They have thousands of congregants and millions of dollars in income. Zachary Crockett passes the collection plate. SOURCES: Julie Roys , founder of the Roys Report. Scott Thumma , professor of sociology of religion at Hartford International University, director of the Hartford Institute for Religion Research. RESOURCES: " The faithful see both crisis and opportunity as churches close across the country ," by Scott Neuman (NPR, 2023). " Million Dollar Homes Become Status Symbols of Televangelist...
Sep 22, 2025•24 min•Ep. 107
Pure maple syrup can be five times as expensive as “pancake syrup,” but maple farmers — and breakfast connoisseurs — say it’s worth it. Zachary Crockett pours it on thick. SOURCES: Emma Marvin , co-C.E.O. of Butternut Mountain Farm. David Marvin , founder of Butternut Mountain Farm. RESOURCES: " Crop Production ," by National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA, 2025). " Why Americans Overwhelmingly Prefer Fake Maple Syrup ," by Christopher Ingraham (The Washington Post, 2015). " History of Ma...
Sep 15, 2025•23 min•Ep. 106
Why did it take so long to invent a longer-lasting bulb? Zachary Crockett finds the answer illuminating. SOURCES: Heather Dillon , mechanical engineering professor at the University of Washington in Tacoma. Jane Brox , author of the 2010 book Brilliant: The Evolution of Artificial Light. Markus Krajewski , philosopher and historian of technology at the University of Basel in Switzerland. RESOURCES: " Thomas Edison, tinkerer ," by Eric Gilliam (Works in Progress, 2023). " It's Official: Stores Ca...
Sep 08, 2025•19 min•Ep. 105
How do courts interpret those little icons on your phone? Zachary Crockett brings down the hammer. SOURCES: Eric Goldman , professor of law, associate dean for research, co-director at the High Tech Law Institute at the Santa Clara University School of Law. RESOURCES: " Canadian Court Rules 👍 Emoji Counts as a Contract Agreement ," by Michael Levenson (New York Times, 2023). " Former Bed Bath & Beyond investor Ryan Cohen must face emoji-inspired shareholder suit ," by Rob Wile (NBC News, 20...
Sep 04, 2025•20 min
How do you turn an empty house into a buyer’s dream home? Zachary Crockett pulls back the curtain. SOURCES: Meredith Baer , founder of Meridith Baer Home. Cindy Lin , founder and lead instructor at Staged4more School of Home Staging. Karen Prince , author and home staging consultant. RESOURCES: " How Artificial Intelligence Is Changing the Real Estate Game ," by Kate Dubinski ( C.B.C. News, 2023). " Will Virtual Staging Replace Traditionally Staged Rooms? " by Barbara Ballinger ( Realtor Magazin...
Sep 01, 2025•20 min•Ep. 15
They expose fraud, catch cheating spouses, and track down missing assets — but they don’t come cheap. Zachary Crockett takes the case. SOURCES: Ashley Wardlow , chief operating officer at Nathans Investigations. RESOURCES: " Eugène-François Vidocq and the Birth of the Detective ," by Daisy Sainsbury (The Public Domain Review, 2024). " The Pinkerton Story - Chapter 1 ," (The Pinkerton Foundation, 2017). " Expectation of Privacy ," (Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute) . " Evidence &...
Aug 25, 2025•19 min•Ep. 104
There are now nearly 12,000 satellites orbiting Earth. What does it cost to put them there, and how do they make money? Zachary Crockett launches an investigation. SOURCES: Tim Farrar , president of TMF Associates. Rachel Jewett , managing editor of Via Satellite. RESOURCES: " How geostationary small satellites are providing strategic access to space ," by Steve Collar (World Economic Forum, 2025). " State of the Satellite Industry Report ," ( Satellite Industry Association, 2025). " Elon Musk D...
Aug 18, 2025•23 min•Ep. 103
How does a museum place a value on a priceless work of art? And how much does it cost to keep it safe? Zachary Crockett appraises the situation. SOURCES: Glenn Lowry , director of the Museum of Modern Art. RESOURCES: " Why Climate Activists Are Still Throwing Food and Paint at Famous Artworks ," by Tala Ansari (Wall Street Journal, 2023). " The Woman Who Made van Gogh ," by Russell Shorto (New York Times, 2021). " The Lillie P. Bliss collection ," (MoMA Collection, 1934). " May Belfort ," by Hen...
