The Risktory Podcast

Coming up on this week’s episode, I am going to look at the 2019 collapse of Thomas Cook, a 178 year old veteran of the travel industry that, seemingly, disappeared overnight.

Like all corporate collapses, the seeds of Thomas Cook’s destruction were sewn long before the final coup de grace. Ill-thought through acquisitions. A ‘bloated retail footprint’. An inability to keep up with the increasing commoditization of the travel market.

In the end, the collapse of Thomas Cook was less than an overnight collapse, and more of, what website skift.com calls ‘a disaster played out in slow motion’.

The Risktory Podcast is created, written, produced and hosted by Jacinthe A Galpin.

Soundtrack (sourced from www.freemusicarchive.org)
Alan Spiljak – Clouds
Alan Spiljak – Forgotten
Alan Spiljak – Light blue
Alan Spiljak – Empty days
Alan Spiljak – Stars above
Alan Spiljak – Not the end
Alan Spiljak – Sun
Alan Spiljak – Flying away
Alan Spiljak – Time
Alan Spiljak – Fantasy in my mind

Bibliography
https://www.cityam.com/timeline-thomas-cooks-humble-beginnings-to-a-billion-pound-collapse/
https://time.com/5683934/thomas-cook-travel-collapse/
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-46452374
https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/thomas-cook-collapse-travel-abta-corporate-finance-failure-mark-tanzer-a9146851.html
https://skift.com/2019/09/30/debt-egos-and-bad-decisions-how-thomas-cook-failed-to-adapt-to-a-new-era-of-travel/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Cook_Group

Equipment I use
*RODE NT USB Bundle Pack (mic, tripod and boom arm included) - https://amzn.to/37OZI6T
*Adobe Audition - https://amzn.to/2OjXchn

* Disclosure: These links are Amazon.com affiliate links. If you use them to make a purchase, the Risktory Podcast will earn a commission. Keep in mind that we link these companies and their products because of their quality and relevance to this week’s episode, and not because of the commission we receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you. Thank you for your ongoing support of the Risktory Podcast.

Coming on this week’s Master of the Risk Universe episode: Martine Rothblatt. Martine Rothblatt isn’t a household name when it comes to disruption and innovation. But she really ought to be.

The world’s first private international spacecom project, PanAmSat. She not only wrote the thesis that acted as a genesis for idea. She launched it.

The world’s first global satellite radio network, WorldSpace. She created it.

The world’s first non-geostationary satellite to car system, Sirius Radio? THE Sirius radio? She invented it.

And, when her daughter was diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension, and her daughter was given three months to live, Martine invested her own money to develop treatments that transformed – not just her daughter’s life – but the lives of thousands across the world.

And she’s still going. Most recently launching the world’s first net-zero office building, which is powered by a range of technologies (including solar power, geothermal walls, and electrochromic glass) and which operates with zero carbon footprint.

On this week’s episode of the Risktory episode, I’m going to explore the life and times of a disruptor and innovator who is considered to be one of the greatest – and in my opinion, one of the most underrated and under-recognized - minds of the last century.

And I’m going to talk about three key traits that I believe all disruptors and innovators – including Martine Rothblatt – possess: three traits that distinguish them from the population at large.

The Risktory Podcast is created, written, produced and hosted by Jacinthe A Galpin.

Soundtrack (sourced from www.freemusicarchive.org)
Alan Spiljak – Clouds
Alan Spiljak – Forgotten
Alan Spiljak – Light blue
Alan Spiljak – Empty days
Alan Spiljak – Stars above
Alan Spiljak – Not the end
Alan Spiljak – Sun
Alan Spiljak – Flying away
Alan Spiljak – Time
Alan Spiljak – Fantasy in my mind

Related Episodes
https://www.spreaker.com/user/jacintheagalpin/ray-kurzweil
https://www.spreaker.com/user/jacintheagalpin/20-01-13-master-of-the-risk-universe-mad

Bibliography
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martine_Rothblatt
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/martine-rothblatt-she-founded-siriusxm-a-religion-and-a-biotech-for-starters/2014/12/11/5a8a4866-71ab-11e4-ad12-3734c461eab6_story.html
https://www.ted.com/speakers/martine_rothblatt
https://www.biospace.com/article/united-therapeutics-martine-rothblatt-envisions-abundant-supply-of-lung-transplants/
https://www.businessinsider.com/martine-rothblatt-saved-daughters-life-united-therapeutics-2016-5
https://keendomains.com/2016/08/13/trans/
https://lifeboat.com/ex/bios.martine.rothblatt
https://www.forbes.com/sites/chloesorvino/2016/06/22/from-siriusxm-to-pig-cloning-a-qa-with-americas-most-successful-transgender-ceo-martine-rothblatt/#57df2fd2b77d

