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Acquired: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal
Every company has a story. Learn the playbooks that built the world’s greatest companies — and how you can apply them.
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- 6 days agoconversational3h 35m6-min read
Home Depot
Home Depot's rise from a scrappy startup to the world's largest specialty retailer is a story of visionary retail innovation, cultural transformation, and strategic resilience. Founded by Bernie Marcus, Arthur Blank, Ken Langone, and Pat Farrah after being fired from their previous jobs, the company revolutionized home improvement with a warehouse model, deep customer service, and employee ownership. Despite a near-collapse under GE-style operational leadership, it was saved by CEO Frank Blake, who refocused on core values, executed bold capital allocation, and embraced e-commerce, turning it into a $350 billion powerhouse.
- Aug 10, 2026conversational4h 32m8-min read
Disney: The Renaissance and the Empire
Disney's journey from near-collapse in 1984 to global dominance under Michael Eisner and Bob Iger illustrates the power of visionary leadership, strategic acquisitions, and adaptation to technological disruption. Despite immense success with ESPN, Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm, Disney now faces a transformed media landscape where streaming economics challenge its historic flywheel model built on theatrical releases, home video, and theme parks.
- Jun 22, 2026narrative4h 31m7-min read
The Walt Disney Company
The story of Walt Disney is the origin of the modern intellectual property flywheel, where timeless animated characters, relentless innovation, and strategic monetization across film, merchandise, theme parks, and television created a self-sustaining business model that no other studio has replicated. Walt’s journey from newspaper delivery boy to the architect of a global entertainment empire was defined by his willingness to repeatedly bet the company — and his own fortune — on visionary ideas that others dismissed as folly, from the first synchronized sound cartoon to the first feature-length animated film and the first modern theme park.
- May 18, 2026narrative3h 48m8-min read
Vanguard
Vanguard, founded by Jack Bogle, revolutionized investing by creating the first index fund for individual investors and structuring the company to be owned by its customers, not outside shareholders. This model has saved investors over $1 trillion in fees and fundamentally reshaped the financial industry.
- Apr 13, 2026conversational3h 59m4-min read
Ferrari
Ferrari is a paradox: it sells fewer than 15,000 cars annually—less than Toyota sells in 10 hours—yet commands a market capitalization higher than Ford, Volkswagen, and Mercedes-Benz. Built on myth, tragedy, and Enzo Ferrari’s genius for marketing, the company leverages scarcity, racing heritage, and emotional storytelling to create one of the most powerful luxury brands in history, with a business model that prioritizes brand mystique over volume.
- Mar 2, 2026conversational4h 29m3-min read
Formula 1
Formula One transformed from a chaotic, money-losing motorsport into a $25 billion enterprise under Liberty Media, thanks to visionary leadership from Bernie Ecclestone and strategic modernization. The sport now thrives on global appeal, Netflix’s Drive to Survive, and a business model balancing engineering excellence with entertainment.
- Jan 27, 2026solo4h 17m3-min read
The NFL
The NFL has evolved into the most valuable media property in America through a century of strategic cooperation, revenue sharing, and media innovation, culminating in record valuations, global expansion, and cultural dominance — all while navigating controversies around player safety, social justice, and ownership transformation.
- Jan 3, 2026narrative5h 0m9-min read
Rolex
Rolex is a paradox: a secretive, privately-held company that has become one of the most recognizable luxury brands in the world, built not on fashion or exclusivity alone, but on engineering excellence, brand storytelling, and a deliberate strategy of controlled scarcity. Despite being a mechanical watchmaker in a digital age, Rolex has achieved unmatched market dominance by redefining the job of a watch — not to tell time, but to signal achievement, reliability, and timeless taste.
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About Acquired
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Acquired covers topics including Technology, Business, Investing. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
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