The Great Fail

03/11/2023

What do the fall of Swissair, FTX, and even the Challenger space shuttle explosion have in common? Answer: They all fell victim to groupthink. Can you spot Groupthink in businesses or in personal settings? Take the quiz to find out.
www.thegreatfail.com
Adweek Acast

04/10/2023

🚀 This week on The Great Fail: "The Failure of Kittyhawk: From Moonshot to Longshot." 🌙

In 2017, Silicon Valley was abuzz with rumors of a mysterious 'flying car' venture, backed by none other than Google co-founder Larry Page. 🚁✨

What was to be a groundbreaking idea went from soaring high to a turbulent descent. Tune in to hear how it all went down. 🛰️✈️ 🎙️ Special thanks for Hugh Langley for his contributions to this episode. Shoutout to Adweek and Acast https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/the-great-fail-podcast-kittyhawk/

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19/08/2023

For 52 years, Bed, Bath & Beyond was the destination for high-quality home goods merchandise, top brands, and a discovery zone for home shopping that made it inspiring and fun. By January 2014, the company had operated more than 1500 stores in North America and had reached a share price of $70 dollars. Despite all the success, the company would soon become a victim of mismanagement, burdened with debt and unwanted inventory, unaware that its own fate would soon be put on layaway.

Tune in to Episode 60 of The Great Fail to hear the story. Special thanks to Seth Basham for his contributions to this segment.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-60-bed-bath-bankrupted/id1497847671?i=1000623186459

23/06/2023

On this week's Episode 58 of The Great Fail podcast, discover how Schwinn Bicycles went from being a symbol of influence and innovation to reaching a dead end after a string of poor leadership decisions. Special thanks to Jay Townley for his contributions to this segment. Thank you to Adweek and Acast and our sponsors. https://apple.co/3qXWw7x

Inc. Magazine Entrepreneur Harvard Business Review

14/06/2023

The Downfall of Mars Hill Church: A Twisted Reality of Abuse, Fraud, and the Spectacular Collapse

Mars Hill was a Seattle-based church led by Mark Driscoll- a beloved, powerful presence in the evangelical Christian community. He built Mars Hill into one of the fastest-growing churches in the nation. But behind the perfect persona, stood a twisted reality waiting to be uncovered. What was revealed in its final days was a trail of abuse, fraud, intimidation, sexism, and a fall from grace that would make it one of the most spectacular collapses in Christianity today. What are the signs or indicators of a cult of personalities in business or social situations? Tune in now to find out on The Great Fail, episode 57. https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/the-great-fail-the-downfall-of-mars-hill-church/

01/06/2023

Check out the latest episode of Adweek's Yeah, That's Probably An Ad where hosts Luz Corona and Rebecca Stewart chats with The Great Fail and Beis President Adeela Hussain Johnson on what it takes to successfully grow your product line, even in an economic downturn.

Ep out now 🙌
Apple: https://lnkd.in/eUv7Bpw9
Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eiBHjEJ5

25/05/2023

***New Episode Drop*** "FTX- From Irresistible to Criminal"

FTX was touted as THE cryptocurrency trading platform with its founder, visionary Sam Bankman-Fried, promising to revolutionize the industry. This once-promising Company was on path to decentralize and democratize a highly complex investment within the crypto world--but by 2022, headlines that read, “Scam of the Century,” “Bank Fraud and Conspiracy,” and “Criminal Charges” pointed to a grim future. What happened and who was to blame? Listen to Episode 56 of The Great Fail to hear the full story. Special thanks to Acast and Adweek and Jason Notte for contributing to this episode. https://apple.co/3Wz4pfe

11/05/2023

The Great Fail podcast kicks off Season 3 with one of the biggest failures of 2023 thus far, as we watched one of the nation’s largest banks unravel. Once a rising star in the tech industry, Silicon Valley Bank was a paragon for startup founders and venture capitalists reaching dizzying heights of success in 2020. So how did it go from boom to bust just a few short years after? Was it greed, mismanagement, or something more sinister? You won't want to miss this riveting exploration of Silicon Valley Bank's rise and fall.

