#138November 25, 202052:01

#131 - The Companies We Would Buy and Fix and A Multi-Million Do…

About This Episode

Sam and Shaan discuss public companies they would acquire and 'fix' inspired by a tweet from Chamath Palihapitiya, focusing on legacy brands like Western Union and Tootsie Roll. They also explore the 'multiplayer' software framework and brainstorm ways to revitalize outdated consumer goods through celebrity licensing.

Episode Description

Shaan Puri (@ShaanVP) and Sam Parr (@TheSamParr) discuss: - Shaan finds Internet gold in the Twitter replies from followers of Chamath (1:45) - Sam explains why Casper mattress company should be in the midwest instead of Brooklyn (3:35) - Sam thinks one company that is ripe for innovation is Subway (5:25) - the guys talk about why Western Union should switch to Crypto and modernize (7:10) - Shaan thinks CVS is another candidate ripe for modernization (12:30) - Shaan explains why Tootsie Roll should go viral (15:45) - Sam and Shaan wonder why new candy bars don’t exist (22:15) - Shaan breaks down a blog post called “Nine Charts About Why Bitcoin is Different This Time” and on if there’s substance behind Bitcoin’s recent rise (30:25) - Shaan pitches a “collaborative search engine” idea that he’s calling Figma for Browsers (36:10) - Could “Substack for video” be a thing? (42:00) - the guys find an interesting bootstrapper online named Jakob Greenfeld (44:35) Reference

Key Takeaways

Identify 'dinosaur' companies with strong cash flows and brands but weak technology DNA as prime targets for acquisition and modernization.

Apply the 'multiplayer' framework to single-player professional tools, such as browsers or video editors, to create collaborative work environments.

Revitalize legacy snack and food brands by partnering with celebrities for limited-edition packaging rather than building new health-focused products from scratch.

Business Ideas Mentioned

The Bitcoin Remittance Network via Western Union

Acquisitions

Multiplayer Collaborative Web Browser

SaaS

Influencer-Branded Legacy Snack Revitalization

E-commerce

Substack for Live Video

Creator Tools

View all ideas

Featuring

Hosts

Sam Parr

Host

Shaan Puri

Host

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Quick Stats

Duration52:01

Guests0

Ideas Discussed4

Topics0