Equipment I use
*RODE NT USB Bundle Pack (mic, tripod and boom arm included) - https://amzn.to/37OZI6T
*Adobe Audition - https://amzn.to/2OjXchn

* Disclosure: These links are Amazon.com affiliate links. If you use them to make a purchase, the Risktory Podcast will earn a commission. Keep in mind that we link these companies and their products because of their quality and relevance to this week’s episode, and not because of the commission we receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you. Thank you for your ongoing support of the Risktory Podcast.

Coming up on this week’s episode, I’m going to explore a story of an opportunity that looked terrible on paper. But which, in the end, turned out to be an opportunity that made three twenty-something kids with a terrible idea, billionaires.

That terrible idea? Airbnb. And don’t just take my word for it that it was – at least initially – a terrible idea. Airbnb Co-Founder, Brian Chesky has, himself, said: 'A number of people have said that Airbnb is the worst idea… that ever worked'.

In today’s episode, I’ll take you through the startup story of Airbnb. How founders Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia turned opportunity into a fledgling business model. How the three stayed resilient as their little idea that could, almost didn’t. And I’ll explore why sometimes, taking on risk is less about being certain that you’re mitigated the unknown, as much as it is taking an exhilarating, life changing leap of faith into the unknown.

The Risktory Podcast is created, written, produced and hosted by Jacinthe A Galpin.

Soundtrack (sourced from www.freemusicarchive.org)
Alan Spiljak – Clouds
Alan Spiljak – Forgotten
Alan Spiljak – Light blue
Alan Spiljak – Empty days
Alan Spiljak – Stars above
Alan Spiljak – Not the end
Alan Spiljak – Sun
Alan Spiljak – Flying away
Alan Spiljak – Time
Alan Spiljak – Fantasy in my mind

Bibliography
https://www.boldbusiness.com/society/airbnb-startup-story/
https://getpaidforyourpad.com/blog/the-airbnb-founder-story/
https://www.businessinsider.com/how-airbnb-was-founded-a-visual-history-2016-2#thats-when-the-company-hit-the-accelerator-on-growth-and-learned-a-bunch-about-their-business-chesky-famously-lived-exclusively-in-airbnbs-for-a-few-months-in-2010-when-their-employees-crowded-out-the-bedroom-space-left-in-their-apartment-18
http://www.paulgraham.com/airbnb.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Gebbia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Chesky
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Blecharczyk
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbnb#History

Equipment I use
*RODE NT USB Bundle Pack (mic, tripod and boom arm included) - https://amzn.to/37OZI6T
*Adobe Audition - https://amzn.to/2OjXchn

* Disclosure: These links are Amazon.com affiliate links. If you use them to make a purchase, the Risktory Podcast will earn a commission. Keep in mind that we link these companies and their products because of their quality and relevance to this week’s episode, and not because of the commission we receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you. Thank you for your ongoing support of the Risktory Podcast.

Coming up on this week’s episode, an often-requested look at the ongoing crisis that is the Boeing 737, and more specifically, the Boeing 737 MAX.

Two crashes. 346 lives lost. And a whole host of questions about:

a)Why did the planes crash?
b)What went wrong?
c)Did Boeing know the 737 MAX was compromised?
d)And how effectively has Boeing managed the problems surrounding the 737 Max?

On this week’s episode, I’ll tackle all of those questions. And I’ll offer my opinion on whether Boeing can come back from the Boeing 737 MAX.

The Risktory Podcast is created, written, produced and hosted by Jacinthe A Galpin.

Soundtrack (sourced from www.freemusicarchive.org)
Alan Spiljak – Clouds
Alan Spiljak – Forgotten
Alan Spiljak – Light blue
Alan Spiljak – Empty days
Alan Spiljak – Stars above
Alan Spiljak – Not the end
Alan Spiljak – Sun
Alan Spiljak – Flying away
Alan Spiljak – Time
Alan Spiljak – Fantasy in my mind

