Entrepreneurship
Good Bad Billionaire
BBC World Service
How did the richest people on the planet make their billions? Find out with Good Bad Billionaire. New episodes include: Beyoncé and Steven Spielberg. Make up your minds whether you think they are good, bad or just another billionaire.In each episode, BBC Business Editor Simon Jack and journalist and author Zing Tsjeng analyse the lives of the super-rich, and try to understand what motivates billionaires like Elon Musk, Kim Kardashian, Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey.New season: From singing superstar Beyoncé, to footballing legend Cristiano Ronaldo, Simon and Zing will rate their wealth, power, legacy and associated controversies, putting them to the test with a playful, totally unscientific scorecard. Then they hand the verdict over to you: are they good, bad, or simply billionaires?Get in touch by email and let us know what you think! The contact details are at the end of these show notes.Ever wondered how Taylor Swift went from country singer to money-spinner? How tennis ace Roger Federer turned sporting prowess into amazing business opportunities? Or how Mr Beast and Khaby Lame became some of the wealthiest people on the planet by posting on YouTube and TikTok? Trawl through the archives to find out how Selena Gomez went from a child Disney star to a mega-magnate of makeup, and how Martha Stewart, the “original lifestyle influencer”, became one of the most successful women in business.We explore the life of British inventor Sir James Dyson, and learn about some of the big names behind Snapchat, Minecraft, Marvel, ChatGPT, Google and Amazon, which shape the world we live in today.In a special season, we have also told the stories of the pioneers who helped build the United States of America: the world’s first billionaire John D Rockefeller, motor magnate Henry Ford, the aviator and filmmaker Howard Hughes, Walmart founder Sam Walton, and Hetty Green - once dubbed “The Witch of Wall Street”.It's not just how billionaires made their money; it's what they did with it next.So, what do you think? Make up your own mind. Are they good, bad, or just another billionaire? Let us know your thoughts, and we may include your comments and suggestions in a future episode. If you do not wish for your comments, first name or location to be read out, please say that in your email or message, or mark it confidential.Email goodbadbillionaire@bbc.com or drop us a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176.To find out more about the show and read our privacy notice, visit www.bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire
Episodes to Learn English 96
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Chuck Feeney: All duty
Sep 26, 2023 38 min<p>The story of the billionaire who wasn't. When Charles "Chuck" Feeney first appeared on the world's rich lists in the 1980s, he had built a billion-dollar business selling duty free goods to tourists. But he'd also given most of his money away to charity.</p><p>BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng follow Feeney's journey from Depression-era New Jersey through living the high life during the Jet Age to making $8 billion worth of donations to causes across the planet. Then they judge him - is he good, bad, or just another billionaire?</p><p>The podcast that uncovers how the world's wealthiest people made their money and asks if they are good or bad for the planet discusses a billionaire outlier with a life that spans history. Taking in the Korean War, the 20th Century tourist boom and the Irish peace process, Simon and Zing tell the tale of "the James Bond of philanthropy".</p><p>We’d love to hear your feedback. Email goodbadbillionaire@bbc.com or drop us a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176. </p><p>To find out more about the show and read our privacy notice, visit www.bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire</p><p>Further reading: The Billionaire Who Wasn't: How Chuck Feeney Secretly Made and Gave Away a Fortune by Conor O'Clery</p>
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Adam Neumann: The cult of WeWork
Sep 19, 2023 42 min<p>How did WeWork founder Adam Neumann oversee one of the most spectacular business fails in modern history? BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng find out, and then they judge him.</p><p>In the podcast that uncovers how the world's 2,668 billionaires made their money and asks if they are good or bad for the planet, Simon and Zing follow Adam Neumann's journey from a barefoot, tequila-shotting CEO who reimagined the millennial workplace, to a disgraced tech billionaire. Find out how he talked investors out of billions of dollars, and why it all came crashing down.</p><p>We’d love to hear your feedback. Email goodbadbillionaire@bbc.com or drop us a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176. </p><p>To find out more about the show and read our privacy notice, visit www.bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire</p>
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Sir Philip Green: King of the high street
Sep 12, 2023 40 min<p>How did Sir Philip Green go from being a respected retail mogul to becoming the unacceptable face of capitalism? BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng find out, and then they judge him.</p><p>In the podcast that uncovers how the world's 2,668 billionaires made their money and asks if they are good or bad for the planet, Simon and Zing talk about a man who Simon has had a few run ins with. Hear what it's like to get a phone call in the middle of the night from Sir Philip, how he built his empire, and how it came crashing down.</p><p>We’d love to hear your feedback. Email goodbadbillionaire@bbc.com or drop us a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176. </p><p>To find out more about the show and read our privacy notice, visit www.bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire</p>
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Rihanna: Turning beauty into billions
Sep 5, 2023 35 min<p>How did pop star Rihanna become the richest-ever person from Barbados? Simon Jack and Zing Tsjeng explain, and then decide if she's good, bad, or just another billionaire.</p><p>In the podcast that uncovers how the world's 2,668 billionaires made their money and asks if they are good or bad for the planet, Simon and Zing talk about the richest woman in music. Discover how Robyn Rihanna Fenty went from a modest childhood in the Caribbean to being signed by Jay-Z as a teenager before going on to found a beauty product empire that would take her earnings to over $1billion. And find out how much she spends on her hair along the way!</p><p>We’d love to hear your feedback. Email goodbadbillionaire@bbc.com or drop us a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176. </p><p>To find out more about the show and read our privacy notice, visit www.bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire</p>
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Jeff Bezos: Get big fast
Aug 29, 2023 37 min<p>How did Amazon boss Jeff Bezos become the first person worth over $100 billion? BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng tell the story, from zero to his first million, and then on to the billions. Then they judge him - is he good, bad, or just another billionaire?</p><p>In the podcast that uncovers how the world's 2,668 billionaires made their money and asks if they are good or bad for the planet, Simon and Zing discuss a man who has climbed to the very top of the world's richest person lists. Find out what drove a boy born Jeffrey Jorgensen in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1964 to found one of the biggest corporations of the internet age and change the way the world shops.</p><p>We’d love to hear your feedback. Email goodbadbillionaire@bbc.com or drop us a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176. </p><p>To find out more about the show and read our privacy notice, visit www.bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire</p>
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Introducing... Good Bad Billionaire
Aug 22, 2023 2 min<p>Coming Tuesday 29th August...</p><p>The podcast that finds out how the richest people on the planet made their billions, and then judges them for it. Are they good, bad, or just another billionaire? Each episode BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist and podcaster Zing Tsjeng pick a billionaire and uncover their journey to the top. They learn how they made their money and what makes them tick, to find out what they tell us about our society. Millionaires are ten a penny these days, but billionaires have probably changed the world. From Rihanna to Jeff Bezos to Kim Kardashian to Bill Gates, we ask if billionaires are all relentless egomaniacs destined to end civilisation, or if they are geniuses, gods of our time to be worshipped? Or are they like everyone else, just with a bit more luck?</p>