Behind The Lines

For those in their mid to late 20s, the arrival of the summer season brings with it a wedding seemingly every other weekend. However, these events may be more varied than ever before.

Though the traditions die hard, the business of weddings is getting more complicated and intricate, with more and more operators looking to grab a slice of its lucrative layer cake. IBISWorld's Vicky Wolak and Tanvi Kumar break down who these new operators are, what they're offering and whether they'll complement or contend with the stalwarts of the space. 

Got thoughts or questions about how this affects your business? Let us know what you think over at podcasts(at)ibisworld.com!

It's summer! We've got our hats on backwards and it's time to barbecue. This Fourth of July, though, there might be some more options on the grill, because meatless meats are gaining some serious groundswell.

To celebrate the holiday (and the end of IBISWorld's fiscal year!), analysts Nick Masters and John Madigan agreed to sit down with host and plant product enthusiast Kieran Newton to discuss the economic landscape for meat. These new options are exciting, but which operators are able to benefit from these new advances? How are cattle farmers going to compete, now that they're not the only game in town?

Let us know your thoughts and questions about these crazy newfangled meats, as well as your suggestions for episode topics, over at our email: podcasts(at)ibisworld.com!

An introspective question drives this week's episode: can podcasts last?

Businesses in every sector, from dentists to office suppliers, are investing money in podcasts, but very, very few (if any!) are able to turn a profit. Millions of people listen to these shows, but their sustainability and longevity is in flux. On today's episode, host Shira Bartov and IBISWorld analysts Nick Masters and Anthony Gambardella discuss the ways podcasts today generate value and how their producers are experimenting with new business models in an attempt to stay afloat. 

As always, send any questions for our team or suggestions for episode topics to podcasts(at)ibisworld.com!

There is one company that is tightening its grip on America's entertainment sector, and it is led by a lovable cartoon mouse. When it comes to media in 2019, no name is more ubiquitous than Disney.

This is the first installment of The Majorest Player, a new segment on the podcast where we look at companies that dominate across industries, and we're focusing on The Walt Disney Company. Host Sean Egan talks to IBISWorld analysts Devin McGinley and Ryan Roth about how the House of Mouse has become such a behemoth in the entertainment space, as well as how it plans to extend its mammoth reach even further. 

Got a company you think we should look at, or another idea for a podcast? Email us at podcasts(at)ibisworld.com!

This Mother's Day, the IBISWorld podcast is exposing a long-overlooked portion of America's seedy criminal underworld: the black market for baby formula.

All jokes aside, there is big money in both the legal and illicit sale of infant formula both in the United States and overseas - but how did it get like this? On this episode, host Tanvi Kumar and IBISWorld analyst Jack Curran talk about where formula manufacturers are looking to improve their revenue and how the industry's regulatory environment enabled this void in the market in the first place. 

As always, you can send any questions, comments, or episode suggestions to podcasts(at)ibisworld.com.

Happy Mother's Day!!

Admissions scandals and untenable student debt are just the latest pieces of news about the American education system. Surely, this can't go on much longer. So what will take its place?

This is the question at the heart of our second installment of Rabbithole, our segment dissecting economic thought experiments. Host Vicky Wolak and IBISWorld analysts Claire O'Connor and Nick Masters discuss the current economic issues facing the education industry and propose their visions for what the future may bring.

As always, we welcome feedback, questions, and topic suggestions - send those to podcasts(at)ibisworld.com!

Why are there so many new gyms and gym alternatives like Peloton? The explosion of these new operators has been staggering. Should established operators be worried?

These were some of the questions posed to us for our second installment of Inbox Inquiry, and host Kieran Newton and IBISWorld analyst Ryan Roth dive right in. A confluence of factors has made the fitness space more cutthroat and fractured than it's ever been - who will be left when the dust clears?

Thanks to our listener Mariela for writing in with this question! If you have another topic you'd like us to tackle, drop us a line at podcasts(at)ibisworld.com.

Additional research for this episode by Nick Masters

Though not often discussed, religious organizations are businesses: they have revenue streams and a cost structure and strategies for success. With Tax Day behind us and Easter/Passover ahead, it seemed like a good time to dive into this strange territory. Host Vicky Wolak and IBISWorld analyst Anna Miller discuss the advantages and challenges of operating one of these organizations, along with what opportunities and threats await them in the years ahead.

[Ed. note: This episode was conceived and recorded before the devastating fire at the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris on Monday. The IBISWorld Podcast Team hopes that its reconstruction is speedy and that other, less-famous places of worship facing similar tragedies might also benefit from such public interest and support.]

As always, if you have a question or topic that you'd like us to cover, send us an email at podcasts(at)ibisworld.com!

In an age where physical media is losing out to digital and subscription services are increasingly replacing personal ownership, vinyl record shops are hanging tough and, in some cases, thriving. Why?

The answer is, of course, layered, but one reason is events like Record Store Day, which is tomorrow! To help get you in the mood to go hunting for some exclusive LPs this Saturday, host Sean Egan and IBISWorld analyst Devin McGinley break down how events like RSD and other elusive factors have kept the industry around this very old medium alive.

If you have a topic you'd like us to tackle, send an email to podcasts(at)ibisworld.com and we might turn it into an episode!