🛁 Jacuzzi: Legend of the Life-Saving Tub | 7

Summary

The Best Idea Yet: Episode 7 - 🛁 Jacuzzi: Legend of the Life-Saving Tub

Hosts: Nick Martel & Jack Crivici-Kramer
Release Date: November 26, 2024
Podcast Series: The Best Idea Yet by Wondery

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In the seventh episode of The Best Idea Yet, hosts Nick Martel and Jack Crivici-Kramer delve into the fascinating origin story of the Jacuzzi family and their iconic product—the Jacuzzi bathtub. This episode captures the journey from humble beginnings in aviation to revolutionizing the relaxation industry, highlighting the family's resilience, innovation, and strategic pivots.

1. The Early Days: From Aviation to Entrepreneurship

The story begins in 1915 at the Panama Pacific World's Fair in San Francisco, where a young Italian immigrant mechanic named Rachele Jacuzzi observes the inefficiencies of airplane propellers. Recognizing an opportunity, Rachele invents the "toothpick propeller," a narrower and straighter wood propeller that significantly improves aerodynamics. This innovation leads Rachele and his 12 brothers to establish Jacuzzi Brothers Incorporated in Berkeley, California (06:13).

“The improved aerodynamics of this Jacuzzi propeller packs a punch while being lighter than most existing propellers.” – Nick Martel (07:00)

However, the onset of World War I brings both opportunity and tragedy. Rachele's propellers become critical for the U.S. Air Force, but the war’s end leads to a sudden drop in military contracts. This loss forces the Jacuzzi family to pivot once more.

2. Pivot to Agricultural Pumps

Faced with a dwindling market, Rachele turns his engineering expertise to agriculture. The San Joaquin Valley is experiencing an agricultural renaissance, and Rachele invents a new irrigation pump that enhances groundwater extraction. This innovation proves wildly successful, with “lettuce seedlings, blossoming almond trees, and fragrant orange groves feeding America being watered by the hot, new, powerful pump” (12:18). The Jacuzzi pumps become essential for farming, solidifying the family's reputation as innovative engineers.

3. Tragedy and Transformation

In 1921, tragedy strikes when a test flight of the Jacuzzi J7 monoplane crashes, killing four family members including Giocondo Jacuzzi (10:19). Devastated, the Jacuzzi parents forbid their remaining children from aviation, compelling them to seek new ventures. Rachele's response is to apply his fluid dynamics expertise to improve irrigation pumps, laying the groundwork for future innovations.

4. The Birth of the Modern Jacuzzi

In 1943, facing personal hardship when young Kenneth Jacuzzi is diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, Candido Jacuzzi—Rachele's youngest brother and the family's natural-born salesman—finds inspiration in hydrotherapy to create a device that could alleviate his son's pain. Using the family's existing pump technology, Candido invents a hydrotherapy pump tailored for bathtubs. This prototype leads to the development of the J300 Whirlpool Bath in 1952, marking the family's entry into consumer products (19:18).

“The J300 was a water pumping cyclone of sensation.” – Jack Crivici-Kramer (22:07)

5. Strategic Marketing and Celebrity Endorsements

Understanding the power of marketing, Ray Schwartz, an in-law of the Jacuzzi family, spearheads publicity efforts. By securing a spot on the highly popular game show Queen for a Day, Jacuzzi gains national exposure (26:00). The show’s immense viewership—20 million viewers per episode—provides Jacuzzi with a platform to showcase their hydrotherapy baths.

Furthering their strategy, Jacuzzi secures celebrity endorsements from Hollywood icons like Rita Hayworth, Jayne Mansfield, and Marilyn Monroe. These endorsements act as early influencer campaigns, significantly boosting sales and establishing Jacuzzi as a household name (29:48).

6. Overcoming Challenges and Expansion

Despite the success, the Jacuzzi family faces internal conflicts and financial pressures. In 1969, Candido Jacuzzi is indicted for tax evasion, leading to his temporary departure from the company. These challenges culminate in the late 1970s when the family decides to sell the company to Walter Kidd and Company for $73 million to address financial strains and internal disputes (38:20).

7. Legacy and Cultural Impact

Today, Jacuzzi remains a globally recognized brand, synonymous with relaxation and luxury. Even though the company’s revenue has grown modestly since its peak, the Jacuzzi bathtub is a staple in hotels, homes, and pop culture. Statistics reveal that hot tubs can increase an Airbnb’s booking rate by 13% and its nightly price by $39, underscoring Jacuzzi’s lasting impact on both leisure and business sectors (40:32).

Kenneth Jacuzzi, the inspiration behind the modern Jacuzzi, became a prominent advocate for the disability community, establishing a foundation that promotes accessibility and dignity for individuals with disabilities. His advocacy work highlights the family's enduring commitment to using innovation for societal good (44:46).

“For every tragedy they faced, they turned it into an opportunity.” – Jack Crivici-Kramer (22:29)

8. Key Takeaways

• Innovation Through Necessity: The Jacuzzi family's ability to pivot from aviation to agricultural pumps, and then to hydrotherapy, exemplifies how necessity drives innovation.
• Effective Marketing: Strategic product placements and celebrity endorsements were crucial in establishing Jacuzzi as a household name.
• Family Dynamics: Despite internal conflicts, the family's resilience and unity played a significant role in their business's success.
• Legacy of Advocacy: Kenneth Jacuzzi's advocacy work ensured that the family's legacy extended beyond business achievements to societal contributions.

Notable Quotes

• “The best minds in business change their minds.” – Nick Martel (41:21)
• “Respond with the best information you have and treat every pivot as a chance to grow.” – Jack Crivici-Kramer (41:53)
• “For every tragedy they faced, they turned it into an opportunity.” – Jack Crivici-Kramer (22:29)

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References:

• Jacuzzi: A Father's Invention to Ease a Son's Pain by Ken Jacuzzi (2005)
• The Frothy Saga of the Jacuzzi Family by Saskia Solomon, The New York Times

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This episode was written and produced by Katie Clark Gray, with sound design by Kelly Karek and fact-checking by Molly Artwick. Special thanks to Wondery’s senior producers and the entire production team for bringing this story to life.

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Transcript

[Nick Martel]

Wondery subscribers can listen to the best idea yet, early and ad free right now.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Join Wondery in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts.

[Nick Martel]

Wondery.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

What are you doing this weekend?

