Good Bad Billionaire
BBC World Service
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About This Podcast
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 [email protected] 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
Explore Statistics
Recent Episodes
Steven Spielberg: Directing dreams and deals
Steven Spielberg always felt like an outsider, but became the most commercially successful movie director in history. His hits, including ET, Indiana Jones and Jurassic Park, sent him on his way to…
Beyoncé: The business of Queen B
Beyoncé started out as a little girl competing in local talent shows, but over the course of a 30-year career in music she transformed herself into a mogul worth $1 billion. Journalist Zing Tsjeng…
Trailer
Simon and Zing are back to tell you how another batch of billionaires made their money. From people who've recently joined this most exclusive of clubs - like Beyoncé and Mr Beast - to some of the…
The Lee family (from Inheritance: Samsung): Part three
Simon and Zing bring you the third episode of Inheritance: Samsung, where a betrayal shakes up the succession. The series takes you inside the billion-dollar deals and the family power struggles that…
The Lee family (from Inheritance: Samsung): Part two
The second episode of Inheritance: Samsung sees the company grow into a global tech giant. The series takes you inside the billion-dollar deals and the family power struggles that shape global…
The Lee family (from Inheritance: Samsung): Part one
Simon and Zing introduce the first episode of a brand-new podcast, Inheritance: Samsung. The series takes you inside the billion-dollar deals and the family power struggles that shape global empires.…
Toto Wolff: Mercedes's billion-dollar F1 boss
Toto Wolff is the most successful team principal in Formula One history. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng find out what drives him. From losing his father and abandoning his…
Ronnie Screwvala: The cable guy
Ronnie Screwvala changed the viewing habits of the world’s most populous country, India - but he started out selling toothbrushes. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng chart his…
Larry Ellison: Winning the database wars
Larry Ellison’s business mantra is simple: “It is not sufficient that I succeed — everyone else must fail.” From humble beginnings as an adopted child in Chicago to becoming one of the richest men in…
Elizabeth Holmes: From CEO to criminal
Once hailed as the next Steve Jobs, Elizabeth Holmes became the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire after founding Theranos, a startup that promised to revolutionise healthcare with…
Weekend listening: The Interface
Simon and Zing bring you a weekend listening recommendation: The Interface, the BBC's fiercely informed, fast and funny take on how tech is changing everything.Hosted by three leading tech…
Peggy Cherng: Engineering a fast-food fortune
Peggy Cherng never set out to work in fast food, but her engineering mindset transformed how millions of Americans eat. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack trace Peggy Cherng’s…
Ben Francis: UK’s youngest billionaire
How Ben Francis went from pizza delivery boy to the UK’s youngest billionaire, by founding sportswear brand Gymshark. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng explore Ben Francis'…
Lucy Guo: The woman training AI
She skateboards to work, has a skydiving license, and was the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC Business Editor Simon Jack tell the story of Lucy Guo and…
Elon Musk: You decide!
It’s time to hear what you, our listeners, think of Elon Musk. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack read your feedback to our Elon Musk episode: do you think he’s good, bad, or…
David Geffen: The Hollywood power broker
David Geffen is the money man behind Crosby, Stills and Nash, Guns N' Roses, Cher, Shrek, Gladiator, and even Cats the musical. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack tell the…
Sara Blakely: Shaping the world with Spanx
Sara Blakely grew up in Florida and dreamed of becoming a lawyer, but after failing the LSAT twice, she pivoted to sales and later entrepreneurship. Frustrated by uncomfortable hosiery, Blakely cut…
Guy Laliberté: Cirque du Soleil’s clown turned CEO
Guy Laliberté went from busking on the streets of Quebec to entertaining Hollywood celebrities and wearing a clown nose on the International Space Station. BBC business editor Simon Jack and…
Elon Musk: Money, memes and Mars
Elon Musk’s extraordinary rise, from a troubled childhood in apartheid-era South Africa to becoming the first person to amass half a trillion dollars. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist…
Luciano Benetton: Famous fashion to cultural controversy
Luciano Benetton rose from poverty in postwar Italy to found a chain of 7,000 high street fashion stores and create some of the most controversial advertising campaigns in history, becoming a…
Frequently Asked Questions
Good Bad Billionaire has published 95 episodes since August 2023, covering topics in Business, Documentary.
Good Bad Billionaire is currently highly active with new episodes weekly. Average episode length is 45m.
Sign up on Grep.FM to access contact details for Good Bad Billionaire, including email and social media links.
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