What’s keeping us up at night (besides our own thoughts)? An 8.4-oz blue-and-silver can of caffeine, taurine, sugar, and flavoring that’s part LaCroix, part Robitussin. Red Bull is not only America’s best-selling energy drink, it was its first: before the Bull, ‘energy drink’ in Illinois meant two Diet Cokes and a coffee chaser. But Red Bull’s reach is global, and its story actually begins halfway around the world. Learn about the Bangkok pharmacy owner who invented Red Bull, then gave it out for free in rural Thailand; and the Austrian toothpaste marketer who built it into a $19B global brand; and how Red Bull got so into extreme sports - it invented its own. (Flugtag, anyone?) We’ll tell you why every business needs a north star word, how an epic product needs a seed AND fertilizer, and why Red Bull is the Best Idea Yet.

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This one guitar didn’t just change music — it permanently cranked it up to 11. From Buddy Holly’s crisp riffs to Jimi Hendrix’s flaming solos (literally, he lit one on fire), the Fender Stratocaster is the most iconic electric guitar of all time. It inspired the Beatles AND Eric Clapton, became the axe of choice for everything from punk rock to reggae, and cemented itself as the foundation of America's $2 billion guitar industry. But the Strat’s journey begins in a ramshackle workshop of an unlikely guitar hero, Leo Fender (the guy couldn’t even strum Wonderwall). This unassuming electronics nerd overcame near-bankruptcy, chronic stress, and even a termite infestation to create the perfect electric guitar…Find out why great entrepreneurial teams are like the best bands, how Fleetwood Mac holds the key to innovation, and why the Fender Stratocaster is the best idea yet. 

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French fries and pesto? Mango and sticky rice? Ice cream and olive oil?! Real ones know when it comes to surprisingly perfect food combos, nothing tops chocolate and peanut butter (or is it peanut butter and chocolate?) - best showcased by America’s top selling candy… Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. That distinct blend of milk chocolate and salty peanut butter was the result of a (happy) factory accident and a down-on-his-luck frog salesman (true story). HB Reese had 14 mouths to feed but beat the odds to become a real life Willy Wonka, inventing the #1 most popular Halloween candy in America (sorry, Skittles). Find out the psychological reason why our brains crave contrasting sensations, how leaning into your mistakes is the sweetest indulgence of all, and why Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups is the best idea yet. 

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Pop quiz: What’s the longest-running video game in history? It’s not Pac-Man or Donkey Kong or even Pong… it’s The Oregon Trail. A true pioneer (and we don’t just mean the ones in the covered wagons), the Oregon Trail has sold more than 65 million copies (that’s more than the Beatles’ White Album) and it spawned an “edu-tainment” industry now worth over $6B. But this wholesome game was created by three Minnesota student teachers, without a single thought towards making money… which is exactly why Oregon Trail made so much of it. Find out why this iconic game is a textbook MVP (Minimum Viable Product)… how an acquisition by Shark Tank’s “Mr. Wonderful” almost led to a collab with Barbie… and why the Oregon Trail is the best idea yet.

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When you hear the name Swatch, you may picture an affordable wristwatch with neon bands, a pop-art face, and an invite to the Middle School dance. But this humble plastic timepiece played a huge role in geopolitics: the Swatch saved the entire Swiss watch industry from something called the “Quartz Crisis.” Rolex is only thriving today as a luxury product because Swatch pulled off a James Bond-level rescue operation. Thanks to the big strategic bet of a consultant named Nicolas Hayek, Swatch became the best-selling new brand in the history of business, reaching $10B in revenue annually. But does the “S” in Swatch stand for “Swiss” or “Second”?” (We’ll save it for the pod). Find out why Swatch is the best idea yet.

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Click… That satisfying sound of Lego bricks has brought joy to millions of kids - and adults (kidults?) for more than 70 years. But did you know it all started in a Danish carpenter's workshop during WWII? And that boxes of Lego were used to smuggle grenades to resistance fighters? Today, family-owned Lego is the biggest toy company on earth, but this plastic empire almost came tumbling down more than once. Lego dodged disasters (four fires), product mis-steps (bangle bracelets?), and some spectacular business snafus before taking over the world brick by brick — All thanks to the founder’s visionary son. Find out why every Lego piece is precision-engineered to 0.005 mm, how Jar Jar Binks breathed new life into minifigures, and why Lego is the best idea yet.

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PEZ - the fruity, sugary tablets dispensed from your favorite cartoon character’s neck conjure up sweet childhood memories of swapping and collecting dispensers. (I’ll trade you my red Power Ranger for your Pikachu) But when these Austrian-born sweets hit the candy aisle almost 100 years ago, they had a seriously adult mission: Help people quit smoking. Yep, PEZ was essentially Juul before Juul, minus the toxic side effects. But when PEZ came to America, it shed that medicinal past to become a joyful kid’s candy, cult fave, and collector’s item commanding thousands on the secondary market. Find out how PEZ made the leap from sober grownup treat to toy juggernaut… and how a mysterious figure called “The PEZ Outlaw” upended the entire system, earning $4 million and (almost) getting away with it. Here’s why PEZ is the best idea yet.

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It’s simply the most popular sneaker in history. With $7B in annual sales today, Nike and Michael Jordan’s shoe deal changed sports, fashion and marketing forever - But it never would’ve happened without skilled negotiating by MJ’s Mom. Originally banned by the NBA, Air Jordans have sold hundreds of millions of pairs, made Michael Jordan worth almost $2 billion (that’s why he always has a cigar), and saved the entire Nike company.. Find out how Nike rewrote the rules on celebrity endorsements, why salaries are stable but equity is exciting … and why Air Jordans is the best idea yet.

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It’s the OG of instant photography — It paved the way for the iPhone, inspired Instagram, and fills every photo album on your parents’ bookshelf. Polaroid became a fave of world-class artists like Ansel Adams and Andy Warhol, but did you know its inventor, Edwin Land, actually got the original idea from his 3-year-old daughter? Find out how Polaroid and rival, Kodak, went from friends to frenemies… why Steve Jobs was obsessed with this company… and why Polaroid is the best idea yet. FYI: If you’re listening, OutKast, you’re actually *not* supposed to shake the picture (we’ll explain why on the pod).

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Break out the bubbly, turn on the jets, and hop into our Hot Tub Time Machine: we’re going back to the origins of the Jacuzzi. The world’s most iconic whirlpool has become a symbol of status and luxury—think Scarface’s bathtub. But its roots are humble, starting with a family of seven Italian immigrant brothers. Over three generations, they pivoted one technology from airplanes to agriculture to the 1st-ever modern hot tub. It’s also the story of overcoming tragedies, and a devoted father trying to save his young son’s life. Find out why family businesses actually end… why half a pivot is more like a flinch… and why the Jacuzzi is the best idea yet.

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What do Old West gold miners, biker gangs and Marilyn Monroe all have in common? The same pair of jeans…Invented by a down-on-his-luck immigrant tailor in the 1870s, this classic riveted pant launched a global denim market worth over $70B. How? By teaming up with Levi Strauss & Co., a Gold Rush-era startup that became the most popular clothing brand in America. (Fact: Levi’s won a popularity contest over Nike, Adidas, and Old Navy.) — And it all began with the 501s. Find out how the original “straight fit” jeans used the “cupholder effect” to drive demand, how a storytelling hack transformed an everyday product into a symbol of freedom…and why Levi’s 501s are the best idea yet.

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