🛢️ “‘Bottlenecking” — Iran’s Strait of Hormuz. Tesla’s robotaxi vs. Waymo. Dallas Cheerleaders’ 400% pay raise.

Summary

The Best One Yet: Episode Summary

Release Date: June 24, 2025
Hosts: Jack Crivici-Kramer & Nick Martell
Podcast: The Best One Yet by Nick & Jack Studios

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1. Iran’s Strait of Hormuz: The World’s Most Valuable Bottleneck

In the opening segment, Jack and Nick delve into the escalating tensions surrounding Iran’s Strait of Hormuz amidst the ongoing conflict between the U.S. and Iran. They discuss the strategic significance of this narrow waterway and its impact on global oil markets.

Key Points:

• Strait of Hormuz's Importance:
  The Strait of Hormuz is a 21-mile-wide waterway connecting the Persian Gulf with the Indian Ocean, serving as a critical chokepoint for oil exports from countries like Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iraq, Kuwait, and Qatar.
  Jack explains: “If they close the strait, it could stop one fifth of all exported oil in the world.” (06:32)

• Geopolitical Implications:
  Iran’s potential blockade of the strait could disrupt 85% of the oil destined for Asia, particularly affecting China more than the United States.
  Nick highlights: “85% of oil going through the Strait of Hormuz is destined for Asia.” (07:54)

• Economic Consequences:
  Morgan Stanley warns that a blockade could spike oil prices to $100 a barrel, adversely affecting global markets and investor confidence. Despite the U.S. being a net oil producer, global oil prices would inevitably rise.
  Jack notes: “The price of oil has risen to a five-month high because of the conflict.” (20:58)

• Uncertainty and Speculation:
  The hosts ponder whether Iran will act as an innocent victim or escalate the conflict, emphasizing the unpredictability of the situation.
  Nick questions: “Will Iran play the innocent victim, or will it play the revenge seeker?” (20:58)

Notable Quote:

“The Strait of Hormuz is like one of the five checkout lanes in the world's energy store. If it gets shut down, all the other lines are going to get longer and everyone's going to have to pay more at the pump.” — Jack (07:41)

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2. Tesla’s Robotaxi vs. Waymo: A Battle of Master Plans and Transparency

The second story covers the advancements and strategic moves of Tesla and Waymo in the burgeoning robo-taxi industry, highlighting their distinct approaches and the potential implications for the future of self-driving technology.

Key Points:

• Tesla’s Launch in Austin:
  Five years after Elon Musk’s announcement, Tesla has launched its RoboTaxi service in Austin with 10 Model Y vehicles operating within a geo-fenced area. The initial phase includes safety-focused operations with Tesla employees overseeing rides.
  Nick mentions: “Tesla's Robo Taxi just launched in Texas.” (09:57)

• Waymo’s Expansion to New York City:
  In response, Waymo is testing its robo-taxi service in Manhattan, navigating the complexities of dense urban traffic, weather conditions, and pedestrian behavior.
  Jack states: “Waymo’s Robo Taxi is launching in Manhattan.” (09:57)

• Strategic Differences:
  Tesla leverages its existing fleet of 3-4 million cars to scale quickly, utilizing data gathered from its customer base to enhance its self-driving algorithms. In contrast, Waymo invests heavily in mapping and upfront costs, with each vehicle costing around $200,000.
  Nick compares: “It's the clone army in Star Wars. All these Teslas can just be switched on in a second to turn into robo cab mode.” — Jack (13:05)

• Business Models:
  Tesla’s approach is described as a “master plan,” focusing on rapid scaling and internal data utilization. Waymo follows a “transparent plan,” emphasizing meticulous mapping and gradual expansion.
  Jack summarizes: “Tesla versus Waymo is a case study in master plans versus transparent plans.” (12:51)

Notable Quote:

“Tesla's Robo taxi project has been criticized for being opaque, but it's been stealthily underway for 10 years.” — Jack (14:03)

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3. Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’ 400% Pay Raise: Leverage in Action

In the final major story, Jack and Nick explore the significant pay raise awarded to the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, examining how the squad leveraged media exposure to negotiate better compensation.