[Nick Martel]

What am I doing this weekend?

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

I mean, honestly, I know what you're doing this weekend. You're going up to Napa. You and Molly love popping up to Napa.

[Nick Martel]

Yeah, when you pop up, that is like our verb of choice.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

You're so right.

[Nick Martel]

But you know what's funny? Like when you're driving up to Napa and everyone's envisioning what it is, like this wine mecca of the world.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Yeah.

[Nick Martel]

The first winery that you pass when you make a write off of 101, it says the Jacuzzi winery.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

It's gotta be a typo.

[Nick Martel]

Well, you know, I saw that at first and I was like, well, this sounds like a fun idea. Yeah, I would do a wine tasting in a hot tub. No, it's interesting.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

I know Robert Mondavi's pretty famous up there. Jacuzzi sounds Italian as well.

[Nick Martel]

Yes, it does, Jack. This ain't no translation error. I mean, Yeti's Jack and I did get curious about this Jacuzzi winery situation. Well, it turns out when you check out the ownership structure of this win, is the Jacuzzi family like Jacuzzi Incorporated.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Jack, The Jacuzzi family, they're not just doing hot tubs and bubbles in hot water. No, they're doing bubbles in wine too.

[Nick Martel]

Yeah. And the reason that the Jacuzzi family had so much money to buy a winery is because the Jacuzzi family created the most iconic product of its kind.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

What's so shocking about the Jacuzzi family to me isn't the number of family members. There were 13 siblings, by the way.

[Nick Martel]

Good point.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

It's the number of different businesses they ran together.

[Nick Martel]

Because Yeti, Jack and I love a pivot story. There are product pivots. There are use case pivots. There are marketing pivots.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

There are moving sofas up the staircase pivots.

[Nick Martel]

Ross with friends. If you know, you know. But besties. There is one pivot in particular that Jack and I have noticed is bigger than just all the others. It's bubbly, it's steamy, and it's part of your room upgrade at the Ramada. Because that pivot is the Jacuzzi.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

You know me, my name can send goosebumps up and down your spine, make you forget your troubles and put your mind completely at ease. The name Jacuzzi is trademarked, but it's also used generically to mean any jet powered hot tub.

[Nick Martel]

Yeah, Jack, it's become one of those things where you say the specific brand name to mean any make of that one thing. Like you got your chapstick, you got your band aid, you got your Tupperware and you got your Jacuzzi.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

But this 20th century invention draws on 4,000 year old traditions.

[Nick Martel]

Yeah. These humans. We've been soaking in hot springs since we stood on two legs. From Japan to Mexico to Iceland.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

But it's Jacuzzi that brought hydrotherapy into the modern era, creating a global market that's expected to surpass $6 billion by 2026.

[Nick Martel]

In fact, there is an estimated 26 million operational hot tubs around the world. And Jack, could you sprinkle on a little more hot context for us over there, please?

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

That is one hot tub for every Floridian plus every Utahn.

[Nick Martel]

You can't forget about Utah. But the Jacuzzi journey is about so much more than just kicking off your boots and soaking under the park City stars.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Yetis this story. Fighter pilots, game shows, Scarface's bathtub. And seven brothers running this business together.

[Nick Martel]

But beneath the froth and bubbles, it's about a family business turning tragedy into opportunity and creating an iconic product through unexpected twists of fate.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Hang on to your Speedo.

[Nick Martel]

Oh, yeah.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Because Jacuzzi didn't just create an entirely new category. Yeah. Jacuzzi is the best idea yet. Ooh.

[Nick Martel]

Ah. That's the spot, Jack.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Hot, hot, hot.

[Nick Martel]

Oh. From Wonder and T Boy. I'm Nick Martel.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

And I'm Jack Crevici Kramer. And this is the best idea yet.

[Nick Martel]

The untold origin stories of the products you're obsessed with and the bold risk takers who brought them to life.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

I got that feeling again. Something familiar, but new. We got it coming to you. I got that feeling again. They changed the game in one move. Here's how they broke all the room. This episode is sponsored by Abbott. Let's talk about a small thing that can make a big difference if you have diabetes. The Freestyle Libre 3 sensor. It's amazing how the sensor gives you real time glucose readings so you can see the impact of every meal and every activity to make better choices. The Freestyle Libre 3 sensor can help you live life with diabetes on your terms. You can try it free at freestylelibre.us. offer available for people who qualify. Visit MyFreestyle US to see all terms and conditions. Certain exclusions apply for prescription only. Safety info found @freestylelibre us. Let's start this episode by easing into our hot tub time machine.

[Nick Martel]

Let's do it, Jack. I like it.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

We're standing on an athletic field ringed by a racetrack just steps from the San Francisco Bay. The air is thick with July summer heat and the buzz of propellers as a biplane takes flight. It's 1915, and we're at the Panama Pacific World's Fair in San Francisco.

[Nick Martel]

Now, this 10 month expo, it's showcasing the best in technology, from steam locomotives to this newfangled airplane thingamajiggy.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

It's like CES for the Woodrow Wilson house.

[Nick Martel]

Yes, it is.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

And since it's 10 months long, 18 million people visit. Nick, that's a fifth of the U.S. population.

[Nick Martel]

That is huge.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

The people came to see a direct telephone line that connected San Francisco to New York. No, you hang up. No, you hang up. And they also came to see a new form of travel that was still in its infancy. Airplanes.

[Nick Martel]

Now the crowds are oohing. And the crowds are on as they watch the stunt pilot of one of these airplanes in action. But there's one observer who's not so impressed. He's a young mechanic who goes by the name Rakeli Jacuzzi.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

He's working as an engineer and about to change aviation history. Little does he know his family name will become synonymous with relaxation.

[Nick Martel]

Yeah, Rakele. He's an Italian immigrant, he's an inventor, and he's the eldest of 13 children. 13 more on them in a minute. In the meantime, he's working as an engineer for the future founder of the aerospace company McDonnell Douglas.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

This guy is obsessed with flying.

[Nick Martel]

Oh, obsessed.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

So while most people in that airfield are dazzled by the aviation demo, Rachele is noticing something that might only be obvious to an engineer. The stunt planes. Propellers aren't very efficient for their size. They're not giving the plane the liftoff that they should.

