Empires - An Asian Business Podcast
If you love Business Wars, you'll love this!
From 1UpMedia, Empires is an immersive storytelling that dives deep into the history of the most successful businesses in Asia.
Every Monday, you'll learn the history of its leaders, the decisions that have rippled across the industry, and the factors that allowed them to become the empire's that they are today.
From triumph and victories, to monumental failures - Empires gets you behind the scenes of some of the most successful companies in Asia.
Latest episodes
May 13, 2024 • 27min
Vingroup (VN) | System Reboot | 4/5
Pham Nhat Vuong is often called the Elon Musk of Vietnam.
Vuong founded Vingroup, Vietnam's largest conglomerate, contributing nearly 2% to the nation's GDP. The company spans six key sectors, with real estate as its main driver, accounting for 70% of its revenue and boasting $17.6 billion in assets.
Globally, Vingroup is recognized through its subsidiary VinFast, a venture full of challenges yet poised to revolutionize the company much like Samsung Electronics transformed Samsung Group.
Episode 1: Vuong’s early entrepreneurial efforts start unexpectedly in Russia and Ukraine, where initial failures left him deeply in debt.
Episode 2: Tracks Vuong's venture into Vietnam with luxury resort chain VinPearl.
Episode 3: Highlights the meteoric rise of Vingroup's real estate sector, becoming the cornerstone of the conglomerate.
Episode 4: Chronicles the bold leap into electronics with VinSmart, a move that proved costly.
Episode 5: Examines VinFast's turbulent rise and steep challenges, as it races to establish itself in the auto industry.
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We're looking to grow our team! Help support our productions here :') Buy Me a Coffee
-
Want to discover more origins, rise & fall on Asian business empires? Follow us on our Tiktok where we share 5 minute breakdowns of some of the most interesting Asian businesses.
Want to meet the team? Follow me here!
-
If you love the style of Empires, and want similar content, check out:
🔪💥"Mass Murders", Decisiosn that led to countless, dead. (On Spotify/ Apple)
📝💕 "Post, Love", Essays on Love, Life and Everything in Between. (On Spotify/ Apple)
🔪🩸 "Heinous", A Revive Look at the Most Heinous Crimes in Asia. (On Spotify/ Apple)
May 6, 2024 • 27min
Vingroup (VN) | A Good Land Attracts Good Birds | 3/5
Pham Nhat Vuong is often called the Elon Musk of Vietnam.
Vuong founded Vingroup, Vietnam's largest conglomerate, contributing nearly 2% to the nation's GDP. The company spans six key sectors, with real estate as its main driver, accounting for 70% of its revenue and boasting $17.6 billion in assets.
Globally, Vingroup is recognized through its subsidiary VinFast, a venture full of challenges yet poised to revolutionize the company much like Samsung Electronics transformed Samsung Group.
Episode 1: Vuong’s early entrepreneurial efforts start unexpectedly in Russia and Ukraine, where initial failures left him deeply in debt.
Episode 2: Tracks Vuong's venture into Vietnam with luxury resort chain VinPearl.
Episode 3: Highlights the meteoric rise of Vingroup's real estate sector, becoming the cornerstone of the conglomerate.
Episode 4: Chronicles the bold leap into electronics with VinSmart, a move that proved costly.
Episode 5: Examines VinFast's turbulent rise and steep challenges, as it races to establish itself in the auto industry.
-
We're looking to grow our team! Help support our productions here :') Buy Me a Coffee
-
Want to discover more origins, rise & fall on Asian business empires? Follow us on our Tiktok where we share 5 minute breakdowns of some of the most interesting Asian businesses.
Want to meet the team? Follow me here!
-
If you love the style of Empires, and want similar content, check out:
🔪💥"Mass Murders", Decisiosn that led to countless, dead. (On Spotify/ Apple)
📝💕 "Post, Love", Essays on Love, Life and Everything in Between. (On Spotify/ Apple)
🔪🩸 "Heinous", A Revive Look at the Most Heinous Crimes in Asia. (On Spotify/ Apple)
Apr 29, 2024 • 27min
Vingroup (VN) | Pearl in the Bay | 2/5
Pham Nhat Vuong is often called the Elon Musk of Vietnam.
Vuong founded Vingroup, Vietnam's largest conglomerate, contributing nearly 2% to the nation's GDP. The company spans six key sectors, with real estate as its main driver, accounting for 70% of its revenue and boasting $17.6 billion in assets.
Globally, Vingroup is recognized through its subsidiary VinFast, a venture full of challenges yet poised to revolutionize the company much like Samsung Electronics transformed Samsung Group.
Episode 1: Vuong’s early entrepreneurial efforts start unexpectedly in Russia and Ukraine, where initial failures left him deeply in debt.
Episode 2: Tracks Vuong's venture into Vietnam with luxury resort chain VinPearl.