Key Points:

• Historical Context:
  Founded in 1960, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders evolved from local high schoolers to a globally recognized brand, especially after their pivotal appearance in the 1976 Super Bowl.
  Nick recounts: “The inflection point for their brand was in the 1976 Super Bowl.” (17:51)

• Monetization Beyond the Field:
  The cheerleaders have diversified their income streams through swimsuit calendars, merchandise, a Barbie doll line, and television shows on CMT and Netflix. These initiatives generated between $1-2 million annually.
  Jack explains: “They got a swimsuit calendar, they got merchandise sales.” (18:32)

• Media Influence:
  The Netflix docuseries spotlighted the cheerleaders’ demanding roles and low pay, garnering over 2 million viewers in the first week. This exposure created public pressure, enabling the cheerleaders to negotiate a 400% salary increase.
  Nick observes: “Netflix's show just gave the cheerleaders the most valuable asset in business: leverage.” (19:34)

• Negotiation and Leverage:
  The hosts discuss the importance of leverage in career advancement, using the cheerleaders' success as a case study. By harnessing publicity and public support, the cheerleaders effectively negotiated higher wages.
  Jack advises: “Find your leverage point.” (20:49)

Notable Quote:

“These media opportunities were the third inflection point because season one was a top 10 show on Netflix and season two just dropped.” — Nick (18:59)

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Additional Highlights

• Trivia Segment:
  The hosts shared a fun trivia question about the invention of Dr. Pepper 140 years ago, engaging listeners with historical insights and personal anecdotes.
  Jack quips: “It tastes like a soda that couldn't decide what it wanted to be when it grew up.” (03:02)

• Listener Shoutouts:
  Celebrations included birthdays, anniversaries, and milestones within the Yeti community, fostering a sense of connection and appreciation among listeners.

• Interesting Fact:
  An intriguing fact was shared about the number 18 being a lucky number in both Chinese and Hebrew traditions, tying back to the success of Din Tai Fung restaurant.
  Jack notes: “In Chinese, 18 is associated with success because saying 18 in Chinese sounds like the term get rich.” (23:14)

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Conclusion

In this episode, Jack and Nick provided a comprehensive overview of critical business news, blending in-depth analysis with entertaining commentary. From geopolitics and technological advancements to impactful labor negotiations, the hosts delivered valuable insights and actionable takeaways for their audience.

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Notable Quotes Timeline:

• 03:02 Jack: “It tastes like a soda that couldn't decide what it wanted to be when it grew up.”
• 06:32 Jack: “If they close the strait, it could stop one fifth of all exported oil in the world.”
• 07:41 Jack: “The Strait of Hormuz is like one of the five checkout lanes in the world's energy store. If it gets shut down, all the other lines are going to get longer and everyone's going to have to pay more at the pump.”
• 13:05 Nick: “It's the clone army in Star Wars. All these Teslas can just be switched on in a second to turn into robo cab mode.”
• 17:51 Nick: “The inflection point for their brand was in the 1976 Super Bowl.”
• 19:34 Nick: “Netflix's show just gave the cheerleaders the most valuable asset in business: leverage.”
• 20:49 Jack: “Find your leverage point.”

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For more detailed discussions and insights, listen to the full episode of The Best One Yet.

Transcript

[Jack]

This is Nick, this is Jack.

[Nick]

It is Tuesday T Boy, Tuesday, June 24th. And today's pod is the best one yet. And this is a T boy, the.

[Jack]

Top three pop business news stories you need to know today.

[Nick]

Well, Jack, what do you do when you built a remote podcast studio at your in laws on Nantucket and the wifi goes out last minute?

[Jack]

I know the answer. Yeah, yeah, you sent me a picture. Nick built a leaning tower of coffee books to record the pod from the main house where he's not supposed to be recording the pod.

[Nick]

You DIY a new studio out of a mattress, a suitcase and four 43 different coffee table books.

[Jack]

All right, I see wonderful beach scapes of Nantucket And I see Dr. Seuss books in your pile of books right now.

[Nick]

One sec, Jack. My microphone is leaning on the 100 Seashells Encyclopedia Northern Martha's Vineyard edition.

[Jack]

Yeah, it is. We tossed on Nick's bootlegged podcast studio on Instagram. Boy pod.

[Nick]

But the pod must go on. And Jack, we have prepared quite the perfect pod, have we not, my friend?

