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Nick
This is Nick, this is Jack.
Jack
It's Thursday, the new Friday, May 29, and today's pod is the best one yet. This is a T boy.
Nick
The top three pop business news stories you need to know today yet is.
Jack
As professional podcasters here. Wow, Jack. And I gotta tell you, huge Apple.
Nick
Podcast glitch yesterday to all our Apple listeners, if you ever can't listen to our daily show, check out Spotify, YouTube, or wherever else you get your pods.
Jack
Honestly, huge bummer that some of you couldn't listen yesterday. Each episode Jack and I produce, we think of as like our Mona Lisa. Each one's a masterpiece.
Nick
And we sat there for like six hours yesterday knowing that Apple podcast listeners couldn't listen to the show.
Jack
So yesterday's pod was a T. Boy, listen today. But today's pod is also a T boy. It's actually even better. So, Jack, three stars for today's show. What do we got?
Nick
For our first story, Urban Outfitters is defying the trade war. Urban stock just hit an all time high on record profits because urban turned.
Jack
A lost llama into a profit puppy.
Nick
For our second story, the CEO of Anthropic just dropped a scare bump wild. He said that AI agents will take half of white collar jobs within five years.
Jack
So Jack and I will tell you how to prepare with a new term. Not blue collar, not white collar. It's chrome collar.
Nick
And our third and final story is the top selling barbecue sauce in America right now.
Jack
What is Jack?
Nick
It's Japanese. It's called Bachan's barbecue sauce. And I have some in my pantry.
Jack
Bachanz founder lost his house making this sauce, but he found his fortune.
Nick
But yetis before we hit that wonderful mix of stories.
Jack
What a mix of stories. Love the mix of stories.
Nick
Jack, the hot new financial concept. You need to know. What is it, Nick?
Jack
Jack, it is the taco trade.
Nick
The taco trade is popular among both top hedge funds and retail Robinhood traders.
Jack
But the taco trade has nothing to do with carnitas, guacamole, or anything you sprinkle on with that queso Taco actually.
Nick
Stands for Trump always chickens out T.
Jack
A C O taco. It's actually a new investing strategy to make money every time Trump escalates the trade war.
Nick
And so far, it's worked every single time.
Jack
And here's how. Whenever Trump announces a new tariff, stocks fall.
Nick
But then Trump inevitably rolls back the tariffs and stocks surge.
Jack
And Jack and I are checking the numbers here. We've seen that same pattern repeat itself three times this year.
Nick
Once as a fluke, twice as a coincidence. 3.3times is a trend, Jack.
Jack
Take us back to February, my friend.
Nick
Trump announced 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico. Stocks dropped.
Jack
But a couple days later, tariffs were paused and stocks popped. Jack, what happened in April this year.
Nick
Trump announced tariffs for the whole world and stocks dropped big.
Jack
But he cut tariffs on everyone except for China and stocks surged. Then, Jack, what happened?
Nick
Last week, Trump put 50% tariffs on the European Union and stocks dropped, but.
Jack
He just delayed them and stocks popped.
Nick
Besties. Taco isn't a political statement. It's a financial one.
Jack
T A C O Trump always chickens out.
Nick
And Wall street is making big money on the taco trade.
Jack
Now, we should point out Trump actually was asked about the taco trade yesterday. And what did he say, Jack?
Nick
He said he's not chickening out. It's called negotiation.
Jack
Honestly, yetis. This acronym is just too good to deny.
Nick
Yetis. This isn't financial advice. There's no guarantee the taco trade pans out a fourth time.
Jack
But in the meantime, the taco trade has been pretty tasty.
Nick
How's your portfolio, Greg?
Jack
Spicy.
Nick
Quite spicy, Jack.
Jack
Let's hit our three stories.
Unknown
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, but the best is the norm. 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 read to go. We can't wait no more. So just start the show, Start the show.
Start the show.
Jack
First, a quick word from our sponsor.
Nick
Airbnb. Nick, can you share that wonderful quote about hospitality we heard recently?
Jack
Jack, I think I read this in the Danny Meyer book, but he said something like, hospitality is anticipating someone's needs beyond expectations.