[Nick Martel]

And Rakele thinks, I can do better than that. And you know what he does? Because Rickele invents the toothpick propeller. It's made of wood, but it's narrower, it's straighter. Kind of looks like a toothpick.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

They're stronger than a toothpick, though.

[Nick Martel]

Oh, yeah. Yeah, they are.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

And the improved aerodynamics of this jacuzzi propeller packs a punch while being lighter than most existing propellers. It's a huge advancement in aviation. To manufacture his new propeller, Rakele opens a machine shop in Berkeley, California, and calls it Jacuzzi Brothers Incorporated, because besties. This guy has so many brothers, he could cast an entire episode of the Jersey Shore now.

[Nick Martel]

Interesting. Jack back in the old country, R. Kelly and his family had been known as the iacuzzis. But in 1907, Papa Iacuzzi relocated the entire family to avoid the coming war.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

That coming war wasn't World War I, but a forerunner called the Italo Turkish War. Papa Iacucci had seven sons in danger of being drafted into the war and six daughters to protect as well. So they arrived at Ellis island in waves, where their name was misspelled from Yacouzi to Jacuzzi. I mean, Jack.

[Nick Martel]

The same thing happened with my family at Dallas Island. We lost the O on Martello, and.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

I kind of missed it. Can we bring that back? You got robbed. We got robbed.

[Nick Martel]

I can feel for these Jacuzzi boys and Jack. By the time Rickelli starts his machine shop, most of his brothers have joined with him in America. So they're manufacturing enough toothpick propellers to impress everyone from celebrity pilot Charles Lindbergh to a feisty new division of the U.S. armed forces known as the Air Force.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

When America enters World War I, Richele's toothpick Propellers help win it, allowing American dogfighters to dominate the airspace. And less than 18 months later, the war is over.

[Nick Martel]

Great news for society, bad news for the defense industry.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

No more war means no more military contracts for the Jacuzzi brothers.

[Nick Martel]

So the Jacuzzi brothers, they need to pivot. Pivot.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Now, Nick, as far as pivots go, this first one from Jacuzzi, it's pretty logical.

[Nick Martel]

Okay.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Rakele loves flying, and back then, anyone could fly. Like, there was no regulation, no FAA to drag you back down to earth.

[Nick Martel]

Oh, fantastic. It's like riding a bike.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

So what does Rakele do? He starts to fly.

[Nick Martel]

And then these Jacuzzi brothers, they decide to build their own airplane. They throw all their money into building an aircraft called the Jacuzzi J7.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

It's a monoplane with a fully enclosed cockpit. Both of these were new innovations at the time because back then, most planes were biplanes with open cockpits, which meant the pilots were held in by just a seatbelt holding on for dear life.

[Nick Martel]

You'd be dodging geese. You'd, like, be picking bugs out of your teeth. And so we're Gilly, he's feeling like a roof and a windshield. Yeah, that'd be a good addition to.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

The plane, especially since they're thinking ahead to accommodate passengers as well as cargo. It's a big undertaking, and the whole family pitches in. The brothers wives even sew the canvas covers of the wings.

[Nick Martel]

It's like the olive Garden. When you're here and you're working on the plane, your family and the Jacuzzi.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

J7 makes history as the first fully enclosed monoplane to be built and flown in the United States. It works beautifully for months. And the Jacuzzi start thinking about how to make their money back. Like carrying mail for the US Mail.

[Nick Martel]

Service, which looks and seems like a very sustainable, consistent business model. Makes a lot of sense.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

FedEx before FedEx.

[Nick Martel]

But on the morning of July 14, 1921, something awful happens.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

On a test flight from Yosemite, a wing of the J7 snaps off. The plane crashes over Modesto, California, killing all four men on board, including Jacuzzi brother number six, Giocondo Jacuzzi.

[Nick Martel]

Mom and dad Jacuzzi. They are devastated. And so the parents announce a major personal decision that changes the entire business. They forbid their remaining children from having anything to do with flying ever, ever again.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

The Jacuzzi children are literally grounded.

[Nick Martel]

But yetis, there is a silver lining of having to pivot out of necessity. Because pivoting out of necessity forces you to get creative. Like, think about Netflix, how it began as a DVD company, only to pivot to online streaming once the technology evolved and people started moving away from DVDs.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

DVDs becoming obsolete was the best thing to happen to Netflix.

[Nick Martel]

Exactly.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Because it forced them to evolve.

[Nick Martel]

So, Jack, what's Raquel a Jacuzzi thinking? As this news hits him and his.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Family, he has exactly the kind of creative mind built for this tough moment. One day, he's staring out into the lush orchards of the San Joaquin Valley, which is in the midst of a renaissance. 20th century engineering has made it much easier for farmers to access groundwater for irrigation.

[Nick Martel]

Suddenly, it smacks him in the face like the aroma of his mom's brioli. Remember Richele? He's an expert in fluid dynamics, and these skills can also translate from air to water.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

So Richele stops looking up into the sky. Yeah, and he starts looking down to the ground. He takes that airplane instinct and focuses it on farming instead. Rekayla gets an idea for how to improve irrigation pumps. He invents a new pump that forces water into the ground, creating a vacuum that draws more groundwater up from the aquifers below.

[Nick Martel]

And, Jack, this new pump really works.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

It's wildly effective. And as soon as the Jacuzzis put this new pump on the market, it is in high demand. Soon, the lettuce seedlings, blossoming almond trees, and fragrant orange groves feeding America are being watered by the hot, new, powerful pump. Oh, Baby, The Jacuzzi pump. The Jacuzzi pump.

[Nick Martel]

I'm sorry, Jack. Pause the pod for a moment. Time check here. America is sliding into the Great Depression and yet the big new invention transforming California's economy are these Jacuzzi frickin pumps. I mean, what's good for California? It must be excellent for the Jacuzzi brothers.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

It is. And even the youngest brother, little Candido Jacuzzi, is pitching in for this family business. Unlike Richele and his older brothers, Candido had only gotten a little taste of schooling as one of the last siblings to arrive in the United States. His English isn't great, but he's going to school at night and he's selling Jacuzzi water pumps door to door by day.

[Nick Martel]

Despite being the worst brother at English, Candido is a natural born salesman. He's heading out to the farms demonstrating a new pump. And it turns out the language of sales isn't about the words you're actually saying. It's just about making a relationship with people.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

It's pretty inspirational. Soon the Jacuzzis are handling everything from deep well injector pumps to swimming pool supplies. America doesn't run on Duncan. By the 1930s, it's running on Jacuzzi pumps.