Bibliography
https://www.businessinsider.com/boeing-737-max-timeline-history-full-details-2019-9
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/boeing-aerospace/timeline-brief-history-boeing-737-max/
https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/2/18518176/boeing-737-max-crash-problems-human-error-mcas-faa
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-47553174
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/business/boeing-737-crashes.html
https://www.cnet.com/news/boeing-737-max-8-all-about-the-aircraft-flight-ban-and-investigations/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_737_MAX_groundings#Lion_Air_Flight_610
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/41517601/ns/business-us_business/t/boeing-ceo-new-airplane-replace#.XkgPLxNKhQI
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion_Air_Flight_610
https://www.flightradar24.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/JT610-PK-LQP-Final-Report.pdf
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-50177788
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/18/business/boeing-flight-simulator-text-message.html

Related Episodes
https://www.spreaker.com/user/jacintheagalpin/equifax
https://www.spreaker.com/user/jacintheagalpin/ashley-madison-part-1
https://www.spreaker.com/user/jacintheagalpin/ashley-madison-part-2

Equipment I use
*RODE NT USB Bundle Pack (mic, tripod and boom arm included) - https://amzn.to/37OZI6T
*Adobe Audition - https://amzn.to/2OjXchn

* Disclosure: These links are Amazon.com affiliate links. If you use them to make a purchase, the Risktory Podcast will earn a commission. Keep in mind that we link these companies and their products because of their quality and relevance to this week’s episode, and not because of the commission we receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you. Thank you for your ongoing support of the Risktory Podcast.

Coming up this week, whatever happened to Blockbuster, the video giant. From being on every street corner, and from being an intrinsic part of pop culture life (who didn’t, in retrospect of course, love the panic of having to rewind the video tape before returning it to avoid a fee, so that your parents didn’t yell at you)… Blockbuster’s death seemed rapid, unceremonious, and kinda sad.

Now, if you ask most people what happened to Blockbuster in the mid 2000s, the instantaneous answer is…. Netflix. Netflix killed Blockbuster.

Ehhh, not quite. While there’s no question that Netflix (and other on-demand video services, like RedBox) were a contributing factor, and perhaps even the coup ge grace, the seeds of Blockbuster’s destruction had been sewn far, far earlier.

What happened in the mid 2000s to Blockbuster was a perfect storm of variables - some within the giant’s control vs others that flew out of nowhere – which came home to roost. Variables that, when realized concurrently, made decline all but inevitable.

This week I will take you through the decline of Blockbuster: how it happened, why it happened, and whether it could have been avoided.

The Risktory Podcast is created, written, produced and hosted by Jacinthe A Galpin.

Soundtrack (sourced from www.freemusicarchive.org)
Alan Spiljak – Clouds
Alan Spiljak – Forgotten
Alan Spiljak – Light blue
Alan Spiljak – Empty days
Alan Spiljak – Stars above
Alan Spiljak – Not the end
Alan Spiljak – Sun
Alan Spiljak – Flying away
Alan Spiljak – Time
Alan Spiljak – Fantasy in my mind

Bibliography
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blockbuster_LLC
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathansalembaskin/2013/11/08/the-internet-didnt-kill-blockbuster-the-company-did-it-to-itself/#303d59106488
https://www.forbes.com/sites/gregsatell/2014/09/05/a-look-back-at-why-blockbuster-really-failed-and-why-it-didnt-have-to/#36cd5e1c1d64
https://www.retaildive.com/news/who-really-killed-blockbuster/564314/
https://www.kentucky.com/news/business/article227349884.html
https://globalnews.ca/news/5067378/last-blockbuster-video-store-thriving/

Equipment I use
*RODE NT USB Bundle Pack (mic, tripod and boom arm included) - https://amzn.to/37OZI6T
*Adobe Audition - https://amzn.to/2OjXchn

* Disclosure: These links are Amazon.com affiliate links. If you use them to make a purchase, the Risktory Podcast will earn a commission. Keep in mind that we link these companies and their products because of their quality and relevance to this week’s episode, and not because of the commission we receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you. Thank you for your ongoing support of the Risktory Podcast.

Monday January 27 commemorated the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. And, as I was watching the news media’s coverage of the event, I noticed a story about how 99% of Danish Jews survived WW2.

I wanted to know more given that, in other parts of Europe, such as the Netherlands, only 25% of Dutch Jews survived. Why was that. As I dug more into why they survived, and how they survived, I realized this was a story of how the Danes protected their Jewish population by responding to the unknown via what NewRepublic.com called, ‘solidarity and decency… a dense tissue of connection among people, on long-formed habits of the heart, on resilient cultures of common citizenship, and on leaders who marshaled these virtues by their example. In Denmark, this dense tissue bound human beings together and indirect rule made it impossible for the Germans to rip it apart’.

Today, I explore just how the Danes stood shoulder to shoulder with their Jews during WW2, thwarting every attempt by the Germans to force the Danes to simply hand them over.

