It’s the 1940s and as American soldiers battle the Axis powers overseas, Ernest and Julio Gallo fulfill lucrative government contracts for jet fuel ingredients made out of ethyl alcohol, known as "torpedo juice.” They also make a risky wager on the volatile grape market. When peace comes, the Gallo brothers pour their wartime windfall into developing the most aggressive and controversial sales techniques in the industry. Towards the end of the 1950s Ernest Gallo creates a blockbuster new product...
Oct 14, 2020•23 min•Season 43Ep. 4
It’s the 1930s and with Prohibition finally over, Americans are eager to drown themselves in booze. Ernest Gallo persuades his reluctant brother, Julio, to partner with him on starting a winery. Ernest employs every trick in the book to bolster sales, including conning customers, flouting laws and dodging government inspectors. He then gives his younger brother Joe, Jr. a menial job in the family business, but mistreats him badly. And when Joe, Jr. comes of age, Ernest and Julio terminate their ...
Oct 12, 2020•24 min•Season 43Ep. 3
It’s the roaring twenties and Joe Gallo Sr.’s two teenage sons, Ernest and Julio, help run the family’s extensive vineyards and bootlegging operations. Young Ernest plays a tricky game, dealing with Al Capone in Chicago and dodging G-men. But the stock market crash of ’29 pitches the family into a financial free fall, and drives their volatile father to become increasingly violent. Until, one fateful day, their parent’s lives come to a sudden, horrific and mysterious end. Listen ad-free on Wonde...
Oct 07, 2020•23 min•Season 43Ep. 2
It's the early 1900’s and two young brothers emigrate from Italy to the US to make their fortunes. In California, they con, grift and bamboozle their fellow immigrants out of thousands of dollars, enough to start a wine business. But when Prohibition shuts that down, they dive into the dangerous game of bootlegging, with disastrous results. The older brother has two young sons, Ernest and Julio Gallo. He doesn’t know it yet, but his sons will eventually transform his sketchy legacy into the larg...
Oct 05, 2020•22 min•Season 43Ep. 1
In 2009, Domino’s went into crisis mode after a prank threatened to ruin the brand’s already substandard image. You might say that was a wake up call. The company would go on to invest heavily in technology and delivery in the intervening years. Meanwhile, Pizza Hut doubled down on its sit-in restaurants and fancier toppings, but their investment barely moved the needle on profits. Now after 60 years of jockeying for the top spot in the pizza hierarchy, Domino’s has pulled out in front of its bi...
Sep 30, 2020•28 min•Season 41Ep. 7
It’s 2009 and Domino’s is about to risk everything in a daring bid to shake off its reputation as the home of sub-par pizza. But Pizza Hut’s having a hard time too. Its iconic red-roof restaurants are now holding it back, so the brand looks to satisfy America’s increasingly demanding palate. Listen ad-free on Wondery+ here Support us by supporting our sponsors! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Sep 28, 2020•23 min•Season 41Ep. 6
It’s the 1990s and Domino’s rapid rise on the back of its 30-minute delivery guarantee is about to smash straight into a legal roadblock. And while Domino’s extracts itself from the wreckage, Pizza Hut’s cooking up a new recipe for success. Its latest creation will horrify purists and help the chain fend off pizza’s newest player: Papa John’s. Listen ad-free on Wondery+ here Support us by supporting our sponsors! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at ht...
Sep 23, 2020•23 min•Season 41Ep. 5
Last week, we gave you the first half of our interview with Seoul Taco Founder David Choi. If you didn't catch that part of our conversation, we encourage you to go back and check it out. Since starting his Seoul Taco business eight years ago, Choi has expanded to seven total locations in Illinois and Missouri. Today, we continue our conversation with Choi and learn more about his business philosophy, his work in the communities he serves, and what’s next for Seoul Taco. This episode is sponsore...
Sep 22, 2020•16 min•Season 42Ep. 2
It’s the late 1980s and Domino’s founder Tom Monaghan’s living the high life. After years of struggle, he’s a billionaire and he’s buying up plenty of status symbols to prove it. But as Pizza Hut tries to rally a counter-attack, a day of reckoning is fast approaching for the pizza delivery pioneer. Listen ad-free on Wondery+ here Support us by supporting our sponsors! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Sep 21, 2020•22 min•Season 41Ep. 4
It’s the ‘80s and Domino’s is gunning for Pizza Hut. Domino’s has kickstarted the speediest expansion program in fast-food history and it’s not planning on stopping until it’s planted its flag in every corner of the USA. But while Domino’s goes on the attack, Pizza Hut finds itself caught between a rock and a hard place. Listen ad-free on Wondery+ here Support us by supporting our sponsors! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy...
