Pink Cadillacs and Pyramid Schemes with Bridget Read
May 07, 2025•1 hr 19 min
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Episode description
Hello!
Today we have on Bridget Read, the author of a great new book called “Little Bosses Everywhere: How the Pyramid Scheme Shaped America.” (Out today!) We talk about the history of the MLM (multi-level marketing) from its alleged origins with the Yankee peddler and the frontier and the more insidious real story of eugenicists, scammers, and quackery. A lot of questions you might have about pyramid schemes and MLMs will be answered here: Why do they all do vitamins and supplements? Why did AmWay and the DeVos family have such a hold on Trump? Great book. Take a listen.
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