From near-bankruptcy in 1976 as a calculator chip maker to commanding over 40% of the world’s data storage market in 2024, Western Digital’s tale is a gripping saga of relentless transformation, harsh lessons, and bold bets. Surviving multiple perilous technology shifts—moving from controllers to hard drives, acquiring industry giants like HGST and SanDisk, and ultimately splitting its flash and HDD businesses in response to the AI data boom—Western Digital has matched Silicon Valley drama with corporate grit. This story is about thriving in an era where AI fuels data growth but demands radical strategic focus. If you’re fascinated by how tech titans reinvent themselves—sometimes painfully—to dominate tomorrow’s infrastructure, Western Digital’s journey offers a masterclass you won’t want to miss.

Transcript https://empor.top/us/WDC

• I. Introduction & Episode Roadmap
• II. Origins & The Early Semiconductor Years (1970–1976)
• III. The Storage Controller Era & IBM PC Revolution (1977–1988)
• IV. The Tandon Acquisition & Becoming a Drive Maker (1988–1995)
• V. The Dark Years: Quality Crisis & Near-Irrelevance (1995–1998)
• VI. The Great Consolidation: HGST Acquisition (2003–2015)
• VII. The SanDisk Mega-Deal & Flash Transformation (2016)
• VIII. Modern Era: AI Data Cycle & Business Separation (2018–Present)
• IX. Playbook: Business & Investing Lessons
• X. Analysis & Bear vs. Bull Case
• XI. Epilogue & "If We Were CEOs"