The Risktory Podcast is created, written, produced and hosted by Jacinthe A Galpin.

Soundtrack (sourced from www.freemusicarchive.org)
Alan Spiljak – Clouds
Alan Spiljak – Forgotten
Alan Spiljak – Light blue
Alan Spiljak – Empty days
Alan Spiljak – Stars above
Alan Spiljak – Not the end
Alan Spiljak – Sun
Alan Spiljak – Flying away
Alan Spiljak – Time
Alan Spiljak – Fantasy in my mind

Bibliography
*A Conspiracy of Decency - https://amzn.to/37PmZFR
*Countrymen - https://amzn.to/2GHfuof
https://www.history.com/news/wwii-danish-jews-survival-holocaust
http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20181001-the-danish-network-that-defied-hitler
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_Denmark
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/denmark
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/mar/13/countrymen-untold-story-denmark-jews-escaped-nazis-bo-lidegaard-review
https://newrepublic.com/article/115670/denmark-holocaust-bo-lidegaards-countrymen-reviewed

Equipment I use
*RODE NT USB Bundle Pack (mic, tripod and boom arm included) - https://amzn.to/37OZI6T
*Adobe Audition - https://amzn.to/2OjXchn

* Disclosure: These links are Amazon.com affiliate links. If you use them to make a purchase, the Risktory Podcast will earn a commission. Keep in mind that we link these companies and their products because of their quality and relevance to this week’s episode, and not because of the commission we receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you. Thank you for your ongoing support of the Risktory Podcast.

Coming up on this week’s episode, a comeback story for the ages: the reinvention of Burberry.

The early 2000s saw this iconic British brand disintegrating as a direct consequence of, what would later emerge to be, extremely damaging strategic and operating model decisions.

For a moment there, it almost seemed like the proud Burberry brand was a dead man walking.

And then, American retail superstar, Angela Arendts, strode into Burberry and, as its newly anointed CEO, boldly decided that the best defense was a fabulous – opportunity driven - offense.

In this week’s episode, I’ll explore how Burberry used opportunity to come back from the brink.

The Risktory Podcast is created, written, produced and hosted by Jacinthe A Galpin. Jacinthe loves her Burberry trench and will wear it during the summer, it’s that nice.

Soundtrack (sourced from www.freemusicarchive.org)
Podington Bear - Elephants on Parade
Alan Spiljak – Clouds
Alan Spiljak – Forgotten
Alan Spiljak – Light blue
Alan Spiljak – Empty days
Alan Spiljak – Stars above
Alan Spiljak – Not the end
Alan Spiljak – Sun
Alan Spiljak – Flying away
Alan Spiljak – Time
Alan Spiljak – Fantasy in my mind

Bibliography
https://www.echostories.com/rebranding-burberry-case-study/
https://www.luxurysociety.com/en/articles/2018/08/how-burberry-reinventing-itself/
https://www.deepmediaonline.com/deepmedia/2015/04/burberry-how-a-luxury-brand-turned-itself-around.html
https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2017/09/25/the-amazing-ways-burberry-is-using-artificial-intelligence-and-big-data-to-drive-success/#526ff1fd4f63
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-41818169
https://www.tinderpoint.com/insights/content-marketing/how-burberry-turned-its-brand-from-chav-check-to-digital-darling/
https://hbr.org/2013/01/burberrys-ceo-on-turning-an-aging-british-icon-into-a-global-luxury-brand

Uncharted territory on the podcast today: I will be talking about baseball. Yes, it’s true.

I will be taking you through the cheating scandal surrounding Major League Baseball team, the Houston Astros. How the scandal unfolded, the conduct and results of a subsequent investigation by Major League Baseball Commissioner, Rob Manfred, and the lessons we can learn from this crisis that is unfolding in real time.

The Risktory Podcast is created, written, produced and hosted by Jacinthe A Galpin. Jacinthe doesn’t know a whole lot about baseball but the internet is a great source for the basics.