Nick
I love that quote. When I have a guest booked to stay at my place, I try to meet that hospitality standard. And I do so by letting them know ahead of time events happening in the area.
Jack
A pro tip. Your favorite jam band is playing at your favorite burger place Wednesday night. Probably let your guests know about that one.
Nick
I also completed a full travel guide within my Airbnb listing, sharing my personal favorite recommendations and secret spots.
Jack
What kind of stuff's in that travel guide? Jack?
Nick
That swimming hole is so remote. You can definitely swim in the nude and you won't get any issues.
Jack
Yeah, no George Costanza shrinkage that we know of. Yetis. Your actual house Your apartment, your condo is just one part of the Airbnb hosting experience.
Nick
I've really enjoyed the soft parts of hospitality, anticipating my guests needs beyond their expectations.
Jack
If this sounds your style and you enjoy a naked jump into a stream, you can become an Airbnb host too. As long as you got a place.
Nick
I'm proud of my 4.92 rating and my wife is proud of the revenue we're generating with that rating.
Jack
Yeah, it is. Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much@airbnb.com.
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Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile with a message for everyone. Paying big wireless way too much. Please, for the love of everything good in this world, stop with Mint. You can get premium wireless for just $15 a month. Of course, if you enjoy overpaying. No judgments. But that's weird. Okay, one judgment. Anyway, give it a try@mintmobile.com Switch upfront.
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Jack
For our first story. Urban Outfitters. Their stock surged 25% to an all time high after announcing record earnings.
Nick
Because with Nuuly, the subscription clothing service, Urban created a new thing, a mythical thing, a profitable loss leader.
Jack
All right, Jack, throwback here. The last time we covered Urban Outfitters, November 2023. Do you remember what the story was? Do you remember? Oh my God. I'm testing you already.
Nick
Can I get it? I don't.
Jack
Oh, you're so good at this.
Nick
You.
Jack
I know I am good at this.
Nick
I have an encyclopedic manner.
Jack
I know, I know, Jack. It was the episode we did on Urban Outfitters selling ipods at their stores.
Nick
Oh, the 20 year old original ipods.
Jack
Yeah. That was at Urban Outfitters. Well, yeti's Urban Outfitters is back on the pod. Urban is like Abercrombie, but instead of cologne, they sell candles.
Nick
They're Philadelphia based, they own Anthropologie and free people. In fact, Urban Outfitters is their smallest brand by sales.
Jack
And yet across all the Urban stores, you can buy vinyl records, incense, and an $120 pair of JE with holes in it. And here's the surprise news, Jack. Urban just announced record sales.
Nick
That's right. Urban announced $1.3 billion in revenue last quarter, which is up 11% from last year.
Jack
Tariffs.
Nick
Smerifs management thinks that tariffs will shave just 0.2 percentage points from profits this year.
Jack
That was shocking. So the edgy apparel company stock soared 25%. They're now at an all time high.
Nick
Their $7 billion valuation is nearly as high as the Gap and nearly twice as valuable as Abercrombie and Fitch.
Jack
And the newest thing at Urban is pretty interesting. It's a concept called on rotation.
Nick
It's basically a new store within a store concept at Urban Outfitters.
Jack
Okay, so what would that look like, Jack?
Nick
At some Urban Outfitters, there's going to be a little section dedicated to a different brand. And the inaugural different brand is actually Nike.
Jack
Yeah, Nike is renting space inside urban stores to get Gen Z to finally care about air Jordans.
Nick
But the standout performer for Urban Outfitters wasn't candle, vinyl or pre ripped $120 jeans.
Jack
No, no, no, no, no. It wasn't even a physical product. No, the standout item at Urban Outfitters was subscription revenue.
Nick
We're not talking about Urban Plus. No, we're talking about Nuuly, which Urban outfitters launched in 2019. It's a clothing rental business.
Jack
Basically, you get six new items from Urban Outfitters every month for 98 bucks.
Nick
You send the six items back at the end of the month and then pick six new items for the month ahead.
Jack
So Nuuly is Urban's clothing re. And Nuuly has doubled its user base in three straight years.
Nick
They now have 380,000 active subscribers.
Jack
But the wild part for Jack and I, Nuuly is now running away from the competition. Literally.
