Business Wars

It’s the late 1970s and Patagonia’s living hand to mouth and looking for a way to stoke sales. But when founder Yvon Chouinard suggests making a jersey from an unusual fabric, Patagonia creates a mountain staple and finds its products becoming a favorite of the catwalk crowd. Meanwhile, The North Face faces tough terrain as Asian imports undercut its American-made gear and the growth in backpacking sales flatlines...

It’s 1970 and The North Face’s new owner Hap Klopp is on a mission to turn the dirtbag outdoor store he bought into an industry trailblazer. But with outdoor activity still a niche pastime, he’s going to have to do more than create gear – he’s going to have to create a market too. But Klopp’s not the only one tapping into new opportunities. Climbing equipment maker Yvon Chouinard is about to make a chance discovery in Scotland...

It’s the 1960s, and two climbing buddies are about to lay the foundations for a new industry. The older of the two is an outdoorsman and part-time blacksmith Yvon Chouinard. His younger buddy is Doug Tompkins, who abandoned his Connecticut rich-kid life to find his kicks in the wilderness. Niether dreams of riches. They just want enough money to keep climbing...

Into America is a new podcast about politics, about policy, and the power that both have in shaping the lives of the American people. Into America is hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter, Trymaine Lee, and features the journalists of NBC News. In this week’s episode, Into America goes into the intersection of politics and a pandemic as the coronavirus outbreak has reached all 50 states and is now responsible for more than 140 deaths...

There’s no doubt that Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts have created empires throughout the U.S. and internationally. Starbucks has more than 15,000 locations in the U.S. alone, and Dunkin Donuts is now in 43 countries. But there could be yet ANOTHER brewing business that’s raring to make a dent in Starbucks’ customer base. Hailing from China, that new competitor is Luckin Coffee, marketing itself as the convenient gourmet coffee choice, with a lower price point than Starbucks...

Dunkin and Starbucks are going full on 21st century, doing all they can to top each other with new concept stores, vast emporiums, vegan food options, oat milk lattes and “high- velocity innovations.” But the real world keeps intruding and they can’t get away from it...

The Great Recession doesn’t play favorites and both Starbucks and Dunkin are hit hard.  As more customers make coffee at home, Dunkin leans into its reputation as the “everyman’s brand” to lure them back. Meanwhile, Starbucks looks to cash in on an untapped beverage market with a risky move. And they both have to contend with public outcry after major PR blunders. Support us by supporting our sponsors! Native - You can get 20% off your first purchase! Just visit nativedeodorant...

Howard Schultz can hardly believe the mess his company is in, with sales in free fall. To pull out of it, he’ll need to make a radical move. Yet no matter what he does, Starbucks’ problems only get worse. And Dunkin Donuts is in expansion mode, looking to capitalize on the coffee giant’s missteps. Then, a blind taste test tips the scales in an unexpected direction. Support us by supporting our sponsors! Avalara - Find out more at avalara.com/bw

Howard Schultz has found his mission. He’s burning to turn Starbucks into an espresso bar business, but he can’t convince Starbucks owners to get onboard. Back in the Northeast, Bill Rosenberg is frustrated too. His son, who’s now Dunkin Donut’s CEO, has ideas that seem sure to wreck the company. Both Schultz and Rosenberg, 3,000 miles apart, are looking for ways to assert control. But soon, Starbucks and Dunkin will come head to head with their biggest challenge: each other...

A new podcast hosted by NBC News Senior Media Reporter Dylan Byers that takes listeners behind the scenes of the rapidly changing world of technology and media. In the first episode, Byers sits down one-on-one with Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg for her first interview since the release of “Facebook: The Inside Story”, the explosive new book by tech writer Steven Levy, who had unfettered access to Facebook’s headquarters for three years. Subscribe to Byers Market now: http://wondery...