Sep 16, 2020•23 min•Season 41Ep. 3
Before you’re ready for a full-fledged “Business War,” you need to start somewhere. David Choi put it all on the line and drained his bank account to buy his first food truck. Eight years later, Choi’s bold vision for Korean and Mexican fusion has made an impact on the culinary scene. In this episode, we hear from Choi about his humble beginnings, his hustle, and the importance of small businesses. This episode is sponsored by the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® card. See Privacy Po...
Sep 15, 2020•16 min•Season 42Ep. 1
It’s the dawn of the 1970s and Pizza Hut is about to join America's business elite by floating on the stock exchange. But the Kansas pizza giant’s moment of triumph turns into defeat. But while Pizza Hut’s been charming investors on Wall Street, Domino’s is living on skid row. And founder Tom Monaghan’s running out of time to save the day. Listen ad-free on Wondery+ here Support us by supporting our sponsors! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https:...
Sep 14, 2020•23 min•Season 41Ep. 2
It’s 1958 and on the East and West Coasts, all the cool cats are chowing down on pizza. Yet in the heartland, far away from the buzz of New York and LA, pizza is still rarely seen, let alone eaten. But that’s all about to change, thanks to a new pizzeria opened by two brothers in a hut in Kansas. And they’re not the only siblings with pie in the sky dreams. In Michigan, the Monaghan brothers are hoping to bring pizza to the nation’s front doors. Listen to new episodes 1 week early and to all epi...
Sep 09, 2020•24 min•Season 41Ep. 1
In our last episode, Amazon had once again taken a financial hit to get ahead in the shipping game, cutting out its need for FedEx and UPS, and turning them into the competition. But there’s one more link in the shipping chain that FedEx, UPS and even Amazon hasn’t cut loose: The United States Postal Service. Private shipping companies also sometimes hire the Post Office to take care of last-mile deliveries. But that might be changing as FedEx becomes more self-sufficient, and may plan to cut so...
Sep 07, 2020•23 min•Season 40Ep. 7
Both FedEx and UPS are doing a lot of business with e-commerce companies, especially Amazon. But after one disastrous Christmas season when both companies have difficulty delivering in time for Christmas, Amazon decides it’s time to bring shipping in-house. Going forward, UPS and FedEx’s biggest rival may not be each other, but the company that was once their best customer. Listen ad-free on Wondery+ here Support us by supporting our sponsors! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and ...
Sep 02, 2020•22 min•Season 40Ep. 6
With UPS expanding aggressively into Europe and other continents, FedEx decides to bet big on China. But it’s a risky strategy that initially looks like it’s going to fall short. Meanwhile, UPS tries to maintain its competitive advantage by pushing for more productivity from its workers. But the drivers have had enough and UPS soon has a major labor relations problem on its hands. UPS’s troubles give FedEx an opening to peel away some of its business. And at the dawn of the dot com era, both com...
Aug 31, 2020•23 min•Season 40Ep. 5
UPS decides it’s time to expand its market outside North America and makes a big push into Western Europe. But it’s harder than expected to integrate its corporate culture with European norms. FedEx CEO Fred Smith eschews European expansion and goes all-in on a risky new service called ZapMail, much to his executive team’s dismay. Listen ad-free on Wondery+ here Support us by supporting our sponsors! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.c...
Aug 26, 2020•21 min•Season 40Ep. 4
Finally financially stable, FedEx takes on the US government to overturn regulations that limit the size of the planes they can fly. Convinced the regulations are limiting its growth, FedEx launches a multi-pronged strategy to persuade Congress to change the rules. And UPS realizes it needs to compete directly with FedEx and finally buys its own planes to offer next-day air service. Listen ad-free on Wondery+ here Support us by supporting our sponsors! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/pri...
Aug 24, 2020•21 min•Season 40Ep. 3
After a disastrous start, FedEx needs to change its sales pitch or it will run out of money before it even has a chance to take off. Smith resorts to surprising means to raise the money to keep his fledgling company going. UPS is convinced FedEx will be out of business in a matter of months. But it has its own problems to attend to, as drivers are feeling dissatisfied and start to organize for better working conditions. Listen ad-free on Wondery+ here See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/priv...
Aug 19, 2020•22 min•Season 40Ep. 2
It’s the early 1970s, and 27-year-old Fred Smith has an idea for a new kind of package delivery service, one that uses its own planes to deliver packages in under 24 hours. Skeptics tell him the start-up costs are too high and the demand too low, but Smith thinks he’s found a way to make it work. He invests millions of his own money to get the new company started. But when one thing after another goes wrong, it looks like Smith might have made a big mistake. And that’s before he’s even had a cha...
Aug 17, 2020•22 min•Season 40Ep. 1
Almost one in three relationships start as online encounters. But the popularity of dating apps isn’t surprising with so many to choose from, and the pandemic may even be boosting dating app use. For more on how COVID-19 has changed online dating, and how apps are adapting, David speaks today with Ashley Carman, a senior reporter covering dating apps for The Verge. Carman is also Co-host of The Verge’s Why’d You Push That Button podcast. She’s here to talk about which apps are thriving, and what...