Nick
Rent the Runway has only one third as many users as Nuuly does.
Jack
I'm sorry, Jack, pause the pod. We gotta repeat this. Rent the Runway invented the entire clothing rental concept 16 years ago.
Nick
But now Nuuly is the unquestioned leader after just six years.
Jack
And besties. Here's the drama.
Nick
Unlike Rent the Runway, Nuuly is solidly profitable.
Jack
Wow. So, Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies over at Urban Outfitters?
Nick
Urban invented a new rare species. The profitable loss leader.
Jack
Yetis unlike Rent the Runway, which must rent out clothing profitably because that's its only business, Nuhli could lose money. And that's okay for Urban.
Nick
Like a free sample at Costco, Nuuly is a $98 a month sample of Urban's brands.
Jack
So as long as Nuuly got people to buy more Urban Outfit or clothing, it didn't matter if Nuuly itself lost money on the subscriptions.
Nick
But that's not what happened. Nuuly was able to raise prices by 12 bucks a month last year. And yet demand only grew.
Jack
In fact, in 2024, Nuuly achieved a full year of profits, while also boosting sales of the other Urban Outfitters divisions.
Nick
So Nuuly is like a lost llama in the sense that it drives the sales of divisions.
Jack
Right, right, right, right.
Nick
But it doesn't lose money. It's profitable.
Jack
What you're saying, Jack, is that Urban Outfitters has invented a new species, the profitable lama. Like a centaur, it's half man, half horse. It's half profits, half losses. For our second story, the CEO of Anthropic just said AI will take half of all white collar jobs within five years.
Nick
If true, unemployment would spike to as high as 20%. So we're unpacking the truth and the.
Jack
Timing, and we're introducing a new concept we call Chrome Collar Jobs. But yet is everyone talks about ChatGPT, which must be really annoying if you're Anthropic.
Nick
So true, so true. Anthropic is a huge and valuable AI company. Also, they have Claude, which is the number two AI chatbot.
Jack
Yeah, basically, Claude is the Luigi to OpenAI's Mario the Garfunkel to its Simon, Jack the Goose to its Maverick, if you will.
Nick
And this San Francisco based company, Anthropic, is led by Dario Amadei. And he said something scary this week.
Jack
That's right. He said Dario was blunt in his interview with Axio, saying AI will take half of all white collar jobs.
Nick
He said that the unemployment rate will rise from 4.5% today to 10 to 20% within one to five years.
Jack
Yeah, Jack and I heard those words. And it is dark, it is freaky, it is dire. But Amade says it's the truth and society needs to face it so it can plan for a transition.
Nick
How would all that happen? How would this mass replacement of human workers happen next?
Jack
Well, it would happen, Jack, with AI agents, which are basically computer windows that do work.
Nick
An AI agent is a white collar worker minus the human form. It's just software.
Jack
These AI agents take assignments and use various computer applications to get the work done. And they work 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Nick
And as CEOs discover AI agents, they're going to stop hiring human workers and eventually lay human workers off.
Jack
Because as Dario said, an agent is AI that can do the work of humans instantly, indefinitely, and exponentially cheaper.
Nick
That was the scary proclamation this week from Anthropic CEO Dario Amade.
Jack
So the way Jack and I see it, agents are like a new form of worker, right, Jack?
Nick
They're not blue collar. They're not white collar. We call it chrome collar.
Jack
Chrome collar, white collar. Work done by bots.
Nick
Now, as Nick mentioned earlier, Sam Altman and OpenAI is better known than Dario Amade. And anthropic is Sam Altman.
Jack
He's a little bit more optimistic in his public statements, isn't he, man?
Nick
Although I get a sense that he's just pushing his agenda because it's best for his company.
Jack
Yeah. Sam points to past tech breakthroughs, and in each case, he does point out that human beings found other forms of work.
Nick
He gave an example of lamplighters, men who used to walk from lamppost to lamppost, lighting the fire so people could see in the dark.
Jack
And what happened to those lamp lighters, Jack?
Nick
They got replaced by electricity. But you know what? They ended up finding better jobs and society had better lighting on the streets.
Jack
Now, AI could be a slightly different analogy here. After all, computers pretty much run the world already.
Nick
And until now, humans have run computers. But that could change soon.
