Gimlet · Business

StartUp Podcast

A series about what it's really like to start a business.

Episodes

Introducing StartUp

14 Feb 2020

Exit

18 Oct 2019

39m

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The acquisition of Gimlet Media by Spotify marks the conclusion of the StartUp series, capturing the transition from a small, independent podcast company to a subsidiary of a global streaming giant. Founders navigate the intense anxiety of due diligence, balancing the financial benefits for employees and investors agai...

Thanksgiving in Stockholm

11 Oct 2019

38m

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Spotify’s strategic shift from a music-only platform to a comprehensive audio company necessitated the acquisition of a podcasting leader, leading to the pursuit of Gimlet. While Gimlet founders Alex Blumberg and Matt Lieber navigated internal financial instability and interpersonal friction, their company achieved rec...

Our Company Has Problems

04 Oct 2019

32m

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Gimlet Media’s final chapter centers on the intense internal pressures and strategic shifts that preceded its acquisition by Spotify. By 2018, the company faced a critical financial crossroads, with high production costs for ambitious projects like The Habitat clashing with stagnant audience growth and declining ad rev...

Introducing StartUp: The Final Chapter

27 Sep 2019

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Gimlet Media faces a critical internal crisis in 2018, characterized by missed financial targets, low ad sell-through rates, and a deteriorating relationship between co-founders Alex Blumberg and Matt Lieber. This instability coincides with a pivotal moment in the audio industry as the Swedish streaming giant Spotify p...

The podcast explores Gimlet Media's venture into sponsored content and the ethical and business challenges it presents. It highlights the tension between maintaining journalistic integrity and generating revenue through branded podcasts. The discussion includes a failed proposal with Zillow due to conflicting visions o...