Listen to Episode 55 of The Great Fail to hear the story. Special thanks to Adweek, Acast and to Professor Mark T. Williams for his contributions to this segment.
https://apple.co/3I2sB3r

28/04/2023

SEASON 3 of The Great Fail comes out next week! We're taking a deep dive into the rise and fall of some of the biggest names on Wall Street. Join us as we explore the epic failures of Silicon Valley Bank, FTX, Bed Bath & Beyond, and more! You won't want to miss the shocking revelations and testimonies we uncover in this season's lineup. Adweek Acast

23/03/2023

So thrilled to see the finished product! I was approached by A&E last summer to shoot an episode of History's Greatest Heists with Pierce Brosnan, as a subject matter expert, given our feature of the Dunbar Heist on episode #20 of The Great Fail podcast.

Excited to announce that it finally aired this week! It was fun to watch the History Channel's take on an Ocean's Eleven x Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels approach to a retelling of the biggest cash heist in American history. Check out Season 1, Episode 7 of History's Greatest Heist --for a dose of adrenaline-fueled entertainment! Watch it now on HISTORY.

https://play.history.com/shows/historys-greatest-heists-with-pierce-brosnan/season-1/episode-7

23/03/2023

So thrilled to see the finished product! I was approached by A&E last summer to shoot an episode of History's Greatest Heists with Pierce Brosnan, as a subject matter expert, given our feature of the Dunbar Heist on episode #20 of The Great Fail podcast.

Excited to announce that it finally aired this week! It was fun to watch the History Channel's take on an Ocean's Eleven x Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels approach to a retelling of the biggest cash heist in American history. Check out Season 1, Episode 7 of History's Greatest Heist --for a dose of adrenaline-fueled entertainment! Watch it now on HISTORY.

23/02/2023

I had the pleasure of speaking with Dominique Barker, host of CIBC Capital Markets' The Sustainability Agenda, to discuss the lessons learned from companies who have failed, and why businesses need closer engagement with their investors on to avoid the next great fail.

Listen to the episode here:

Debra Chen, Producer and Host of The Great Fail podcast series, joins Dominique Barker to discuss the lessons learned from companies who have failed…

11/01/2023

What an incredible honor for The Great Fail Podcast to receive the Best Gateway Podcast category from the Signal Awards! To be recognized as the "best gateway" signifies this show to be a solid starting point for new podcast listeners. Thank you to the team at Adweek and Acast Podcasts for raising the bar on this spectacular medium. ✨ 🎧 ✨

24/10/2022

LulaRoe was a multi-level marketing company before a series of lawsuits turned the multi-billion dollar enterprise into one of the most well-known scandals & pyramid schemes in America. Tune in to Episode 54 of The Great Fail, to hear how many of LulaRoe's reps found themselves drowning in debt, mortgaging their homes, and depleting their savings accounts. Special thanks to Kelly Richmond Pope, CPA for her commentary on this episode.

https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/the-great-fail-how-lularoe-leggings-stretched-the-law/

On episode 54 of The Great Fail, host Debra Chen dives deep into LulaRoe, one of the most well-known scandals in America.

13/10/2022

It was a somewhat ordinary day for David Pyott, the CEO of Allergan, back in April 2014. That is - until his eyes glanced over at the TV screen in his office, where he learned that billionaire hedge fund manager and activist investor Bill Ackman was about to back the hostile takeover of his company.

The acquirer was none other than the infamous and controversial pharmaceutical company, Valeant Pharmaceuticals. Valeant was a Wall Street darling and one of Canada’s largest companies. So why and how did this transaction lead to Valeant’s downfall only a year later?

Tune in to Episode 53 of The Great Fail on The Rise and Fall of Valeant Pharmaceuticals. What led to the downfall of one of Canada’s largest companies.

30/09/2022

Thank you Adweek for the invitation to experience first hand. Insightful discussions on creativity, brand building, and . We are excited to have a home at for The Great Fail podcast. Amazing things ahead!

