- Nerd Out on Business
- Archive
- Page 2
Archive
They Make $5.7B/Year Playing With Other People's Money
The "2 and 20" model means Carlyle gets paid twice: 2% just for holding your money, 20% of profits if they perform. It's a powerful model where your primary asset, your reputation/performance, can erode quickly. Here's how any business can apply OPM principles.
The Gross Margin Slide That's Hammering Zenvia
How do you kneecap a perfectly good SaaS business? Mix it with commodity SMS reselling, chase enterprise deals at any price, and pay 18% interest rates on Brazilian debt. Zenvia's emergency pivot from CPaaS to pure software is a masterclass in why margins matter more than revenue.
Turning Real Estate Into Logistics and Experiences: How Dick's is Staying Relevant
Dick Stack started with $300 from his grandmother in 1948. Today, his company generates $13.6 billion by creating athletic experiences Amazon can't replicate. Inside the playbook that turned 850 physical stores from liabilities into a competitive advantage. Although, I'm not a fan of their stance on guns.
The "No Compete" Clause That Built a $46B Empire
In 1906, 23-year-old Colbert Coldwell started a real estate firm with one weird rule: his brokers couldn't speculate or compete against clients. His competitors thought he was crazy to limit his opportunities. That "limitation" attracted the wealthiest clients and built today's largest commercial real estate empire.
Why Boeing Can't Switch Away From This 1855 Brass Foundry
Crane Company makes the components that can't fail: F-16 brakes, nuclear valves, rocket parts. Their secret? Regulatory moats that make switching suppliers take 5+ years. I break down how this 1855 brass foundry built an $11B business on vital parts and switching costs.