[Nick Martel]

Yeah, it is.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

But in 1937, Rakele working feverishly on new inventions from solar power generators to crop defrosters, he suddenly dies of a heart attack at the age of 50.

[Nick Martel]

Rickele. He's been the family's leader and the primary driver of the company's entire strategy. Without Richelle, there would be no pumps. He took the company from the air to the ground. So now everyone is wondering who will lead the Jacuzzis next.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

This Jacuzzi family isn't just a company. It's a culture. It's an institution. It's a little society. They get together and decide it's time for one of their remaining brothers to step up. And leadership passes to the youngest, the family salesman, Candido Jacuzzi.

[Nick Martel]

So Jack, it's 1943. Candido is married. He's got four kids. Now, unfortunately, the Jacuzzis, they are no strangers to tragedy. And while Candido is in his office one day, he receives awful news. His youngest son, 2 year old Kenneth, has been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. And doctors are saying that he won't even make it to age 8.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

So Candido and his wife Inez are determined to save their two year old son. They put Ken into a full body cast for a full year. Wow. And inject him with gold salts. Nothing is working.

[Nick Martel]

Well, we should point out, Jack, that almost nothing is working because one of Kenneth's doctors tries a new technology, A little something that hasn't actually been applied yet to kids. It's called hydrotherapy, and it uses a big oval shaped metal tub that's called a Hubbard tank.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

The Hubbard tank basically looks like a giant metal sink. Yes, it has motors that heat and stir the water. And the patient sits on a bench in the tub and lets the hot water massage their pain away. I'll tell you, though, it looks like something that belongs to a barn.

[Nick Martel]

Yeah, I know what you mean, Jack. They're not selling this thing. A sharper image.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

So does this creepy looking new metallic structure work?

[Nick Martel]

Oh, it works. It's relaxing, it's calming, and most of all, it helps ease little Ken's SW and joints and stiff muscles. His parents are thrilled.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

It's a big, ugly sink, but it's a miracle. His mother, Inez, takes little Kenneth in for treatments twice a week, an hour drive away from their house. He's basically living in this thing just to stay alive.

[Nick Martel]

And his fingers are like pruned up 24 7.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

But the long drive is super painful for little Ken. So Inez begs Candido to take a look at the Hubbard.

[Nick Martel]

Here's what she's thinking. Hey, Candida, your whole family works with water, right? Like, could you build something like this tub for our boy? Maybe even better. This episode is sponsored by Abbott. Let's talk about a small thing that can make a big difference if you have diabetes. The Freestyle Libre 3 Plus sensor. It's amazing to see how the sensor gives you real time glucose readings so you can see the impact of every meal and activity. To make better choices, the Freestyle Libre 3 Plus sensor can help you live life with diabetes on your terms. You can try it for free at FreestyleLibre US. Offer available for people who qualify. Visit MyFreestyle US to see all terms and conditions. Certain exclusions apply for prescription only safety info found @freestylelibre us.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Okay, so at this point, we have little Kenneth Jacuzzi, a boy with a chronic debilitating condition. His family has found a hydrotherapy treatment that works. But traveling to and from those treatments is wreaking havoc on his body.

[Nick Martel]

But there is one silver lining. Ken is a Jacuzzi. He's from a family of brilliant engineers and inventors, perfectly poised to create something new. Because Candido Jacuzzi now knows that this freaky metal hammocker schlemmer of a water tub machine may Save his son. And his family business is water pumps. So he's gotta whip up one of these for their home. But turns out it ain't as easy as filling a tub, because remember, Yetis Candido's the salesman. He's not the engineer. But he's also proof that you shouldn't put people in a box.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

He's determined to find a way. So he starts taking a Jacuzzi brothers sump pump, the kind you'd use to get water out of the basement, and he begins adapting it for use in a bathtub. We have a picture here, Nick, can you describe what we're looking at?

[Nick Martel]

Yeah, I'll describe this, Jack. This initial water pump bathtub thing, it's kind of like a speedboat motor crossed with a Vitamix, you know?

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Yeah, but you put it in a bathtub. So it basically takes a big pool of water in your bathtub.

[Nick Martel]

Yes.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

And turns it into, like, a bubbly adventure.

[Nick Martel]

It makes you feel like a smoothie is what we're saying.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Looks a little dangerous.

[Nick Martel]

I'm actually kind of scared. As we describe it, this little contraption, it is churning bathtub. Just like that ginormous Hubbard tank. But here's the question, man. Is it working?

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Absolutely, it's working. Ken is on his hydrotherapy treatments every day in the comfort of his own home now with no brutal commute to and from that Hubbard tank.

[Nick Martel]

Thank God.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

And when they show Ken's doctor their contraption they built, his response is instantaneous. He doesn't just say, it works. He implores them. You gotta make more of these things.

[Nick Martel]

Okay, so this is basically the same pump that the Jacuzzi family used for food on farms, but they've now applied it to tubs for people.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

It's another pivot.

[Nick Martel]

They didn't just pivot the product, they pivoted the purpose totally.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

And the whole hydrotherapy unit was literally just meant to be a device for Ken. But once the idea is in Candido's mind, it all makes sense.

[Nick Martel]

Yeah, it does.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Look, not everyone has a farm. They need to irrigate. But everyone gets sore muscles and sore joints, and everyone loves a bubbly frenzy of a hot tub situation. So Candido wants to pursue the relaxation market.

[Nick Martel]

But, Jack, this is like the Jacuzzi family. I feel like you can't get anything done with this crew unless you bring it up at dinner. And, like, half the table's voting on this. So how do his brothers react to this new application of their legendary famous family farm pumps?

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

They're not into this latest pivot. Up until now, Jacuzzi has mostly been on a B2B model, working business to business.

[Nick Martel]

Now, Jack, becoming a consumer facing business, a B2C business, that's a totally different.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Strategy and it carries a whole bunch of new business risks.

[Nick Martel]

Yeah, yeah, it does.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Because the other Jacuzzi brothers know there are already big players in the consumer appliance market. Which is what Candido is thinking about moving into.

[Nick Martel]

Right.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

They would have to face companies like General Electric, Goliaths of the industry, and Jacuzzi. They're just the little David. If GE decides they want to make hydrotherapy bathtubs, Jacuzzi would be done for. If they poke the bear, they're going to get eaten.

