Shows
Great Business StoriesLIBOR Exposed: How the real scandal was buriedthis is such a fascinating story for so many different reasons- we have traders who were found guilty and sent to jail in the UK for a crime that that apparently wasn’t a crime
We have senior bankers caught on tape talking about collusion and openly manipulating the interest rates and yet they weren’t even charged and we have regulators who knew everything that was going on who had solid eveidence to go after senior bankers yet chose to stitch up those further down the line.
This story goes to the heart of ever...2024-12-0159 minGreat Business StoriesThe MySpace Meltdown: Murdoch, Missteps, and the Lost Battle for Social MediaIn this episode we dig down into the very beginnings of social media, where MySpace was streets ahead of everyone else.
And then Rupert Murdoch, the most famous, the most feared and perhaps one if not the most successful media tycoons of the 20th century enters the fray and I don’t know about you, but any business story that has Rupert Murdoch in it is going to be a cracker.
Article: The Myspace Meltdown: Murdoch, Missteps, and the Lost Battle for Social Media
2024-11-011h 02Great Business StoriesAckman vs. Icahn: The Herbalife Battle That Shook Wall StreetWelcome to todays episode "Ackman vs. Icahn: The Herbalife Battle That Shook Wall Street"- now shook might be too strong a word- but it definitely gripped Wall Street and the business media as billionaire hedge funders Bill Ackman and Carl Icahn publicly feuded when Ackman took a short position on Herbalife and Icahn took the other side of the bet.
https://gbspod.com/blog/ackman-vs-icahn-the-herbalife-battle-that-shook-wall-street2024-10-011h 08Great Business StoriesThe BlackBerry Revolution: What Went Wrong?In the episode we look at how 2 very different, diametrically opposed men came together and built a tiny Canadian wireless company into a huge success, and in doing so transformed the way people did business.
And Blackberrys weren’t just transformative, they were loved.
The company was just hitting its stride when the rug was pulled from underneath them by Steve Jobs with the launch of the iPhone in 2007.
But as always, what’s really interesting here are the main characters involved, how they built up the compan...2024-09-011h 07Great Business StoriesSumner Redstone’s Battles & Billion Dollar DealsTo subscribe on Patreon go to: https://www.patreon.com/greatbusinessstories
Link to the story on our blog: https://app.podcastpage.io/settings/great-business-stories/blog/edit/sumner-redstones-battles-billion-dollar-deals
Redstone, who died in 2020 is one of the most interesting and successful media moguls of the the 20th century - he bought MTV before it took off, he bought CBS and Paramount studio.
We examine how he built his business from a handful of cinemas to a media empire
We dig into the huge deals he got involved in
...2024-08-011h 04Great Business StoriesPayPal: The Greatest Startup Story of All TimePayPal: The Greatest Startup Story of All Time
This has been one of my favourite stories to cover, because you have such big characters who are now very much sitting at the top of the table business wise - we’re talking Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Reid Hoffman, David Sacks and many more.
And it’s fascinating to recall how these guys started out and nearly didn’t make it
There is so much drama in the story with boardroom coups, Russian fraudsters, Musk being f...2024-07-011h 02Great Business StoriesDennis Kozlowski & Tyco: Villain or Victim of Post-Enron ClimateIn today's episode, we're digging into the Tyco scandal of the early 2000s, specifically focusing on Tyco's CEO Dennis Kozlowski, who was charged and convicted of stealing $132 million from Tyco to fund a lavish lifestyle.
While other Tyco executives were also charged, and there were additional charges that we don't delve into, we do mention them briefly. However, our main focus is on the primary charges against Kozlowski.
