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Holiday Special 2023

Overview

Shownote

Highlights

Transcript

Chapters

Pins

Holiday Special 2023

Acquired

2023/12/18
Acquired

Acquired

2023/12/18
OverviewShownoteHighlightsTranscriptChaptersPins

Shownote

Ben has some big news. Actually, double big news! On what has become a holiday tradition here at Acquired, we cozy up to the fire to do our annual review of the show “in public”. We reflect on what can only be described as an absolutely mind-blowing 2023 (...

Highlights

In this special year-end episode, the Acquired hosts pull back the curtain on a transformative 2023—one marked by personal milestones, strategic shifts, and unprecedented growth. What began as a niche podcast has evolved into a deeply influential platform, grounded in timeless business analysis and authentic storytelling.
02:54
David will join Ben full-time on Acquired in 2024
10:47
Growth is a by-product of following our natural interests and obsessions.
25:01
Studying companies like Nike and LVMH has taught us about our own podcast—it shares traits with a prestige brand.
38:50
Well-researched interviews create evergreen content.
49:16
76% of Spotify listeners discovered Acquired this year
57:48
YouTube comment sections are not the target audience; word-of-mouth is the best growth driver.
1:00:39
Acquired is now a trusted platform for Fortune 500 partnerships, not just startup sponsors.
1:09:48
There's always going to be interesting businesses to cover in the world.
1:34:32
Ben estimates consuming 2,000–3,000 Starbucks spinach feta wraps over years as a consistent personal habit.
1:56:53
Adobe Lightroom's ML-powered denoise feature magically improves photos without looking overly AI-processed

Chapters

What a Year: Personal Journeys and Big Announcements
00:00
How Half a Million Listeners Found Acquired
05:24
Why These Companies Changed Our Thinking
13:39
Is Acquired Becoming a Luxury Brand?
27:34
The New Rules for Sponsors and Superstar Guests
41:33
Why We’re Not Chasing the Mass Audience
57:48
From Podcast to Platform: A New Era of Partnerships
1:00:39
What’s Next? The Untold Industries We’re Exploring
1:09:48
Why We Stopped Covering Breaking News
1:12:30
Timeless Lessons from Books, Therapy, and Independence
1:20:44
What We’re Actually Using Right Now (And Who Made It Possible)
1:51:58

Transcript

Ben Gilbert: I am loving that you also busted out the holiday sweater. Feels very appropriate. David Rosenthal: Yes, I purchased this holiday sweater at the Seattle Nordstrom for our 2019 live show at the University of Washington. Ben Gilbert: It's like ...