer, Uber’s new Work app, and Square processes CBD payments
04 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Liquor legend Constellation brands fell 6% even though it’s launching 4 flavors of a new spiked seltzer to save its beer sales. Uber unveiled a new ...
Microsoft’s new “Phonebook”, Chipotle’s anti-breakfast carne asada strategy, and the World Trade Organization’s major decision
03 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Don’t call it a phone — Microsoft just cooked up a 2-part foldable phone that creates a whole new product category (its mojo is back). The World T...
Charles Schwab cuts commissions to $0, GoPro’s new moat problem, and Masco recession-proofs itself
02 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
GoPro unveiled a couple pre-holiday cameras, but the move reveals how much it’s lost its moat. Charles Schwab announced it’s cutting stock tradin...
Waymo’s valuation plummets, RV-giant Thor Industries jumps 16% on global camping, and Budweiser’s Asia IPO
01 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Bud had a hefty bar tab, so it just spun-off its Asia beer business — and the IPO proved unsexy business models may be sexy again. Google’s self-...
AT&T may cut NFL Sunday Ticket, Endeavor cancels its IPO, and Rent The Runway’s worst week ever
30 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Talent agency Endeavor was supposed to IPO last Friday, but it called off everything Thursday night. Rent The Runway is not taking new customers to i...
Interview with Peloton’s Co-Founder
27 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Straight from the fitness tech pioneer’s IPO, we sit down with Peloton co-founder and COO Tom Cortese to talk about how they pitched investors, wha...
Facebook Oculus creates a virtual world, Amazon launches tons of new products, and eBay’s CEO is out
26 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Facebook’s virtual reality arm, Oculus, just cooked up “Horizons” — a virtual world at a whole new level. Amazon released a huge number of Al...
WeWork’s CEO is out, Nike goes for dude-leisure-wear, Nio (the Tesla of China) cancels its earnings call
25 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
After a crazy week, WeWork’s co-founder and CEO stepped down. Nike’s earnings reveal its next opportunity is really with guys wearing athleisure....
Bloomingdale’s launches rental clothes, Fitbit is on the market for sale, and Thomas Cook just shut down mid-flight
24 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Literally while some people were in the air, British travel agency Thomas Cook shut down, so we look at the millions affected by a big corporate bank...
Tinder’s new “Swipe Night” TV show, J. Crew’s Madewell IPO, and e-cigarettes are getting cancelled
23 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
J. Crew’s legendary denim brand is outperforming J. Crew — so it filed to IPO itself. Tinder-owner Match Group is getting an interactive TV show ...
Amazon’s epic carbon neutrality pledge, Alphabet’s drone deliver goes live ASAP, and Stripe hits $35B
20 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Bezos kicked things up a notch by announcing a carbon neutrality pledge for Amazon that shockingly even beats the Paris Climate Accords. Alphabet’s...
Facebook launches a TV device, Corning Glass owns your iPhone screen, and FedEx’s 13% stock drop
19 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Facebook just announced a $149 Portal TV device to let you video chat while binge TV-watching. Corning Glass is located in a small town in upstate Ne...
LinkedIn verifies skills, GM’s $100M/day strike, and Shopify’s CBD moves
18 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
LinkedIn just revealed a new “skills” feature that we consider its most strategic move since Microsoft acquired it. General Motors is experiencin...
Netflix splurges on Seinfeld, Amazon’s secretive “A9” algorithm, and Oil’s surge
17 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Oil prices just surged after an attack in Saudi Arabia, so we break down why it’s not as big a deal as Wall Street made it seem. Netflix is treatin...
Pepsi/Venmo’s “PepCoin” partnership, Walmart’s Grocery Club, and Voyage’s self-driving cars for old people
16 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Pepsi and Venmo teamed up for a spending partnership they’re calling “PepCoin” — it highlights the behavioral challenges of Fintech. Walmart’...
SmileDirectClub’s great pre-IPO (but bad IPO), Under Armour goes anti-athleisure, and General Electric is selling itself to survive
13 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
SmileDirectClub (uncreative ticker symbol, FYI) falls 28% on its IPO day, but we look at whether it was really a bad IPO when you look at the valuati...
California re-classifies Uber drivers, Wendy’s breakfast wars loss, and Monster Beverage’s Coke problem
12 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Wendy’s is trying to jump into the fast food breakfast wars, but shares fell 10% because it’s too late — again. A Snacker asked us to jump into...
Apple’s iPhone 11 day, Ford’s “junk” credit rating, and Next Door is the anti-Facebook
11 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone’s looking at the new iPhone 11 unveiled at Apple’s big product unveil (spoiler alert: new colors), but we’re focused on its strategic ...
Uber Freight’s $200M annual allowance, Starbucks’ 1st pick-up only store, and AT&T’s 23-page love/hate letter
10 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Uber is already deeply unprofitable, but whipped up $200M to invest annually in its fastest-growing business: Uber Freight. Starbucks will launch its...
Glossier’s growth hack, DocuSign jumps 22% on its gateway drug, and Beyond Meat falls 4% on fresh competition
09 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Glossier just snagged a new COO from Amazon, highlighting the company’s growth hacking success. DocuSign surged 22% as the e-signature pioneer’s ...
Match drops 5% on Facebook Dating, WeWork’s valuation may get halved, and Slack’s “10M” problem
06 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Tinder-owner Match fell 5% on word Facebook’s new dating feature goes live, like, right now — even though Match already knew the competition was ...