The Great Fail

When HQ Trivia went live in 2018, it was an instant hit, generating a tremendous amount of mass appeal and gaining an immediate cult following that went beyond anyone's expectations. They also had the blessings of the most influential people-from the celebrity-world to the investment world. What would follow would be a set of glitches, cheating bots, internal turmoil, a toxic work environment, mismanagement of funds, and a tragic d...

Kodak dominated the consumer photography market for over a century and their downfall seems to be obvious in their inability to adapt to the digital age. But when you look closer at the company's history, you'll come to see that ironically what made them so successful was what ultimately killed off the Company. John Kotter, best-selling author, and professor at Harvard Business School will help break down how Kodak was a lesson in ...

The rise and fall of the iconic Motorola was on so many levels, heart-wrenching. Once pioneers of all things radio, Motorola paved the way for set-top boxes, modems, DVRs, semiconductors and then after that, mobile phones. In 2004, the unveiling of their Razr created a media frenzy, selling more phones than any other mobile handsets at that time. So how was this remarkable, trailblazing brand condemned to a slow death that eventual...

Welcome to a Special 20th Episode Edition. On September 13, 1997, 6 men pulled off the biggest cash heist in American history. In less than 30 minutes, they made their way into the Dunbar Armored facility and walked away with $18.9 million, leaving behind no evidence or clues. For years it seemed like the cleanest job anyone could have hoped for, and the case began to turn cold. But then one man's misstep ruined what could've been ...

When Echo Fox burst into the world of eSports, it was a glowing beacon – a shining example of what the burgeoning world of competitive gaming could look like. It was the first celebrity-driven team, managed by pro athletes that understood the parallels between sports and gaming. But that promise soon vanished into thin air, consumed by lawsuits, restraining orders, death threats and drug-fueled parties. Get the play-by-play on Epis...

When Color Labs launched their highly anticipated photo-sharing app Color in 2011, it was one of the most fervently hyped startups in the venture capital world. Co-Founder & CEO Bill Nguyen was equipped with everything you could ask for to launch his app: extremely deep pockets, an all-star executive team and the backing of some very influential and wealthy people. But even with all of that, Color crashed and burned before it c...

Heralded as the "Starbucks of China," Luckin Coffee burst onto the scene in 2018 when it opened its first location in Beijing. The Company achieved unicorn status within a year and soon became a Wall Street darling, doubling its valuation to $12 billion just 8 months after it's IPO. The Company had been growing at a blinding pace and had just become the largest coffee chain in China when the empire began to topple…To hear the ...

American Apparel was, at one time, the fastest retail rollout in American history boasting more than 280 stores in the world's hippest neighborhoods. The man behind the brand, Dov Charney, pioneered the radical movement for "ethically made, sweatshop free" clothing and received the most prestigious accolades. So how did this brand end in a series of disgraceful events that would send it spiraling downwards from the upper echelons o...

In 1993, Coors Brewing Company launched one of the most unique, innovative beverages of all time. Zima, a clear malt lightly carbonated alcoholic drink sold an astounding 1.3 million barrels after going national in 1994 and centered around the mystique of its quirky, yet tasteful, marketing campaign and infamous tagline, "zomething different." But even with all the success, a series of calamitous missteps would have it getting iced...

There was a time when adults and kids alike agreed that Toys R' Us was a place of pure magic. It was the most exciting thing for a child- an experience, a destination, a privilege...and everyone wanted to be a Toys R' Us kid. The Company went public in 1978 and transformed the toy selling business into a $12 billion industry by 1990. In its heyday, Toys R' Us had 180,000 different toys in almost 1500 locations around the world...

Once the world's most famous airline, Pan Am was a company that created magic in the sky. The glamour and excitement of flying one of their routes was an experience cultivated by a world-class crew: experienced engineers, sophisticated stewardesses and the dashing former fighter pilots at the controls. For a while, it seemed like Pan Am was doing everything right. So how did it vanish, so abruptly, in December of 1991? Get the behi...

For over 4 decades, Tower Records was a pioneer in the music industry and the bedrock of record store culture. So much more than just a business, it was run by rebels and outsiders, and radiated coolness starting from the top, where founder Russ Solomon was revered and idolized. Tower would become the mecca for music fans, swarming by the hoards, creating a generation that lived by their diehard slogan, "No Music, No Life...

On January 10, 2020, Chinese scientists posted the genome of a strange new virus that was beginning to spread worldwide. Within a week, virologists from Berlin quickly developed the first diagnostic test to detect this novel coronavirus and was published by the World Health Organization as the standard method to quickly test people around the world. By February, these test kits were shipped to almost 60 countries. For some reason, ...

For over 13 years, Gawker was one of the most popular sources for the latest on gossip, news, and entertainment. When it wasn't breaking news and celebrity exposès, it was breaking its viewership records, seeing over 62 million unique visitors on its site each month. But, a sex tape and a Silicon Valley billionaire would start a bloodbath that would ultimately bring down Gawker's multi-million dollar media empire. Find out on ...

Juicero's $700 juicer took Silicon Valley by storm in 2016. The brainchild of Doug Evans, a raw food enthusiast, was one of the most sought after products, already boasting $120 million in funding. Kobe Bryant was one of its investors, Oprah promoted it on one of her lavish giveaways and it even won over healthy living fanatics like Gwyneth Paltrow and Dr. Oz. Find out how this high-flying juicer got squeezed out of the limelight o...