Warby Parker vs Luxottica | A Modern Lens | 3

Warby Parker vs Luxottica | A Modern Lens | 3

Author: Audible August 20, 2026 Duration: 39:28
When Warby Parker debuted in 2010, the brand disrupted not just how much eyeglasses cost, but also how customers purchased them. Its direct-to-consumer e-commerce business model left many wondering whether Luxottica’s longstanding reign over the industry would soon be over. In the decade-and-a-half since, the answer to that question is still evolving. Max Chafkin profiled Warby Parker in its early days for Fast Company, and is currently a senior reporter for Bloomberg Businessweek. He joins David to discuss Warby Parker’s staying power, the company’s embrace of brick-and-mortar retail, and the current state of e-commerce.Check out Max’s Bloomberg podcast Everybody’s Business.Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Business Wars ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Behind every product you use and every brand you recognize, there's a hidden history of rivalry and strategic gambles. Business Wars, from Audible, pulls back the curtain on these epic corporate clashes that quietly define our daily lives. It’s not just about quarterly earnings; it’s a deep narrative exploration where ambition, innovation, and sometimes sheer ego collide. Hosted by David Brown, whose experience as a former Marketplace anchor brings a seasoned clarity to complex stories, each series within this podcast dissects a famous business feud. You’ll hear the tense boardroom decisions, the disruptive marketing campaigns, and the personal rivalries that pushed companies like Nike and Adidas or Netflix and HBO to the brink. The storytelling goes beyond the official press releases to uncover the unauthorized maneuvers and human dramas that led to monumental triumphs or stunning downfalls. By weaving together elements of history, management theory, and pure suspense, this series reveals how these battles for your wallet and attention ultimately shape the cultural and commercial landscape we all navigate. Tune in for a compelling chronicle of what it really takes to win, or lose, in the high-stakes arena of modern business.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Business Wars
Podcast Episodes
Bumble's Stumble | The Queen Bee | 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:34
It’s 2014 and twenty-four-year-old Whitney Wolfe sues Tinder for harassment, sending shockwaves through Silicon Valley. She walks away with a settlement but pays a high personal price for taking on the “boy’s club” cultu…
Spotify vs Apple Music | Dehumanizer | 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:08
It’s 2015 and Taylor Swift’s just thrown Apple Music into crisis. But as the Silicon Valley giant tries to get its music-streaming service back on track, its Swedish rival Spotify is about to launch a legal attack that w…
Spotify vs Apple Music | Who Stopped the Music? | 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:32
It’s the late 2000s and the music industry dances to the beat of Apple iTunes. But two Swedish tech entrepreneurs are out to challenge Apple's dominance with their music-streaming startup Spotify. But to do that, they mu…
Under Armour's Attack on Nike | Signature Sneakers | 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:52
When Michael Jordan signed with an upstart running shoe company called Nike in the 1980s, it revolutionized the signature sneaker landscape and made Nike the brand to beat. Under Armour made a similar play signing Steph…
Under Armour's Attack on Nike | Dropping the Ball | 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:14
It’s 2014 and Under Armour is getting increasingly aggressive as it takes on Nike, buying fitness apps and signing record-breaking endorsement deals. But they face a major setback when one of their biggest retail partner…
Under Armour's Attack on Nike | Sweat Equity | 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:43
It’s 1995 and college football player Kevin Plank is frustrated with the way the cotton t-shirt he wears under his pads gets drenched with sweat. He begins designing a t-shirt made from a different kind of material - one…
Gatorade Sweats the Competition | Defending the Title | 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:10
As the 1990s come to a close, Gatorade has become an established powerhouse brand, thanks to a 25-year head start and the star power of their spokesperson Michael Jordan. But the millennium brings fresh challenges to Gat…