27/09/2022

Cosmetic giant Revlon has been one of the latest companies to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this year. Struggling with debt for years and then hit with the pandemic, inflation, and shift in consumer preferences. Despite bleeding cash for the past few years, Revlon just received approval for a massive incentive bonus package for their key employees- which includes a $21.1 million annual pay for their top executives, along with $10.6 million set aside for their CEO. What do you think about this court approval?

02/09/2022

New episode drop on The Great Fail pod: How Bikram Yoga Went From Super-Heated to Overheated

Bikram Choudhury was the founder of the wildly popular hot yoga practice that many considered to cure ailments, detoxify bodies and change lives.

At its height in 2006, there were 1,650 studios in at least 40 countries. By 2013, a series of allegations surfaced when one by one, women stepped forward with accusations that included sexual assault, r**e and abuse against the man revered as a guru.

Listen now to hear about the rise and fall of the Bikram Yoga empire with special guest, Dave Emerson, founder of Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga, on Episode 52 of The Great Fail.

https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/the-great-fail-how-bikram-yoga-went-from-super-heated-to-overheated/

31/08/2022

If you haven't heard the latest episode, here's a preview of Episode 51 of The Great Fail Podcast, on how and why the world unfriended the once dominant and pioneering social network company . Special thanks to Tom Standage at The Economist for his insightful contributions to this episode.

25/08/2022

Here's a list of companies that have filed for Chapter 11 from 2020-2022-

What companies do you think will be next?

Posted in: Blog, Podcast, Season 1, The Great Fail Posted on July 4, 2022July 4, 2022 Mystery of the Carrian Group Carrian Group was a tale straight out of a John Grisham novel, running the gamut of corruption, human greed, fraudulent accounting and false profits spanning across countries. Almost fo...

19/08/2022

We’ve done it! We’ve surpassed our 50th episode!

This is a milestone for us since we launched The Great Fail in February 2020.

Thank you for being with us on this journey. We’d love to hear from you- what companies do you want to hear about? And what companies do you think is on the brink of TGF?

Thank you to our partners at Acast Podcasts and Adweek
www.TheGreatFail.com
Send us a note at [email protected]

18/08/2022

Before there was Facebook, there was Myspace, once the world’s most dominating social networking company. In the summer of 2005, one of the biggest deals in internet history made headlines when News Corp., famously known as Rupert Murdoch’s media empire, acquired MySpace for $580 million in cash. In the business realm, it seemed that with the backing of the media giant, MySpace would have the world at its fingertips. And to the outside, it appeared that Myspace was going to be unstoppable...

Find out how MySpace got unfriended on Episode 51 of The Great Fail Podcast.

https://www.adweek.com/podcasts/the-great-fail/

Adweek Inc. Magazine Entrepreneur CB Insights

12/08/2022

Earlier this week, Terra founder Do Kwon, who is currently facing multiple class-action lawsuits, went on Twitter to (somewhat) address the great fail of the crypto project Terra.

“Decentralized networks need decentralized money – obvious today more than ever,” he tweeted.

Many have likened Project Terra to that of a Ponzi scheme, calling Kwon the "Madoff of Crypto". To hear how it all blew up, listen to Episode 50 of The Great Fail.

https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/the-great-fail-crypto-terra-crash/

https://thecryptobasic.com/2022/08/09/terra-founder-do-kwon-breaks-twitter-silence-but-users-are-not-pleased/

05/08/2022

Episode 50: Crypto’s TERRA-ble Crash

We’re doing a special episode on cryptocurrency this week and covering what occurred in May of 2022 when the world watched as one of the biggest projects imploded. Once valued at $40 billion, the project was known as TerraUST, a stablecoin that was going to transform the crypto market and the way that traditional payments would be made in the future. Instead, investors watched as its market value dropped by almost 99% within 24 hours. What led to this death spiral and more importantly, what does the future hold for crypto investors?

