cover of episode 535: Origin Story

535: Origin Story

2025/3/9
logo of podcast This American Life

This American Life
AI Deep Dive AI Chapters Transcript
People
C
Chad's family
D
Dan Heath
美国畅销书作者、演讲者和杜克大学CASE中心高级研究员，著有多本影响广泛的商业书籍。
F
Fred Papert
G
Glenn McDonald
J
Julian Koenig
M
Mary Wiltenburg
P
Peter Sagal
P
Pino Audia
S
Sarah Koenig
S
Sean Cole
Topics
@Pino Audia ：许多人认为企业家是白手起家，从车库开始创业，但这其实是一个神话。大多数企业家并非从车库起步，而是先在行业内工作积累经验，拥有良好的教育背景和行业经验，即使是惠普和苹果的创始人，也并非完全的“门外汉”。“车库创业” 的神话似乎是美国特有的，与美国机会均等理念密切相关。 @Dan Heath ：人们对创业神话的迷恋程度很高，即使是虚构的故事，也会被广泛传播。许多著名的创业故事都经过了夸大或虚构，例如eBay和YouTube的起源故事。人们渴望听到引人入胜的创业故事，即使这些故事并非完全真实。人们对戏剧性和挑战性的故事有着强烈的渴望，这使得人们容易编造或夸大创业故事。

Deep Dive

Chapters
This chapter explores the common trope of companies originating in garages, examining its prevalence in popular narratives and contrasting it with the reality of entrepreneurial beginnings. It reveals that many successful companies' origins are far more complex than the simplistic garage myth suggests.
  • Many entrepreneurial origin stories involve garages, a literal or metaphorical representation of humble beginnings.
  • Research shows most entrepreneurs start by working for others, gaining experience before establishing their own businesses.
  • The "garage myth" is particularly prevalent in American culture, reflecting ideals of opportunity and self-made success.
  • The appeal of these myths often leads to exaggeration or fabrication of company origins.

Shownotes Transcript

Little-known and surprising stories of how all sorts of institutions began.

Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription.

  • Prologue: Host Ira Glass talks to business professor Pino Audia and Fast Company magazine columnist Dan Heath about corporate creation myths and why so many of them involve garages. (7 minutes)
  • Act One: Sarah Koenig tells the story of her father, Julian Koenig, the legendary advertising copywriter whose work includes the slogan "Timex takes a licking and keeps on ticking" and Volkswagen's "Think Small" ads. For years, Sarah has heard her dad accuse a former partner of stealing some of his best ideas, but until recently, she never paid much attention. Then she started asking her dad for details of this fight for his legacy, and what she learned surprised her. (20 minutes)
  • Act Two: Producer Sean Cole visits Chad's Trading Post in Southampton, Massachusetts. One person who works there wears a shirt that says "Chad's Brother;" other shirts say "Chad's Best Friend," "Chad's Cousin," and "Chad's Father." Pictures of Chad are everywhere. Chad's dead. The family explains. (14 minutes)
  • Act Three: Peter Sagal, host of NPR's Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me, tells Ira the origin story of one of the worst movie sequels ever made. (5 minutes)
  • Act Four: Reporter Mary Wiltenburg tells the story of a little boy stymied by the question "Where do you come from?" (8 minutes)

Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.org

This American Life privacy policy.
Learn more about sponsor message choices.