Jack
And when it does, blue collar workers will do physical work with their hands. White collar workers will do managerial work.
Nick
But chrome collar workers, which are AI agents, will do the work on computers.
Jack
So, Jack, what's the takeaway for everybody who just peed their pants a tiny bit?
Nick
Tech leaders tend to be right about what happens, but wrong about when Yetis.
Jack
When the Internet started booming in the 1990s, tech leaders predicted it would change the world.
Nick
And the Internet did eventually change the world.
Jack
It did.
Nick
Tech leaders were just off by like 10 or 15 years. So we got the dot com bubble in the meantime.
Jack
Another recent example of this. Elon Musk is famously right with his predictions, but he's infamously wrong with the timing of them.
Nick
So when anthropic CEO says that AI will replace half of white collar workers within one to five years, we take that seriously.
Jack
But we take the timing with a huge grain of salt.
Nick
And if we have more time, then maybe both Dario and Sam could both be right.
Jack
Right, Good point, Jack.
Nick
AI could replace half of white collar jobs, but we'd have enough time that humans would find better jobs.
Jack
So, besties. The way Jack and I see it, tech leaders tend to be right about what happens, but wrong about when it happens. Now, a quick word from our sponsor.
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Jack
For our third and final story. The biggest barbecue sauce in America is a Japanese barbecue sauce and it's called.
Nick
Bachan's Bachan's Barbecue Secret Sauce. To Success. It was not getting labeled as an international food.
Jack
Now, Jack, we should point out full disclosure, you and I have explored a fair variety of barbecue spots together. Have we not, my friend?
Nick
Because you take birthdays very seriously.
Jack
Yeah, I love doing barbecue.
Nick
You had a theme for, like, a dozen years. I don't think it's still ongoing.
Jack
It's still ongoing.
Nick
Every year. Every year, we would go to a different barbecue joint for Nick's birthday.
Jack
Oh, yeah, we had Fet de Sal in Brooklyn. We had dinosaur barbecue up in Harlem. I think that was your favorite. And Mighty Quinn's in the East Village. Great ones, great ones, great ones. But the viral barbecue sauce right now that is outselling every sauce is Bachons.
Nick
You recognize it because it's got a red flip top, a squeeze bottle, and a smiling octopus logo. Who's wearing a karate headband.
Jack
Sriracha was the new ketchup, but Bachan's is the new Sriracha.
Nick
And the founding story of this sauce is heroic.
Jack
Okay, we'd never heard anything like this. Bachon actually means granny in Japanese, and it's based on the founder's Grandma's homemade barbecue recipe.
Nick
That founder is Justin Gill, and He started with $250,000 that he raised from friends and family, but that wasn't enough.
Jack
Money, so he maxed out his credit cards. He turned his home into a fulfillment center to ship packages, and he took crazy high interest loans to make the business work.
Nick
He put all that money into Facebook ads to drive early sales of his sauce, but it wasn't enough to repay.
Jack
His loans, so the bank seized his house.
Nick
It looked like his entrepreneurship was going to be a huge failure for everyone involved.
Jack
But then, out of nowhere, sales of Bichon's barbecue stalls started rocketing.
Nick
They jumped 4,000% in 2020 to $1.5 million.
Jack
And get this. This year, sales of bachan's will reach 100 million bucks. According to Bloomberg today, 1 out of.
Nick
20American households now has this $10 Japanese sauce in the pantry. The same $10 sauce that almost put Justin Gill and his whole family out of business. Jack.
Jack
To quote Ted, Lasso barbecue sauce. But, Jack, let's get back to the business kitchen here. What are we cooking with?
Nick
We're cooking with the secret ingredient that made Bachan go viral.
Jack
Okay, so it turns out there were actually a few bigger megatrends out of Justin's control, but in a good way, they helped the business.
Nick
The first was the pandemic. More people were cooking at home, and they wanted to spice up quarantine. With a new flavor.
Jack
Okay, the second reason is that sauce is boss right now.
Nick
Gen Z loves a good dip, which is why cholula, siete salsa, both recently sold for billion dollar exits.
Jack
And the third reason is a broader trend toward Japanese flavors in America related to health.
