The Business Model by Inc.

Venture capital is throwing cash at body scan companies. Firms like Prenuvo, Function, and Sweden’s Neko Health are promising they’re the future of health care.  

But what’s the limit of these costly, out-of-pocket tests?  

Inc. reporter Chloe Aiello went deep into the world of body scans and she explains it all to senior editor Rebecca Deczynski on this episode of 1 Smart Business Story.  

Then, this week’s Action Item: How to retain Gen-Z employees.    

Before Zoom meetings, FaceTime calls, and Microsoft Teams, there was Skype. 

In the early 2000s, Skype revolutionized the way people communicated, making it possible to call anyone in the world over the internet for little to no cost. The company grew at a staggering pace, attracted hundreds of millions of users, became a household name, and helped turn video calling from a novelty into a necessity.

So how did the company that pioneered internet communication lose its place in the future it helped create?

Welcome to Fail Factory—where we look at the companies that stumbled, faded, or failed, and fix them up with the benefit of hindsight.

In this episode, Inc. staff reporters Ali Donaldson and Ben Sherry explore Skype's rise from startup disrupter to global tech powerhouse, the billion-dollar acquisitions that reshaped its trajectory, and the strategic decisions that left it vulnerable as competitors like Zoom, WhatsApp, Slack, and Microsoft Teams transformed the communications landscape.

Along the way, we'll examine the founders' lessons hidden inside Skype's story: why being first isn't always enough, how success can make companies complacent, and what happens when market leaders stop evolving while customer expectations continue to change.

Rivian Automotive has been losing a lot of money—around $3.6 billion in 2025 alone. That may soon change. Founder and CEO RJ Scaringe hopes that with the release of the R2, Rivian’s highly anticipated electric SUV, the company can drive toward profitability.  

On this episode of One Smart Business Story, Inc. senior editor Rob Verger talks about his visit to Rivian’s factory, his test drive of the R2, and his candid conversation with Scaringe.  

Unlike their Asian counterparts, American retailers have tried their hands at live shopping to no avail. That is until Whatnot took a swing at it. Spoiler alert: Live shopping is working for the $11.5 billion startup. 

On this episode of The Business Model, Inc. senior editor Rob Verger sits down with Inc. senior writer Jennifer Conrad to unpack Whatnot’s magic, why live shopping is resonating with its fandom, and its plans for a sustainable future.  

Standing out in an oversaturated market is a tough challenge to overcome for entrepreneurs. Luckily, these founders have some tips on just how to do that. On this Founder Group Chat, Inc.’s Graham Winfrey sat down with three experts: 

Ron Holloway, co-founder and co-CEO of Woofbowl 

LeAnn Darland, co-founder and co-CEO of TALEA Beer Co.  

Gabi Lewis, co-founder and co-CEO of Magic Spoon. 

They share their insights on how they pivot their businesses to overcome any challenge that comes their way and stay ahead of their competitors. 

In the 2010s, Sweetgreen was all the rage with Millennials who loved its fast casual but health-conscious approach to their office lunch. But since then, the world has changed. More young people are working from home and not taking those coveted breaks away from the office to reset and recharge with a $20 salad bowl.  

In a recent piece for Inc. magazine, journalist and screenwriter Mickey Rapkin writes that the company previously admitted to struggling to connect with people aged 25 to 35, its exact target audience. 

On this episode of The Business Model, Inc. staff reporter Chloe Aiello sat down with Rapkin for a conversation about Sweetgreen’s losing favor with its customer base, its new leadership team, and what wraps have to do with its comeback.  

As a founder, you want to see your company grow and succeed. But how fast do you want to grow your company? How fast is too fast? And how do you maintain quality at scale?  

Fortunately, on this Founder Group Chat, Inc.’s Graham Winfrey chatted with three experts who know how to overcome certain challenges when it comes to expanding their businesses: 

Ron Holloway, co-founder and co-CEO of Woofbowl 

LeAnn Darland, co-founder and co-CEO of TALEA Beer Co.  

Gabi Lewis, co-founder and co-CEO of Magic Spoon. 

In today’s economic climate, business leaders, particularly those of small and medium-size businesses, are rightfully cautious. However, despite inflation, ongoing war, and other factors, Sharon Miller, Bank of America’s president of Business Banking, says this of BoA’s client base: 

“As we enter 2026, balance sheets were stable and profitability had actually risen from a year ago. So, when you look at what’s happening in our client base—and we serve 3.5 million small and medium-size companies in the U.S.—what we’re seeing is certainly cautious optimism, but we are seeing growth in our local communities.” 

On this episode of The Business Model, Inc. senior staff writer Melissa Angell recently sat down with Miller for a conversation about borrowing, the business of banking, and the role of AI.   

While venture capitalists have been pouring money to fund companies aligned with “American Dynamism,” there is a new crop of startups focused on building sustainable companies for the supply chain to support the country’s future.  

Inc. senior editor Leah Carroll led a recent story on the top 17 companies that are rebuilding America. On this episode of The Business Model, Carroll joins Inc. staff reporter Chloe Aiello to give you a behind-the-scenes look into the process that formed the final list. Plus, you’ll hear from Inc. staff members who delve into the details of why select startups made the list.  

On this Founder Group Chat, we’re looking at three very different companies: A food truck for dogs, kid-coded cereal for adults, and yet another craft beer brand.  

Any of these ideas could get you laughed out of the room during a pitch meeting. Still, the founders of these companies managed to build successful brands in the wildly saturated food and beverage space — while having some fairly out-of-the-box ideas. 

On this episode, Graham Winfrey goes back to where their journeys began in a chat on launch strategies with Ron Holloway of Woofbowl, LeAnn Darland of TALEA Beer Co., and Gabi Lewis of Magic Spoon.