[Jack]

For our first story, Nick, there's one place Wall street is looking at during the war in Iran. The Strait of H. So Jack and.

[Nick]

I will tell you everything you need to know about the world's most valuable bottleneck.

[Jack]

For our second story, we just got the two biggest self driving car stories of the last decade.

[Nick]

Tesla's Robo taxi just launched in Texas.

[Jack]

And Google's Waymo Robo Taxi is coming to New York City.

[Nick]

And Volkswagen, they're not doing anything.

[Jack]

And our third and final story is the most important thing you can do for your career right now. Follow the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders because Jack.

[Nick]

And I will tell you how the Dallas Cowboys cheer squad got a 4 100% raise.

[Jack]

But Yetis before we hit that wonderful mix of three stories.

[Nick]

One second, Jack. My Nantucket impressionist painter's book needs an adjustment. There we go. We're back in action, baby. Check, check, check.

[Jack]

Yesterday we asked you a trivia question 140 years ago.

[Nick]

What product was invented by a pharmacist? But it's not a medicine.

[Jack]

It's not Advil or Tylenol. It's not OJ or ginger ale.

[Nick]

No, no, no, no, no, no. The answer is Dr. Pepper.

[Jack]

Dr. Pepper is the oldest soda in America and it was created in a pharmacy.

[Nick]

That's right. Dr. P was invented a year before Coca Cola. That is an early concoction right there, Jack.

[Jack]

Dr. Pepper was invented in 1885 with a mix of 23 ingredients that remains a trade secret today.

[Nick]

A jacket is so insane. That recipe hasn't leaked. It must be protected by the CIA.

[Jack]

How is that recipe not leaked?

[Nick]

If you tell, they will kill you.

[Jack]

But after 140 years, Dr. Pepper just became the second best selling soda in America.

[Nick]

And Dr. Pepper pulled it off with a wild plan. It partnered with its biggest rivals.

[Jack]

It partnered with Coke and Pepsi.

[Nick]

Jack and I call that the Switzerland strategy.

[Jack]

Don't pick sides. Go for strategic neutrality and besties.

[Nick]

You can Hear all about Dr. P on our weekly show, the Best Idea yet.

[Jack]

Side note, I actually tried my first Dr. Pepper last year as we prepped for this episode.

[Nick]

And Jack, can you, can you describe the flavor for us on the pod, please?

[Jack]

Yes, I can, Nick. It tastes like a soda that couldn't decide what it wanted to be when it grew up.

[Nick]

So it became all of them. That is precisely the point.

[Jack]

It's a wild story. Check it out. We got a link in the episode description.

[Nick]

But in the meantime, Jack, we got three fantastic stories for today's T. Boy, what do you say we hit the pot? Fifteen years before this song, two boys from the northeast met in the dorm. They had an idea to cause a cultural storm. It's the best one yet.

[Jack]

But the best is the norm.

[Nick]

Jack. Nick, that's it. I don't even think they need to practice. 50%. That's a fat tip. T boy city on your at Liz if you know, you know. Cause we ready to go we can't wait no more so just start the show. Start the show. First, a quick word from our sponsor.

[Jack]

IBM.

[Nick]

Yeti's bigger isn't always better, especially with AI. Super sized models can drain your budget fast.

[Jack]

Smaller ones are smart and can help cut AI costs by up to 90%. So right size your [e-mail] the AI built for business. IBM, Airbnb.

[Nick]

Now Yetis. Jack mentioned his favorite skinny dipping spot. Where was that again?

[Jack]

I did a bunch of people ask me about that. But Nick, there's nothing better than swimming in Mother Nature with the outfit mother gave you.

[Nick]

I mean, you know what they say. It's not the summer unless you're outside naked at some point and nobody knows it.

[Jack]

Now, another way to do that is an outdoor shower. And I should mention my place has one of those too.

[Nick]

And how is it possible you have an outdoor shower, Jack?

[Jack]

Because I'm an Airbnb host.

[Nick]

True.

[Jack]

Now, I usually spend my Airbnb hosting income on travel for the family, but this time we earmarked it for a home upgrade.

[Nick]

Now, Jack, I should point out I'm no carpenter, but after our shower, it ain't cheap. You got the cedar wood install, you got the copper pack pipes, the French drains.

