From: acquiredFM
The 2023 holiday special of Acquired, featuring hosts Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal, presents both a celebratory reflection on the year’s achievements and a strategic look at what’s in store for the future. Having built a podcast empire centered on unraveling the stories of great companies, Ben and David are keen to relate how the past year’s experiences have shaped the podcast and its aspirations for the upcoming year.
A Year of Expansion and Diversification
In 2023, Acquired saw significant growth, both in scope and audience. The podcast, which originally focused on technology companies, broadened its horizons by delving into various sectors, such as luxury, retail, and beyond. This expansion reflects the hosts’ evolving interests and the vast array of engaging company stories available worldwide. Ben notes this evolution as a natural extension of their interests, emphasizing a diverse selection of topics as the driver for growth, rather than explicit growth goals [00:02:26](00:02:26).
Acquired episodes, although longer than those seen in the typical podcast landscape, have managed to capture dedicated listener attention, now boasting a half-million-strong audience, effectively doubling their reach from the previous year [00:09:43](00:09:43). This feat highlights both the depth and appeal of their content.
Embracing Strategic Partnerships
Alongside audience growth, the year also allowed Acquired to engage with new and larger sponsors, including Fortune 500 companies like JP Morgan and ServiceNow [01:04:01](01:04:01). These partnerships underscore the podcast’s reputation and the substantial reach it offers within the business and technology community. Despite entering into partnerships with larger entities, the hosts maintain a commitment to their existing fans and communities, ensuring that quality content remains the core focus.
Ben and David also explored ways to make efficient investments through Acquired, considering the show’s influence and existing relationships. This was highlighted as a strategic maneuver to invest in impactful tech companies they feature and partner with [01:08:57](01:08:57).
Episodes and Interviews of 2023
Reflecting on their 2023 episodes, Ben and David discussed some fan favorites and the surprises encountered during their research and curation:
-
LVMH, Costco, and Nike episodes are praised for their substantial stories, with special mentions of how the luxury and retail brands’ episodes changed perceptions within tech circles [00:12:03](00:12:03).
-
The Visa episode is highlighted as a success story of preparation meeting execution, embodying the sweet spot for an Acquired episode where they “played loose” and had fun [01:02:48](01:02:48).
-
Special interviews with leaders like Daniel Ek (Spotify), Dara Khosrowshahi (Uber), Jensen Huang (Nvidia), and Charlie Munger have also become high points of the year. These interviews resulted from meticulous preparation and long-standing industry connections, cementing their importance as integral parts of the podcast [00:38:04](00:38:04).
-
Jensen Huang from Nvidia is particularly noted for his contributions to AI, shedding light on Nvidias history and strategic decisions and leadership insights, demonstrating how Nvidia has evolved from gaming to AI and machine learning advancements.
Strategy for 2024
For 2024, Acquired is poised to lean further into its authenticity and strengths, producing high-quality episodes once a month, as the hosts fully embrace their boutique podcast status [00:28:03](00:28:03). This strategy ensures that they continue to maintain and nurture the core elements that define Acquired, while exploring new story themes and industries.
Acquired’s thoughtful strategy seeks to optimize content quality and retain a boutique approach, ensuring each episode remains rich in insight and expertly crafted narratives. As Ben Gilbert steps fully into his role alongside David, the podcast is set to solidify its presence as a go-to source for business enthusiasts in the forthcoming year [01:09:39](01:09:39).
A Heartfelt Thank You
Concluding their 2023 reflection, Ben and David extend their gratitude to their listeners, partners, and contributors, emphasizing that none of their success would be possible without this incredible support network.
For fans and business enthusiasts, Acquired continues to promise engaging and thought-provoking content in the years to come.