Episode 3: Highlights the meteoric rise of Vingroup's real estate sector, becoming the cornerstone of the conglomerate.
Episode 4: Chronicles the bold leap into electronics with VinSmart, a move that proved costly.
Episode 5: Examines VinFast's turbulent rise and steep challenges, as it races to establish itself in the auto industry.
-
We're looking to grow our team! Help support our productions here :') Buy Me a Coffee
-
Want to discover more origins, rise & fall on Asian business empires? Follow us on our Tiktok where we share 5 minute breakdowns of some of the most interesting Asian businesses.
Want to meet the team? Follow me here!
-
If you love the style of Empires, and want similar content, check out:
🔪💥"Mass Murders", Decisiosn that led to countless, dead. (On Spotify/ Apple)
📝💕 "Post, Love", Essays on Love, Life and Everything in Between. (On Spotify/ Apple)
🔪🩸 "Heinous", A Revive Look at the Most Heinous Crimes in Asia. (On Spotify/ Apple)
Apr 22, 2024 • 31min
Vingroup (VN) | My Name is Prosperity | 1/5
Pham Nhat Vuong is often called the Elon Musk of Vietnam.
Vuong founded Vingroup, Vietnam's largest conglomerate, contributing nearly 2% to the nation's GDP. The company spans six key sectors, with real estate as its main driver, accounting for 70% of its revenue and boasting $17.6 billion in assets.
Globally, Vingroup is recognized through its subsidiary VinFast, a venture full of challenges yet poised to revolutionize the company much like Samsung Electronics transformed Samsung Group.
Episode 1: Vuong’s early entrepreneurial efforts start unexpectedly in Russia and Ukraine, where initial failures left him deeply in debt.
Episode 2: Tracks Vuong's venture into Vietnam with luxury resort chain VinPearl.
Episode 3: Highlights the meteoric rise of Vingroup's real estate sector, becoming the cornerstone of the conglomerate.
Episode 4: Chronicles the bold leap into electronics with VinSmart, a move that proved costly.
Episode 5: Examines VinFast's turbulent rise and steep challenges, as it races to establish itself in the auto industry.
-
We're looking to grow our team! Help support our productions here :') Buy Me a Coffee
-
Want to discover more origins, rise & fall on Asian business empires? Follow us on our Tiktok where we share 5 minute breakdowns of some of the most interesting Asian businesses.
Want to meet the team? Follow me here!
-
If you love the style of Empires, and want similar content, check out:
🔪💥"Mass Murders", Decisiosn that led to countless, dead. (On Spotify/ Apple)
📝💕 "Post, Love", Essays on Love, Life and Everything in Between. (On Spotify/ Apple)
🔪🩸 "Heinous", A Revive Look at the Most Heinous Crimes in Asia. (On Spotify/ Apple)
Apr 8, 2024 • 27min
GOTO | Go Far, Go Together (ID) | 5/5
GOTO, an Indonesian tech titan, drives more than 2% of the nation's GDP.
Born from the union of Gojek, Indonesia's answer to Uber, and Tokopedia, its version of Amazon, GOTO reigns as a colossal tech empire.
Its business model? Imagine Amazon scrapping its warehouses, leaning instead on a vast network of in-house drivers for deliveries.
With impressive figures, GOTO boasts 64 million annual users, 3 million drivers, and 18 million merchants, peaking at a valuation of $33 billion USD. It churns out $2 billion USD in gross revenue, with a portfolio diversified into on-demand services (57%), e-commerce (36%), and fintech (7%).
Episode 1 unveils Tokopedia's modest start, featuring founder William Tanuwijaya's relentless pursuit of belief.
Episode 2 tracks William's rise as Indonesia's tech godfather, celebrating Tokopedia's groundbreaking $100 million funding.
Episode 3 revisits Gojek's journey, from its lackluster inception under Nadiem Makarim to its game-changing revival.
Episode 4 showcases the strategic dance of Gojek and Tokopedia, warding off tech behemoths vying for control over Indonesia.
Episode 5 captures the monumental merger into GOTO, a powerhouse valued at its zenith at over $33 billion USD.
-
We're looking to grow our team! Help support our productions here :') Buy Me a Coffee
-
Want to discover more origins, rise & fall on Asian business empires? Follow us on our Tiktok where we share 5 minute breakdowns of some of the most interesting Asian businesses.
Want to meet the team? Follow me here!
-
If you love the style of Empires, and want similar content, check out:
🔪💥"Mass Murders", Decisiosn that led to countless, dead. (On Spotify/ Apple)
📝💕 "Post, Love", Essays on Love, Life and Everything in Between. (On Spotify/ Apple)
🔪🩸 "Heinous", A Revive Look at the Most Heinous Crimes in Asia. (On Spotify/ Apple)
Apr 1, 2024 • 32min
GOTO | My Nakama (ID) | 4/5
GOTO, an Indonesian tech titan, drives more than 2% of the nation's GDP.
