Ben Gilbert
Ben Gilbert is the co-founder and co-host of Acquired, the business and technology podcast and YouTube show that tells the stories and strategies behind major companies. He previously worked as a software engineer and venture capitalist, including roles connected to Microsoft, Madrona, and Pioneer Square Labs.
Home Depot Built a Warehouse Model Around Project Expertise
Acquired’s Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal argue that Home Depot’s enduring advantage was not the warehouse format alone, but a system that combined low prices and broad inventory with knowledgeable store associates who helped customers complete projects. They trace how Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank built that model after their firing from Handy Dan, how Bob Nardelli’s operational overhaul weakened its service culture, and how Frank Blake restored growth by making stores the local nodes of a wider fulfillment network.
Disney+ Secured Control of Discovery but Sacrificed Cable Economics
Acquired’s Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal argue that Disney’s move into streaming was strategically necessary: relying on Netflix or other platforms would have ceded control over how audiences discover the characters that sustain its parks, merchandise and franchises. But Disney+ cannot reproduce the high-margin economics of home video and ESPN’s cable fees, and its demand for a steady volume of programming conflicts with the creative scarcity that powered Disney’s historic flywheel. As cable declines, they contend, parks and cruises increasingly carry the company’s profit burden—and make renewed creative strength essential.