Business Wars

It's 2013, and Lyft's CEO John Zimmer is hosting a little celebration for drivers when some very unwelcome interlopers turn up to crash the party. Uber’s Travis Kalanick wants to destroy Lyft at any cost, and he's willing to do what it takes to outmaneuver his competitor and steal its riders and drivers — even if it means playing dirty.  Lyft decides to stick to its environmentalist roots and focus on a new ridesharing feature it hopes will woo customers away...

As a bonus for Business Wars listeners, we’re sharing a special preview of The Oath with Chuck Rosenberg, an MSNBC podcast hosted by former U.S. Attorney, senior FBI official and acting head of the DEA, Chuck Rosenberg. The Oath is a series of revealing conversations with fascinating men and women who took an oath to serve our nation...

It's the late '90s, and Travis Kalanick is hanging out in his dorm room at UCLA. He’s having a file-sharing party with his friends that leads to his first business. But Kalanick’s forced to grow up quickly as he learns that naïveté can cost you millions and Silicon Valley investors aren’t all they’re cracked up to be.  Logan Green finds inspiration while stuck in horrible LA traffic and adopts a new anti-car ethos that will shape Lyft’s mission...

It’s December 2008, and two friends and fellow tech entrepreneurs, Garrett Camp and Travis Kalanick, can't get a taxi. Camp’s already obsessed with the idea of a service that summons a private driver with the push of a button, but now Kalanick gets the appeal. Together, they'll build Uber, and do whatever it takes to reign supreme...

Quarantine restrictions during the coronavirus have induced toilet paper panic-buying as people scratch, claw and punch each other to get rolls. But why? What’s behind the frenzy, and how will that affect the TP industry?  In the last 150 years, it’s grown from selling humble boxes of paper to mass marketing rolls of delicate, luxurious tissue. And now a wave of eco-friendly independent companies are making a bid for your bathroom business...

Kevin Hart opens up about what it means to win, grow your business, and empower others on this week's episode of The School of Greatness. The School of Greatness, hosted by bestselling author Lewis Howes, features conversations with world-class game changers, and dives into topics from entrepreneurship and inspiration, to health and relationships. Get ready to learn the wisdom, skills, and tools to write your own story. Subscribe today: http://wondery.fm/SchoolOfGreatness_BW

It’s 1988, and Tetris is making waves. It’s billed as the first Soviet video game, and it’s selling fast. But the man who introduced it to the West harbors a secret: he’s doesn’t own the rights. And when his subterfuge fails, a multi-million-dollar battle to win over the communist regime breaks out on the streets of Moscow. It’s a clash that pits the Japanese gaming overlords of Nintendo against the sprawling empire of ruthless media baron Robert Maxwell...

It’s 1984 and the cola war is neck and neck. After years of struggle, Pepsi looks ready to triumph over Coca-Cola.  So Coke’s striking back by opening a new battlefront in the quest for soda supremacy: outer space.  But its plan to send its world-famous drink into orbit won’t stay secret for long. And when Pepsi finds out, it sparks a new space race. Listen ad-free on Wondery+ here

It's 1902 and political campaigner Lizzie Magie is fighting a losing battle. For years, she’s pushed the idea of a land-value tax, but fewer and fewer people are listening. So she’s going to try something new to spread the word. She’s going to make a board game – and not just any game. Magie’s game is going to become the biggest game of all time. Trouble is, when the battle for her game breaks out, she’s the one who winds up the loser. Listen ad-free on Wondery+ here

Since the novel coronavirus hit, Amazon and Walmart have seen a rise in profits, unlike many other retailers. But there have also been struggles to keep up with the flood of customer demands during the pandemic. Hundreds of thousands of workers have been hired collectively between Amazon and Walmart. And employees for both companies have accused management of not protecting workers enough from the threat of COVID-19...