[Nick Martel]

I mean, Jack, it's sort of like when you're a startup and Google takes an interest in your technology. Just ask Sonos about that. That's a story for another pot. Well, Jacuzzi's current pump and irrigation business, it's doing great right now, Jack. Like they just built a two and a half million dollar facility in Richmond, California. Why would you ever change a business that is thriving?

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Plus, it's a family affair. The Jacuzzis determine their own destiny. And the company is providing jobs to many Jacuzzi cousins, among others.

[Nick Martel]

I mean, basically, if you got two Z's in your name, you're hired. So why fix a business that's successfully pumping on all cylinders to the tune of $35 million a year in today's money? Well, Candida, remember, is the family salesman. And eventually he just wears them down.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

They don't pivot the entire business, but they agreed to establish a new division of the company, Jacuzzi Research, Inc. And they start production of their very first whirlpool bath device, the J300.

[Nick Martel]

The J300. Now that, Jack, that sounds like a Sharper Image device.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

And after testing pumping gallons and gallons of spilled water and a whole lot of bubbles, five years later, it's approved. On December 16, 1952, it finally comes through. A Jacuzzi branded hydrotherapy pump for your tub. You place one of these pumps into any full bathtub, you plug it into the wall and your bathtub, boom. It is a water pumping cyclone of sensation.

[Nick Martel]

Jack, I'm listening to everything you just said and honestly, it's kind of crazy to think about how close this was to not happening. Right? Because like if Ken hadn't gotten sick or if Candido had listened to the skeptics in his family, somebody else would have probably invented this and we might have A totally different name for hot tubs today with a totally not as good product.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Or we might not even have hot tubs. There's no guarantee somebody would have invented this. Yeah, and the impact on ludicrous lyrics alone, Nick, be devastating.

[Nick Martel]

Don't even get me started, Jack.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

It reveals something inspiring about this Jacuzzi family.

[Nick Martel]

Yeah, it does.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

For every tragedy they faced, they turned it into an opportunity. They learned from it, they pivoted and they succeeded. Post war America is a marketer's dream. Every GI family is settling down in the suburbs with a new office job, ready to spend. Optimism is in the air and people want to buy, baby, buy.

[Nick Martel]

Honey, I just brought home a new microwave that's inside a new toaster.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

It is a splurge fest on home goods and comfort.

[Nick Martel]

I mean, Jack, if you're not smoking a cigarette on your new back patio furniture, then how else are you going to make your neighbors jealous?

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

So right at the perfect moment, the first Jacuzzi finally hits the market in 1953. Their first sales are via special orders to other pain sufferers like ken. But by 1955, they decide to expand to a broader category of buyers. They send an army of salesmen to drugstores, to bath shops, and even take this portable bathtub unit door to door.

[Nick Martel]

I mean, Jack, the door to door salesman. Truly a lost art.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Nick, would you mind reading this quote from an advertisement from that time? Yes, and feel free to put your best Shelley Levine spin on it.

[Nick Martel]

Shout out to Glengarry if you know, you know. Here we go, Jack. For the tired businessman and the harried housewife. For the golfer with sore muscles, for the aches and pains of senior citizens, for frolicking youngsters and for those who just want to relax and pamper themselves with a hydro massage bath.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

I'm sold, man.

[Nick Martel]

I mean, Jack. Grab me a cola and meet me at the jukebox, buddy. We're good to go.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

You see, the Jacuzzi device may have started as a medical product, but that was before the Jacuzzi brothers realized how much spending power the new American middle class was about to have.

[Nick Martel]

Besties, those who do benefit now have more disposable income, more savings, and more buying power for products besides the essentials. They have money for their starter home and money for their lawnmower and a stand mixer and a coffee maker.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

All of that to boot.

[Nick Martel]

And Jack, this consumerist environment. That's exactly where Jacuzzi finds themselves as they launch a new product.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Their pitch for their J300 whirlpool machine is this. It's not just a medical device for the disabled. It's for Ozzy and Harriet. Dads and housewives, golfers and gardeners and even the frolicking youngsters. The Jacuzzi is for everyone.

[Nick Martel]

So let's talk about the TAM here. The total addressable market. Because the total addressable market of everyone is a whole lot bigger than the addressable market of people with disabilities.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Yes, Nick, the opportunity is huge. But Candido knows they're on borrowed time. Remember, if this product is successful, it won't be long before General Electric or another behemoth swoops in and overwhelms them with pure name recognition alone.

[Nick Martel]

Classic.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Someone is going to zuck his idea.

[Nick Martel]

Yeah.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

If Jacuzzi is going to compete, they'll need to make sure their name gets out there first. And this job falls to a man with a much more boring name. Ray Schwartz. Ray Schwartz.

[Nick Martel]

Now, Ray, he's an exports writer from Oakland, California, and he's the in law of Jokando Jacuzzi. So Ray joins the gang as the head of Jacuzzi Research Publicity. And when it comes to seeking out product placements, he takes big swings. And he's got his eye on a new game show that's just debuted. Lights, camera, bubbles.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

On stage, host Jack Bailey sails through his opening lines. His mustache is trimmed, his salt and pepper hair slicked back to reveal a perfect widow's peak. And his posture totally relaxed, as if the studio audience is sitting in his kitchen. It's 1956, and the lights in the TV studio are searing.

[Nick Martel]

Backstage, four women are getting their hair and their makeup touched up for their big moment. Because we're on the set of a new game show where housewives dealing with terrible hardships tell their stories on air. The audience then votes by applause for the woman with the saddest story. And then she wins prizes and a very particular title.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

You know something? There just isn't any better way to put it than what you like to be Queen for a Day, Jack.

[Nick Martel]

I remember my dad telling me about.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

This when I was little.

[Nick Martel]

I didn't even believe it was a thing.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Queen for a Day is more than just a game show. It's a killer opportunity for brand names to get in front of potential customers. Companies ranging from Colgate to Ex Lax to the California Egg Council, they all sponsor the show. Why? Because Queen for a Day reaches up to 20 million viewers per episode.

[Nick Martel]

Jack, I feel like we gotta sprinkle on some modern media context here. Can you put the Queen of Day Viewer numbers in. Let's Talk streaming numbers.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

20 million viewers per episode is 6 million more than those who watched the Game of Thrones finale.

