Business Wars

It’s 1966 and De Beers is about to abandon its eleven-year search for diamonds in Botswana. But the geologist behind the search is far from ready to pack up his tools.

And De Beers isn’t the only one searching for gemstones. Soon, a major diamond find in Australia will leave the diamond monopoly facing a big dilemma: should it seek to control or to destroy this Antipodean threat?

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It’s the early 1950s and West Africa’s growing number of diamond smugglers is causing headaches for De Beers. 

Faced with millions of pounds in losses, the diamond monopoly decides it’s time to get tough with the smugglers.

But while De Beers battles the illicit diamond traders, in the far east of the Soviet Union a new threat is brewing. 

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It’s 1940, and the world is at war. The Allies and Axis powers are scrambling to lock down supplies of the industrial diamonds needed to mass produce their tanks, planes and submarines.

But when the White House demands De Beers hands over a year’s supply of industrial diamonds, it soon learns the cartel is as hard to break as the diamonds it sells. 

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It’s 1914 and De Beers’s monopoly is under threat. Diamonds have been discovered on the desolate coast of the German colony of South West Africa.

So it hired an ambitious diamond expert named Ernest Oppenheimer and gave him his orders: head to the beach and assess the threat.

But then World War One disrupts De Beers chance to do a deal with the German diamond miners. Now, Oppenheimer sees his chance to scramble to the very top of the diamond industry.

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It’s 1869 and diamonds have been found in Cape Colony. 

Now, diamond hunters from across the world are heading to this remote British outpost in southern Africa, seeking a glittering fortune.

And among them are two wide-eyed hopefuls: streetwise Barney Barnato, who hails from the London slums, and Cecil Rhodes, a vicar’s son with a head full of imperialist daydreams.

When the diamond rush turns to bust, Barnato and Rhodes embark on a quest to conquer the mines. But only one man can win.

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Uber and Lyft have made their mark as very different brands.

Lyft was born out of a need for more environmentally friendly rideshare options. And is also seen as the “friendlier” of the two companies. While Uber’s former CEO, Travis Kalanick built a reputation for ruthlessness, sexual harassment and “bro culture.”

Still, both companies have seen protests from their drivers, who’ve demanded benefits and better pay for countless hours spent on the road. So how much has Uber and Lyft’s company culture affected their business up until now? And what will the future hold for these tech giants?

For some answers, we hear from New York Times Technology Reporter Mike Isaac. Isaac is also the author of the book, “Super PUMPED: The Battle for Uber.” He’ll talk about his reporting on Kalanick, Uber and how company culture at Uber and Lyft matters, now more than ever, to consumers. 

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New CEO Dara Khosrowshahi is cleaning house after the departure of Travis Kalanick. But after a disappointing IPO, Khosrowshahi has to boost the company’s ailing financials and fight against lawmakers who are siding with aggrieved drivers.

Then COVID-19 hits. Uber and Lyft are faced with a crisis that could alter ridesharing forever. Khosrowshahi leans into Uber Eats, while John Zimmer and Logan Green struggle to keep their dream alive.

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February 2017, Super Bowl Sunday. Uber CEO Travis Kalanick is taking a black car home when he gets in an altercation with the driver. LIttle does he know, the entire exchange has been captured on a dashcam recording. And when it goes viral, Kalanick will have to fight for his reputation — and his job. 

Lyft, meanwhile, spies an opening. As sexual harassment scandals plague their rival and users move to #DeleteUber, John Zimmer and Logan Green finally have a chance to really capitalize on their “good guy” reputation.

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Uber is facing blowback from all directions — the taxi industry, riders, and the most important man in tech: Apple's Tim Cook. Uber’s been engaged in some disreputable activity, and it's finally catching up with them. 

Lyft forges ahead and forms a new alliance to fight back against Uber's growing global footprint. But Uber will once again outmaneuver its competitor. 

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It's 2013, and Lyft's CEO John Zimmer is hosting a little celebration for drivers when some very unwelcome interlopers turn up to crash the party. Uber’s Travis Kalanick wants to destroy Lyft at any cost, and he's willing to do what it takes to outmaneuver his competitor and steal its riders and drivers — even if it means playing dirty. 

Lyft decides to stick to its environmentalist roots and focus on a new ridesharing feature it hopes will woo customers away. Until Uber beats them to the punch, and drives its rival to the brink of collapse.

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