[Jack]

But with the money we're making on Airbnb, it was affordable. We put it in last year.

[Nick]

Well played, Yetis.

[Jack]

I'm an Airbnb host. With my current chalet and with two previous apartments, I can tell you it's.

[Nick]

Very easy to use besties. Millions don't realize their space could be an Airbnb. You already have an Airbnb. You could be yodeling naked outdoors with fresh shampoo in your hair in the.

[Jack]

Outdoor shower paid for by your guests.

[Nick]

Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how [e-mail] host for our first story with the US attacking Iran's nuclear sites, the price of oil has risen to a five month high because.

[Jack]

The most important place in the world right now is a 21 mile wide body of water, the Strait of Hormuz.

[Nick]

And we'll tell you all about it. But yetis, late Saturday night, we all got the same push notification, didn't , Jack?

[Jack]

The US has entered the war with Iran.

[Nick]

Now, there is still a lot we do not know. 72 hours after those push notifications, for.

[Jack]

Example, Trump says that Iran's nuclear sites were totally obliterated by the attacks. But the rest of his administration is more cautious in saying how effective the attack was.

[Nick]

And the geopolitical situation is super complex, despite everyone on Twitter thinking they know the answer to it.

[Jack]

But the economic impact comes down to.

[Nick]

One question, and here it is. Was this a one and done attack by the US that ends the conflict.

[Jack]

Like the raid that killed Osama Bin Laden?

[Nick]

Or is it the beginning of a new and costly US war in the.

[Jack]

Middle east like Afghanistan?

[Nick]

Besties? That question will determine so much about this conflict and we just simply don't know enough about it yet.

[Jack]

The latest is a limited retaliation from Iran on a US Military base in Qatar on Monday night. And there were no casualties.

[Nick]

But besties. In the meantime, this event has revealed the most valuable real estate on earth right now. With an ocean view. And what is it, Jack?

[Jack]

The Strait of Hormuz.

[Nick]

The Strait of Hormuz. Because this 21 mile wide waterway is Iran's economic leverage, it's a literal bottleneck.

[Jack]

To the world's oil market.

[Nick]

It's a narrow shipping lane that connects the Persian Gulf with the Indian Ocean. Jack, could you whip up some more geographic context for us, please?

[Jack]

It's used by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Kuwait, and Qatar to export oil to the rest of the world.

[Nick]

If you're looking at a map right now, basically envision a Tootsie Roll. Like, you know, the end of the Tootsie Roll, where the wrapper gets twisted, Jack? Yeah, that little point at the end of the wrapper, that is basically the looks of the Strait of Hormuz.

[Jack]

And on one side is Iran, which could effectively close the Strait of Hormuz by force with rockets.

[Nick]

And why is that such a huge deal? Jack?

[Jack]

If they close the strait, it could stop one fifth of all exported oil in the world.

[Nick]

One fifth of all oil would be paused by this strait.

[Jack]

So the Strait of Hormuz, it's like one of the five checkout lanes in the world's energy store. If it gets shut down, all the other lines are going to get longer and everyone's going to have to pay more at the pump.

[Nick]

But there is one catch we should also point out, right?

[Jack]

Man, if Iran shuts the Strait of Hormuz, it would probably hurt China more than it hurts the United states.

[Nick]

Get this, Yetis, 85% of oil going through the Strait of Hormuz is destined for Asia. So if Iran shut it off, that would upset Beijing.

[Jack]

Now, on Sunday, Iran's parliament voted to block the Strait of Hormuz, but the parliament doesn't have the final say on it.

[Nick]

And if Iran does blockade the strait, Morgan Stanley says it could increase the price of oil to 100 bucks a barrel, and stocks would probably then drop.

[Jack]

Now, we should point out America produces so much oil these days, we don't rely on the Middle east for oil anymore.

[Nick]

America's actually a net producer of oil. A lot of people forget.

[Jack]

But oil prices are global, and rising prices in the Middle east would end up raising our prices, too.

[Nick]

And investors don't like that. So, Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies who are everyone watching this war?

[Jack]

Will Iran play the innocent victim or will they play the revenge seeker?

[Nick]

So yetis, the whole world is watching. Will Iran retaliate or not?

