The History Factory Podcast

In this episode, host Jason Dressel sits down with Madeline Qi and Tyler Albertario from GLAAD organization to explore the organization’s history and profound impact on LGBTQ+ advocacy and culture. As we celebrate Pride Month and reflect on the legacy of the Stonewall Uprising, Madeline and Tyler discuss GLAAD’s unique approach to advancing LGBTQ+ rights through media and popular culture. Madeline...

In this episode, host Erin Narloch sits down with Anders Sjöman, an expert in history marketing and preservation, at the renowned Center for Business History in Stockholm. Together, they delve into the fascinating world of business archives and the power of storytelling in corporate heritage. Anders shares his personal journey, from a background in economics to his pivotal role in preserving and l...

In this episode, host Jason Dressel interviews Lou Ferrante, a former mafia associate turned author, about the history of the American Mafia. Ferrante traces the mafia’s origins to Sicily in the Middle Ages and explores its evolution in American society. He discusses mafia ethics, business practices, and their impact on various industries, providing nuanced perspectives. He challenges misconceptio...

History Factory’s Erin Narloch, senior director of business insight and performance, sits down with Brigette Jones, public historian, consultant and researcher, to discuss the current state of brands leveraging or adopting inclusive practices to better connect to their customers while also acknowledging their pasts. Via the “Journey to Jubilee” tour she created conveying the stories of enslaved pe...

History Factory’s CEO Jason Dressel interviews Ryan Craig, Managing Director of Achieve Partners and author of "Apprentice Nation: How the "Earn and Learn" Alternative to Higher Education Will Create a Stronger and Fairer America."

Historian and archivist Catherine Acosta from Vans joins History Factory’s Erin Narloch for a behind-the-scenes take on the iconic Southern California brand. In a conversation covering topics including “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” common challenges and the corporate archivist role today, Catherine breaks down how Vans is bringing its heritage to modern-day marketing, product development and mor...

Historian and consultant Dr. Lindsay Sarah Krasnoff sits down with us on the next episode of “The History Factory Podcast” to talk about the history of basketball, its rise in popularity over time and the sport’s globalization. As the NBA season kicks off this week, History Factory CEO Jason Dressel dives into the history of basketball and how we might have the wrong idea about the French.

Author, speaker, futurist and consultant Mark Schaefer joins “The History Factory Podcast” to discuss the past, present and future of marketing and share insights from his latest book, “Belonging to the Brand: Why Community is the Last Great Marketing Strategy.”

“The History Factory Podcast” welcomes Dave Moore, archive and digital asset manager at Carhartt, to chat with guest host and History Factory Senior Director of Business Insight and Performance Erin Narloch. The two discuss Carhartt’s origins, why it is synonymous with quality work apparel, its evolution into a brand that influences celebrity fashion, and how it uses its archives to authenticate i...

On the latest episode of “The History Factory Podcast,” Jason Dressel hosts New York Times columnist and author James Stewart to discuss his and co-author Rachel Abrams’ new book “Unscripted: The Epic Battle for a Media Empire and the Redstone Family Legacy.” Listen to learn more about how the ViacomCBS empire and Redstone family dynamic are reminiscent of the hit HBO show “Succession.” Beyond boa...

In the second episode of the History Factory Podcast, CEO Jason Dressel sits down with Amy Bernstein, editor of Harvard Business Review. They discuss HBR’s 100 years of thought leadership, including its origin story as a quarterly magazine and its growth into the multimedia giant it is today. Facilitating worldwide discussions among the biggest business leaders, HBR has published some of the most...

We’re starting fresh this season. For starters, we decided to go back to basics and rebrand as the History Factory Podcast. Why? Because we want to continue to serve you, our listeners, with content that best fulfills our mission of making clients’ history and heritage infinitely useful in pursuit of their missions. And that starts with our name. For fans of “History Factory Plugged In,” fear not:...

As the U.S. banking world grapples with the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, we explore what makes this banking crisis unique from a historical perspective on this month’s “History Factory Plugged In.” History Factory’s founder, Bruce Weindruch, joins CEO Jason Dressel to discuss the sequence of events that led to this, as well as the vulnerabilities of the banking system overall. Company history...

