Warby Parker vs Luxottica | Getting Vertical | 2

When Warby Parker debuted in 2010, the brand disrupted not just how much eyeglasses cost, but also how customers purchased them. Its direct-to-consumer e-commerce business model left many wondering whether Luxottica’s longstanding reign over the industry would soon be over. In the decade-and-a-half since, the answer to that question is still evolving. Max Chafkin profiled Warby Parker in its early days for Fast Company, and is currently a senior reporter for Bloomberg Businessweek. He joins David to discuss Warby Parker’s staying power, the company’s embrace of brick-and-mortar retail, and the current state of e-commerce.Check out Max’s Bloomberg podcast Everybody’s Business.Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Business Wars ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After a childhood of hard knocks, Italian entrepreneur Leonardo Del Vecchio sets out to build an eyewear empire by swallowing brands like Ray-Ban, Sunglass Hut, Lenscrafters, and Oakley. But as his wealth and power grows, four MBA students in Philadelphia ask if there’s room for an alternative.Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Business Wars ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After a successful IPO in 2014, GoPro founder and CEO Nick Woodman hopes to lead the company into its next act. In his vision, GoPro won’t just be a camera maker anymore; they’ll be a full-scale media empire. Woodman hires a Hollywood executive to lead the charge and staffs the new division with 100 people. But changing a company’s mission is a slow process, and in the meantime GoPro has one disastrous product launch after another. And within just a couple of years, GoPro is struggling to survive. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Business Wars ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In 2002, while on a surf trip to Bali, 26-year-old Nick Woodman has an idea for a camera mount that would allow him and his friends to capture action shots of themselves in the water. At the time, only professional surfers who hired photographers had these types of images. Woodman spends years developing and trying to sell his product. In 2007, the GoPro takes off, in large part due to customers posting on a new website called YouTube. For years, GoPro soars, but Apple is close on its heels, releasing iPhones with better and better cameras. To keep GoPro relevant, Woodman makes a massive and risky pivot.  Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Business Wars ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For decades, Disney was the undisputed champion of theme parks. But Universal Studios had its big breakthrough when the Wizarding World of Harry Potter opened in 2010. And it’s been gaining ground on Disney ever since. Today, journalist Drew Taylor takes David on a ride through this heated theme park rivalry. Drew covers film, animation and theme parks for The Wrap. They’ll dive into Universal’s new Epic Universe expansion in Orlando, the inner workings of park hopping and lightning lanes, and why the key to this battle is all about who controls the IP.Check out Drew’s podcast: Fine Tooning with Drew TaylorAudible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Business Wars ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.