[Jack]

We got some of the answer on Monday. The limited strike on the US Military base in Qatar.

[Nick]

Wall street is betting that that's it. No further Iran retaliation. Instead, it expects Iran to cast itself in a sympathetic light.

[Jack]

Iran will cast America as the aggressor of this war, much like Russia is the aggressor of the Ukraine war, and try to gain allies through sympathy.

[Nick]

After all, the UN says preemptive attacks violate international law.

[Jack]

But if instead Iran Seeks more retribution with more attacks on the United States or blocking the Strait of Hormuz, Iran looks less sympathetic across the globe.

[Nick]

So besties, add it all up and we don't know the future of this scary situation. Nobody does. But the ball right now is in Iran's court.

[Jack]

So the question investors are watching this week, will Iran play the innocent victim or the revenge seeker?

[Nick]

For our second story, the two biggest robo taxi updates yet. Tesla is live in Austin and Waymo is testing in Manhattan.

[Jack]

But Waymo and Tesla are pioneering robo taxis completely differently. We'll break it down, Jack.

[Nick]

To quote Herman Melville, the white whale of ride hail is the self driving robot.

[Jack]

The self driving taxi is the Moby Dick of big tech.

[Nick]

Well, five years after Elon Musk pledged he would be there, he just arrived at his robo taxi destination.

[Jack]

Because on Sunday 10 Tesla Model Ys started picking up pre selected passengers who were invited to the Tesla robo taxi launch.

[Nick]

Tesla Geo fenced a small part of Austin for the test with Tesla employees in the passenger seat. And they will not do these robo taxis. If it is raining, they're slow playing.

[Jack]

The launch of their robo taxi to be safety first and they'll gradually scale up as it proves to be safe.

[Nick]

And the price for a robo ride, It'll cost you $4.20, a flat fee.

[Jack]

That sounds more right for an Elon Musk company.

[Nick]

Yeah, you gotta throw a pot joke in there or two. And you can spot these robo taxis in Austin because it says robo taxi written on the side.

[Jack]

You can also spot them because there's no one behind the wheel.

[Nick]

And the early reviews so far Jack, so far positive.

[Jack]

Although we should know, only influencers and Tesla retail shareholders have been invited to the launch thus far.

[Nick]

But here's the big Tesla goal. Yetis push the button.

[Jack]

At some point Elon Musk wants to push a big red button at Tesla HQ that will allow every Tesla owner to flip their car into a self driving car.

[Nick]

The hardware is already there. Our Model Y back in San Francisco could literally become a self driving robocab for us.

[Jack]

It's like a clone army. Elon's just Gonna say Execute Order 66 Tesla.

[Nick]

Their stock rose 8% on Monday on the hiccup free robo Tesla launch. Congratulations.

[Jack]

But yetis just days before Tesla's robo debut, Waymo tried to steal the moment.

[Nick]

Get this, Robo taxis from Google's Waymo are coming to New York City, baby.

[Jack]

Waymo is already doing 250,000 rides per week in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin and Phoenix.

[Nick]

Waymo is already bigger than Lyft in San Francis. Awkward.

[Jack]

But New York City is a different animal. They've got the biggest population, they're the most dense, they're the most impatient.

[Nick]

I mean Jack, you got traffic, you got snow, you got jaywalkers, and you've got insults.

[Jack]

Robo taxi driving in San Francisco is like riding a bike on a flat street. New York City is like mountain biking. It's a different sport.

[Nick]

If Robo taxi is the white whale, Jack, New York City is the Everest.

[Jack]

I thought you were gonna go mythical creature. New York City's like to crack it.

[Nick]

But Jack, as Frank Sinatra once sang, if Waymo can self drive there, it can self drive anywhere.

[Jack]

So Tesla is self driving in Austin. Waymo will soon self drive in New York City.

[Nick]

Hey buddy, watch out, I'm self driving here.

[Jack]

It might look like Waymo and Tesla are driving the same car in a self driving race, but they're actually completely different.

[Nick]

And we have to tell you why. So Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies over at Tesla and Waymo?

[Jack]

Tesla versus Waymo is a case study in master plans versus transparent plans.

