Holiday Special 2023
Acquired
2023/12/18
Holiday Special 2023
Holiday Special 2023

Acquired
2023/12/18
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.
The hosts reflect on a landmark year, celebrating over half a million listeners and pivotal moments like Ben becoming a parent and David joining full-time in 2024. They emphasize their commitment to high-quality, evergreen content, stepping away from current events and non-core episodes to focus on durable businesses like LVMH, Costco, and Visa. Their strategy now includes selective, research-driven interviews with icons like Jensen Huang and Charlie Munger, while rejecting content dilution. Acquired has matured into a trusted brand, attracting elite sponsors and launching joint investments, starting with Vanta. Future plans include exploring luxury, entertainment, and global GDP-shaping industries, all through a historian’s lens rather than a journalist’s. The episode closes with thoughtful recommendations—from baby gear to media—that reflect their values of depth, quality, and intentionality.
02:54
02:54
David will join Ben full-time on Acquired in 2024
10:47
10:47
Growth is a by-product of following our natural interests and obsessions.
25:01
25:01
Studying companies like Nike and LVMH has taught us about our own podcast—it shares traits with a prestige brand.
38:50
38:50
Well-researched interviews create evergreen content.
49:16
49:16
76% of Spotify listeners discovered Acquired this year
57:48
57:48
YouTube comment sections are not the target audience; word-of-mouth is the best growth driver.
1:00:39
1:00:39
Acquired is now a trusted platform for Fortune 500 partnerships, not just startup sponsors.
1:09:48
1:09:48
There's always going to be interesting businesses to cover in the world.
1:34:32
1:34:32
Ben estimates consuming 2,000–3,000 Starbucks spinach feta wraps over years as a consistent personal habit.
1:56:53
1:56:53
Adobe Lightroom's ML-powered denoise feature magically improves photos without looking overly AI-processed