Nick
Matcha, yuzu, miso. So to stay fit, we're swapping out Taco Bell for teriyaki beef.
Jack
Jack, I know you like a good hojicha latte, don't you, my friend?
Nick
Um, sure.
Jack
But the real reason this sauce went.
Nick
Viral, it was one decision related to location, location, location.
Jack
So, Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies over at Bachon's? Barbecue sauce?
Nick
Category can be destiny.
Jack
Now, yetis, when Bichons first launched, they were only carried in the international aisle at the grocery store.
Nick
Bachan was placed among Latin, African, Indian and Asian flavors.
Jack
But here's the key. Strategically, Justin pushed for them to be moved to the barbecue aisle. And why is that, Jack?
Nick
The market for barbecue sauce in America is way bigger than the market for international sauces.
Jack
And then during the pandemic, as millions of people were reaching for Heinz ketchup, they also saw a bottle of Bachanz, decided to mix things up.
Nick
That's how they were discovered, because they were placed in the aisle where everyone shopped every trip to the grocery store.
Jack
As Bloomberg put it, getting placed among the domestic barbecue sauces was the tailwind to becoming a mainstream brand.
Nick
Location isn't just critical in neighborhoods and real estate. It matters. All the way down to the aisle in the grocery store.
Jack
The store shelf is critical. Real estate.
Nick
Because category can be destiny.
Jack
Jack, could you whip up the takeaways for us for the new Friday Urban.
Nick
Outfitter stock is at an all time high, driven by their subscription.
Jack
Nuuly, move over. Chuckie Darwin Urban has found a new species. The profitable loss leader, the centaur of business.
Nick
For our second story, Anthropic CEO warned us that half of white collar rolls will be taken by AI agents within five years.
Jack
We call them chrome Caller and tech leaders tend to be right about the future, but wrong about the timing.
Nick
And our third and final story is Bashan. It's the buzzy barbecue sauce of the moment. They're due for $100 million of sales this year.
Jack
Because category is destiny.
Nick
But Yetis, this pod's not over yet. Here's what else you need to know today.
Jack
First, Nvidia earnings. Sales of the world's trendiest chip business soared despite getting shut out of China.
Nick
Sales of AI chips jumped 73% last quarter to $40 billion for Nvidia. And that was just the last three months.
Jack
Here's what investors love about it. Those profit margins on those chips are crunchy.
Nick
61% of each chip they sell is pure profit.
Jack
And second, President Trump has approved Japan's Nippon Steel to acquire US Steel, but only with something called a golden share.
Nick
A golden share is unprecedented. It gives the US Government veto power on corporate decisions of this company.
Jack
For a free market economy, our government would be getting shockingly involved in the private business sector.
Nick
And finally, E L F Beauty is buying Hailey Bieber's Rhode cosmetics for nearly $1 billion.
Jack
In three years, Hailey's brand has gone from zero to over $200 million in revenues. Wow.
Nick
Time for Hailey to take Justin on a celebratory vacation.
Jack
And before they check out from whatever hotel they stay in, they should just buy that hotel hotel.
Nick
With a billion dollars. I'm sure they can.
Jack
Now time for the best fact yet. This one whipped up by Jax and my kids, basically.
Nick
Well, today is May 29, 5 29. So it's National 529 Day.
Jack
5 29. As in the education savings plan that we just think is fantastic because when.
Nick
A kid turns 18, they need money for school.
Jack
Yeah. College, trade school, community college. Each one of those is going to.
Nick
Cost money if you save. Now put the money in the stock market, the gains on those stocks are tax free in a 529.
Jack
Exactly. So like if you put 200 bucks each year into a 529 plan, assuming the market grows 8% a year, which it could or could not, but it could, that account would be worth $6,000 when the kid turns 18.
Nick
Not too shabby.
Jack
In fact, Jack and I wrote a rap song about 529 plans that we posted on Instagram @tboypod. It was lovely.
Nick
It was after over Oakley was born.
Jack
Yeah, it was.
Nick
Nick did a rap explaining like Lin Manuel Miranda style how a 529 works.
Jack
529S don't pay federal or state taxes as long as the proceeds go to qualified school expenses.
Nick
Nicely done. We'll leave the rest for the gram. Follow usboypod.