Soundtrack (sourced from www.freemusicarchive.org)
Podington Bear - Elephants on Parade
Alan Spiljak – Clouds
Alan Spiljak – Forgotten
Alan Spiljak – Light blue
Alan Spiljak – Empty days
Alan Spiljak – Stars above
Alan Spiljak – Not the end
Alan Spiljak – Sun
Alan Spiljak – Flying away
Alan Spiljak – Time
Alan Spiljak – Fantasy in my mind

Bibliography
https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/houston-astros-cheating-scandal-10-things-we-learned-from-mlbs-nine-page-investigative-report/
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/houston-astros-cheating-scandal-timeline/ss-BBZ3QtP
https://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2020/1/13/21064250/astros-sign-stealing-suspensions-fines-mlb
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Astros-cheating-scandal-sign-stealing-MLB-WS-14849826.php
https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/mlb/cglrhmlrwwbkacty27l7.pdf
https://theathletic.com/1363451/2019/11/12/the-astros-stole-signs-electronically-in-2017-part-of-a-much-broader-issue-for-major-league-baseball/
https://theathletic.com/94995/2017/09/05/red-sox-crossed-a-line-and-baseballs-response-must-be-firm/
Astros vs White Sox, September 2017: https://youtu.be/SftEFwbpmic
Jim Crane Statement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLdC76_9zwY&t=73s

In the first of a new series here on the Risktory Podcast – Masters of the Risk Universe – who better to feature than cultural icon, Madonna.

When you think of risk management, you don’t automatically think of Madonna, but the Material Girl is a risk master. She was and still is an innovator. A Disruptor. A master of navigating the unknown. And she is someone who never waited for opportunity to knock: instead opting to chase and hunt in order to win.

Coming up in this week’s episode of the Risktory Podcast, I’ll take you through how Madonna, from the gate, was destined to be a global superstar, not by luck or good fortune, but by being someone who – from a child - understood the risk game and always – always – played to win.

The Risktory Podcast is created, written, produced and hosted by Jacinthe A Galpin. Jacinthe’s favorite Madonna song of all time is Burning Up, closely followed by Holiday.

Soundtrack (sourced from www.freemusicarchive.org)
Podington Bear - Elephants on Parade
Alan Spiljak – Clouds
Alan Spiljak – Forgotten
Alan Spiljak – Light blue
Alan Spiljak – Empty days
Alan Spiljak – Stars above
Alan Spiljak – Not the end
Alan Spiljak – Sun
Alan Spiljak – Flying away
Alan Spiljak – Time
Alan Spiljak – Fantasy in my mind

Soundbyte
Madonna – Bitch I’m Madonna
The soundbyte used is protected by the Fair Use Doctrine, as outlined in Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1790.

Related Risktory Episodes You Might Also Enjoy
https://www.spreaker.com/user/jacintheagalpin/club-kids-part-1_1
https://www.spreaker.com/user/jacintheagalpin/club-kids-part-2

Bibliography
https://www.biography.com/musician/madonna
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Madonna-American-singer-and-actress
https://www.marieclaire.co.uk/entertainment/music/madonna-biography-119458
https://www.thetalko.com/surprising-facts-about-madonnas-childhood/
https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/how-did-madonna-become-famous.html/
https://www.nycgo.com/venues/madonnas-nyc-apartment

What ever happened to Motorola?

How did the inventor of the world’s first handheld cell phone become a bit player in a market it created? Where did Motorola go wrong? Could Motorola’s decline have been avoided?

And will the highly anticipated release of the smartphone Motorola Razr in 2020 help turn the tide for this iconic brand?

The Risktory Podcast is created, written, produced and hosted by Jacinthe A Galpin. Jacinthe once owned a gold Motorola Razr and it was the best time of her life.

Soundtrack (sourced from www.freemusicarchive.org)
Podington Bear - Elephants on Parade
Alan Spiljak – Clouds
Alan Spiljak – Forgotten
Alan Spiljak – Light blue
Alan Spiljak – Empty days
Alan Spiljak – Stars above
Alan Spiljak – Not the end
Alan Spiljak – Sun
Alan Spiljak – Flying away
Alan Spiljak – Time
Alan Spiljak – Fantasy in my mind

Supporting Risktory Episodes
https://www.spreaker.com/user/jacintheagalpin/ray-kurzweil

Bibliography
https://theconversation.com/motorola-brought-us-the-mobile-phone-but-ended-up-merged-out-of-existence-33967
https://www.networkworld.com/article/2277903/10-reasons-why-motorola-failed.html
https://www.androidpolice.com/2018/03/19/motorola-risk-becoming-irrelevant-ever-can-saved/
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/29/rockman_on_motorola/
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jan/08/motorola-brand-killed-off-lenovo
https://www.techradar.com/reviews/motorola-razr-2019
https://www.cnet.com/features/foldable-1500-motorola-razr-this-flip-phones-hinge-could-also-be-its-edge/
https://www.kurzweilai.net/the-law-of-accelerating-returns
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorola
https://articles2.marketrealist.com/2016/05/story-motorolas-mobile-business-leader-niche/#