[Nick]

Yetis Google, which owns Waymo, likes to brag that they drove 10 million miles before operating Waymo robocabs. They mapped every road in America.

[Jack]

But guess what? Tesla did too.

[Nick]

They did.

[Jack]

Tesla has been mapping America's roads for 10 years through every Tesla they've ever sold.

[Nick]

The key difference is this. Google spent money to map those roads, but Tesla made money mapping those roads without knowing it.

[Jack]

Every Tesla driver has been training Tesla's robo brain.

[Nick]

Another difference here. Each Waymo costs Google $200,000 to make and they need more of these cars to scale to each and every city.

[Jack]

But Tesla just needs to activate the 3 to 4 million Teslas already on the road in America. Tesla has already scaled.

[Nick]

Jack, it's just like you said, it's the clone army in Star Wars. All these Teslas can just be switched on in a second to turn into robo cab mode.

[Jack]

Now we should point out Tesla's Robo taxi project has been criticized for being opaque, but it's been stealthily underway for 10 years.

[Nick]

Waymo's Robo Taxi, on the other hand, is lauded for its transparency out in the open for all to see who will win.

[Jack]

Tesla's master plan or Waymo's transparent plan?

[Nick]

Hit us up in the comments, let us know what you think. Now a quick word from our sponsor.

[Jack]

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[Nick]

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[Jack]

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[Nick]

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[Jack]

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[Nick]

All right, Jack, let me set the scene for you. My birthday dinner, we did a pizza party. I rent out a whole spot called the Dough Room in San Francisco. You mess with the pizza dough while you make it.

[Jack]

I know. And then what comes next is the most San Francisco thing ever. Basically group therapy over dinner.

[Nick]

So all three people on my side of the table were in therapy and all, all of us were talking about each other's therapy. You know, like one person was saying how their therapist helped them through a co worker battle. Another was talking about the future of fatherhood with their therapist. They were stressed about becoming a dad.

[Jack]

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[Nick]

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[Nick]

For our third and final story, the best career advice this week comes from the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders.

[Jack]

Because America's most famous cheer squad just got a 400% pay raise.

[Nick]

Yeah. All right, Jack, let me list off the winners for you here. Florida won the Stanley Cup. Oklahoma City won the NBA Finals. Louisiana State University. Boom. College World Series champs.

[Jack]

But the sport's business story of the year goes to the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders.

[Nick]

We're talking cowboy boots, star spangled blouse, and big hair, huge hair.

[Jack]

The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders are the Rockettes of the gridiron.

[Nick]

But we should point out these cheerleaders are a sport in and of itself.

[Jack]

Can you jump 12ft in the air, be spinning because somebody spun? You hang on to those pom poms and land in some random human being's hands. I can't, Jack.

[Nick]

I just pulled a hammy listening to you describe that. And here's the problem. These women are doing professional flips, but they are paid like burger flippers.

[Jack]

The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders get a $400 flat fee per event, and they collect.

[Nick]

That fee for rehearsals, home games and promotional appearances.

[Jack]

But if you add it all up, the average NFL cheerleader makes just $23,000 a year. That's the same income as a part timer at Burger King.

[Nick]

But here's the those Dallas cheerleaders are getting a 400% pay raise and they.

[Jack]

Announced it in the final episode of their Netflix docuseries that just dropped.

[Nick]

But 400% more than 23,000 bucks is a $115,000 salary.

[Jack]

That's not Tony Romo money, but it's pretty good for a part time gig.

[Nick]

And since we know you're listening, Jerry Jones, we gotta ask, why did higher pay take so long?

[Jack]

Well, to answer that question, let's rewind a couple of reverse handsprings and go back to when this squad started.

[Nick]

Okay. The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders officially founded back in 1960.

[Jack]

Interestingly, the first squad was made up of mostly local Dallas high schoolers.

[Nick]

And the inflection point for their brand was in the 1976 Super Bowl.

[Jack]

That's when all of America saw America's teams cheerleaders.

[Nick]

But we think the inflection point for the business was 1990.

[Jack]

That's when Kelly Finglass, a former cheerleader herself, took over the squad and commercialized things.

[Nick]

Most of the cheerleader's job is to enhance the game day atmosphere. That is not something that's monetized for the Cowboys organization.

