AcquiredDecember 15, 2025

10 Years of Acquired (with Michael Lewis)

Listen

Audio URL: https://pscrb.fm/rss/p/media.transistor.fm/0f470567/18269289.mp3

About This Episode

Why has Acquired — seemingly against all odds — “worked”? It's a puzzling question: episodes are four hours long, they come out infrequently, and they usually don’t have guests or video. Hardly the standard-issue playbook for podcasting success! And yet well over a million smart, curious and exceedingly busy humans share their (your!) valuable time with us every month. Why? This is the exact paradox that has been rolling around in the head of Michael Lewis (yes, that Michael Lewis) since he found the show earlier this year. So we asked Michael to be our guest "interlocutor" and share what he thinks is going on here, while we share ten lessons we've stolen (graciously) from companies we've studied and brought into Acquired itself. He takes us through the entire Acquired journey: how we started, why we've never hired anyone or raised money, how we pick episodes, what our business model actually is, why we focus on quality and enjoyment over maximizing enterprise value, and ultimately why we’re all — you, him, us — kindred spirits together. Oh, and just for fun, we recorded this episode where another special journey began — the garage where Google was founded. Thank you for an incredible decade together… here's to the next one!

Book Mentions

13 book mentions in this episode.

Jump to books

Tip: Click “Mentioned at …” to copy a timestamp.

Tip: Click a cover image to open a book link.

Books Mentioned

Moneyball

Michael Lewis

“Michael Lewis is mentioned as the author of several books, including Moneyball, which is known for its analysis of baseball statistics and team management.”

Sentiment: Passing Reference

Trigger: 10-year anniversary reflection

For: Podcast creators and business enthusiasts

Key quote: “Someone who distills complexity into simplicity.”

The hosts mentioned Michael Lewis and his book 'Moneyball' while discussing their admiration for his storytelling ability and analytical skills. They highlighted his relevance in dissecting the mechanics behind successful companies, which aligns with their own podcast's journey.

ASIN: B07JCTQ76S

Buy on Amazon

Click the book cover image to open the affiliate link.

Liar's Poker

Michael Lewis

“Michael Lewis is mentioned as the author of several books, including Liar's Poker, which explores the author's experiences on Wall Street.”

Sentiment: Passing Reference

Trigger: 10-year anniversary celebration

For: Fans of storytelling and business analysis

Key quote: “Someone who distills complexity into simplicity.”

The hosts mention Michael Lewis and his book 'Liar's Poker' as part of a broader discussion about influential figures in storytelling and analysis. This reference highlights their admiration for Lewis and sets the stage for their conversation with him.

ASIN: B09QY1QV4X

Buy on Amazon

Click the book cover image to open the affiliate link.

The Blind Side

Michael Lewis

“Michael Lewis is mentioned as the author of several books, including The Blind Side, which tells the story of a football player and the impact of family and education.”

Sentiment: Passing Reference

Trigger: 10 year anniversary celebration

For: Fans of storytelling and business analysis

Key quote: “Someone who distills complexity into simplicity.”

The hosts mentioned Michael Lewis and his works, including 'The Blind Side', to highlight his storytelling ability and relevance to their podcast's journey. They expressed admiration for Lewis as a significant figure in the narrative of successful companies.

ASIN: N/A

Buy on Amazon

Click the book cover image to open the affiliate link.

The Undoing Project

Michael Lewis

“Michael Lewis is mentioned as the author of several books, including The Undoing Project, which focuses on the collaboration between two psychologists and their work on human decision-making.”

Sentiment: Passing Reference

Trigger: 10 year anniversary celebration

For: Fans of storytelling and podcasting

Key quote: “Someone who distills complexity into simplicity.”

The hosts mentioned Michael Lewis and his works, including 'The Undoing Project', as they reflected on their podcast's journey over the past decade. This reference highlights their admiration for Lewis's storytelling ability and his insights into complex topics.

ASIN: B01KBM82M4

Buy on Amazon

Click the book cover image to open the affiliate link.

