In this episode, we explore the ill-fated launch of New Coke in 1985, a story of how an obsession with data led Coca-Cola to alienate its loyal customer base. We uncover how the company's focus on taste test metrics ignored the deep emotional connection consumers had with the original product, resulting in one of the biggest marketing blunders in history.

Chapters

00:00 New Coke: The Backstory

03:02 Data vs. Customer Loyalty

05:31 The New Coke Debacle

11:58 Lessons Learned

In this episode, we explore the incredible true story of Martin Frobisher's expeditions in search of the Northwest Passage and gold for the English crown. We learn how faulty leadership and a desperate desire for wealth led to three massive expeditions that mined 1,100 tons of worthless rock.

Chapters

00:00 The Quest for Riches

02:02 A Miraculous Black Rock

04:52 Nature Needs Encouragement

08:55 The Largest Arctic Expedition

12:00 The Aftermath and Lessons

17:38 Avoiding Sunk Cost

In this episode, we explore how the Imperial Japanese Navy's rigid hierarchy, over-complexity, and refusal to adapt led to their downfall in WWII. You'll hear about key leadership failures, strategic missteps, and the catastrophic Battle of Midway that sealed their fate.

Chapters

00:00 Victory Disease

03:14 Yamamoto's Flawed Vision

07:19 Midway: Over-complexity & Bad Intel

12:08 Post-Midway Failures

16:18 Leyte Gulf: Leadership Paralysis

18:57 Yamato's Final Mission & Lessons

In this episode, we explore the rise and fall of Dr. John Dee, Queen Elizabeth I’s brilliant advisor and polymath, who ultimately lost his way by trusting a charismatic con man named Edward Kelly. We learn about the critical leadership lesson of discerning between a true visionary and a deceptive charlatan.

Chapters

00:00 Elizabeth I and Dr. John Dee

04:17 Dee's Search for Divine Insight

08:10 Edward Kelly's Deception

11:57 The European Expedition

15:07 The Ultimate Betrayal

17:19 Dee's Downfall and Wisdom