The Bottom Line
The Bottom Line: History’s Greatest Business Stories
Welcome to The Bottom Line; while the past is history, it's also strategy.
In every episode of The Bottom Line, we'll explore the business decisions, power fights, and economic moments that have shaped our world. We'll look at everything from the unsung entrepreneurs that forged ancient empires, the branding genius of 20th-century titans, and consider the lessons we can learn for today's business problems through the stories of yesterday.
Your host is a graduate student with a love of economics and the humanities, and The Bottom Line connects business, history, and culture; history reveals what worked, what didn't - and, importantly, what tomorrow can learn.
Whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur, a lifelong learner, or someone who just wants something other than another business podcast - you are in the right place.
Because the past always has a bottom line.
The Bottom Line
The Original Corporate Giant: Inside the Dutch East India Company
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Before Amazon, Apple, or even Wall Street, there was the Dutch East India Company—arguably the first mega-corporation in history. In this episode, we dive into how a 17th-century trading empire became the blueprint for modern business. From issuing the world’s first stocks to mastering global supply chains, this is more than a history lesson—it’s a crash course in capitalism. What can today’s entrepreneurs learn from the VOC’s rise…and its collapse? Tune in to find out.