

Elon, Inc.
Bloomberg
Elon Musk’s sprawling business empire has granted the billionaire a degree of power and global influence that transcends the industries he’s reshaped. He is the leader of no fewer than six hugely influential companies, spanning electric vehicles to wartime communications, and their innovations could shape the fates of nations.
Musk is polarizing, confounding and inescapable. And he is the biggest business story of our time.
Each week, listen in as host David Papadopoulos convenes a panel of Bloomberg Businessweek journalists who are tracking Musk’s companies and the surprising ways they intersect. They break down the business mogul's latest moves and analyze what they could mean for us all.
Musk is polarizing, confounding and inescapable. And he is the biggest business story of our time.
Each week, listen in as host David Papadopoulos convenes a panel of Bloomberg Businessweek journalists who are tracking Musk’s companies and the surprising ways they intersect. They break down the business mogul's latest moves and analyze what they could mean for us all.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 29, 2024 • 2min
Introducing: The Deal with Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly
The Deal, hosted by Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly, features intimate conversations with business titans, sports champions and game-changing entrepreneurs who reveal their investment philosophies, pivotal career moves and the ones that got away. From Bloomberg Podcasts and Bloomberg Originals, The Deal is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart, Bloomberg Carplay, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also watch The Deal on Bloomberg Television, and Bloomberg Originals on YouTube.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 27, 2024 • 30min
Elon's Tunnels are Mired in sludge, But the Cybertruck is a Smooth Ride
What happens when Elon's formula for success goes wrong? In this episode we explored the failings of the Boring Company, Musk’s tunneling venture, with Bloomberg startups reporter Sarah McBride. When Musk started the company, in 2016, he did so with wild promises about super fast “hyperloop” travel, advanced tunnel boring machines, and dramatically lowered costs. But, as Bloomberg Businessweek reported yesterday, Boring Company workers say that Musk has achieved little in the way of actual innovations and has mostly focused on cutting corners, often at their expense. Also, Hannah Elliott, co-host of the Hot Pursuit! podcast, reviews the Cybertruck. Hannah had been skeptical of Musk’s weird retro-futuristic pickup, but she mostly liked it! With some important caveats, one being the surprising celebrity-like status of the driver. Finally, we dive into a feud with a possible happy ending.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 22, 2024 • 30min
Bonus: The Real Reason Elon Musk Bought Twitter (Maybe)
Bloomberg social media reporter Kurt Wagner discusses theories behind Elon Musk's Twitter acquisition, from confounding private jet tracking to strategic goals. Explore Twitter's evolution under Musk's leadership, his free speech advocacy, financial challenges post-acquisition, and potential future outcomes for the platform.

Feb 20, 2024 • 29min
Starlink is Incredibly Influential—and Investors Want In
Over the past year or so, Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite system has become increasingly important—and along with that, valuable. It’s been in the news recently because Ukrainian officials said that Russia was using Starlink to help their military operations in occupied parts of Ukraine—something Musk himself has denied. At the same time, though, Musk has been vocal about his opinion that the US should not continue funding Ukraine in their fight against Russia, an opinion shared by many rightwing Republican politicians. Starlink has also been approved to work in another conflict zone, as Israel gave permission for a Starlink terminal to be parked in a field hospital in Gaza. With all of the attention on Starlink’s role in conflict comes another, related question: how financially important is the product to Musk’s overall business empire? To talk about these questions, Elon, Inc. welcomed two Bloomberg experts to the panel: Marc Champion, a Bloomberg Opinion writer who has written about Musk’s role for both Ukraine and Russia, and Ed Ludlow, Bloomberg Technology reporter and TV host. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 13, 2024 • 31min
How Wall Street Sees Elon and the Autopilot Superbowl "Ad"
Barry Ritholtz, host of the podcast Masters in Business and founder of Ritholtz Wealth Management, discusses Elon Musk's prowess as a manager and marketer. They also talk about challenges and opportunities posed by Autopilot and Full Self-Driving, as well as criticism of Tesla's autopilot and safety concerns. The podcast delves into Elon Musk's achievements and impact, comparing him to Jeff Bezos, and explores the dynamic between Musk and SpaceX's Gwen Shotwell.

Feb 6, 2024 • 27min
The story Elon isn't posting about... (Hint: It's Tesla's stock price)
Elon Musk joins the podcast to discuss Tesla's declining stock price and the negative headlines surrounding his decision-making. The podcast also explores the polarizing views on Tesla among Wall Street analysts and the changing short interest in Tesla's stock. Additionally, Elon Musk's financial situation and alleged drug use are discussed, including debates surrounding his leadership and the impact on investors.

Jan 31, 2024 • 20min
Emergency Episode: Elon's $55 Billion Pay Problem
Elon Musk, billionaire CEO of Tesla and other companies, discusses the recent Delaware court ruling voiding his $55 billion compensation package and the implications for his business empire. The hosts explore Elon Musk's legal troubles, shareholder reactions, potential consequences, and effects of decreasing his share ownership and controversial tweets. They also touch on Musk's status as the richest person, his ownership of satellites, plans for an AI company, and the perception of him as a scam artist.

Jan 30, 2024 • 30min
Elon Implants a Brain Chip, Deepfakes Break X
Elon Musk successfully implants a brain chip in a human and teases the proposed product name 'Telepathy'. The hosts express skepticism and discuss the need for more research. They compare Neuralink and Synchron devices, highlighting the higher number of electrodes in Neuralink. The podcast also covers online abuse and lack of control on platforms, Tesla's fourth quarter earnings and market reaction, and Tesla's stock performance and growth prospects.

Jan 23, 2024 • 28min
Elon Musk Bingo on Tesla’s Earnings Call
The hosts discuss Elon Musk's influence, including his status as the richest person and his ownership of satellites. They explore his affiliations with political figures and his potential support for Donald Trump. They also discuss Elon Musk's unpredictable behavior during Tesla's earnings calls, his tendency to overpromise, and his unique use of language. They introduce the concept of earnings bingo and compare his earnings calls to a Taylor Swift concert.

5 snips
Jan 16, 2024 • 30min
Elon is the New Rush Limbaugh... No, Warren Buffett... No, Howard Hughes...
Elon Musk's engagement with memes and misinformation favored by Donald Trump and his supporters, the drama over at Tesla, analyzing the shift in Elon Musk's social media posts and the amplification of right-wing narratives, his political influence and alignment with conservative topics, exploring historical parallels and checks on political figures, his views on immigration and controversy, Elon Musk's ownership aspirations and the challenges faced by rental companies in the EV market, and exploring Osage County and its history of land acquisition.