Aug 12, 2020•20 min•Season 39Ep. 7
Whitney Wolfe Herd establishes Bumble with a strident anti-misogyny agenda, but that foundation is rocked when shocking accusations of sexual harassment surface against Wolfe Herd’s co-founder. Meanwhile, the revolutionary gay app Grindr goes through a scandalous upheaval when a Chinese company buys the company and installs a straight president. And the cyber dating world undergoes a major rethinking as the coronavirus ushers in unprecedented, devastating changes for singles and everyone else on...
Aug 10, 2020•22 min•Season 39Ep. 6
Niche apps are kicking into high gear for users with specific criteria, and there’s something for everyone: muzmatch for Muslims, Mouse Mingle for Disney fans, Twindog for canine lovers, Sizzl for bacon aficionados, Bristl for beard enthusiasts and Dead Meet for morticians and other death professionals. In the mainstream, Match and Tinder have a new, serious competitor: Whitney Wolfe Herd’s Bumble. The feminist app debuts to a huge response — and a stinging lawsuit from Wolfe Herd’s former emplo...
Aug 05, 2020•21 min•Season 39Ep. 5
What seemed like a run of the mill office romance gone very, very wrong will result in a devastating upheaval in the power structure at Tinder. And repercussions will be felt throughout the industry as Whitney Wolfe exacts some delicious corporate revenge. And as the cyber dating world is rocked by horrific violence against women, apps that put female users in the driver’s seat start to get serious traction. Listen ad-free on Wondery+ here Support us by supporting our sponsors! See Privacy Polic...
Aug 03, 2020•21 min•Season 39Ep. 4
A new app aimed at gay users is about to break open an entirely new feature that will redefine the cyber dating business. And a young man emerging from a shower gets his inspiration for a new hookup site as he wipes the steam from his mirror. Soon Tinder is on fire, but the conglomerate Match Group is determined to get a stranglehold on the market. And as the industry leaps from computer screens to mobile devices, things are heading into uncharted territory. Listen ad-free on Wondery+ here Suppo...
Jul 29, 2020•24 min•Season 39Ep. 3
Dr. Neil Clark Warren is a 63-year-old theologian and clinical psychologist with a vision for a site he’s certain can lead to romantic success. eHarmony will be the first to take on the powerful Match.com. And Warren believes he is on—quite literally—a sacred mission to offer something that Match.com can’t match. eHarmony’s Christian agenda seems to be working, until the God stuff leads to serious disharmony. Dr. Warren doesn’t know it, but he’s headed for a holy war. Listen ad-free on Wondery+ ...
Jul 27, 2020•23 min•Season 39Ep. 2
It’s 1995, and computer dating is in its infancy. Most people think it’s a dark, sleazy world for desperate losers and horny perverts. But that’s all about to change. Pioneer site Match.com paves the way for cyber dating to move toward mainstream culture, but—in an era when few people even use a computer—it’s going to be a serious struggle. And as the dating market blossoms, burgeoning companies will stop at nothing to get the coveted edge, fighting for hip cache, consumer convenience and tech a...
Jul 22, 2020•24 min•Season 39Ep. 1
Today we conclude our Diamond Wars series. These precious stones are known to be undeniably beautiful, rare and a symbol of luxury. But diamonds have also been associated with war, human rights abuses and death. In response, consumers these days are demanding more transparency about where stones are sourced. Some are seeking out less expensive gemstone alternatives or lab-grown diamonds. And even powerhouse companies like De Beers have taken strides to adapt. To find out more about the future of...
Jul 20, 2020•21 min•Season 38Ep. 8
It’s the 2000s and the diamond cartel is dead. Now, De Beers must adjust to its new status as the market leader rather than the monopoly. But the threats to its business aren’t going away. Diamonds are losing their luster with the young, and Zimbabwe’s undermining the industry’s response to conflict diamonds. And most threatening of all, a wave of new start ups are out to disrupt De Beers by growing man-made diamonds. Listen ad-free on Wondery+ here See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privac...
Jul 15, 2020•26 min•Season 38Ep. 7
It’s the late 1990s and rebel armies in Angola, Sierra Leone and Congo are bankrolling campaigns of mass murder and terror with diamonds. Now, after years of turning a blind eye, the diamond-buying public is starting to notice the bloodshed. But as the issue of so-called “blood diamonds” rises up the political agenda, De Beers is plotting what might be the boldest move yet in its long history: giving up its quest to control all the world’s diamonds. Listen ad-free on Wondery+ here Support us by ...
Jul 13, 2020•23 min•Season 38Ep. 6