Jack
In the meantime, you look fantastic, Eddies and Jack and I will see you there. And before we go, happy birthday to legendary Yeti Jamuna Cola in Flower Mound, Texas. Adicha's original portfolio manager, AKA Adicha's mom. And Ethan Smith over in Chicago doing logistics, is doing a trip with the besties to see our live show. Ethan, we can't wait to see you there.
Nick
And happy 28th birthday to Molly Rubin.
Jack
In West Hollywood and sent langarik is turning 16 years old in Nara, Japan. Congratulations.
Nick
A big shout out to Arielesott on TikTok for making an epic video about why she loves T Boy, you are the goat.
Jack
Arielle, it's fantastic to have had you as a yeti with us for so long. And Jack, didn't you meet Arielle like in Madison Square park or something?
Nick
Dude, I still remember she says Washington Square Park. I'm pretty sure it was Madison Square Park.
Jack
Well Arielle, we love having you as a bestie. Thanks so much for supporting the show.
Nick
And a shout out to Greg Cusack in Venice, California for being a Strava influencer. And to anyone else who celebrated something today, make it a T box.
Jack
Celebrate the wins.
Nick
This is Jack, Nick and I both own stock of Robinhood and Apple and I own stock of Abercrombie and Fitch and Lyft.
Jack
So hopefully when your kid graduates this thing is worth a milli. If your kid don't get a 529I probably just feel silly.
Nick
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.
Jack
Prime members can listen ad free on Amazon Music.
Unknown
And before you go, tell us a.
Nick
Little bit about yourself by filling out a short survey@wondery.com survey.
Jack
We want to get to know you.
Unknown
Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and Ill Media, I'm Misha Brown and this is the Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails and blunders of all time. Like Quibi.
Jack
It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.
Unknown
And the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats.
Nick
Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie.
Unknown
Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy the Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to the Big Flop early and ad free on Wondery. Plus get started with your free trial at wondery.com plus.
Podcast Summary: The Best One Yet Hosted by Nick & Jack Studios | Release Date: May 29, 2025
1. Urban Outfitters’ Stock Reaches an All-Time High
Timestamp: [05:54 - 10:02]
Nick and Jack delve into Urban Outfitters' impressive financial performance, highlighting a significant 25% surge in their stock prices driven by record earnings. The catalyst behind this growth is the success of Urban Outfitters’ subscription clothing service, Nuuly.
Nuuly’s Impact: Launched in 2019, Nuuly allows subscribers to rent six new clothing items each month for $98, fostering customer loyalty and increasing overall sales across Urban Outfitters’ brands.
Jack: "Nuuly is the unquestioned leader after just six years." (08:43)
Profitable Innovation: Unlike competitors like Rent the Runway, Nuuly has not only doubled its user base to 380,000 active subscribers but has also achieved profitability. This positions Nuuly as a "profitable loss leader," driving sales in other divisions without incurring losses itself.
Nick: "Urban invented a new rare species. The profitable loss leader." (09:15)
Strategic Growth: Urban Outfitters has strategically positioned Nuuly within their business model, allowing the subscription service to bolster the sales of other products. This innovative approach has led to a $7 billion valuation, nearing that of established retailers like Gap and nearly doubling Abercrombie & Fitch.
Jack: "Category can be destiny." (20:09)
2. The Dawn of Chrome Collar Jobs: AI Agents Transforming the Workforce
Timestamp: [10:02 - 14:18]
The hosts address a pressing concern in the business world: the imminent rise of AI agents and their potential to disrupt white collar employment.
AI Agents as Workforce Replacements: Dario Amade, CEO of Anthropic, a leading AI company, predicts that AI agents will replace up to 50% of white collar jobs within the next five years. This forecast raises alarms about a possible spike in unemployment rates from 4.5% to between 10% and 20%.
Nick: "AI agents take assignments and use various computer applications to get the work done." (11:46)
Nick: "Dario was blunt in his interview with Axio, saying AI will take half of all white collar jobs." (11:10)
Introducing Chrome Collar Jobs: To navigate this transformation, Nick and Jack introduce the concept of Chrome Collar Jobs—a new category of employment where AI agents handle computer-based tasks, freeing humans to focus on blue collar and managerial roles.
