Business on the Brink

Latest Episodes:

Bed Bath & Beyond Nov 11, 2019

Show notes

Bed Bath & Beyond has been through its share of ups and downs over its nearly 50 years of history. How many ups and downs? Well, the CEO of the company changed between the time this show was recorded and when it was published! Mary Winston has stepped aside for Mark Tritton.

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Anchor Hocking Nov 04, 2019

Show notes

Just after the turn of the 20th century, a man named Isaac Jacob Collins built a glassware factory. A century (and several owners) later, Anchor Hocking has become a name brand in glass products.

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Reese's Pieces Oct 28, 2019

Show notes

A little alien who wanted to phone home proved to be a big win for a candy product from Hershey's and it launched an era of product placement in film. But what's the story behind the name Reese's anyway?

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The Fall of Commodore Oct 21, 2019

Show notes

Once one of the top personal computer companies in North America, the company Commodore had a major fall. What happened?

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Accidental Inventions Oct 14, 2019

Show notes

Sometimes, all you have to do to avoid the brink of disaster is to pivot and turn your mistakes into opportunities. This episode is dedicated to three such stories.

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The Highs and Lows of SkyMall Oct 07, 2019

Show notes

Where else can you go when you need a desk that doubles as a Ping Pong table? No where! You go to SkyMall Magazine, and you like it! But what sent the once omnipresent magazine of the skies into a free fall?

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Lisa Frank: Not All Unicorns and Rainbows Sep 30, 2019

Show notes

We're going back to the days of colorful Trapper Keepers for this one! Lisa Frank is a person and a company, known mostly for colorful designs on school supplies. But for every shiny rainbow, there's a dark cloud.

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How Best Buy Survived the Amazon Sep 23, 2019

Show notes

Formed in the wake of a tornado, the story behind Best Buy has plenty of twist(er)s. How did this retail chain survive the digital age when so many other box stores went under?

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RCA Goes Off The Air Sep 16, 2019

Show notes

It once dominated the communications and broadcasting industries in the United States, but by 1986 it would be reduced to a name brand. What the heck happened with RCA?

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The Rise of RCA Sep 09, 2019

Show notes

Normally, the US government swoops in to bust up monopolies. But after World War I, it did the opposite. How did RCA come to be?

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