Born from the union of Gojek, Indonesia's answer to Uber, and Tokopedia, its version of Amazon, GOTO reigns as a colossal tech empire.
Its business model? Imagine Amazon scrapping its warehouses, leaning instead on a vast network of in-house drivers for deliveries.
With impressive figures, GOTO boasts 64 million annual users, 3 million drivers, and 18 million merchants, peaking at a valuation of $33 billion USD. It churns out $2 billion USD in gross revenue, with a portfolio diversified into on-demand services (57%), e-commerce (36%), and fintech (7%).
Episode 1 unveils Tokopedia's modest start, featuring founder William Tanuwijaya's relentless pursuit of belief.
Episode 2 tracks William's rise as Indonesia's tech godfather, celebrating Tokopedia's groundbreaking $100 million funding.
Episode 3 revisits Gojek's journey, from its lackluster inception under Nadiem Makarim to its game-changing revival.
Episode 4 showcases the strategic dance of Gojek and Tokopedia, warding off tech behemoths vying for control over Indonesia.
Episode 5 captures the monumental merger into GOTO, a powerhouse valued at its zenith at over $33 billion USD.
-
We're looking to grow our team! Help support our productions here :') Buy Me a Coffee
-
Want to discover more origins, rise & fall on Asian business empires? Follow us on our Tiktok where we share 5 minute breakdowns of some of the most interesting Asian businesses.
Want to meet the team? Follow me here!
-
If you love the style of Empires, and want similar content, check out:
📝💕 "Post, Love", Essays on Love, Life and Everything in Between. (On Spotify/ Apple)
🔪🩸 "Heinous", A Revive Look at the Most Heinous Crimes in Asia. (On Spotify/ Apple)
Mar 25, 2024 • 27min
GOTO | Go Ojek (ID) | 3/5
GOTO, an Indonesian tech titan, drives more than 2% of the nation's GDP.
Born from the union of Gojek, Indonesia's answer to Uber, and Tokopedia, its version of Amazon, GOTO reigns as a colossal tech empire.
Its business model? Imagine Amazon scrapping its warehouses, leaning instead on a vast network of in-house drivers for deliveries.
With impressive figures, GOTO boasts 64 million annual users, 3 million drivers, and 18 million merchants, peaking at a valuation of $33 billion USD. It churns out $2 billion USD in gross revenue, with a portfolio diversified into on-demand services (57%), e-commerce (36%), and fintech (7%).
Episode 1 unveils Tokopedia's modest start, featuring founder William Tanuwijaya's relentless pursuit of belief.
Episode 2 tracks William's rise as Indonesia's tech godfather, celebrating Tokopedia's groundbreaking $100 million funding.
Episode 3 revisits Gojek's journey, from its lackluster inception under Nadiem Makarim to its game-changing revival.
Episode 4 showcases the strategic dance of Gojek and Tokopedia, warding off tech behemoths vying for control over Indonesia.
Episode 5 captures the monumental merger into GOTO, a powerhouse valued at its zenith at over $33 billion USD.
-
We're looking to grow our team! Help support our productions here :') Buy Me a Coffee
-
Want to discover more origins, rise & fall on Asian business empires? Follow us on our Tiktok where we share 5 minute breakdowns of some of the most interesting Asian businesses.
Want to meet the team? Follow me here!
-
If you love the style of Empires, and want similar content, check out:
📝💕 "Post, Love", Essays on Love, Life and Everything in Between. (On Spotify/ Apple)
🔪🩸 "Heinous", A Revive Look at the Most Heinous Crimes in Asia. (On Spotify/ Apple)
Mar 18, 2024 • 30min
GOTO | Three Proposals (ID) | 2/5
GOTO, an Indonesian tech titan, drives more than 2% of the nation's GDP.
Born from the union of Gojek, Indonesia's answer to Uber, and Tokopedia, its version of Amazon, GOTO reigns as a colossal tech empire.
Its business model? Imagine Amazon scrapping its warehouses, leaning instead on a vast network of in-house drivers for deliveries.
With impressive figures, GOTO boasts 64 million annual users, 3 million drivers, and 18 million merchants, peaking at a valuation of $33 billion USD. It churns out $2 billion USD in gross revenue, with a portfolio diversified into on-demand services (57%), e-commerce (36%), and fintech (7%).
Episode 1 unveils Tokopedia's modest start, featuring founder William Tanuwijaya's relentless pursuit of belief.
Episode 2 tracks William's rise as Indonesia's tech godfather, celebrating Tokopedia's groundbreaking $100 million funding.
Episode 3 revisits Gojek's journey, from its lackluster inception under Nadiem Makarim to its game-changing revival.
