Examining Private Equity's Influence on the American Dream

Ww’re pulling back the curtain on one of the most powerful — and least understood — forces shaping our economy: private equity.

My guest is Megan Greenwell, a veteran journalist and former editor-in-chief of Deadspin, whose new book, Bad Company: Private Equity and the Death of the American Dream, is both a searing exposé and a deeply human investigation. Through vivid storytelling and meticulous reporting, Megan shows how private equity firms, often operating in the shadows — have quietly reshaped entire industries: health care, housing, local news, retail, daycare, even emergency services.

At the heart of Bad Company are four Americans — Liz, Roger, Natalia, and Loren — whose lives were upended by private equity–backed takeovers of the institutions they depended on. Their stories reveal how a business model designed to extract maximum profits for investors has left devastation in its wake for working families and entire communities.

This is a conversation about capitalism, inequality, and the hollowing out of the American Dream. But it’s also about resilience, and the people fighting back.