• The Best Idea Yet

  • Written by: Wondery
  • Podcast

The Best Idea Yet

Written by: Wondery
  • Summary

  • The untold stories behind the products you’re obsessed with and the bold risk-takers who made them go viral.


    How did Birkenstocks go from a German cobbler’s passion project 250 years ago to a starring role in the Barbie movie? Who created that bottle of Sriracha permanently living in your fridge? Did you know the Air Jordans were initially banned by the NBA, or that Super Mario became the best-selling video game character ever thanks to a strategy called “The Infinite Game?” On Wondery’s new weekly podcast The Best Idea Yet, Nick Martell and Jack Crivici-Kramer (hosts of the award-winning daily pop-business podcast, The Best One Yet) have identified the most viral products of all time and reveal their untold origin stories — plus the bold risk-takers who brought them to life. From the Happy Meal to Levi’s 501 jeans, come for the products you’re obsessed with, stay for the business insights that’ll make you the most interesting person at your next brunch.


    Follow The Best Idea Yet on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting www.wondery.com/links/the-best-idea-yet/ now.


    © 2024 Wondery LLC. All rights reserved.
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Episodes
  • 🏔️ Patagonia Fleece: The Billion Dollar Toilet Seat Cover | 19
    Feb 18 2025

    Designed to keep climbers snug on El Capitan, the Patagonia fleece became the unofficial uniform of venture capitalists and finance bros (earning the nickname Patagucci). But thrill-seeking Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard never aimed for a high-end market. In fact, he built a $3 billion brand while trying not to be a businessman. Yvon's a self-described existential dirtbag (baby) whose idea of a good time is disappearing into the mountains for weeks while surviving on tins of cat food. Despite his dropout tendencies, Yvon revolutionized outdoor gear, and forged a brand (literally — he has an anvil!) built on anti-consumerism. Find out how a toilet seat cover inspired a fleece revolution, how the most anti-corporate CEO risked it all to fight climate change, and why the Patagonia Fleece is the best idea yet.

    Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter

    Follow The Best Idea Yet on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting www.wondery.com/links/the-best-idea-yet/ now.

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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    42 mins
  • 🍦Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food: A Collab Born in an Old Gas Station | 18
    Feb 11 2025

    Phish Food: it’s more Vermont than Bernie Sanders snowboarding down a mountain of maple sugar. This philanthropic ice cream came out of an epic ‘90s partnership between two Burlington legends: the jam band Phish, and Ben & Jerry’s. (You can thank the band for the caramel ribbon) But the Phish Food story really begins with Ben & Jerry themselves: two college dropouts and BFFs who started their business in a dilapidated gas station. These friends braved leaky roofs, frigid temps, and a crisis of faith that almost had them walking away from the business altogether. Instead, they created the first unicorn ice-cream brand and helped write the playbook for companies with a social mission. Find out why complementary cofounders make stronger businesses, how a Vermont-only IPO brought B&Js closer to their community, and why Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food is the best idea yet.

    Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter

    Follow The Best Idea Yet on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting www.wondery.com/links/the-best-idea-yet/ now.

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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    42 mins
  • 🎩 Monopoly: The Shocking Scandal Behind the World’s Favorite Game | 17
    Feb 4 2025

    Monopoly: the game that taught you to ruthlessly bankrupt your friends and family, one hotel at a time. With 250 million copies sold worldwide, ⅔ of American homes have a copy. But you probably don't know its shocking origin story: Monopoly rewards runaway greed — but was originally created by a feminist to teach about the evils of economic inequality. It was a financial flop…but an underground hit when a down-on-his-luck salesman claimed it as his own, making more moolah than Rich Uncle Pennybags — and (almost) writing the original creator out of history. Until an anti-establishment professor with an FBI file blew the lid off Monopoly’s scandalous history. Discover how the best products require iteration, why you need to (sometimes) trust your gut over data, and why Monopoly is the best idea yet.

    Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter

    Follow The Best Idea Yet on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting www.wondery.com/links/the-best-idea-yet/ now.

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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    43 mins

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