[Jack]

But off the field, these girls monetize. They got a swimsuit calendar, they got merchandise sales. They have a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Barbie doll.

[Nick]

In fact, one of the first moves Kelly Finglass made with the cheerleaders was with the US Patent and Trademark Office.

[Jack]

They trademarked the midriff fringe cut star studded outfit.

[Nick]

Add it all up and the Dallas cheerleaders brought in 1 to 2 million DOL a year on those initiatives.

[Jack]

But they also have TV shows.

[Nick]

They've had two TV shows for 16 seasons. The Dallas cheerleaders had a CMT deal for a show about cheerleading auditions.

[Jack]

Netflix picked up the mantle a couple years ago. It's basically Hard Knocks. But for Cheerleaders.

[Nick]

These media opportunities were the third inflection point because season one was a top 10 show on Netflix and season two just dropped.

[Jack]

So the cheerleaders make way more money off the field than what the Cowboys pay them for what they do on the field.

[Nick]

But Jack and I think Netflix's show just gave them the greatest gift of all. It gave the cheerleaders the most valuable asset in business.

[Jack]

It gave the cheerleaders leverage.

[Nick]

So, Jack, can I get a T?

[Jack]

Can I get an A? Don't finish.

[Nick]

You're lucky I'm not a professional. Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies over in business, you can't ladder up.

[Jack]

Your career without leverage.

[Nick]

Yetis, from pay raise to promotion, the best tool in your negotiating toolkit is leverage.

[Jack]

Leverage, it's the individual power you have to influence the decision maker.

[Nick]

Positive leverage is having something the employer wants.

[Jack]

Like I'm the only one on the team with that certain important skill.

[Nick]

Negative leverage is having something that your employer wants to avoid.

[Jack]

Without me, this project would fall apart.

[Nick]

Well, for the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, they didn't bring in enough revenue to have financial leverage, but they gained publicity leverage.

[Jack]

Over 2 million people watched the first week of that Netflix show, and it created a public outcry about their low pay.

[Nick]

So before season two, the squad got together and demanded higher pay from the Cowboys.

[Jack]

They had the leverage and they got what they wanted. A 400% raise.

[Nick]

And that reminded Jack and I that you just can't ladder up your career without some form of leverage.

[Jack]

Find your leverage point.

[Nick]

Jack, could you whip up the takeaways for us for T? Boy.

[Jack]

Tuesday, after the U.S. attack on Iran, oil prices rose to a five month high. But here's the economic question going.

[Nick]

Will Iran play the innocent victim, or will it play the revenge seeker?

[Jack]

For our second story, Tesla Robotaxi launched in Austin. And Waymo Robotaxi is launching in Manhattan. Who will win? Tesla's master plan or Waymo's transparent plan?

[Nick]

That's the question.

[Jack]

And finally, the Dallas Cowboys cheerleading Squad announced a 400% increase in their pay.

[Nick]

They had leverage with their Netflix show, so they laddered up their career.

[Jack]

But yetis, this pod's not over yet. Here's what else you need to know today.

[Nick]

First, Pixar just had its worst movie opening ever. Elio brought in just 21 million bucks at the box office.

[Jack]

Apparently, it's a sci fi tearjerker about a boy who wants to be abducted by aliens.

[Nick]

Now, interesting reason for the fall here, kid competition. Apparently, everyone at the Movies was going to see how to Train youn Dragon.

[Jack]

But this is a big week coming up for premieres. You got the Bear on Wednesday.

[Nick]

Wow.

[Jack]

The F1 movie on Thursday.

[Nick]

Bought the tickets.

[Jack]

And Squid Game Season three, which I know you're watching, Nick, on Friday.

[Nick]

Actually, I'm scared, so I'm not. And second, remember last month we told you the story of Dr. Squatch, the men's soap brand.

[Jack]

We called it Gen Z's Axe Body Spray. Well, guess what? It just got acquired by Unilever, the.

[Nick]

Company that owns Axe Body Spray.

[Jack]

We don't know the selling price, but we do know that Dr. Squatch was doing $400 million a year in revenue.

[Nick]

And finally, awkward update on artificial intelligence. But remember, OpenAI partnered with iPhones designer Jony I've a couple months ago.

