Business Wars

Costco's membership retention rate is the stuff of other retailers' dreams, nevermind the love they get on social media. With very little paid advertising, the company has managed to keep its spot as the third largest retailer in the U.S. We’re finding out how they do it with Susan and David Schwartz, authors of “The Joy of Costco: a Treasure Hunt from A to Z,” and Business Insider reporter Dominick Reuter.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From the outside, OpenAI looked like one of Silicon Valley’s biggest success stories. In 2022, it had stunned the world with the release of ChatGPT3.5, leapfrogging some of the biggest tech companies to be an industry leader in artificial intelligence. But, inside the company walls trouble was brewing. Chief Scientist Ilya Sutskever had increasing concerns about the speed at which OpenAI was commercializing and releasing AI products. He worried about the direction AI was heading and the impact it would have on the future of humanity.In November 2023, Sutskever reached his breaking point. His actions would have a tumultuous effect.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With everything Taylor Swift’s been up to lately, being a Swiftie is almost a fulltime job. Today, David speaks with two digital creators who have been covering her since day one. First up, pop culture YouTuber Lauren Lipman talks about Taylor’s NFL era, the challenges of covering Taylor during her fight for her masters, and the time she got to meet Taylor. Next, digital creator and longtime Swiftie Autumn Kennedy takes us inside her fan account TS Tour Tips. With more than 400,000 followers, Autumn’s Instagram page chronicles Taylor’s Eras Tour as it travels around the world.Check out Lauren Lipman on Instagram @LaurenLipman and Autumn Kennedy @TSTourTips.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When Taylor Swift began planning The Eras Tour, she probably didn't expect to be at the forefront of an antitrust battle that could decide the future of concerts in the U.S. But the battle for Taylor Swift tickets leads Swift, her fans, and Senators into a tussle with Ticketmaster, the biggest live events company on the public markets. And Hollywood's next.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

By 2019, Taylor Swift's battle to get her masters back from Scooter Braun has gone public. She decides to fight by deploying her own, very dangerous weapon -- the Swifties. And Braun pulls out all the stops to protect his $300 million asset.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