[Nick Martel]

Not too shabby.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Now, of course, game shows don't just need sponsors, they need prizes. Yes, products that become part of the contestants winnings, they can see their sales skyrocket.

[Nick Martel]

Just watch Legends of the Hidden Temple and you'll know what we mean. And the way you're describing the show, Jack, it's kind of like a 1950s version of Oprah's favorite thing.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

You get a car, you get a car, you get a car. And guess what? Whatever that car is, it probably sees its sales boost right afterwards. Oh, yeah.

[Nick Martel]

Because although he wouldn't understand what you mean by Oprah, Ray Schwartz, he recognizes this too. The Jacuzzi's healing properties are a perfect match for the show's downtrodden and ailing contestants.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

So if you'll join me back under.

[Nick Martel]

The studio lights, Jack, I'm with you.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Our contestants have shared their tales of woe, and they're now sitting nervously together on stage. Jack calls out each one's number and the applause o meter comes to life. As the audience claps, they seem to love contestant number three. The arrow spikes. The apple plazometer is about to bust. Contestant number three is Queen for a Day. Jack starts to call out the prizes that she's won. The perfect way to relax. It's with a Jacuzzi whirlpool bath.

[Nick Martel]

So Ray Schwartz, he's sitting at home miles away from that TV set. But as he's watching it, he's starting to smile because this is the start of something big.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Apparently all those 20 million Americans watching Queen for a Day, they needed a good massage. Checks out, because after its first appearance on the country's big new TV show, Jacuzzi saw sales hockey stick. They could barely keep up with production. They're shipping tubs from Toledo to Tallahassee. But Ray Schwartz isn't finished with his quest for universal name recognition of Jacuzzi. As an ex sports reporter, Ray has connections to major league baseball players like Joe DiMaggio and by extension, the glitzy world of Hollywood.

[Nick Martel]

Ooh. And that is when he pulls off one of the most high profile celebrity endorsement strategies in the history of fame. He persuades the likes of silver screen legends Rita Hayworth, Jayne Mansfield and Marilyn Frickin Monroe to strip down, loosen up and pose with a Jacuzzi bathtub.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Pose in a Jacuzzi bathtub.

[Nick Martel]

Oh, and not just posing in Jack. Talk about that there Jacuzzi bathtub. Because they're giving testimonials too. I mean, Jack, if you think about it, this is really one of the first influencer campaigns in America. Like nothing sold a tub quite like a mid century Kim Kardashian promoted post.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

But you know what, Nick? Jacuzzi is jealous of those actors they're partnered with because Jacuzzi wants their own fame.

[Nick Martel]

Interesting.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

So just a few years later, the company pursues an early product placement. Jacuzzi goes full Hollywood with its own big screen debut. Their tub has a supporting role in the Fortune Cookie, which is a film at the time by Billy Wilder and it should have got an Oscar.

[Nick Martel]

Jacuzzi got snubbed.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

The main characters in this movie play scammers trying to get a personal injury settlement from an insurance company. And they use a J300 Jacuzzi to try to trick the PIs who are trying to bust their scheme. Or just exactly how does it work?

[Nick Martel]

Well, first you gotta run some water in the tub. All right.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Say, where's the switch on this Jacuzzi thing?

[Nick Martel]

No switch, just plug it in the wall.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

I mean, come on, Nick, that is product placement at its finest.

[Nick Martel]

But there is another feature which we heard Jack Lemmon mention that will become the source of another major pivot.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Remember when he said you just plug it into the wall?

[Nick Martel]

Yeah, yeah, he said that 30 seconds ago.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Well, what's the first thing that you learn about when it comes to electrical appliances and bathtubs?

[Nick Martel]

Well, Jack, the first thing you learn is that you do not use them together.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

So many people naturally are nervous about that. Scary looking wire salesmen find themselves having to assure customers that, you know, you.

[Nick Martel]

Won'T get electrocuted in the bathtubs.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

So if Jacuzzi really wants to be in every home in America, they're going to have to pivot again. Pivots. But this next pivot only happens with the help of another Jacuzzi we haven't even mentioned yet.

[Nick Martel]

Roy Jacuzzi has entered the chat and he's going to take Jacuzzi in a new, exciting, and dare we say, Jack, sexy direction. Time to toss on that Speedo.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

So we've talked about Rakele, the engineering genius who invented the Jacuzzi pumps for farmers. We've talked about Candido, the salesman who invented their home hydrotherapy product. Now we're going to talk about Roy Jacuzzi. Roy is Candido's grandnephew. He's born just a couple years after Candido's son, Kenneth, I mean Jack, who's Next cousin Greg.

[Nick Martel]

How many of them are there?

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Enough for a 10th season of the Jersey short.

[Nick Martel]

Well, Roy, he's a true believer. And he is all in on the Jacuzzi family business even before he graduates from college. But Roy is not crazy about the design of their hero product, the J300.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Remember, besties, the J300, great product, but it looks like an all metal Vitamix slash boat motor that you stick into your bathtub. Yeah, even if you're not worried about electrocution, this thing takes up a lot of space in the tub.

[Nick Martel]

I mean, Jack, do you put it behind you? Do you put it in front of you? Like, do you scrunch forward?

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Roy calls a birdbath because the tub is tiny when that thing's in there. And he vows to make something better. He's dreaming about the old country and the great Roman baths. Those marble filled, hand tiled masterpieces of meditative indulgence.

[Nick Martel]

Lovely.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

He envisions a deep tub where you can submerge your entire body up to your neck. His design features hidden wiring and jets, which transforms the Jacuzzi from a medical device to a true luxury item.

[Nick Martel]

So Jack Roy is onto something here. And he develops the new self contained model of the Jacuzzi. And he calls it the Roman.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

He patents this design in 1968, and honestly, it's not that different from the Jacuzzis we see today.

[Nick Martel]

Yeah, it looks good, Jack.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

The price tag is about 800 bucks in 1968, or around $7,000 today.

[Nick Martel]

This change, it's more than just pivoting your marketing from like home health products to recreation. Going from the J300 to Roy's Roman model. It's more like going from a $20 Mr. Coffee machine to a $2,000 barista grade espresso maker.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

This isn't just a marketing pivot. It's a pivot in product and strategy. Honestly, Roy's Roman bath is so different from the J300.

[Nick Martel]

Yeah, Jack.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

This changes the entire company.

