The Best One Yet – “TBOY on CNN”
Hosts: Jack Crivici-Kramer & Nick Martell (Nick & Jack Studios)
Air Date: December 29, 2025
Episode Focus: The 5 Big Business Trends of 2025 & 2026
Episode Overview
In a special crossover, TBOY hosts Jack and Nick join CNN’s Boris and Brianna for a spirited discussion about the biggest business trends of 2025 and their bold predictions for 2026. From self-driving car spectacles to IPO booms, corporate comebacks, and the rise of “dupe” department stores, the hosts break down what shaped the year in business and what’s poised to disrupt the next. The episode is fast-paced, full of high-energy banter, quirky analogies, and punchy insights.
Key Discussion Points
1. The Self-Driving Car Tipping Point
(01:23–03:01)
- 2025 as “the year self-driving finally arrived at its destination” (01:23, Jack)
- Rapid expansion: Waymo grows from 5 to 20 more cities next year.
- Tesla Robo-taxis and Amazon’s Zoox are expanding, notably in San Francisco and Las Vegas.
- Unexpected impact: Beyond tech, 2026 might see "the first self-driving hotel."
- Jack predicts “red eye robo taxi rides”—overnight trips where you sleep in a car in one city, wake up in another.
- These public spectacles are crucial to win over skeptics, referencing how elephants were once marched across the Brooklyn Bridge to prove its sturdiness (02:28, Jack).
- Quote:
“A CEO is gonna live stream his eight hour snooze on YouTube going from San Francisco to Las Vegas in a red eye robo taxi ride.”
—Jack (02:49)
2. The Coming “IPO Looza”
(03:19–04:53)
- 2026 = The year of mega IPOs.
- Nick coins "IPO Looza": expects a deluge of massive tech IPOs.
- SpaceX, with a potential trillion-dollar valuation, and AI companies (Anthropic, OpenAI) are likely to go public.
- Competition intensifies over attractive ticker symbols (“MARS” for SpaceX and “GPT” for an AI giant).
- “We’re looking at potentially $5 trillion worth of size—3 to $5 trillion—for the first time in public markets.” (04:08, Nick)
- Kim Kardashian’s Skims as a “culturally exciting” IPO:
- Valued privately at $5B, adding 18 new stores.
- Suggested ticker: KIM.
- Memorable moment:
“That’s faster than Kris Jenner can get a facelift.”
—Jack (04:42)
3. Big Brand Bounce-Backs: Nike & Starbucks
(05:09–07:09)
- Both brands suffered stock declines and face intense competition.
- Nike’s opportunity: enter hospitality by launching branded resorts.
- Cites LVMH’s hotel ventures and Restoration Hardware’s pivot to hospitality.
- Quote:
“Nike could convince a skeptical public with a big public spectacle. The Nike Hotel Resort. It’s all about fitness... the ultimate gym to try out all that gear.”
—Jack (06:34)
- New CEOs (Nike: “Elliot”) now have a chance to reverse the companies’ fortunes.
- Bantery correction:
- Boris quips about the “darkest before the dawn” idiom, leading to good-natured Batman jokes.
4. The Year of Affordability and the “Thrift Economy”
(07:22–09:19)
- 2025 business word of the year: “Trillion” (07:38, Nick)
- Nvidia’s $5T valuation, trillion-dollar pay for Elon Musk, massive AI investments.
- A “K-shaped” economy: Some thrive on affordability.
- Carvana, Walmart, TJ Maxx hit all-time stock highs.
- Rise of resale platforms: TheRealReal, ThredUp (up 500% this year).
- Growing trend: Americans making money by selling used designer fashion.
- Corporate response:
- Slate Automotive to launch $25,000 electric pickups.
- Rivian, GM, Ford shift focus to affordable EVs.
- Anticipate influx of Chinese consumer brands (BYD, Luckin Coffee, Michue).
- Luckin Coffee’s New York expansion undercuts Starbucks.
5. Prediction: The Rise of the “Dupartment Store”
(09:19–end)
- A new brick-and-mortar retail format: stores selling only dupes (lookalike or lower-priced versions of hot brands).
- Inspiration: The “Trader Joe’s of everything”— value, private-label products spanning fashion, electronics, bubble tea, coffee.
- “A store filled with products at 80% of the value for 20% of the price.” (09:41, Nick)
- Boris loves the idea, especially if bubble tea is involved—a playful end to the segment.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On Public Spectacle for Self-Driving Cars:
“To convince a skeptical public that self-driving cars are actually safe, you need a public spectacle. And a red eye robo taxi ride is just that.”
—Jack (01:59) - Brooklyn Bridge Elephant Analogy:
“They called up the Ringling Brothers Circus and got a dozen elephants in broad daylight to walk across the bridge.”
—Jack (02:28) - IPO Ticker Symbol Wars:
“Who is going to get the stock tickers for MARS?... And who’s going to get the ticker symbol so coveted: GPT?”
—Nick (03:55) - Skims & Kris Jenner Joke:
“That’s faster than Kris Jenner can get a facelift.”
—Jack (04:42) - On Nike's Comeback:
“Nike could convince a skeptical public with a big public spectacle. The Nike Hotel Resort.”
—Jack (06:34) - On Affordability:
“You do have a K shaped economy here... One of the most popular stories Jack and I did... was on Americans buying and selling Gucci and Louis Vuitton, trading clothes to make money off of them from their closets.”
—Nick (07:55)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 00:44–01:23 — CNN hosts intro; trend topic preview
- 01:23–03:01 — Self-driving car and “self-driving hotel” spectacle prediction
- 03:19–04:53 — “IPO Looza”: Big tech IPO predictions and ticker symbol wars
- 05:09–07:09 — Nike and Starbucks comeback strategies
- 07:22–09:19 — The “Thrift Economy” and corporate responses to affordability demands
- 09:19–10:09 — The “Dupartment Store” trend prediction
Summary
This energetic episode uses a blend of sharp business analysis, playful banter, and colorful analogies to forecast the biggest trends anticipated for 2026. Jack and Nick’s standouts include theatrical public tests for self-driving vehicles, earth-shattering IPOs (both in size and culture), major consumer brand turnarounds, the power of the thrift economy, and a creative take on affordable, “dupe”-centered retail. The TBOY team’s lively delivery, memorable stories, and market optimism provide a brisk yet comprehensive roadmap for business watchers heading into the new year.