What's really unusual about this story is that both Keith and I started our research believing we knew the story - a tale of corporate greed. We...2024-06-0155 minGreat Business StoriesThe 1MDB Heist: How Jho Low & the Prime Minister stole $4.5 billionThis is the fascinating story of how Jho Low, young Malaysian businessman educated in Harrow formed one of the most notorious and lucrative business partnerships with the Malaysian Prime minister and they syphoned off a jaw dropping $4.5 billion
It’s the story of how Jho Low and his friends spent their ill gotten gains by splashing out on parties, multi-million dollar properties, jewellery, art as well as financing Hollywood movies- 1 movie in particular that you’ll definitely know.
And it’s a story of Malaysia and the endemic corruption that em...2024-05-011h 00Great Business StoriesRay Kroc: Hero or Villain? Uncovering the Truth Behind McDonald'sWe dig deep into Ray Kroc and how he and the Mcdonald brothers created the fast food revolution
What was Ray Kroc really like? Was he a shyster, a lucky salesman or true visionary?
Is he really a villain as the movie made him out to be-And crucially, did Ray Kroc renege on an agreement to pay the McdOnalds brothers commission on all sales going forward?
I hope you enjoy this one and remember, a new episode is released on the first of every month
2024-04-011h 05Great Business StoriesPlaying with Fire: Ivar Kreuger - Business Genius or Master Fraudster?This is the fascinating story of Ivar Kreuger, the most famous Swedish person and probably the most successful business person you’ve never heard of.
In his prime during the roaring twenties Ivar built up a fortune worth $100 billion in today’s money
He invented many of the financial instruments that are still being used to this day- the stocks and bonds of his companies were the most widely held securities in the world
He lent billions to cash strapped governments and became a personal advisor to the US president. And yet, if you...2024-03-011h 00Great Business StoriesThe $4.5 billion 1MDB Heist How Jo Low & the Prime Minister stole a fortuneThe fascinating story of how Jo Lo, a young Malaysian man with an knack for networking with the right people, got together with the Malaysian Prime minister and syphoned off a jaw dropping $4.5 billion It’s a story of how Jo Lo and his friends spent their ill gotten gains by splashing out on parties, multi-million dollar properties, jewellery, art as well as financing Hollywood movies.And it’s a story of Malaysia and the endemic corruption that emanates from the very top- as it would when you have a pri...2024-03-0159 minGreat Business StoriesSip or Sink: The Story Behind New Coke's Epic FailNew Coke- probably the worst product launch in the history of business. This is the story of how, in 1985, Coke’s superstar CEO, the man who could do no wrong, decided to replace the 100 year old coke formula with a new sweeter tasting coke.
Who was this CEO and what were the reasons that led to this decision?
Why was there such an intense backlash?
And how did Coke not anticipate the backlash?
Was it all just a conspiracy?
It was definitely one of the worst product lau...2024-02-0154 minGreat Business StoriesBranson's Triumph: The Inside Story of British Airways Dirty Tricks CampaignThis was one of the biggest business scandals of the 1980’s when British Airways financed a dirty tricks campaign in an attempt to publicly blacken Richard Bransons name and put his fledgling airline out of business
We find out why Richard Branson got into the airline business?
How he managed to get under the skin of British Airways
We discuss why British Airways, one of the biggest and most respected companies at the time, decided to wage a dirty tricks campaign against Branson’s tiny new airline.And who were the peop...2024-02-0153 minGreat Business StoriesBarbarians at the Gate: Is This The Best Business Story Ever Told?The book "Barbarians at the Gate" is probably the best business story ever told. It’s a riveting account of the leveraged buyout of the tobacco and food giant RJR Nabisco in the late 1980s,
The story gives a great insight into what exactly leveraged buyouts are.
We learn how Henry Kravis and his cousin George Roberts formed the legendary LBO firm KKR.
We see how banks and LBO firms manage to profit handsomely even when deals go bad.
And we see how industry titans end up playing second fiddle when they...2024-02-0156 minGreat Business StoriesGreat Business Stories TrailerA great business story thoroughly researched and brought to life by Caemin & Keith in each hour-long episode, released on the 1st of every month2024-02-0101 min