Aug 11, 2025•21 min•Ep. 102
Performing for passersby takes more than talent. Buskers have to cope with hecklers, civic regulations, aggressive competitors — and uncertain pay. Zachary Crockett passes the hat. SOURCES: Brett Dallas , professional street performer. RESOURCES: " Differentiating busking from begging: A psychological approach ," by Robbie Ho and Wing Tung Au (PLOS One, 2021). " Freeing Buskers’ Free Speech Rights: Impact of Regulations on Buskers’ Right to Free Speech and Expression ," by John Juricich (Journal...
Aug 04, 2025•16 min•Ep. 101
They’ve long been associated with crime and blight. Now, the investors are moving in. Zachary Crockett follows the trail. SOURCES: Paul Bradley , president of ROC USA. Blaer Roberts, former chef and mobile home resident. Frank Rolfe , co-owner of Mobile Home University. Cheryl Streberger, retired nurse and mobile home resident. RESOURCES: "‘ We’re All Afraid’: Massive Rent Increases Hit Mobile Homes ," by Abha Bhattarai ( The Washington Post, 2022). " Investors Are Buying Mobile Home Parks. Resi...
Jul 28, 2025•19 min•Ep. 18
What goes into creating an episode of The Economics of Everyday Things ? And how do shows like this one make money? Zachary Crockett turns the mic on himself. SOURCES: Gabe Tartaglia , vice president of podcast and satellite monetization at SiriusXM. Gabe Roth , editorial director of the Freakonomics Radio Network. Sarah Lilley , senior producer of The Economics of Everyday Things. Jeremy Johnston , audio engineer at the Freakonomics Radio Network. Daniel Moritz-Rabson , fact-checker at the Frea...
Jul 21, 2025•27 min•Ep. 100
We send 10 billion of them every day. Where do they come from? Zachary Crockett hearts this topic. SOURCES: Jennifer 8. Lee , co-founder of Emojination. RESOURCES: " Apple Removes The Gun Emoji, Replaces It With A Squirt Gun ," by Carl Franzen (Popular Science, 2021). " Ford’s secret fight for a pickup truck emoji ," by Mark Dent (The Hustle, 2019). " The WIRED Guide to Emoji ," by Arielle Pardes (WIRED, 2018). " How the iPhone won over Japan and gave the world emoji ," by Sam Byford (The Verge,...
Jul 14, 2025•18 min•Ep. 99
When security cameras and facial recognition tools fail, law enforcement investigators fall back on a witness's memory and an artist's hand. Zachary Crockett's nose was a little bigger than that. SOURCES: Lois Gibson , forensic artist. David Sarni , adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. RESOURCES: " Fighting Crime With Pencil and Paper ," by J. David Goodman (New York Times, 2013) " Something Sketchy About Identifying Suspects ," by Stephen Owsinski (National Police Associat...
Jul 07, 2025•18 min•Ep. 98
How does an industry built on roadside pop-ups make billions of dollars in two weeks of the year? Zachary Crockett gets pyrotechnical. SOURCES: Alex Zoldan , vice president of Phantom Fireworks. RESOURCES: Phantom Fireworks 2025 Wholesale Price List . " The Explosive Growth Of The Fireworks Market ," by Greg Rosalsky, Darian Woods, and Julian Ritchey (NPR, 2023). " Directory of State Laws for Consumer Fireworks, " (American Pyrotechnics Association). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See...
Jul 02, 2025•17 min
Why are these sudsy roadside stops one of the fastest growing industries in America? Zachary Crockett takes a look under the hood. RESOURCES: " Private Equity Wants to Wash Your Car ," by Miriam Gottfried ( The Wall Street Journal, 2022). " California Labor Commissioner Recovers $282,000 for Car Wash Wage Citations ," State of California Department of Industrial Relations News Release (2022). " Sgt. Clean’s Future Shines Bright Thanks to Subscription Model, Strong Reputation ," by Vince Guerrier...
