Slate Business

GoFundMe turned charitable giving into another form of social media. Should we be concerned that Silicon Valley is profiting off of our most selfless intentions? Podcast production by Jess Miller, with help from Cleo Levin. Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Dear Prudence and Slow Burn. Sign up now to listen and support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com...

The name Wells Fargo conjures up images of old western stagecoaches and pioneers. But when scandal hit, was this feel-good history enough to deflect attention away from the bank’s present-day troubles? Podcast production by Jess Miller, with help from Cleo Levin and Asha Saluja. Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Dear Prudence and Slow Burn. Sign up now to lis...

The National Enquirer played a large role in the 2016 election. Four years later, the paper has been merged with a company that sells corkscrews, umbrellas, and hand sanitizer, and its CEO has been ousted from his leadership role. What happened since its days of major scoops and supermarket dominance? Podcast production by Jess Miller, with help from Cleo Levin and Asha Saluja. Slate Plus members...

For certain parents, a stroller isn’t just a product—it’s a lifestyle signifier. For the past 100 years or so, one stroller brand at a time seems to reign supreme, until it’s dethroned by the next up-and-comer. Right now, UPPAbaby is that “it” stroller. But with new customers being born every minute, how do they maintain a stronghold? Podcast production by Jess Miller, with help from Madeline Duch...

Eastman Kodak revolutionized amateur photography, but after failing to embrace digital, it fell on hard times. Then, a lifeline came in the form of a loan from the federal government--to make not cameras, but pharmaceuticals. It sent stock prices soaring … but also raised a lot of questions. Podcast production by Jess Miller, with help from Madeline Ducharme and Cleo Levin. Slate Plus members get...

For more than a century, Brooks Brothers defined fashion for a certain kind of east coast, American elite. It’s been the clothier to nearly every US president. So how did its madras start to bleed so badly? Podcast production by Jess Miller, with help from Madeline Ducharme, Hannah Klein, and Cleo Levin. Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Dear Prudence and Slo...

Airbnb transformed the experience of travel by turning ordinary neighborhoods into tourist destinations, and ordinary people into backdoor innkeepers. These people’s small businesses are the backbone of Airbnb’s big one. But facing a pandemic and a potential PR disaster, would the company prioritize its guests or its hosts? Podcast production by Heba Elorbany and Jess Miller, with help from Madeli...

There are few more iconic pieces of Americana than a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. But its singular Americanness - the thing that has kept the brand popular for decades - may now be a harbinger of its downfall. Podcast production by Jess Miller, with help from Asha Saluja. Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Dear Prudence and Slow Burn. Sign up now to listen and...

Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary says things about customers and competitors that you wouldn’t expect him to get away with -- but he does. He takes business risks that others wouldn’t dream of -- and they almost always pay off. Now facing a global pandemic, will Ryanair’s signature “no-frills” model and its lightning-rod CEO weather the storm? Podcast production by Jess Miller, with help from Madeline Du...

Crocs once teetered on the verge of total ruin, but after a long, bumpy journey, the instantly recognizable plastic clogs are back. The fact that people hate them may very well be what saved them. Podcast production by Jess Miller, with help from Madeline Ducharme, Hannah Klein, and Asha Saluja. Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Dear Prudence and Slow Burn. S...

A lot has changed since we first reported on Epic Games and its smash hit, Fortnite. This week, we bring you new reporting on how the little start-up that changed the world of gaming could permanently alter the way tech giants like Apple do business. Podcast production by Jess Miller and Asha Saluja. Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Dear Prudence and Slow Bu...

Goya CEO Robert Unanue recently praised Donald Trump at the White House, resulting in a call to boycott Goya from the political left and endorsements from the political right. Did Unanue do this to jeopardize the sale of his company and to maintain control of what his family founded?  Podcast production by Jess Miller, with help from Madeline Ducharme, Hannah Klein, Megan Kallstrom, and Asha Saluj...

A few years ago, the Department of Justice started looking into business practices in the canned tuna industry. What unfolded was a price fixing story so dark and disruptive, it threatened to upend a century-old industry.  Podcast production by Jess Miller, with help from Madeline Ducharme, Hannah Klein, Megan Kallstrom, and Asha Saluja. Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes o...

Its chief digital officer called it “an e-commerce company that sells pizza.” Tasters across the country once said its products tasted like cardboard. But by cornering the delivery business early on, Domino’s set itself up for success—a gamble that especially paid off once in-house dining went on pause. Podcast production by Jess Miller, with help from Asha Saluja and Megan Kallstrom. Slate Plus m...

Since its founding in the 1920s, McKinsey has become the gold standard for management consulting. But as its business grew, so did America’s wealth gap. Is that a coincidence? Podcast production by Heba Elorbany and Jess Miller with help from Asha Saluja. Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Dear Prudence and Slow Burn. Sign up now to listen and support our work...

Epic Games changed the world of gaming with its smash hit, Fortnite . But for founder Tim Sweeney, Fortnite was a culmination of everything he had learned since he received his first computer at age 11. Podcast production by Jess Miller and Asha Saluja. Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Dear Prudence and Slow Burn. Sign up now to listen and support our work....

Although it’s known for making products for women, Victoria’s Secret was created as a shopping experience for men. It hit its stride in the 1990s, with stores in malls across America and a brand built on a very specific kind of fantasy: supermodels, angel wings, and diamond-studded bras. But when this definition of glamour—and retail— began to fall out of fashion, Victoria’s Secret refused to budg...

Before this pandemic, the story of Purell was mostly about innovation -- inventing something people needed before they realized they needed it. Now, it’s a story about something every business executive dreams of -- a sudden influx of customers desperate to get their hands on your product.   But when demand surges so fast that the leading brand can’t produce enough of it, it results in scarcity an...

For decades, Carnival Corporation has successfully sold affordable luxury to passengers, becoming the largest cruise ship business in the world.  The reason why a vacation at sea can be so inexpensive has to do with both the vision of Carnival’s founder and the historical origins of the cruise industry itself. But that affordability can also come with unpleasant consequences. Now, the entire indus...

Navigating the marketplace is your original choose-your-own adventure. Thrilling Tales of Modern Capitalism takes a company in the news, and looks at its history to figure out why it finds itself in its present circumstances. Host Seth Stevenson brings you stories you may not have heard about the brands that shape how you live and work. And whether they’ve succeeded or failed, these companies have...