[Nick Martel]

And Jack Roy then does something really smart to actually get these Romans off the show floor and into the homes around the world.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

He takes the latest bottle to home builder and plumbing trade shows, and he gives the home builders a great deal. For every $700 whirlpool tub they bought, contractors got to keep $350. He's sweetening the incentives in a major way. Roy's idea turns home builders into his salespeople, essentially.

[Nick Martel]

Yeah, that's what it does. You're right.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

And in the very first trade show, he takes home 50 to 60 orders. Not bad.

[Nick Martel]

Yet he's Jacuzzi. They are officially on their way to becoming a luxury product and a status symbol. Affordable to the well to do, envied by the up and comer, and soon an influential Hollywood makeover.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

In the 1970s, the Jacuzzi as we know it really takes shape. After producing the Roman tub, Jacuzzi also develops fun innovations in fiberglass, another innovation from the Jacuzzis, which allows them to create unique shapes and sizes within the tub itself.

[Nick Martel]

Okay, so we're talking bigger tubs and smaller tubs and heart shaped tubs, like in ground above ground, tricked out with lights. They're going full exhibit on this, Jack. They're pimping out the product.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

It's this development that creates the hot tub. You probably see in your mind, Jacuzzi has gotten so big that even President Nixon has a Jacuzzi installed in the White House bathroom.

[Nick Martel]

I mean, the stress of being the most important person in the world.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Actually, the stress of the Watergate scandal.

[Nick Martel]

Yeah, good point. Well played.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

So after he resigns and Gerald Ford becomes president, Ford has an outdoor pool installed and adds a second Jacuzzi.

[Nick Martel]

Nothing crosses the political divide quite like a Jacuzzi, Jack.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

But Jacuzzi knows that sex sells, so it's time to go from PG to PG 13. So the company ups its product placement game to get Steamy. In a 1970s Warren Beatty film, two beautiful twins try to lure him into the whirlpool by forgetting their swimsuits.

[Nick Martel]

Or Jack, how about Scarface? Al Pacinos in a giant round hot tub, smoking a cigar and yelling at Michelle Pfeiffer.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

The company is building Factories everywhere from St. Louis to Toronto to Sao Paulo. And it's still a family business employing a whole bunch of Jacuzzis.

[Nick Martel]

And now, Jack, we should sprinkle on some context to the financials here, because Jacuzzi is hitting sales numbers that are just surging at this moment.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

In 1974, Jacuzzi grossed $67 million in sales. By 1999, that number has spiked to $650 million in sales.

[Nick Martel]

That's right. In 20 years, this company's grown 10x.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

And this might have been where we wrapped up our tale about Jacuzzi.

[Nick Martel]

It might have been.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

But there's a parallel story around this family business that we've held back on the towel rack until now.

[Nick Martel]

Jack, keep that speedo on.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

So after years of tragedy, the Jacuzzi family is finally prospering. They can relax, hit the tub, crank up the Jets. But there's one problem the family is also fracturing. Candido, the devoted dad who created this entire product category to help his two year old sick son. He also gets indicted for tax evasion in 1969 and is not so gently and encouraged by the Jacuzzi board to retire.

[Nick Martel]

Brutal.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

He moves abroad until medical issues force him back to the States where he has to pay a couple hundred GS in back taxes.

[Nick Martel]

And by the late 1970s, there are over a hundred grandchildren of Papa and Mama Jacuzzi. And most of them, they actually work for the Jacuzzi company.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Jacuzzi has over 250 stakeholders. Yeah, board meetings are chaotic.

[Nick Martel]

I mean, every meeting is also a high stakes family reunion without the cool custom T shirts and the trips to Disney World. Jack.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Oh, and then there's this. Different family members have been suing each other for years over things like selling assets without proper notice. So the company's reserves are depleted. They need cash to help fund future growth.

[Nick Martel]

Now, this is a key moment because that's when Jacuzzi decides to go public. They want to have an IPO. But then, as we know from covering IPOs, the macroeconomic environment can have different plans for you. Right, Jack?

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

The oil crisis rocks the global economy, and the IPO market freezes.

[Nick Martel]

Yeah.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

So word starts to get out that the company is looking to sell.

[Nick Martel]

Instead of ipoing, they're going to sell the Jacuzzi company.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

But big hot tub is about to get friendly with Big finance Walter Kidd and company, whose main business is smoke detectors and fire extinguishers. They make a bid for Jacuzzi, $73 million for the whole company.

[Nick Martel]

It would be the biggest deal in water since H2 merged with O.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

But it's still a underwhelming for this family diamond it is. With few other options, the Jacuzzi family gets together, has what we imagine is a big pasta dinner that's probably delicious. And they decide, yes, it's time to sell the company.

[Nick Martel]

The family's decision to sell the company when faced with internal conflicts and financial pressures, it shows the importance of knowing when to exit or when to seek external investment.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

For the Jacuzzis, that time was now.

[Nick Martel]

Yeah, it was.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

The company will change hands a few more times across the next 40 years, eventually landing with the European investment group Invest Industrial. The brand's estimated Global revenue is $877 million as of 2023.

[Nick Martel]

So as perspective yetis less than a billion dollars for a brand that we all recognize honestly, it's way tinier than I expected at this point, Jack.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

It's barely grown since 1999.

[Nick Martel]

So Jacuzzi's revenues are less than the revenue from Deadpool and Wolverine.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

But still, the family got what they needed back in 1979. They got liquidity, even if not every member feels like they got what they wanted.

[Nick Martel]

And despite its travels through private equity, Jacuzzi is still here as a brand. It is still the most recognized whirlpool brand in the world.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

And today, you can find a Jacuzzi in most mid priced hotel chains and in a suburban dentist backyard. But it's still considered by most economists to be a luxury good. But lifestyle outlets like Travel and Leisure still run articles today, like 20 hotels around the world with stunning private hot tubs.

[Nick Martel]

And Jack, we should share the wild stats we discovered about Airbnbs and Jacuzzis.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Airbnb estimates that a hot tub can increase a rental's booking rate by 13%.

[Nick Martel]

Okay.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

And increase a rental's price by 39 bucks a night.

[Nick Martel]

Although, Jack, we forgot to mention a Jacuzzi's biggest risk of all.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

I don't understand how we back in time.

[Nick Martel]

I'm so scared.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Must be some kind of hot tub time machine. Yeah, you want to check the bubble settings, check the light settings, and check the year.