[Jack]

Well, they just removed the announcement of the acquisition from their website, including that strange picture of Jony I've and Sam Altman.

[Nick]

Apparently there is a startup named IO that trademarked the term IO, so they're suing OpenAI about their new product.

[Jack]

In the meantime, Jony I've and Sam Altman are still quiet about the hardware device that's AI native that they're apparently making.

[Nick]

Now, time for the best fact. Yeah, this one sent in by an anonymous yeti. But it's a fantastic fact.

[Jack]

Last week we did a story on the dumpling restaurant Din Tai Fungi, which went viral in one of our Instagram posts.

[Nick]

And we said that Dinh Tai Fung had the highest sales of any restaurant in America, 27 million bucks per location.

[Jack]

We also said that every chef puts exactly 18 folds into each and every soup dumpling.

[Nick]

Well, get this. Turns out the number 18 is a lucky number in both Chinese traditions and Jewish traditions.

[Jack]

In Chinese, 18 is associated with success because saying 18 in Chinese sounds like the term get rich.

[Nick]

And in Hebrew, the number 18 happens to be related to the word for.

[Jack]

So 18 isn't just the ideal number of folds in a soup dumpling.

[Nick]

No, it isn't.

[Jack]

It's a lucky and important number in both Chinese and Hebrew.

[Nick]

So this Christmas, if you're Jewish, we know where you'll be celebrating Din Dai fun Yeties. You look fantastic today. And we know exactly what you should go check out right now.

[Jack]

Check out the link in our episode description to listen to the untold origin story of Dr. Pepper.

[Nick]

Dr. Pepper. It's the latest episode of our weekly show the Best idea yet.

[Jack]

I'm 90% sure one of the 23 ingredients is barbecue sauce.

[Nick]

You know, Jack Burped so many times after that first Dr. Pepper we actually depos the pod. We delayed the pod like a half an hour.

[Jack]

When I cracked open my first can, it sounded like the can had been closed for a thousand years.

[Nick]

Well, we did give you one, Jack. That actually was from 1986. I forgot to mention this to you that that was the reason for this tummy issues.

[Jack]

It tastes like a pharmacy smell.

[Nick]

If you know, you know. Jack and I will see you then. And before we go, a happy birthday to YETI Tom Lankite in Naples, New York on a new decade of looking fantastic.

[Jack]

Happy birthday to Isabella Navarro in Panama City, Panama, who never misses an episode of the show or an Orange Theory workout.

[Nick]

We got you on that treadmill, Isabella. And Josiah Akinyele in Los Angeles is listening for one year to this pod. T boyiversary with Bridget Smith. Thanks for both being yetis.

[Jack]

Happy 35th birthday to Rika in Colorado Springs who's sailing in Rhodes, Greece to celebrate. Wow, I think Ulysses had the same birthday.

[Nick]

And congratulations to our legendary yeti Joe Franco, who's got a new show on the National Geographic YouTube channel. It's called Big Little Italy and we already watched the episode. It is delicious.

[Jack]

Pecorino? Yes please.

[Nick]

And a shout out to YETI Tommy, who realized we forgot to mention Johnny Tsunami in our surfing story yesterday. Thank you for that call out, Tommy.

[Jack]

We regret the error.

[Nick]

And a special shout out to YETI Reed Johnson from Wayzata, Minnesota, who listened to two episodes of the Best Idea yet while running a half marathon.

[Jack]

How long did it take Reed to finish the half marathon? Two episodes. That's how long.

[Nick]

If you want to run a marathon or a half marathon, just do it in the Best Idea Yet.

[Jack]

We're officially a unit of measurement. This is Jack. I own stock in Netflix. If you like the best one yet, you can listen ad free right now by joining Wondery and the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts.

[Nick]

Prime members can listen ad free on Amazon Music.

[Jack]

And before you go, tell us a little bit about yourself by filling out a short [e-mail] survey we want to.

[Nick]

Get to know you. Find yourself looking for a new job or change in career. Monster.com is here to help. We are not only here to bring you job postings but also AI interview prep and salary tools, expert career advice and top notch resume services. We've got everything you need to land your perfect job fit. Discover the magic of finding the ideal job with monster.com. your future starts now. Visit monster.com today. Your next job opportunity is just a click away.