Priceless or Pointless

Joseph Hofer ( hoferstudio.com ) spent 12 years at BlackBerry designing their most iconic devices, including the Bold series. He now runs his own industrial design studio. We’ll talk about : how his grandfather's woodworking tools shaped his design philosophy  why BlackBerry pursued premium positioning  the distinction between premium and luxury  why he likes anti-trend products, why he developed...

"I told her I wouldn't be using it, and eventually I found myself actually using it as much as she did. I am a hundred percent converted." Badr and Greg chat about their own Thermomix, sparking a conversation about why people spend over $1,500 on a kitchen appliance that does everything, yet might strip away the joy of cooking. -- Keywords: brand positioning, product pricing, consumer behavior, pr...

“What does it even mean for a beach to be rated 4.8 on Google Maps?" Badr asks Greg about disappointing restaurant recommendations, leading to a deep dive into the psychology of online reviews. They explore negativity bias, herd mentality, and the halo effect that shapes how we interpret ratings. -- Keywords: positioning, business strategy, restaurant reviews, Google Maps, Airbnb, Tabelog, IMDB, G...

"I find myself having to pitch and convince my friends in addition to the trailer because the trailer is counterproductive." Greg shares with Badr his frustration with movie trailers and why he's stopped watching them entirely. We explore how trailers have become homogenized, failing to capture the true tone of films while somehow being both forgettable and counterproductive. Movie studios are fun...

"Starlink is a game-changer for us. It feels like a cheat code." Badr asks Greg about his family's switch from traditional network providers to Starlink, exploring whether satellite internet represents a premium product or just another commodity. They examine why network providers have become commoditized utilities that customers tolerate rather than love. The discussion also touches on how succes...

"Tomorrowland is like Disney for adults." In this episode, Greg and Badr unpack why this festival keeps people coming back year after year. From collectible bracelets to branded airplanes and ticket queues that feel more like high-stakes lotteries, Tomorrowland isn’t just an event — it’s a masterclass in building desire. If you’re in business, branding, or just obsessed with what makes people tick...

Hosted by Greg Jeanneau and Badr Filali We explore the emotional and practical journey of buying a bike, from theft anxiety to the absence of brand loyalty. We unpack why most bike companies feel interchangeable, how design and positioning fall short, and why creating a richer experience around the product—the “glue”—could be the real competitive edge. -- Keywords: bike buying, bike theft, insuran...

Hosted by Greg Jeanneau and Badr Filali. Stanley Cups are leaky, oversized, and not particularly cheap. So how did they become a viral status symbol, and why do they spark so much hate? It’s a 110-year-old company, but the last 100 years are basically irrelevant to the story we’re going to talk about today. In this episode, we unpack the unlikely rise of a 110-year-old brand turned cultural phenom...

(Episode in French, let us know below if you’d like an English version!) What if you could sell your product ten times the market price — and your clients still thanked you for it? In this episode, we meet Asafumi Yamashita, a Japanese farmer based in France who supplies vegetables to Michelin-starred chefs… on his own terms. No orders, no negotiations. He shows up with what he wants, when he want...

Hosted by Greg Jeanneau and Badr Filali We dive into the extraordinary journey of Beatrice Amblard, a master leather artisan and former Hermes craftswoman. From leaving the corporate luxury world to building her own brand, April in Paris, and establishing a renowned leatherwork school, Beatrice shares her passion for craftsmanship, her insights on creativity, and her unfiltered take on the luxury...