In its first six years from 1998 to 2004, Google built one of the greatest products of all time (and certainly the greatest business of all time) with Search. Then in its next six years from 2005 to 2011, Google built seven (!) more billion+ user products: Gmail, Maps, Drive and Docs, YouTube, Chrome, Android, and Photos — all either started from scratch internally or acquired as startups that were still in their infancy. This six-year period of wild innovation STILL stands unmatched in technology history… no other tech company counts more than four billion+ user products in its portfolio total. And of course, this “Google 2.0” era culminated in the transformation of the very company itself into Alphabet.So the question we answer today is… how did they do it?? And why? What was the strategy that led a once “pure play” search company into such far flung fields as email, mapping, funny cat videos and operating systems? We unpack the brilliant (and sometimes accidental) strategies behind each product, the simultaneous three-front war Google fought against Microsoft, Apple, and Facebook, and the spectacular failure of Google Plus that nearly destroyed the company's culture — before ultimately setting the stage for both Alphabet and the AI revolution to come.Sponsors:Many thanks to our fantastic Summer ‘25 Season partners:J.P. Morgan PaymentsAnthropicStatsigVercelLinks:Sign up for email updates and vote on Fall Season episodes!Jeff Dean and Sanjay Ghemawat New Yorker articleEric Schmidt on stage at the iPhone keynote (!)Bill Gurley’s classic “Less than Free” Android postOur recent ACQ2 episode with Bret Taylor and Clay BavorWorldly Partners’ Multi-Decade Alphabet StudyEpisode sourcesCarve Outs:Bluey x Camp in NYCSteam Deck vs Switch 2 (Part 2)ClaudeSony RX100 VIICarissimi clothingMore Acquired:Get email updates and vote on Fall Season episodes!Join the SlackSubscribe to ACQ2Check out the latest swag in the ACQ Merch Store!Note: Acquired hosts and guests may hold assets discussed in this episode. This podcast is not investment advice, and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any financial transactions.
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4:11:33
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4:11:33
The Jamie Dimon Interview
We sit down with Jamie Dimon for a live conversation at Radio City Music Hall, covering the incredible journey from his 1998 firing at Citgroup (where he was widely expected to become CEO) to building the most powerful bank in the world. Today JPMorgan Chase is a juggernaut — the most systemically important non-governmental financial institution in the world, with over twice the market capitalization of its nearest competitor. But it certainly wasn’t always this way! Jamie takes us from his career restart at the struggling Chicago-based Bank One through how he transformed that platform into the foundation for the modern JPMorgan Chase. We dive into the “fortress balance sheet” strategy that has defined his tenure, and cover blow-by-blow Jamie’s approach to the Great Financial Crisis, Bear Stearns, WaMu, First Republic and more. Tune in for an incredible conversation, live from New York City’s most iconic venue!Sponsors:Many thanks to our fantastic Summer ‘25 Season partners:J.P. Morgan PaymentsVercelAnthropicStatsigEpisode image photo credit: Rockefeller CenterMore Acquired:Get email updates with hints on next episode and follow-ups from recent episodesJoin the SlackSubscribe to ACQ2Check out the latest swag in the ACQ Merch Store!Note: Acquired hosts and guests may hold assets discussed in this episode. This podcast is not investment advice, and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any financial transactions.