By 2014, Taylor Swift has spread her wings into pop. But as her self-confidence grows, so does her discontent with her label. So she makes a bold move. Meanwhile, mega-manager Scooter Braun sees a business opportunity in Swift's early masters. The problem is, Swift has serious beef with Braun and his clients. And when she finds out about his plan, it'll be all out war.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’ve got the keys to Barbie's dream house and we’re unlocking her legacy, staying power and what’s ahead. We're joined by Time reporter and Mattel expert Eliana Dockterman and entertainment and culture journalist Matthew Jacobs to talk about Barbie's ups and downs and the key business decisions that revived the flailing brand. Plus, what's behind the movie's Oscars nominations... and snubs. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When Taylor Swift signed to an upstart country label as a teen, she probably didn't realize that she was signing away the rights to something she would spend decades getting back -- her masters. Swift’s fight for her $300 million master recordings is a scrimmage that could reshuffle the entire business model of the music industry. But first, Swift has to make it big. And that's a one-in-a-million shot. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When the Apple Watch first debuted, designer Jony Ive envisioned the gadget as a must-have in the world of high fashion. But even if the smartwatch hasn’t become a mainstay in the luxury world, it has become a tool many of us can’t live without.Wired Editor-at-large Steven Levy joins David to unpack the evolution of the Apple Watch.  Steven’s covered Apple since the early 80s, and he’s connecting the dots to share how the Apple of yesterday brought us the Apple Watch of today. Later, GQ Senior Style Writer Cam Wolf, tells us how the rise of the Apple Watch has changed the mechanical watch market.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s 2016 and in the wake of a major PR fiasco, Samsung is rolling out their new round smartwatch with a beautiful rotating bezel, while an MLB cheating scandal puts the Apple Watch squarely in consumers’ sights. And, enhanced health features in the Series 4 rocket Apple Watch sales to record heights. Meanwhile Samsung gets hit with a lawsuit and then releases a tone-deaf ad campaign savaged by women around the world. And as both smartwatch contenders add more health functionality to their devices, they’re dogged by controversies over patents, consumer privacy and failure to deliver on vaulted promises of medical grade precision.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s 2012 and Apple’s legendary designer in chief, Jony Ive, decides the company’s first product launch after Steve Jobs’ death should be a smartwatch. But he struggles to get buy-in from CEO Tim Cook and upper management. Meanwhile Samsung races to beat Apple to market.. Then Samsung raises the stakes with a wildly successful satirical ad campaign aimed at Apple’s pretentiousness, but eventually launches a flawed smartwatch that leaves consumers cold. After Apple finally greenlights the smartwatch project, Jony Ive and Apple engineers grapple with a host of challenges.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Before Apple and Samsung took over our wrists, there was Fitbit. The fitness tracker was just about the coolest thing in Silicon Valley, and everyone in tech was wearing one — including Wired Magazine senior editor Michael Calore and senior writer Lauren Goode!Long before the pair started hosting the Wired Gadget Lab podcast, they were crushing their steps goal while reporting on the buzziest wearable on the market. Michael and Lauren join David to help trace the steps that Fitbit took to become one of the most enduring pioneers of the wearable world, walking 10,000 steps so that the Apple Watch could run...and answer calls...and text.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s 1936 in a small town in Korea and a rakish scion of a wealthy family realizes he has to clean up his act by starting a small import export business.  By the 1980s, he fast tracks South Korea’s first computer chip factory, and turns hundreds of engineers into fiercely loyal, tirelessly diligent “Samsung Men.” But as Apple’s star rises, Samsung turns to American designers from California to teach its employees innovation and free-wheeling creativity. The result is a 1999 futuristic watch phone – a forerunner to Samsung’s first Galaxy Gear smartwatch. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Can you imagine video games without Sony? A partnership between Sony and Nintendo could have changed the future of Playstation — and the video game industry — as we know it… if the deal hadn’t ended with a dramatic betrayal. Tristan Donovan, author of Replay: The History of Video Games (and writer of this season of Business Wars), joins David to tell us about the console that almost wasn’t. You’ll also hear why Nintendo is so hard to predict, and where the video games market is going next. For the full story on what went down with Playstation in the early 1990s, listen to the Business Wars Nintendo vs. Sony season, also written by Tristan. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s 2016 and Xbox boss Phil Spencer’s leading a reboot of the Xbox brand after the Xbox One’s fumbled start. But with Sony and Nintendo surging ahead, he needs to make some big plays to get Microsoft back in action.But when he homes in on a plan to spend tens of billions of dollars to reinvent Xbox and move beyond the console war, Sony’s going to go all out to stop Microsoft from spending its way to victory.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s 2007 and both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 are in trouble. Microsoft’s dealing with an epidemic of dying consoles. Sony lacks sales momentum. And Nintendo’s surging back with the Wii – a console that lets people play using a motion-tracking controller.But when Microsoft hits paydirt with its own motion-controller – the Kinect – it will change the direction for Xbox and give Sony an opportunity for a comeback.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s 2002 and the race to build the next generation of game consoles is already underway. And Sony’s got big plans for the PlayStation 3. It wants to use it to introduce a new kind of computer architecture and it’s teamed up with Toshiba and IBM to do it.But with Microsoft’s gunning to get its next console, the Xbox 360, into stores first, IBM spies a golden opportunity. IBM can make huge profits by partnering with both rivals in the console war.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

American Girl or Barbie? Transformers or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? The Game of Life or Monopoly? We're putting your favorite nostalgic toys head-to-head to determine the GOAT (greatest of all TOYS) with comedian Josh Gondelman and New York Times retail reporter Jordyn Holman. And later on, David goes in the hot seat to choose between some of his most beloved childhood toys (POGs, anyone?). Happy holidays from Business Wars to you!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s the year 2000. Sony’s PlayStation 2 is ready to conquer the game business and leave its Japanese rivals Sega and Nintendo looking like has-beens.But Sony’s gaming success is causing alarm at Microsoft’s headquarters. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates fears Sony will use the PlayStation to conquer computer-based home entertainment and shut Windows out of the home.So he’s striking back by deploying Microsoft’s billions to create a Windows-based game console called the Xbox. But the team he’s assigned to the job are about to reject his plan.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

‘Tis the season for toys! First, we’re getting an update on where toy retailers stand today with Forbes Senior Contributor Joan Verdon. She’s covered Toys R Us since the late 90s, and has the inside scoop on whether this chain is actually making the big comeback the headlines claim.Later, we’re zooming in on one toy that’s stood the test of time — Hot Wheels – with Bruce Pascal, who has the world’s most valuable, historically-complete collection of these tiny cars. And he’s recently created his own museum for them. Plus, Bruce shares how he acquired the “holy grail” for Hot Wheels collectors (hint: it’s hot pink).See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.