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/