Plagued by low sales of its genetic tests, 23andMe adopts a bold new plan: slash prices and enter the pharmaceutical industry. But with investors nervous, can CEO Anne Wojcicki keep the show going long enough to make her DNA dream pay off?

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When Silicon Valley power-player Anne Wojcicki sees gold in genetics, she forms 23andMe. She wants to bring genetic testing to the masses. But behind the hype and celebrity endorsements, can she build a company that’s selling more than just an expensive novelty product? 

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After AT&T takes over Time Warner in 2018, the media company decides it's time to enter the streaming wars. They don’t have the brand recognition that Disney has, but they do have HBO, considered the most prestigious cable television on the market. But transforming a niche brand like HBO into a broad-based streaming service is a massive marketing challenge — made even harder by the Covid lockdowns. Meanwhile, the head of a low-brow cable empire has his eye on Warner Media as an acquisition.  

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After Netflix poaches Shonda Rimes, one of the most successful television producers on ABC, a Disney-owned network, Disney decides it can’t just sit back and let Netflix keep eating into their market share. Disney CEO Bob Iger decides that Disney is going to launch its own streaming service, Disney+, in 2019. With its strong brand loyalty and vast library of content, Disney seems poised to give Netflix a run for its money. But upending its entire business model is complicated and a messy leadership transition adds even more drama to Disney’s attempt to dominate streaming. 

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In 2017, Netflix stuns Hollywood by paying television producer Shonda Rhimes an unprecedented amount of money to develop shows exclusively for the streamer. The move announces Netflix as a true rival to the legacy studios and kicks off the streaming wars. But when the business takes a sudden turn after the pandemic, Netflix is forced to make some key pivots to remain at the head of the pack.

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Starbucks might be number one in market share, but the competition over coffee is hot. In one corner, you’ve got the New England-based fan favorite Dunkin, with their no-frills vibe and celebrity boosters. In the other, you’ve got the up-and-comers: drive-through only chains like Dutch Bros and Seven Brew that have become popular among younger consumers and on-the-go customers. Comedian (and lifelong Dunkin fan) Josh Gondelman joins David to talk about the reign of Dunkin in Massachusetts and beyond. Later, Sam Oches of Nation’s Restaurant News joins David to shed some light on the newer drive-through brands and whether they can outshine Starbucks and Dunkin. 

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It’s 2023 and Howard Schultz’s hand-picked successor as CEO is facing trouble. While employees are voting to unionize, competitors are targeting Starbucks’ perceived weaknesses. Dunkin’ and others are beating Starbucks on price, while McDonald’s hopes to beat Starbucks on speed of service. Starbucks’ bottom-line breaks under that pressure. When it does, Schultz turns against his successor, leading Starbucks’ board to search for yet another leader. The new boss has a new plan, but it sounds old: Turn Starbucks back into the kind of community coffeehouse that Howard Schultz originally built. 

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It's 2021 and Starbucks workers are experiencing post-pandemic exhaustion. For the first time, baristas and others seem poised to vote to form a union. To head that off, Starbucks legendary CEO, Howard Schultz, comes out of retirement. He promises to lead Starbucks back to its employee-friendly, community coffeehouse roots. But workers aren’t buying it. Soon, Schultz will be called to the carpet in Congress. The nation’s top coffee chain is in an existential crisis. 

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After a stock market shakeout stunts Whole Foods’ growth, co-founder John Mackey finds himself struggling to protect the grocery store chain from circling predators. And he knows if he loses this battle, everything he worked to build could be cast aside.

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CEO John Mackey is on a mission to take Whole Foods national. But he is about to run into major opposition. And to succeed in his quest, he must face down rebellious employees, ambitious rivals, animal rights activists and his own father.

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