
About
Learn how companies work from the people who know them best. We do deep research and interview industry veterans, investment professionals, and business leaders to explain the inner workings of public stocks and private businesses. Every business has lessons and Breakdowns is here to highlight them.

Matt is the CEO of Colossus. Zack is the Chief Investment Officer of Shoni Holdings, a single family office.
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Business Breakdowns
Ep.150
HEICO: Parts for Planes
Eric Ruden is an Analyst at Ironvine Capital. We cover the market for aircraft parts and maintenance, how the Mendelson family have built HEICO into what it is today, and how its operating model compares with that of TransDigm.
02.21.2024

Business Breakdowns
Ep.92
Hermès: The Luxury Icon
Mark Urquhart is a partner at Baillie Gifford. We cover the brand's iconic handbags, how Hermès exudes exclusivity, and its potential for future growth.
01.11.2023

Business Breakdowns
Ep.151
Vulcan Materials: Rock On
Rob Hansen is a Senior Analyst at Vontobel Asset Management. We cover how Vulcan is crushing the competition in the construction aggregates market, the numerous applications of its products in critical infrastructure, and the excellent logistics that underpin its success.
02.28.2024
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Business Breakdowns
Ep.119
Toast: The Restaurant Operating System
Will Schreiber is the co-founder and CEO of Bottle. We cover how Toast helps restaurants navigate the operational complexity of the industry, how their API ecosystem has helped them outcompete Square, and the growth prospects for deep vertical SaaS businesses more broadly.
07.12.2023

Business Breakdowns
Ep.118
Applied Materials: Sanding Atoms
Dylan Patel is the author and Chief Analyst of SemiAnalysis. We cover the geopolitical factors impacting the semiconductor industry, how the rise of AI is fueling growth in demand for semis, and compare Applied's business model to its more cyclical competitors.
07.05.2023

Business Breakdowns
Ep.117
ASML: Competing with Moore’s Law
Tom Walsh is a portfolio manager at Baillie Gifford. We cover the science and architecture behind lithography machines, how ASML became the undisputed masters of EUV technology, and what factors drive the market for semiconductors more broadly.
06.28.2023

Business Breakdowns
Ep.116
Roku: One Stop Streaming Shop
Joe Frankenfield is the Portfolio Manager at Saga Partners. We cover how Roku came to be the leading Smart TV platform in the US, what makes it an attractive acquisition target, and the broader shift from linear to connected TV.
06.21.2023

Business Breakdowns
Ep.115
Mobile Gaming: A Freemium Economy
Eric Seufert is the creator of Mobile Dev Memo. We cover the history and major inflection points of the mobile gaming industry, the economics of monetization and user acquisition, and the impact of regulation and privacy on advertising and data collection.
06.14.2023

Business Breakdowns
Ep.114
First Citizens Bank: The Bank Buyers
Bill Nygren and Alex Fitch are partners at Oakmark Funds. We cover the basics of investing in banks, why First Citizens plays an important role in the banking system despite being relatively unknown, and how it is adapting its acquisition strategy to today's economic environment.
06.07.2023

Business Breakdowns
Ep.113
PayPal: A Digital Money Marketplace
Elliot Turner is a managing partner and CIO at RGA Investment Advisors. We cover the fascinating history behind the founding of PayPal, why it was upside down within eBay, and how PayPal's platform-neutrality now gives it a valuable moat.
05.31.2023

Business Breakdowns
Ep.112
Restoration Hardware: Climbing the Luxury Mountain
Drew Cohen is the co-founder of Speedwell Research. We cover how CEO Gary Friedman took over a struggling business and built it into a luxury brand, RH's unique acquisition funnel and in-store experience, and the vagaries of inventory and supply chain management.
05.24.2023

Business Breakdowns
Ep.111
FICO: A High Score Business
Dev Kantesaria is the managing partner at Valley Forge Capital Management. We cover the moat FICO has built with its Scores business, why its software margins should improve, and the biggest lessons from its capital-light, high-margin model.
05.17.2023

Business Breakdowns
Ep.110
FC Bayern Munich: The Best Run Club in Football
Marie Schulte-Bockum is a football journalist and Munich resident. We cover the people and philosophy behind Bayern's consistent success, the value of broadcast revenue and a prudent transfer policy, and how staying true to its roots has helped Bayern cultivate a global fan base.
05.10.2023