Jun 30, 2025•16 min•Ep. 21
Americans take more than 20 billion elevator rides every year — and keeping them safe is an expensive proposition. Zachary Crockett makes small talk. SOURCES: Frank Christensen , president of the International Union of Elevators Constructors. Shannon Moore, service mechanic for the International Union of Elevator Constructors Local 8. Brian O'Connell , senior vice president of the Eastern U.S. at Otis Elevators. Stephen Smith , executive director of the Center for Building in North America. RESO...
Jun 23, 2025•18 min•Ep. 97
Districts across the country are facing shortages of school bus drivers. Can technology help? Zachary Crockett takes a seat in the back. SOURCES: Keith Corso , co-founder and CEO of BusRight. Marc Medina , transportation supervisor for the Farmingdale School District in Long Island. Jada Melendez, school bus driver in Burlington County, New Jersey. RESOURCES: " How St. Louis parents are dealing with school bus driver shortages ," by Gabrielle Hays (PBS, 2024). " The school bus driver shortage re...
Jun 16, 2025•20 min•Ep. 96
Everyone loves to complain about it — but preparing a meal that tastes good at 35,000 feet is harder than you might think. Zachary Crockett will have the fish. SOURCES: Molly Brandt , innovation chef for North America at Gategroup. Chris Kinsella , chief commercial officer for North America at Gategroup. Guillaume de Syon , professor of history at Albright College. RESOURCES: " No Thanks, Grandma, I’m Saving Room for Airplane Food ," by Christine Chung (New York Times, 2023). " The Golden Age of...
Jun 09, 2025•20 min•Ep. 95
Every year, America celebrates its independence with millions of dollars worth of explosives imported from China. Zachary Crockett lights a fuse and backs away quickly. SOURCES: JJ Brau , fireworks coordinator for J&M Displays. Mark Johnson , vice president of J&M Displays. RESOURCES: " The explosive history of fireworks, from ancient China to Revolutionary America ," by Joe Hernandez (NPR, 2024). " July 4 fireworks fiasco solved – technically ," by Jonathan Horn (The San Diego Union-Tri...
Jun 02, 2025•21 min•Ep. 94
These glistening round gemstones have come a long way since your grandmother's time, but procuring them is still a lot of work. The world is Zachary Crockett’s oyster. SOURCES: Jeremy Shepherd , C.E.O. of Pearl Paradise. James Brown , owner of Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm. RESOURCES: " Pearls Have Acquired a New Luster Among Young Designers ," by Victoria Gomelsky (New York Times, 2024). " The Value of Pearls: A Historical Review and Current Trends ," by Akitsugu Sato and Laurent Cartier (GemGuide, 202...
May 26, 2025•19 min•Ep. 93
Youth baseball — long a widely accessible American pastime — has become overrun by $10,000-per-year, for-profit travel leagues. Zachary Crockett peers inside the dugout. SOURCES: Linda Flanagan , author. Nick Mackenzie, future New York Yankees shortstop. R.J. Mackenzie, physical education teacher and baseball dad. John Miller , journalist and baseball coach. RESOURCES: " The Cost of Youth Baseball Is Getting Absurd ," by Adam Minter ( Bloomberg , 2024). " Perfect Game Sees Prosperity Thanks To N...
May 19, 2025•21 min•Ep. 52
Where is “the cloud,” anyway? It’s in a bunch of nondescript warehouses all over the country. Zachary Crockett serves up the story. SOURCES: Chris Kimm , senior vice president of global customer care and customer experience at Equinix. Raul Martynek , C.E.O. of DataBank. Clayton Rosati , associate professor of geography at Bowling Green State University. RESOURCES: " How Data Center Alley Is Changing Northern Virginia ," by Mac Carey ( Oxford American , 2025). " Noisy, Hungry Data Centers Are Ca...
May 12, 2025•18 min•Ep. 92
A new thrill ride can cost an amusement park $20 million or more — but roller coasters attract customers like nothing else. Zachary Crockett must be at least this tall to host this episode. SOURCES: Korey Kiepert , engineer and partner at The Gravity Group. Dennis Spiegel , owner and founder of International Theme Park Services. RESOURCES: " These two amusement park giants just merged. Rollercoaster fans are nervous ," by Nathaniel Meyersohn (CNN, 2024). " 1,000-foot-tall roller coaster may soon...
