
It’s the history of business. How did Hitler’s favorite car become synonymous with hippies? What got Thomas Edison tangled up with the electric chair? Did someone murder the guy who invented the movies? Former Planet Money hosts Jacob Goldstein and Robert Smith examine the surprising stories of businesses big and small and find out what you can learn from those who founded them.
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 53 | Founded | a year ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | BusinessHistory | |||

Before there was Canada, there was the Hudson’s Bay Company.
HBC had its own laws and its own currency, and at one point controlled trade routes from the Arctic to Hawaii. It started cities like Winnipeg, Edmonton, and Victoria. It also fought an a... more
Before Reuters was a global news giant, it was a man and 45 homing pigeons. Julius Reuter saw that the telegraph would change how information moved, and he used that to his advantage. He didn’t have to get news out immediately — he just had to be fir... more
Jacob Goldstein and Robert Smith talk with Adrian Wooldridge, co-author of The Company: A Short History of a Revolutionary Idea.
Companies are some of the most powerful institutions in the modern world – right up there with the nation-state. Where... more
In the late 1800s, a Russian immigrant named Samuel Zemurray spent nearly everything he had on a load of bananas, and turned it into a fortune. But Sam the Banana Man wasn’t just a business titan. He was a puppeteer on the geopolitical stage, bankrol... more
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Always fun!
Update: After nearly a year and so many outcries against AI, it is time to escalate the outrage against the preeminent existential threat mammals have faced in 65 million years—AI. Even the inventor agrees. How much more is this podcast embedded with AI? They have a sponsor that is pushing AI. Do they have the moral turpitude to separate the sponsor from the content? They have NOT addressed this head-on, so I doubt it. I hope I am proven wrong.
Informative
Business History has slowly become my favorite podcast. Delightfully nerdy with great chemistry between Jacob and Robert. And I learn a lot to boot
So tired of the copious chatgpt commercials from Goldstein on all the Pushkin shows. it makes me cringe at his voice now.
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
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Business history told through character-driven stories about how companies, products and industries took shape. Jacob Goldstein and Robert Smith combine archival detail, lively anecdotes and clear explanations to connect individual founders and executives with wider forces such as finance, technology, regulation, labor and politics. Topics range from familiar consumer brands and major corporations to early ventures and overlooked business figures, with attention to the consequences as well as the ingenuity behind commercial success.
The regular two-host format makes complex economic and historical ideas accessible without losing their context. Episodes often trace a business from its origins through growth, controversy or decline, then dra... more
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These podcasts share a similar audience with Business History:
1. Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford
2. What's Your Problem?
3. Planet Money
4. Against the Rules: Blockers Companion Podcast
5. Freakonomics Radio
Business History launched a year ago and published 53 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on Business History include:
1. Adrian Wooldridge
2. Tim Harford
3. Kara Swisher
4. Adam Grant
5. Stacey Banach-Smith
6. Max Chavkin
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