Business History
Episodes
The Printing Press: The Invention Built on Debt and Sin
Hosts Jacob Goldstein and Robert Smith explore the business history behind Johannes Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press.
The Robberiest Robber Baron: The Villainy of Jay Gould
This episode of Business History explores the life of Jay Gould, a notorious Gilded Age financier known for manipulating railroads and the gold market.
The Factory That Was Wiped Off The Map (From Cautionary Tales)
The Nobel Winners Who Almost Crashed the Economy
Hosts Jacob Goldstein and Robert Smith explore the rise and catastrophic fall of Long-Term Capital Management, a hedge fund founded by John…
A Store Owner You Can Trust: John Wanamaker, Returns and the Price Tag
Hosts Jacob Goldstein and Robert Smith explore how John Wanamaker revolutionized American retail by introducing fixed prices and return policies to solve the era’s trust deficit.