Reasonably Optimistic

The overlooked businesses making Americans rich

October 9, 2026·46 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

The American Dream can feel farther away than ever. Housing is expensive, good jobs seem harder to find and the people getting rich seem to be concentrated in a handful of big cities. But some of America’s biggest fortunes are being built far from the spotlight: by auto dealers, contractors, beverage distributors and the owners of the unglamorous businesses that keep everyday life running. So who are these overlooked millionaires — and what do they tell us about opportunity in America?Host Megan McArdle is joined by Owen Zidar, a professor at Princeton University and co-author of “The Everywhere Millionaire.” They discuss the hidden world of private-business wealth, why early work experience matters and how retiring boomers may create new opportunities for the next generation to buy and run America’s small businesses.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Podzilla Summary coming soon

Sign up to get notified when the full AI-powered summary is ready.

Get Free Summaries →

Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.

Listen to This Episode

Get summaries like this every morning.

Free AI-powered recaps of Reasonably Optimistic and your other favorite podcasts, delivered to your inbox.

Get Free Summaries →

Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.