May 05, 2025•23 min•Ep. 91
It takes a highly skilled stenographer — and some specialized equipment — to transcribe TV dialogue in real time at 300 words per minute. Will A.I. rewrite the script? Zachary Crockett tries to keep up. SOURCES: Doug Karlovits , general manager at Verbit. Katie Ryan, live steno captioner at Verbit. RESOURCES: " The Long Case for Machine Shorthand ," by Sam Corbin (New York Times, 2024). " Caption This: Why Subtitling Is Big Business Amid the Content Boom ," by Kirsten Chuba (The Hollywood Report...
Apr 28, 2025•19 min•Ep. 90
The ability to get into any home, car, or safe can be lucrative — but fixing locks is a tough business. Zachary Crockett gets the key information. SOURCES: Wayne Winton , owner of Tri-County Locksmith Service. Philip Mortillaro Sr. , co-owner of Greenwich Locksmiths. Philip Mortillaro Jr. , co-owner of Greenwich Locksmiths. RESOURCES: " Tools of the Trade, " by Tim O'Leary (Locksmith Ledger International, 2022). " KeyMe Plans To Use New $35 Million Funding Round To Build 10,000+ Retail Locations...
Apr 21, 2025•19 min•Ep. 89
Those tiny treats that predict your future may come free at the end of a Chinese meal, but they’re big business (and not Chinese). Zachary Crockett will go on a long journey. SOURCES: Jennifer 8. Lee , documentarian and author of The Fortune Cookie Chronicles. Norman Wong , C.E.O. of Wonton Food. RESOURCES: " Canadian Influencer’s Amazement at Absence of Fortune Cookies in China Restaurants Triggers Amusing Online Discussion About Origins of Snack ," by Yating Yang (South China Morning Post, 202...
Apr 14, 2025•20 min•Ep. 88
When you hit the slopes, you might not be thinking about water rights, controlled avalanches, and liability insurance — but someone has to. Zachary Crockett shreds the pow. SOURCES: Andrew Gast , general manager of Mt. Ashland Ski Area. Rob Goodell, chief operating officer at Loveland Ski Area. RESOURCES: " State of the U.S. Ski Industry " (National Ski Areas Association, 2024). " U.S. Ski Resorts in Operation During 2023/24 Season " (National Ski Areas Association, 2024). " Snowmaking 101 " (Sn...
Apr 07, 2025•20 min•Ep. 87
We reach for it twice a day — without thinking about the decades of research and engineering that went into that squeezable tube of minty goo. Zachary Crockett extracts the last bit. SOURCES: Stephan Habif , chief technology officer at Colgate-Palmolive. Sergio Leite , global head of Oral Care R&D at Colgate-Palmolive. Peter Miskell , professor of international business history at the University of Reading. EXTRAS: " History of Toothpaste " (Delta Dental of Arkansas, 2019). " Cavity Protecti...
Mar 31, 2025•17 min•Ep. 86
When a Fortune 500 company needs a new leader, it turns to a well-connected headhunter who assesses candidates with psychological tests and mock TV interviews. Zachary Crockett activates his network. SOURCES: Julian Ha , partner at the executive recruiting firm Heidrick & Struggles. Jane Stevenson , global vice chair of board and CEO services at Korn Ferry. RESOURCES: " The Transformation of the CEO, " by Stephen Langton, Rusty O'Kelley, Laura Sanderson, and Sean Roberts (Russell Reynolds As...
Mar 24, 2025•21 min•Ep. 85
Security guards make malls feel safer, but what can they do when there’s trouble? Zachary Crockett observes and reports. SOURCES: Gus Parsons, mall cop in the San Diego area. David Levenberg , owner of Center Security Services. RESOURCES: " Mall of America's security team will start using facial recognition software as part of safety plan, " by Derek James (CBS News, 2024). " The Problems Inside North America’s Largest Security Firm—and Third-Biggest Employer, " by Alana Semuels (Time, 2023). " ...
Mar 17, 2025•18 min•Ep. 84
