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Artwork for Business History

Business History

Pushkin Industries
Thomas Edison
Southwest Airlines
Warren Buffett
Berkshire Hathaway
Airline Industry
Louis Le Prince
War Of the Currents
Henry Ford
Regulatory Capture
Deregulation
World War II
Sears
Silicon Valley
Ford Motor Company
General Motors
Telegraph
Wall Street
Volkswagen
Texas
Herb Kelleher

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.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes53Foundeda year ago
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BusinessHistory

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Artwork for Business History

Latest Episodes

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

YouTube

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

YouTube

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

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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

YouTube

Key Facts

Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

What's Your Problem?
What's Your Problem?iHeartPodcasts and Pushkin Industries
Freakonomics Radio
Freakonomics RadioFreakonomics Radio + Stitcher

Recent Guests

Adrian Wooldridge
Bloomberg News opinion writer and co-author of The Company: A Short History of a Revolutionary Idea
Bloomberg News
Episode: How the Company Conquered the World
Tim Harford
Host of Cautionary Tales, guest on this crossover episode
Cautionary Tales
Episode: The DeLorean Saga: Fraud, Drug Deals and Marty McFly's Car
Kara Swisher
Journalist and tech commentator
New York Magazine / Recode (as applicable)
Episode: Silicon Valley’s Obsession with Living Forever (with Kara Swisher)
Adam Grant
Organizational psychologist, Wharton professor
The Wharton School
Episode: From SNAFU with Ed Helms: Adam Grant and The OG Ponzi Scheme
Stacey Banach-Smith
Host of Everybody's Business (Bloomberg)
Bloomberg
Episode: Prediction Markets: The Wild History of Betting on Taylor Swift and Popes
Max Chavkin
Host of Everybody's Business (Bloomberg)
Bloomberg
Episode: Prediction Markets: The Wild History of Betting on Taylor Swift and Popes

Hosts

Jacob Goldstein
Former Planet Money host and business journalist.
Robert Smith
Former Planet Money host and business journalist.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 386 ratings
  • Always interesting

    Always fun!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    mykb
    Canada24 days ago
  • Taking AI money

    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.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    etherdog
    United States24 days ago
  • Informative

    Podcast Addict
    5
    kokella
    25 days ago
  • The best

    Business History has slowly become my favorite podcast. Delightfully nerdy with great chemistry between Jacob and Robert. And I learn a lot to boot

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SoulTracks
    United Statesa month ago
  • stop shilling slop

    So tired of the copious chatgpt commercials from Goldstein on all the Pushkin shows. it makes me cringe at his voice now.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Worx2
    United Statesa month ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Many describe the stories as entertaining, informative and easy to follow, with appealing topics and memorable anecdotes.
Some listeners find the informal delivery meandering or under-polished and would prefer tighter editing.
Listeners praise the hosts' chemistry, humor and clear explanations of complicated business and historical ideas.
Several listeners object to frequent advertising, particularly AI-related sponsorship and ad reads.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#76
United States/Business
Apple Podcasts
#64
Canada/Business
Apple Podcasts
#106
United Kingdom/Business
Apple Podcasts
#99
Australia/Business
Apple Podcasts
#61
New Zealand/Business
Apple Podcasts
#74
Ireland/Business

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How the Company Conquered the World
Q: What do you think AI is going to mean for this story if you want to take a stab?
Wooldridge compares AI with railroads as a transformative, capital-intensive technology with the potential for booms, busts, and societal benefits. He anticipates consolidation among large companies but also sees AI lowering costs for solo and small businesses, potentially supporting a flourishing entrepreneurial economy alongside giants.
How the Company Conquered the World
Q: Why does limited liability flip from being the exception to being the norm as we know it today?
Railroads needed large amounts of capital and carried significant risk. Wooldridge says the government wanted railways built widely, and reformers argued that limited liability should be available automatically to companies that followed the rules, rather than granted as a privilege.
From SNAFU with Ed Helms: Adam Grant and The OG Ponzi Scheme
Q: What red flags should people watch for in potential scams?
Look for inconsistencies in the story, the presence of excessive charm, misaligned incentives, and the way the promoter handles risk and accountability, which together tend to reveal manipulation and a lack of sustainable business practice.
From SNAFU with Ed Helms: Adam Grant and The OG Ponzi Scheme
Q: How do you define organizational psychology and its practical applications?
Grant explains that organizational psychology studies how people behave at work and that the practical takeaway is improving work environments by understanding motivation, leadership, and decision-making to reduce errors and improve teamwork.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Business History

What is Business History about and what kind of topics does it cover?

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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How many listeners does Business History get?

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Which podcasts are similar to Business History?

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

How many episodes of Business History are there?

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.

How do I contact Business History?

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What guests have appeared on Business History?

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

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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