In recognition of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, History Factory’s Jason Dressel sits down with author Karen Baum Gordon to discuss her book The Last Letter: A Father’s Struggle, a Daughter’s Quest, and the Long Shadow of the Holocaust, which explores the Holocaust’s impact on her family through the generations, the lost fragments of her family’s history, and her own Jewish identity. Com...

Ahead of CES, the annual bellwether event for technology and consumer electronics, we sat down with Gary Shapiro, CEO of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), to discuss the organization’s evolution during his 40-plus year tenure, CES’ transformation into a truly global event, and how the show pushes to solve the world’s problems. Company history comes alive with “History Factory Plugged In.”...

Host Jason Dressel talks with historian and author Jan Lucassen about the history of work as chronicled in Lucassen’s book “The Story of Work: A New History of Humankind.” They cover topics including the evolution of hunting and gathering societies, the development of farming and agriculture, the Industrial Revolution and, most recently, the proliferation of remote work. Lucassen also shares what...

Just in time for National Blue Jeans Day, “History Factory Plugged In” welcomes Levi Strauss & Co historian and archives manager Tracey Panek. She and host Jason Dressel, CEO of History Factory, discuss the globally known heritage brand’s origins during the gold rush of 1849 and the birth of the modern blue jeans that would ultimately take the pop culture and fashion world by storm. Company histor...

“History Factory Plugged In” welcomes Ford Archives and Heritage Brand Manager Ted Ryan. He and host Jason Dressel, CEO of History Factory, discuss how the company uses its history and archives to help with future-focused branding and marketing initiatives such as the relaunch of the Ford Bronco and the limited anniversary edition of the Ford Mustang. Company history comes alive with “History Fact...

“History Factory Plugged In” wishes the Union Pacific Railroad a happy 160th birthday! To mark the milestone, we welcome John Turner, senior vice president of the Harriman Dispatch Center and network planning at Union Pacific, to talk about the history of the company, where it is today and where it’s going. Company history comes alive with “History Factory Plugged In.” We explore the rich heritage...

“History Factory Plugged In” returns with guest Lisa Napoli, author and journalist, to discuss the 42nd anniversary of CNN’s founding. In the episode, we talk about how the network came to be, how it survived through its early years, and how it became the international news juggernaut it is today. Company history comes alive with “History Factory Plugged In.” We explore the rich heritage of major...

“History Factory Plugged In” welcomes Pete Asch, corporate archivist and corporate communications manager for the New York Stock Exchange and executive producer of “Inside the ICE House,” a podcast produced by International Exchange, to celebrate the 230th anniversary of the NYSE’s founding. We cover the Exchange’s origin story, how it uses its archives to link past to present, and what the future...

On the latest installment of “History Factory Plugged In,” host Jason Dressel reminisces about his childhood growing up on a farm in North Carolina. We welcome Neil Dahlstrom, author and Branded Properties and Heritage Manager at John Deere, to discuss his latest book, Tractor Wars: John Deere, Henry Ford, International Harvester, and the Birth of Modern Agriculture. The two talk about the develop...

This week on “History Factory Plugged In,” host Jason Dressel talks with Dr. Sarah Federman, Ph. D., about how companies can grapple with past actions that may be inconsistent with today’s ethics and standards. We examine the subject both through a historical lens and with regard to how the implications often play out in real time. Sarah Federman is an author, educator, and conflict resolution pra...

History Factory Plugged In makes its return with a new episode on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We talk to Alan Kelly, president and founder of Playmaker Systems, a strategy and analytics firm, about the role of persuasion, influence, PR and rhetoric in the ongoing war. Alan has published numerous papers including Decoding Crimea, a 2020 breakthrough analysis of Vladimir Putin’s influence strat...

"History Factory Plugged In” is back with a special Thanksgiving episode featuring Nicole Johnson, director of Butterball's Turkey Talk-Line, and Rebecca Welch, senior brand manager at Butterball. With host Jason Dressel, they discuss 40 years of the Turkey Talk-Line and reminisce about some of their favorite Thanksgiving inquiries. Company history comes alive with “History Factory Plugged In.” We...