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1:06:02
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1:06:02
Google
We tell the story of the single greatest business ever created: Google search. From its origins as a Stanford research project called BackRub, Google became the front door to the internet. Today it’s an essential service for over half the world, and one that generates more profit than ANY other US company — more than Apple, Microsoft, or Berkshire Hathaway.But it wasn’t always so obvious. When Larry and Sergey began working on BackRub in 1996, search was a backwater industry in silicon valley. Existing search companies were eking out a living as vendors to the then-dominant “portals” like AOL and Yahoo. Google’s come-from-behind success was the result of three massive step-function leaps forward in algorithms, infrastructure and business model… some invented by Google and some borrowed (and perfected!) by them.Today, things are not so obvious once again for Google. Despite earning more profits than all of its big tech peers, its stock trades at significantly lower multiples — a $1 trillion or more discount to Apple, Microsoft and Nvidia. Investors are concerned that AI will render Google’s beautiful business model obsolete, even though Google also basically invented modern AI and continues to lead on many dimensions. This episode begins a multi-part series where we dive into the full history that led us to this point. Tune in and enjoy!Update: when you finish, check out our Part II episode, "Alphabet, Inc."!Sponsors:Many thanks to our fantastic Summer ‘25 Season partners:J.P. Morgan PaymentsAnthropicStatsigVercelLinks:BackRub recreationOriginal Google logoJeff Dean’s resumeWorldly Partners’ Multi-Decade Alphabet StudyEpisode sourcesRadio City Live Show:Join us July 15 at Radio City — Ticketmaster: https://acquired.fm/nycJuly 12 Central Park RunJuly 15 Pre-Show MeetupJuly 15 Afterparty at the Rockefeller Center RinkJuly 16 Encore Event with J.P. Morgan PaymentsCarve Outs:The Rehearsal with Nathan Fielder (Season 2)Your Friends and NeighborsAndor Season 2Gamecraft Season 3Steam Deck vs Switch 2 dilemmaMore Acquired:Get email updates with hints on next episode and follow-ups from recent episodesJoin the SlackSubscribe to ACQ2Check out the latest swag in the ACQ Merch Store!Note: Acquired hosts and guests may hold assets discussed in this episode. This podcast is not investment advice, and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any financial transactions.
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3:39:30
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3:39:30
The Steve Ballmer Interview
We sit down with Steve Ballmer, the legendary former Microsoft CEO and owner of the LA Clippers, for an epic conversation covering his 34 years at Microsoft. Steve listened to our Microsoft episodes and had some thoughts to share — and boy, did he deliver. Steve takes us point-by-point through the original IBM DOS deal that started everything, how he built Microsoft's enterprise business from scratch, and offers his candid reflections on missing mobile and search. We also cover the story behind “developers, developers, developers”, the complexities of his relationship with Bill Gates (including a year where they didn't speak), and why he ultimately decided to step down as CEO. Plus, we learn why Steve has held onto his Microsoft stock through it all — giving him arguably the best investment track record in the world over the last 10 years with his net worth growing from $20B to $130B since leaving. And of course, we couldn't resist also talking about his other passion: the Clippers and Intuit Dome. Hit play and get ready to experience the patented Steve Ballmer energy and fun on full display!Sponsors:Many thanks to our fantastic Summer ‘25 Season partners:J.P. Morgan PaymentsStatsigVercelAnthropicLinks:Steve's PowerPoint SlidesJoin us July 15 at Radio City!More Acquired:Get email updates with hints on next episode and follow-ups from recent episodesJoin the SlackSubscribe to ACQ2Check out the latest swag in the ACQ Merch Store!Note: Acquired hosts and guests may hold assets discussed in this episode. This podcast is not investment advice, and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any financial transactions.
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2:59:20
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2:59:20
Announcement: Acquired Live at Radio City Music Hall!
A few weeks ago, we told you that Acquired is doing something in New York City on July 15 with our good friends at J.P. Morgan Payments. Well, the big announcement is finally here: We are doing our 2025 Live Show… at Radio City Music Hall!Radio City is of course the iconic New York City theater that hosts the Rockettes and the Tony Awards, and has hosted the Grammys, the MTV VMAs, and the NFL Draft. And it’s also a storied part of Rockefeller Center, as chronicled on our Standard Oil episodes. We can't think of anything more "Acquired".If you want to be part of the ticket pre-sale, you can sign up at acquired.fm/nyc. While Radio City is the world's largest indoor theater (with room for 6,000 Acquired fans), more than 6,000 folks came to last year's Chase Center show! So get cracking on figuring out which friends and co-workers you want to go with (seats are assigned), and get your hotel + plane tickets booked! Tickets will be available in $100 and $200 tiers.This is — without a doubt — the biggest undertaking we've ever done here at Acquired. In true Broadway fashion, we’re keeping the show details under wraps… but trust us, it'll be an evening of surprise and delight. If your idea of fun is the world’s greatest business and technology nerds gathering together for a night on the big stage, this is for you. Oh, and a huge thank you to all our friends at J.P. Morgan for making this possible.We can't wait to see you there!Sign up for ticket pre-sale: https://acquired.fm/nyc
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