Corporate Gossip

Please share this podcast with a friend :) PLUS good news about a health care strike in Oregon! We emerge from the vapor haze of a high school bathroom (how are these kids blowing PERFECT smoke rings??) to tell the tale of two Stanford grads who did what every single-celled-business-ameoba-boy dreamed of doing but was too scared to actually commit to doing - MAKE SMOKING COOL AGAIN!! They undid decades of work by doctors and public health advocates and turned millions of kids who would have never smoked a traditional cigarette into nicotine dependent freakazoids. CA-CHING!! Riddled with RAGING CASES of silliconvalleyitis, Juul's founders market their powerful nicotine delivery device straight to kids while the FDA was taking a well-deserved half-decade nap. They BLITZSCALED their way to a $38billion valuation and made like 50 people a lot of money. But of course, after the BLITZSCALE comes the HYPERFLOP... Research: The Devil's Playbook by Lauren Etter Big Vape by Jamie DuCharme Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. JUUL Labs The Juul Is Too Cool How Juul Got Vaporized Links: See pics on our Substack Join the Patreon Support the pod by buying us a coffee Record YOUR podcast at Producer Mike's studio! E-mail our Good News Correspondent with good news stories! elizabethliu526@gmail.com

We're BACK and starting off with an absolute banger! Sit back and enjoy the messy escapades of a bunch of horned up teenagers trapped in adult bodies: 23&Me Founder Anne Wojcicki, Google co-founder Sergey Brin, and A Bald Eagle's worst nightmare, Elon Musk. With cameos from RFK Jr (POST Brain Worm) and the corporate scandal Forrest Gump, Diane von Furstenberg, this episode is the WHOSE WHO of Silicon Valley hanky panky. We also update our listeners on the state of the podcast, including exciting changes around 1:11:00 Catch bonus episodes on Patreon View pictures on our Substack Support the pod by buying us a coffee Check out Mike's new studio! Links: The Doyenne of DNA Says: Just Chillax With Your Ex O.K., Glass: Make Google Eyes As 23andMe Struggles, Concerns Surface About Its Genetic Data

Bob Moore, co-founder of Bob's Red Mill, shares his inspiring journey from humble beginnings to a thriving employee-owned business passionate about wholesome grains. He discusses the importance of community-driven practices and restoring faith in CEOs through compassion. Topics include perfecting porridge, the benefits of employee ownership, and insights into corporate ethics. The hosts also reflect on listener questions and their evolution from startup to podcasting, creating an engaging narrative about leadership and legacy.

Dov Charney, a pivotal figure in the millennial fashion scene and founder of American Apparel, takes listeners back to the vibrant Coachella of 2007. He discusses his vision for ethical garment production and the explosive growth of his brand, which initially captivated young consumers. However, the conversation dives deep into the toxic workplace culture and the fallout from serious allegations against him. Charney’s tumultuous journey highlights the clash between revolutionary ideals and the consequences of unchecked power, offering a captivating look at ambition and regret.

NO ONE does fraud like Eddie Antar, and Crazy Eddie is the bizarre story that got Becca hooked on fraud! Adam, Becca, and their Dad Jeff pop a few ludes and drop down the rabbit hole into a 1970's New York City punk rock fever dream. They meet a young Eddie Antar scamming tourists in a seedy Time Square clip joint and follow his journey to become the eccentric millionaire founder of Crazy Eddie Electronics. Antar was a marketing genius, and by the mid 1980's commercials for the chain were inescapable, shoppers were practically screamed at to rush out to Crazy Eddie's because 'HIS PRICES ARE INSANE!!!!' The insane prices, of course, were facilitated by an elaborate criminal racket. Money laundering, insurance fraud, tax evasion, bribery, insider trading… Eddie Antar did it all! But when the cash begins to dry up, Eddie's increasingly desperate and brazen behavior puts him in the crosshairs of the SEC. That's when Eddie Antar became an international fugitive and left his family, who enabled and benefited from his behavior, holding the bag. Support the pod Pics on our Substack Links: Read Retail Gangster: The Insane, Real-Life Story of Crazy Eddie Crazy Eddie commercial from 1982 Remembering Crazy Eddie: His Prices Were Insane

Why does doing taxes suck so much? Because Capitalism! Over the past 20 years, the lovable dweebs at the IRS have been on a quest to make filing personal taxes free and easy. They say America should be like other countries, where the government sends you a pre-filled tax return and all you have to do is sign-off. Seems like a no-brainer, right? Like what kind of deranged psychopath wouldn't want that? Enter Intuit, maker of tax preparation software Turbo Tax, and their disgruntled band of lobbyists. Their entire business model depends on you being afraid to screw up your taxes. So they bribe lawmakers to over-complicate tax laws, threaten the government into underfunding the IRS, and run dubious misinformation campaigns alleging that free tax filing is somehow… racist? The nefarious knuckleheads at Intuit would have gotten away with it too if it weren't for the determined efforts of Propublica journalists. They joined forces with the unlikely heroes at the IRS, and from a muggy basement office in Washington they stood up to Big Tax and won. We <3 the IRS and you will too after this episode! Support the pod Pics on our substack Links: How Intuit Reinvents Itself (Fortune) The TurboTax Trap (ProPublica Investigation series) IRS makes free tax return program permanent and is asking all states to join in 2025

ANOTHER BONUS EPISODE! Becca & Adam talk to Evan Drellich, the author of Winning Fixes Everything: How Baseball's Brightest Minds Created Sports' Biggest Mess Read Winning Fixes Everything: How Baseball's Brightest Minds Created Sports' Biggest Mess Support the pod

Discover the scandal of the Houston Astros cheating in baseball with the help of McKinsey consultants, leading to fines and threats to their championship. Uncover the corporate influence, lack of attention to rules, and controversial decision-making within the team. Learn about the whistleblowers and the role of team owners in baseball business.

Meet Les Moonves, CBS CEO known for turning the network into a ratings powerhouse. Dive into the controversies surrounding him, from sexual assault allegations to power struggles at CBS. Explore his feud with Donald Trump, his daughter Sarah's glamorous life, and the lavish executive compensation in the media empire. Unpack the allegations of sexual misconduct and corporate fallout that ultimately led to Moonves' resignation. Learn about the importance of shareholder engagement and board accountability in the entertainment industry.

Listen to the shocking tale of Paramount / Viacom's CEO, Sumner Redstone, a horny billionaire in a crusty old man's body. Discover the scandalous story of executive-level lowlifes taking advantage of their absent boss, leading to elder abuse and financial exploitation. Join Becca and Adam as they unravel the rise and fall of Redstone and Paramount Global, filled with drama, power struggles, and scandal.