Our special guest Omid Malekan, Adjunct Professor at Columbia Business School, will break down the story in Episode 50 of The Great Fail.

Inc. Magazine Entrepreneur Adweek Acast Podcasts

What led to the death of TerraUSD, the stablecoin that aimed to change transactions?

22/07/2022

Back in the early 2000s, Von Dutch’s ubiquitous trucker hats were everywhere, and its line of denim brought us the classic low-rise jeans that were sometimes frayed at the hem, or studded with tons of bling, but never without the iconic Von Dutch logo. That distinctive font embodied the cool Americana aesthetic for a generation.

Von Dutch’s popularity was so tremendous that in 2003, the company was raking in $33 million in sales from their jackets, denim, T-shirts, and trucker hats—until the brand got hit by counterfeiters.

But the story of Von Dutch isn’t just about rhinestones and rip-offs. It’s a story about deception, betrayal, murder and a scandal that would serve as the epitaph on its tombstone. Find out how it all went wrong in Episode 49 of The Great Fail.

Special Guest of the week is former VP of Global Marketing, Caroline Rothwell Gerstein.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-49-von-dutch-from-price-tags-to-toe-tags/id1497847671?i=1000570605609

Inc. MagazineEntrepreneur Media

24/06/2022

Get ready to hear about the most scandalous retail pharmacy chain of all time that was Phar-Mor. We hear about companies and financial misconduct frequently–stories of cooked books and misappropriated funds are hardly rare, but often leave us questioning–how do companies manage to pull these off, and more importantly how do they get past trained professionals, auditors and investors? In this episode, our featured guest Kelly Richmond Pope, CPA of DePaul University, a forensic accounting expert with a specialty in corporate crime, will explain how an accident exposed a $1 billion fraud and took down one of the nation’s largest retail chains. Listen now to Episode 48 on The Great Fail.

Special thanks to our partners at Adweek Inc. Magazine Entrepreneur Retail Brew

01/06/2022

Despite it being almost 4 decades since the collapse of this huge conglomerate, we still don’t know the full story - but what we do know was that behind the catastrophic failure of Carrian Group, stood some very fascinating characters-The Prime Minister of Malaysia, a charismatic CEO, several government officials, some high-level executives and between them, all aligning to create a labyrinth of business dealings that would blow up into a high-profile investigation, the murder of an auditor, and a mysterious drowning, eventually ending up as one of the largest bankruptcies in Hong Kong history.

https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-great-fail/episode/episode-46-carrian-group-swim-with-the-fishes-203471098

13/05/2022

New episode drop on The Great Fail Podcast: How Jawbone Went From Wearable to Terrible.

How did a groundbreaking industry pioneer find itself entangled in corporate espionage, public embarrassment and a string of unhappy customers?

https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/the-great-fail-how-jawbone-went-from-wearable-to-terrible/

27/04/2022

Check out this week's new episode on Zillow's iBuying business, Zillow Offers.

Did a viral TikTok accelerate the collapse of the home selling site's iBuying division? Find out how the roof caved in on Zillow in episode #44 of The Great Fail. Special thanks to our guest Sean Gotcher, our partners Adweek Podcast Network and Acast Creator Network.




https://www.adweek.com/media/the-great-fail-zillow-offers-flip-flop/ #

25/04/2022

The Great Fail Podcast Comes to Adweek!

https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/the-great-fail-podcast-comes-to-adweek/

Modell's Sporting Goods. Pier 1. Circuit City. They all have one ignominious thing in common: once booming businesses, they all went bust. But why? And what can these past failures tell future entrepreneurs? The Great Fail, the award-winning podcast has come to the Adweek Podcast Network to continue telling these stories. The podcast was created and is hosted by Debra Chen, who’s spent the past 18 years advising CEOs and board members on capital markets and shareholder strategy. She’s turned that work into telling the stories of business failures, and what stakeholders can learn from them.

The podcast hosted by Debra Chen, who's spent years advising CEOs, tells the stories of business failures and what stakeholders can learn from them.