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TIP527: The Epic Collapse of GE w/ William Cohan

Feb 24, 2023

In this engaging discussion, William Cohan, a New York Times bestselling author known for his in-depth analysis of corporate giants, breaks down the storied history of General Electric. He shares captivating insights about founders like Thomas Edison and the controversial reign of Jack Welch. The conversation touches on pivotal corporate decisions, including the effects of decentralization and Buffett's investment. Cohan also reflects on how leadership choices led to GE's decline and its transformation into three separate entities, revealing the complex legacy of this American icon.

01:07:24

Episode guests

William D. Cohan

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Intro

2min

The Rise and Fall of General Electric

11min

The Pivotal Consequences of Decentralization at General Electric

5min

The Rise and Fall of General Electric: Lessons from Leadership and Market Dynamics

3min

The Duality of Leadership

16min

Reflections on Leadership and Regret in Corporate Decisions

5min

The Rise and Fall of GE Capital

3min

The Rise and Fall of GE Capital

25min

Trey talks to New York Times bestselling author William Cohan about GE's history, including founder Thomas Edison, Jack Welch's controversial career & successes, Warren Buffett's investment on GE, and much more!

William Cohan's latest book, titled "Power Failure: The Rise and Fall of an American Icon," chronicles the incredible history of General Electric, which was often the largest and most esteemed company in the world over its 130-year existence.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

0:00 - Intro

07:31 - The origin story of GE, starting with founder Thomas Edison with backing from JP Morgan.

11:19 - Why Charlie Coffin might be the best CEO of all time.

23:54 - The dark side of Jack Welch and his career at GE, as well as the many successes.

56:37 - How Jeff could have saved the company by listening to Bill Gross and Jim Grant.

59:55 The debate on whether Jack handed his successor, Jeff Immelt, a “royal flush” or an open grenade.

63:49 - Warren Buffett’s bet on the company.

63:15 - Why the company has now been deconstructed into 3 separate entities.

67:18 - The many cycles that repeated over its 130 year history.

Disclaimer: Slight discrepancies in the timestamps may occur due to podcast platform differences.

BOOKS AND RESOURCES

Join the exclusive TIP Mastermind Community to engage in meaningful stock investing discussions with Stig, Clay, and the other community members.
Visit William Cohan website.
Check out Power Failure book.
Check out GE website.
Trey Lockerbie's Twitter.
William Cohan's Twitter.

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