Episode 4 showcases the strategic dance of Gojek and Tokopedia, warding off tech behemoths vying for control over Indonesia.
Episode 5 captures the monumental merger into GOTO, a powerhouse valued at its zenith at over $33 billion USD.
-
We're looking to grow our team! Help support our productions here :') Buy Me a Coffee
-
Want to discover more origins, rise & fall on Asian business empires? Follow us on our Tiktok where we share 5 minute breakdowns of some of the most interesting Asian businesses.
Want to meet the team? Follow me here!
-
If you love the style of Empires, and want similar content, check out:
📝💕 "Post, Love", Essays on Love, Life and Everything in Between. (On Spotify/ Apple)
🔪🩸 "Heinous", A Revive Look at the Most Heinous Crimes in Asia. (On Spotify/ Apple)
Mar 11, 2024 • 31min
GOTO | We Are Not Afraid (ID) | 1/5
GOTO, an Indonesian tech titan, drives more than 2% of the nation's GDP.
Born from the union of Gojek, Indonesia's answer to Uber, and Tokopedia, its version of Amazon, GOTO reigns as a colossal tech empire.
Its business model? Imagine Amazon scrapping its warehouses, leaning instead on a vast network of in-house drivers for deliveries.
With impressive figures, GOTO boasts 64 million annual users, 3 million drivers, and 18 million merchants, peaking at a valuation of $33 billion USD. It churns out $2 billion USD in gross revenue, with a portfolio diversified into on-demand services (57%), e-commerce (36%), and fintech (7%).
Episode 1 unveils Tokopedia's modest start, featuring founder William Tanuwijaya's relentless pursuit of belief.
Episode 2 tracks William's rise as Indonesia's tech godfather, celebrating Tokopedia's groundbreaking $100 million funding.
Episode 3 revisits Gojek's journey, from its lackluster inception under Nadiem Makarim to its game-changing revival.
Episode 4 showcases the strategic dance of Gojek and Tokopedia, warding off tech behemoths vying for control over Indonesia.
Episode 5 captures the monumental merger into GOTO, a powerhouse valued at its zenith at over $33 billion USD.
-
We're looking to grow our team! Help support our productions here :') Buy Me a Coffee
-
Want to discover more origins, rise & fall on Asian business empires? Follow us on our Tiktok where we share 5 minute breakdowns of some of the most interesting Asian businesses.
Want to meet the team? Follow me here!
-
If you love the style of Empires, and want similar content, check out:
📝💕 "Post, Love", Essays on Love, Life and Everything in Between. (On Spotify/ Apple)
🔪🩸 "Heinous", A Revive Look at the Most Heinous Crimes in Asia. (On Spotify/ Apple)
Feb 19, 2024 • 27min
Charoen Pokphand (C.P.) | Tom Yam Kung Crisis (TH) | 5/5
Charoen Pokphand, or C.P., is renowned as the "Kitchen of the World."
It is estimated that half the world's population has consumed food from C.P.
Initially recognized for its expertise in vertical food integration, the company has evolved into one of Thailand's largest distributors. It owns 13,000 7-Eleven stores and nearly 3,000 hypermarkets, supermarkets, and minimarkets under the "Lotus" brand. Additionally, it owns True Corp, a telecommunications company providing 99% coverage in Thailand and serving over half of the nation's citizens.
However, C.P. is not just a Thai company, but also deeply embedded in China. As the first foreign company in China, bearing the number 001, C.P. has diversified into producing motorbikes, developing real estate, and even producing China's longest-running TV program at one point.
All business units fall under the C.P. Group, owned by Thailand's wealthiest family, the Chearavanonts. Under Dhanin (Guomin) Chearavanont's leadership, C.P. transformed from a modest seed business to the world's kitchen.
In EP 1, discover Chia Ek Chor's vision that propels the Chearavanont family towards greatness.
In EP 2, witness Dhanin's climb to lead C.P. Group, a monumental journey.
In EP 3, explore C.P.'s groundbreaking move into vertical farming, reshaping global food production.
In EP 4, follow C.P.'s bold entry into China, setting a precedent as the first foreign investor.
In EP 5, observe the dramatic effects of the Asian Financial Crisis on C.P.'s ambitious expansion.
-
We're looking to grow our team! Help support our productions here :') Buy Me a Coffee
-
Want to discover more origins, rise & fall on Asian business empires? Follow us on our Tiktok where we share 5 minute breakdowns of some of the most interesting Asian businesses.
Want to meet the team? Follow me here!
-
If you love the style of Empires, and want similar content, check out:
📝💕 "Post, Love", Essays on Love, Life and Everything in Between. (On Spotify/ Apple)
🔪🩸 "Heinous", A Revive Look at the Most Heinous Crimes in Asia. (On Spotify/ Apple)