[Nick Martel]

Apparently, there's nothing worse than getting sent back to the wrong place, to the wrong time, in the wrong outfit.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Check.

[Nick Martel]

Always pack a second. Speed up.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

So, Nick, I've slipped into something a little more formal to wrap up the show with you.

[Nick Martel]

I appreciate it.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

We have tracked the history of Jacuzzi from airfields to farms to Hollywood and to the White House and beyond.

[Nick Martel]

Yes.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

After all those pivots, what is your takeaway?

[Nick Martel]

Jack, my takeaway on Jacuzzi is this. The best minds in business change their minds. Yetis. Jack and I first covered this concept with Domino's Pizza on our daily podcast show. For years, Domino's said they would only do their own delivery and would never use a third party delivery app like UberEats. But then last year, Domino's pivoted. They did a 180. They changed their minds and they adjusted. Adjusted to a new reality. Selling their pizza on delivery apps. And you know what? Wall street rewarded the stock.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

When new information presents itself, you must consider changing your mind. Yes. Respond with the best information you have and treat every pivot as a chance to grow. Just make sure when you do pivot, you commit. Yeah, because half a pivot, it's more like just a flinch.

[Nick Martel]

And Jack, can we pause the pod and Recap. The pivots this family took because they pivoted from airplanes to agriculture pumps to bathtub pumps and then to full on hot tubs. Because the best minds in business change their minds. But Jack, what's your takeaway on Jacuzzi?

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

My takeaway is about the end of the story. We've talked about family businesses a bunch of times on the best idea yet. We had Birkenstocks, Levi's, Sriracha, all family businesses that lasted for decades under family management. But most of those businesses end up selling at some point.

[Nick Martel]

Well, they're not Sriracha. We see you hot sauce.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

K. So why do family businesses ultimately end? Most often it's the L word. Liquidity. Because working with your family can be stressful. It's also hard.

[Nick Martel]

It is.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

And if things start to fail, the fallout can feel really personal because your name is on the company. A lot of times, heirs just want cash. They don't want the stress and pressure of continuing the family legacy. It's not necessarily a bad thing. It's just part of the family business lifecycle.

[Nick Martel]

I think what you're saying, Jack, is that when you're in a Jacuzzi, you're family. But Jack, I'm checking the temperature here and it feels like we reached our favorite part of the show. The best facts yet.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

All the best little tidbits and factoids that we couldn't fit into the rest of the show. But we can't leave you without Whip em up.

[Nick Martel]

What do we got, man?

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Today, Jacuzzi operates multiple brands including, including Sundance, Thermospas, Bath wraps and Hydro Pool. But the best recognized of all is still the original.

[Nick Martel]

And also, Jacuzzis are still very much part of pop culture. They've got a recurring role in the Bachelor and Love Island. Honestly, like Roy always wanted, he knew that Hollywood would be the salesman for the Jacuzzi.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

They're the Andy Cohen of household appliances. Yeah, actually literally.

[Nick Martel]

I think Andy Cohen has like three of them in his New York pad.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

And finally, after all of Jacuzzi's many pivots, they never strayed too far from this one idea. We all deserve to feel relief. Which brings us to one more lasting impact of Jacuzzi's legacy. Ken, the two year old whose struggles with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis inspired the modern hot tub we know and love today. Ken became a tireless advocate for the disability community.

[Nick Martel]

In fact, back when the J300 Jacuzzi was patented, Ken earned a 1% cut of all the royalties for the use of his likeness in advertisements. And then Ken went on to start a foundation that lobbies for people with disabilities.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Expanding accessibility and giving dignity to disabled people was a cause that he championed until his death at the age of 75.

[Nick Martel]

75.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

He beat his predicted life expectancy by 67 years.

[Nick Martel]

Yes, he did.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

He lived what he called, in his own words, a damn good life.

[Nick Martel]

Just one more pivot that the Jacuzzis had up their sleeve.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

And another reason the Jacuzzi is the best idea yet.

[Nick Martel]

Oh, Jack, I think I know where we gotta go celebrate finishing recording this episode, man.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Is it a Jacuzzi?

[Nick Martel]

No, I'm thinking Jacuzzi winery. You gotta get over here. We gotta start. We gotta hit the road, man.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

I bet you they have Jacuzzis. Never.

[Nick Martel]

I mean, honestly, turn on the jets and pour a little Cabernet. Although they don't serve it slightly chilled, I should point out, Jack, the Pinos are piping hot.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

What's the dress code? Speedos or I'm not going.

[Nick Martel]

Coming up on the next episode of the Best Idea Yet. It's the Picture Perfect story, Polaroid.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Follow the Best Idea yet on the Wondry app, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to every episode of the Best Idea yet early and ad free right now by joining Wondery plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts.

[Nick Martel]

Before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a short [e-mail] survey. The best idea yet is a production of Wondery hosted by me, Nick Martel.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

And me, Jack Kravitz Kramer.

[Nick Martel]

If you know the Best Idea yet, leave it here in the comments. We want to hear it.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Oh, and by the way, we'd love your rating and review.

[Nick Martel]

Yeah, the best way you can help grow the Best Idea yet is to drop down and give us a five star rating. A review and follow the show. Our senior producers are Matt Beagle and Chris Gauthier.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Matt Wise is our producer.

[Nick Martel]

Our senior managing producer is Nick Ryan. And Taylor Sniffin is our managing producer.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

H. Conley is our associate producer and researcher.

[Nick Martel]

This episode was written and produced by Katie Clark Gray.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

We use many sources in our research, including The Ken Jacuzzi's 2005 book Jacuzzi A Father's Invention to Ease a Son's Pain and Saskia Solomon's New York Times article the Frothy Saga of the Jacuzzi Family.

[Nick Martel]

Sound design and mixing by Kelly Karek.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Fact checking by Molly Artwick.

[Nick Martel]

Music supervision by Scott Velasquez and Jolina Garcia. For frisson sync.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Our theme song is got that feeling again by black lack.

[Nick Martel]

Executive producers for Nick and Jack studios are me, Nick Martell and me, Jack.

[Jack Kravici Kramer]

Kravici Kramer, executive producer.

[Nick Martel]

Answers are Dave Easton, Jenny Lauer Beckman, Erin o'flaherty and Marshall Louie for wandering.