Business Wars

Hosted by Audible

Business History

Website RSS feed

Episodes

685

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

About the show

Netflix vs. HBO. Nike vs. Adidas. Business is war. Sometimes the prize is your wallet or your attention. Sometimes, it’s just the fun of beating the other guy. The outcome of these battles shapes what we buy and how we live. Business Wars gives you the unauthorized, real story of what drives these companies and their leaders, innovators, investors and executives to new heights -- or to ruin. Hosted by David Brown, former anchor of Marketplace. From Wondery, the network behind Against the Odds and American History Tellers . Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Business Wars ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. ]]>

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 15, 20267 min

Listen Now: Foul Play

Ed is the grandson of footballing legend Gordon Banks. He was a national icon, the only goalkeeper ever to win the soccer World Cup for England. But Ed’s heard a rumour: that in 1970, while defending the title, his granddad, his hero, was poisoned… by the CIA. All part of a Cold War plot to bolster a military dictatorship in Latin America, supposedly. Could this possibly be true? Banks did get ill in Mexico in 1970 with food poisoning. And England crashed out, marking the start of decades of hurt. Ed enlists the help of investigative journalist Gabriel Gatehouse. Together they embark on a journey into the bewildering world of Cold War espionage, a journey that threatens to unravel 60 years of sporting history; or possibly… to knock Ed’s granddad off his pedestal. Listen to FOUL PLAY on the Audible App or wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge all episodes of FOUL PLAY early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible App or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

June 11, 202645 min

Meta and the Battle for Smart Glasses | Google's Return | 3

Back in 2014, Google Glass made the dream of smart glasses a reality for the tech-obsessed. But a hefty price tag and divisive design prevented Google from bringing its vision to the masses. A decade later, Meta seemingly cracked the code, offering affordable, fashion-forward smart specs in frames by established brands like Ray-Ban and Oakley. WIRED senior gear editor Julian Chokkattu and staff writer Boone Ashworth join David to discuss whether Google’s new Android XR platform, which the company debuted in May, can give Meta a run for its money. They’ll also discuss some of the thorny ethical issues surrounding AI-powered frames and where the industry is headed next. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Business Wars ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

June 10, 202649 min

Meta and the Battle for Smart Glasses | I'm a Creep | 2

It’s 2023, and Meta Ray-Bans have just helped Mark Zuckerberg turn a corner. After his disastrous investment in the Metaverse, Meta’s AI-enabled smart glasses are a welcome victory for the company. But the competition is coming. And so are uncomfortable questions about mandatory data-sharing, worker exploitation, and federal agents using the glasses illegally. If smart glasses are here to stay, the question becomes… is that a good thing? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

June 4, 20266 min

New Season - Dr. Death: The Cowboy

Dr. John Schneider rode into town like a character out of a Western: an outsider on a Harley-Davidson, in trademark cowboy boots. He promised relief to patients suffering in Wyoming and Montana. He seemed like the hero they needed. But when surgeries go wrong and a strange letter exposes a bitter feud, medical professionals and government officials search for the truth about this cowboy doctor. They discover claims of broken bodies, bullying, fraud, and lawsuits.From Audible, the fifth season of the hit series Dr. Death returns with The Cowboy: the story of a surgeon who took advantage of a broken system and the fight to bring him to justice. Listen to Dr. Death: The Cowboy wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge all episodes of Dr. Death: The Cowboy ad-free right now. Start your Audible subscription in the Audible App or on Apple Podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

June 3, 202647 min

Meta and the Battle for Smart Glasses | Prize on the Eyes | 1

It’s 2011, and two Stanford students have built eyeglasses with a tiny camera inside. Their a prototype paves the way for Meta Ray-Bans, the first tech-enabled eyewear to truly go mainstream after attempts like Google Glass fizzled. But in integrating their smart glasses into our daily lives, Meta has created something else: a tool for mass surveillance. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

May 28, 202638 min

F1 vs NASCAR | F1 Roars Into the U.S. | 4

In 2019, the Netflix series Formula 1: Drive To Survive ushered in a major uptick in the sport’s popularity among Americans. Then, the 2021 F1 season saw an epic showdown between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, and interest exploded. The F1 fan-base is young, diverse and gaining on NASCAR. Formula 1 lead commentator Alex Jacques join us to share his insights into the rise of F1 in the U.S. market, the wave of new talent, and why he loves the sport so much. Jacques is the author of Grid to Glory: 75 Milestone Formula One Moments. You can hear his commentary on F1TV, Channel 4 and Formula 1: Drive to Survive.https://alexjacques.co.uk/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

May 27, 202640 min

F1 vs NASCAR | Land of Liberty | 3

Formula One is under new management and pushing to finally break into America. But after decades of failure, it needs to remodel its approach while also facing off against NASCAR. They're racing to capture the next generation of motorsport fans.If you’d like to hear more about the high-stakes drama of F1, we recommend the audiobook version of The Formula. You can listen right now on Audible.https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Formula-Audiobook/B0C834FDPB?srsltid=AfmBOopWNQLsloHzpZvxk0E1_mHodmgMgrcJUH-ue6AHQHwnX86ov_TZSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

May 21, 20267 min

Listen Now: OnlyFantasy

Is what’s happening on OnlyFans real? Or is it only a fantasy?In this provocative investigation into OnlyFans—the adult platform where subscribers around the world spent more than $7 billion in 2024—journalist Leon Neyfakh teams up with comedian and OnlyFans creator Gracie Canaan for a one-of-a-kind exploration into the current state of human connection. Throughout, they discover that the site originally built for spicy adult content has quietly and surprisingly become something more complicated— an emotional marketplace where desire, performance, care, fantasy, and vulnerability seemingly blur together.As Neyfakh and Canaan navigate timely questions about autonomy, performance, and profit, a question emerges: is connection mediated by a screen still authentic? To find the answer, they meet creators building lucrative businesses, subscribers who believe they’ve found something real, professional “chatters” who are paid to simulate affection, and pioneers who have helped engineer intimacy at scale.Captivating and tender, OnlyFantasy is ultimately about the cost of loneliness, the seductive power of desire, and how the rules of human intimacy are being rewritten online.Listen to OnlyFantasy wherever you get your podcasts. Or binge all episodes of OnlyFantasy ad-free right now on Audible. Start your Audible subscription in the Audible App or on Apple Podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

May 20, 202645 min

F1 vs NASCAR | Pedal to the Metal | 2

When the European Union moves to ban tobacco sponsorship, Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone finds himself racing to expand the sport’s global reach. But as F1 goes global, NASCAR finds its TV appeal is running out of gas.If you’d like to hear more about the high-stakes drama of F1, we recommend the audiobook version of The Formula. You can listen right now on Audible.https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Formula-Audiobook/B0C834FDPB?srsltid=AfmBOopWNQLsloHzpZvxk0E1_mHodmgMgrcJUH-ue6AHQHwnX86ov_TZSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

May 13, 202647 min

F1 vs NASCAR | Start Your Engines | 1

When moonshine runners turn stock car racers, Bill France creates NASCAR and turns it into America’s top motorsport. Meanwhile, in Europe, another canny operator – Bernie Ecclestone – is fighting to bend Formula One to his will.If you’d like to hear more about the high-stakes drama of F1, we recommend the audiobook version of The Formula. You can listen right now on Audible.https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Formula-Audiobook/B0C834FDPB?srsltid=AfmBOopWNQLsloHzpZvxk0E1_mHodmgMgrcJUH-ue6AHQHwnX86ov_TZSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.