Jack: "We call them chrome collar and tech leaders tend to be right about what happens, but wrong about when it happens." (13:31)
Balancing Optimism and Caution: While acknowledging the potential benefits of AI integration, such as increased efficiency and cost savings, the hosts emphasize the need for society to prepare for workforce changes to mitigate unemployment impacts.
Nick: "Tech leaders tend to be right about what happens, but wrong about when." (14:19)
3. Bachan’s Viral Barbecue Sauce: A Japanese Flavor Takes America by Storm
Timestamp: [16:54 - 21:49]
Nick and Jack explore the meteoric rise of Bachan’s Barbecue Sauce, a Japanese-flavored condiment that has quickly become the top-selling barbecue sauce in America.
Founding Story: Justin Gill, inspired by his grandmother’s homemade recipe, launched Bachan’s with an initial investment of $250,000. Despite significant financial struggles, including maxed-out credit cards and the loss of his home, Bachan’s saw a dramatic sales increase of 4,000% in 2020, reaching $1.5 million and projecting $100 million in sales for the current year.
Nick: "They jumped 4,000% in 2020 to $1.5 million." (18:42)
Marketing and Timing: The sauce's success is attributed to strategic placement in grocery stores’ barbecue aisles rather than the international section. This move, coupled with pandemic-driven home cooking trends and a surge in popularity of Japanese flavors like matcha and yuzu, propelled Bachan’s into mainstream awareness.
Jack: "Strategically, Justin pushed for them to be moved to the barbecue aisle." (20:06)
Cultural Trends: The growing American appetite for unique and health-conscious flavors played a significant role in Bachan’s viral status. The brand capitalized on Gen Z’s love for innovative dips and the broader shift towards Japanese culinary influences.
Nick: "Matcha, yuzu, miso. So to stay fit, we're swapping out Taco Bell for teriyaki beef." (19:29)
Lessons Learned: The success of Bachan’s underscores the importance of "location, location, location" not just in real estate but also in product placement within retail environments. By aligning their product with consumer behavior and leveraging cultural trends, Bachan’s achieved remarkable growth.
Nick: "Location isn't just critical in neighborhoods and real estate. It matters. All the way down to the aisle in the grocery store." (20:00)
Additional Highlights:
Nvidia’s Record Sales: Nvidia reported a 73% increase in AI chip sales, reaching $40 billion last quarter, despite challenges accessing the Chinese market. High-profit margins (61% per chip) have investors optimistic about sustained growth.
Nick: "Sales of AI chips jumped 73% last quarter to $40 billion for Nvidia." (22:00)
US Government’s Involvement in Steel Acquisition: President Trump approved Japan's Nippon Steel to acquire US Steel but mandated a "golden share," granting the US Government veto power over corporate decisions—an unprecedented move in the free market economy.
Nick: "A golden share is unprecedented. It gives the US Government veto power on corporate decisions of this company." (22:25)
Hailey Bieber’s Rhode Cosmetics Acquisition: ELF Beauty has acquired Hailey Bieber's Rhode Cosmetics for nearly $1 billion. The brand skyrocketed from zero to over $200 million in revenue within three years, exemplifying rapid brand growth and market appeal.
Jack: "In three years, Hailey's brand has gone from zero to over $200 million in revenues." (22:44)
National 529 Day: The hosts celebrate National 529 Day, emphasizing the benefits of 529 education savings plans that offer tax-free growth when funds are used for qualified educational expenses.
Nick: "If you put $200 each year into a 529 plan, assuming the market grows 8% a year, that account would be worth $6,000 when the kid turns 18." (23:32)
Conclusion:
In this episode of The Best One Yet, Nick and Jack provide insightful analysis into Urban Outfitters' innovative business strategies, the looming impact of AI on white collar employment through the advent of Chrome Collar Jobs, and the extraordinary rise of Bachan’s Barbecue Sauce in the American market. Their discussions offer valuable perspectives on current business trends, technological advancements, and consumer behavior shifts, making it a must-listen for anyone interested in the dynamic world of business and entrepreneurship.
For more detailed insights and updates, tune into "The Best One Yet" podcast by Nick & Jack Studios.