June 28, 2023

For the last three years, travel over the Fourth of July weekend has decreased as Americans dealt with issues brought on by the pandemic. According to AAA, though, that won’t be the case in 2023. This year the country’s roads and airports will be jam-packed like never before, with more than 43 million Americans planning to drive 50 miles or more over the holiday weekend. That represents a 4 percent increase over 2019 and marks a new record for July Continue reading

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June 23, 2023

From 2011 to 2021, the value of Rolex watches outperformed real estate and stock markets as well as commodities like gold. This video looks at the risks and rewards of the $20 billion used watch industry, from soaring demand and big price tags to small margins and extensive counterfeiting.

 Questions:

  1. Why are counterfeit products harmful to luxury brands like Rolex?
  2. How does high demand for Rolex encourage counterfeiters to produce knockoffs?
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June 21, 2023

The Instant Pot first hit the market in 2010 and quickly gained a following of dedicated users who took every opportunity to praise the pot’s pressure cooking and slow cooking abilities. Sales climbed throughout the decade as word-of-mouth spread, and then the Instant Pot truly became a blockbuster during the pandemic. Sales of multicookers and air fryers doubled in 2020 as millions of homebound people searched for ways to make easy meals in their kitchens. 

Customers certainly got what Continue reading

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The parent company of T.J. Maxx earned more than $50 billion last year, more than Nordstrom and Macy’s combined. This video shows how the retailer lives up to its promise to give customers “the max for the minimum price” through ever-changing inventory and eye-catching deals. 

Questions:

  1. What is “price-anchoring,” and how does T.J. Maxx utilize it to drive sales? 
  2. Why does T.J. Maxx continuously restock its stores with new inventory?
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Lawmakers are once again butting heads about raising the debt ceiling, a limit on the total amount of money that the federal government is authorized to borrow. This video looks at the potential economic consequences that could follow if legislators fail to reach an agreement and default on the nation’s debt. 

Questions:

  1. How does debt help drive the U.S. economy?
  2. Why are U.S. bonds traditionally seen as reliable investments? How could that change if the country defaults on its debt?
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April 26, 2023

On Sunday, the once mighty home goods retailer Bed Bath & Beyond declared bankruptcy after years of poor sales and mounting debt. The company will start closing its 360 locations today and has stopped accepting the big blue coupons that made the brand famous in better days that have long gone. In recent times, Bed Bath and Beyond faced increasingly choosy consumers who avoided the retailer in favor of competitors with better selections and e-commerce capabilities. The company enjoyed a Continue reading

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April 21, 2023

For a few months every year, legions of Girl Scouts across America set out on entrepreneurial adventures to sell classic cookies like Thin Mints, Samoas, and Tagalongs. This video looks at the $800 million Girl Scout cookie operation, which aims to teach kids valuable business lessons and people skills that remain for a lifetime.

Questions:

  1. How do the Girl Scouts use scarcity to increase demand for cookies every year?
  2. How has e-commerce changed the Girl Scout cookie selling experience?
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March 30, 2023

The video below takes a long look at Li-Lac Chocolate, the oldest chocolate house in New York that thrives by doing things the old fashioned way. Along with observing their unique production processes, this video examines how Li-Lac made it through the pandemic to continue its century-long tradition.

  1. What value do the antique chocolate molds owned by Li-Lac Chocolates give to the company?
  2. How did the pandemic affect business at Li-Lac Chocolate?
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March 24, 2023

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) does not get much attention unless something goes drastically wrong in the financial world, such as the recent collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB). This video explains how the organization covers customers’ deposits in order to prevent bank runs, and how the fall of SVB presented the FDIC with some unique challenges.

Questions:

  1. Why was the FDIC formed, and how does it protect customers’ deposits?
  2. How did the FDIC’s handling of the SVB collapse Continue reading
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March 23, 2023

Although the collapse of SVB and the resulting economic fallout has rattled global markets, many companies are hoping to restore faith among investors by showing signs of growth. The clearest sign of a growing business is one that is hiring people, after all, leading some firms to place job listings with no intention of actually bringing anyone on board. In fact, a recent survey of 1,000 hiring managers found that 27 percent of respondents reported leaving job listings up for Continue reading

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