Good Bad Billionaire

Tao Huabi grew up in childhood poverty in the province of Guizhou in southwestern China, but would one day become a household name in her home country. Her Lao Gan Ma brand, famous for its crispy chilli oil, is a staple in China and fast becoming one globally.

BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng track the remarkable story of how an illiterate widow fought to survive single motherhood and become one of the most...

He enjoyed a spectacular rise in The Beatles, and went on to become a gold-plated member of British music royalty. Hear how Paul McCartney, one of the last century’s defining songwriters, became the UK's first billionaire rock star along the way. But how much of Paul McCartney’s cash comes from royalties, tours or his ownership of other artists’ back catalogues?

BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Ts...

As co-founder of Netflix, Reed Hastings is responsible for one of the most recognisable brands in the world. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng recount how he evolved Netflix from a DVD-by-mail rental service to the streaming giant responsible for bringing Stranger Things, Bridgerton and Squid Game to our screens. Along the way, Netflix transformed the way we watched TV, and disrupted the world of film distri...

Roger Federer isn’t just one of the greatest tennis players of all time - he’s also one of the richest. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng follow his journey: from a fiery, racket-smashing junior in Switzerland to the calm, composed global icon who conquered Wimbledon, and the world of endorsements. With over 20 Grand Slam titles and more than $100 million in prize money, Federer’s sportin...

Luana Lopes Lara, the co-founder of prediction market platform Kalshi, went from the Bolshoi ballet school in Brazil to becoming the world’s youngest female self-made billionaire.

BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng explain how - in today's online world - literally anything can become a tradeable asset. Thanks to early investment, Luana Lopes Lara and her business partner Tarek Mansour convinced US regula...

Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, transformed himself from a teenager obsessing over YouTube's algorithms, into one of the most influential digital entrepreneurs on the planet. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng follow his ascent from making Minecraft videos in his bedroom, to ever-larger challenges, eye-watering cash prizes, and headline-grabbing acts of philanthropy. Is MrBeast a visionary entrepr...

Cristiano Ronaldo grew up in poverty on the remote island of Madeira, but became football's first billionaire player, and one of the most recognisable people on the planet. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng trace Ronaldo's rise from a homesick kid playing for the academy at Sporting CP, to global superstardom at Manchester United and Real Madrid, where relentless training and record-breaking performances tur...

Steven Spielberg always felt like an outsider, but became the most commercially successful movie director in history. His hits, including ET, Indiana Jones and Jurassic Park, sent him on his way to becoming one of the first entertainment billionaires. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng chart the filmmaker's rise, from a movie-obsessed outsider with an 8mm camera, to the chaos of Jaws - a production he feared ...

Beyoncé started out as a little girl competing in local talent shows, but over the course of a 30-year career in music she transformed herself into a mogul worth $1 billion. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack trace Beyoncé’s early years in girl group Girls Tyme, the turbulent rise of Destiny’s Child, and her breakout as a solo artist, before examining the strategic decisions that transformed her f...

Simon and Zing are back to tell you how another batch of billionaires made their money. From people who've recently joined this most exclusive of clubs - like Beyoncé and Mr Beast - to some of the most established names in entertainment, including Sir Paul McCartney and Steven Spielberg, Simon and Zing will track their rise to a million and then onto their first billion. It's then time for our unscientific scoring on wealth, contro...

Toto Wolff is the most successful team principal in Formula One history. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng find out what drives him. From losing his father and abandoning his own racing dreams, Toto Wolff redirected his love of risk and need for control into venture capital, making millions during the early tech boom. But Toto Wolff couldn’t stay away from motorsport. After a crash that almost killed...

Ronnie Screwvala changed the viewing habits of the world’s most populous country, India - but he started out selling toothbrushes. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng chart his journey, from knocking on apartment doors in 1980s Mumbai selling cable TV, to building a media empire that would transform Indian entertainment. Ronnie Screwvala launched the first Indian daily soap opera, the country’s ...

Larry Ellison’s business mantra is simple: “It is not sufficient that I succeed — everyone else must fail.” From humble beginnings as an adopted child in Chicago to becoming one of the richest men in history, BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng trace the relentless ascent of one of Silicon Valley’s most combative and controversial figures.

After recognising the commercial potential...

Once hailed as the next Steve Jobs, Elizabeth Holmes became the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire after founding Theranos, a startup that promised to revolutionise healthcare with hundreds of blood tests from a single drop. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng trace Elizabeth Holmes’s journey from precocious Stanford student to biotech entrepreneur, before unpacking how secrecy and hype ...

Peggy Cherng never set out to work in fast food, but her engineering mindset transformed how millions of Americans eat. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack trace Peggy Cherng’s journey: from electrical engineering and simulating battlefields, to co-founding Panda Express with her husband Andrew and becoming a billionaire. By applying data and rigorous standardisation, Peggy Cherng helped turn a single ma...

How Ben Francis went from pizza delivery boy to the UK’s youngest billionaire, by founding sportswear brand Gymshark. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng explore Ben Francis' remarkable rise: from sewing gym vests in his parents’ garage, to innovating in influencer culture. In Gymshark, Ben Francis created one of the fastest growing fitness brands in the world, with the ambition to take on athleisu...

She skateboards to work, has a skydiving license, and was the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC Business Editor Simon Jack tell the story of Lucy Guo and trace her trajectory to becoming one of the tech titans. From dropping out of college to join Peter Thiel’s Fellowship, to couch-surfing as a millionaire, they follow Lucy Guo's journey to found Scale AI, a company that train...

It’s time to hear what you, our listeners, think of Elon Musk. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack read your feedback to our Elon Musk episode: do you think he’s good, bad, or just another billionaire? Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast that explores the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics, and success. There are leaders who made their money i...

David Geffen is the money man behind Crosby, Stills and Nash, Guns N' Roses, Cher, Shrek, Gladiator, and even Cats the musical. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack tell the remarkable story of the Brooklyn boy who conquered Hollywood and became an entertainment mogul. From starting in a New York agency mailroom to the heart of Laurel Canyon’s hippie-rock scene, David Geffen rubbed shoulders with almost e...