Bizography with Dana Barrett

Latest Episodes:

MATTEL: Games People Play... From Barbie, to Hot Wheels, to Er... Fraud? Oct 23, 2019

Show notes

Mattel is a classic American Dream story. Boy meets girl, they fall in love, start a company, invent iconic toys and make oodles of money. But of course nothing is ever that simple. This story has it all... young love, a woman a head of her time, a dark moment of fraud, and some truly iconic toys. But... does it have a happy ending?

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ADIDAS: 2 German Brothers + 2 Wars = Not 1, But 2 Famous Shoe Brands Oct 16, 2019

Show notes

For Bizography’s first international episode, we brave a few hard to pronounce German names to bring you the story of the Dassler Brothers. Adi and Rudi started out all cool...brothers and partners in a shoe company that would change the sports world. Alas - their story turned ugly during WWII. Let's just say the Gestapo was involved. In the aftermath of the actual war and the brotherly war, Adidas was born, and yeah, another big name shoe company too.

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SINGER: The Sordid History of the Sewing Machine Magnate Oct 09, 2019

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Sewing seems like a pretty wholesome hobby, but the most famous sewing machine brand had a founder who was anything but. He was an inventor and successful, savvy businessman, but his true passion was acting, and er... women. Isaac Merritt Singer makes the bad boy CEOs of our time look pretty tame. In this episode of Bizography we dig into the personal story of Isaac Singer, AND we give him credit for furthering an invention that changed consumer behavior. HINT: It wasn't the sewing machine.

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ATARI: From the OG of Gaming, to Game Over Oct 02, 2019

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Remember Pong? Breakout? Combat? PAC-MAN? That was all Atari. So, was Atari the OG of gaming? Or did they just do it better than the rest? And if they were so great, what the heck happened? In this episode of Bizography we go back to the 70s and 80s, and get all cultural on ya!

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MARRIOTT: The Top Is A Rewarding Place To Stay Sep 25, 2019

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Would you let your 14 year old travel to another city without you? Would you let him take all your inventory with him and trust him with a huge sale? Well, that's how J. Willard Marriott Sr. got his start. Times were different then to be sure, but it was that audacious confidence, strong work ethic, and family unity that he passed on to his sons and that formed the cornerstone of one of the world's most well-known and well-loved brands.

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DOLE: How A Tasteless Start And Soured Relationships Turned Fruitful Sep 18, 2019

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It's easy to start a business empire with family money, and stolen(ish) land. At least it was for James Dole, The Pineapple King. It seems less likely that Dole pineapple would be on every grocery store shelf around the world, if James Dole's cousin Sanford hadn't essentially stolen Hawaii. In this episode of Bizography we examine the not-so-humble history of Dole Foods, the history of Hawaii, and the sweet and juicy goodness of right time, right place, right vision that allowed Dole to grow into what it is today.

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RCA: From 20th Century Linchpin To All But Forgotten Sep 11, 2019

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RCA was once a brand in every American household; it's leaders exalted, it's contributions lauded. But ask a anyone under the age of 40 if they've heard of RCA and they'll look at you like a deer in headlights. In fact, RCA was more than just a brand here and gone, it was the linchpin for many of the icons of today. In this episode of Bizography we dig into the history of a company that gave us modern radio and television, and is directly connected to everyone from GE, NBC, ABC, and BMG to Rockefeller Center, Lifesavers, and Hertz.

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CHIPOTLE: "Fresh & Delicious" Or "Sick & Tired" Sep 04, 2019

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Chipotle went from a food craze with rabid fans to a cautionary tale of mismanagement and sick customers. So, are they iconic or were they just timely? And will they survive? In this episode of Bizography we not only examine the story of founder Steve Ells, but the history of Mexican food in America and the two other iconic companies that laid the groundwork for Chipotle to come to life.

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LEVI'S: The Patent Advantage of Being First Aug 28, 2019

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We'd never suggest sitting around and waiting for a great business idea to land in your lap, but that's kinda the story behind Levi Strauss & Co. In this week's episode of Bizography, we dig into the family, the philosophy, and first-ness that helped Levi's become the iconic brand it is today.

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TUPPERWARE: Odd Inventor, Timeless Product, And A Woman Ahead Of Her Time Aug 21, 2019

Show notes

Earl Tupper deserves all the credit for the invention of Tupperware, but it's possible that without the work of Brownie Wise, it might have languished on the shelf. And yet Brownie's story has largely been buried. In fact, if Earl had his way, her story would remain buried in an airtight wonder bowl as if it never happened. This episode of Bizography is the story of a determined inventor, a clash of egos, and a woman ahead of her time.

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