Going Infinite

Michael Lewis

“Michael Lewis is mentioned as the author of several books, including Going Infinite, which discusses the life and career of a prominent figure in finance.”

Sentiment: Passing Reference

Trigger: 10 year anniversary celebration

For: Podcast creators and storytelling enthusiasts

Key quote: “Someone who distills complexity into simplicity.”

The hosts mentioned Michael Lewis and his book 'Going Infinite' while discussing their admiration for him and his storytelling abilities. This reference was made in the context of celebrating their podcast's 10-year anniversary and reflecting on their journey.

ASIN: B0CD8V9SHD

Buy on Amazon

Click the book cover image to open the affiliate link.

1929

Andrew Ross Sorkin

“Andrew Ross Sorkin is mentioned as the author of 1929, which likely discusses the events surrounding the stock market crash of that year.”

Sentiment: Passing Reference

Trigger: Acquired podcast anniversary

For: Listeners interested in financial storytelling and podcasting

Key quote: “Our last episode was with Andrew Ross Sorkin, founder of the New York Times Dealbook, host of CNBC's Squawk Box, and author of 1929.”

The hosts mentioned Andrew Ross Sorkin's book '1929' while discussing their interview with him on their other show, ACQ2. This reference highlights Sorkin's prominence in the financial narrative space, which aligns with the themes of their podcast.

ASIN: B0DXQFKTBN

Buy on Amazon

Click the book cover image to open the affiliate link.

Seven Powers

Hamilton Helmer

“The framework from Hamilton Helmer's book 'Seven Powers' has been a useful analytical tool for studying business strategy.”

Sentiment: Highly Recommended

Trigger: business strategy frameworks

For: Entrepreneurs and business strategists

Key quote: “That has been a useful analytical framework for you.”

The host mentions 'Seven Powers' by Hamilton Helmer as a valuable analytical framework for understanding business strategy. They found it particularly useful for identifying the factors that contribute to a company's durability and profitability.

ASIN: 7521752929

Buy on Amazon

Click the book cover image to open the affiliate link.

Stratechery

Ben Thompson

“Ben Thompson is the author of 'Stratechery', a platform where he writes about strategy and technology.”

Sentiment: Passing Reference

Trigger: collaboration and chemistry

For: Individuals interested in venture capital and technology

Key quote: “We bonded over Ben Thompson originally.”

The host mentions 'Stratechery' to highlight the bond formed over shared interests in technology and business insights. This connection was pivotal in their collaboration and understanding of the venture capital landscape.

ASIN: N/A

Buy on Amazon

Click the book cover image to open the affiliate link.

Saul Price's autobiography

“The discussion mentions using Saul Price's autobiography as the main source for preparing the episode on Costco.”

Sentiment: Highly Recommended

Trigger: Costco business model

For: Anyone interested in business models and retail strategies.

Key quote: “Read that book.”

The host mentioned 'Saul Price's autobiography' as a crucial resource for understanding Costco's business model. They found it to be the primary source that guided their episode preparation, emphasizing its importance in their research.

ASIN: N/A

Buy on Amazon

Click the book cover image to open the affiliate link.

The Name of the Wind

Patrick Rothfuss

“It's called, The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. It's an 800-page novel that my son was enthusing about.”

Sentiment: Highly Recommended

Trigger: favorite books mentioned

For: Fantasy readers and aspiring writers

Key quote: “This thing was so compelling. I couldn't believe how good it was.”

The host mentioned 'The Name of the Wind' as a compelling read that captivated him, particularly because his son had also enjoyed it. He expressed surprise at the author's inability to complete the trilogy, drawing a parallel to other authors who have faced similar challenges.

ASIN: N/A

Buy on Amazon

Click the book cover image to open the affiliate link.

Last Man Standing

“One great book I read for research was Last Man Standing to prep for the Jamie Dimon interview. That was really good.”

Sentiment: Highly Recommended

Trigger: research for Jamie Dimon interview

For: Anyone interested in finance or Jamie Dimon's career

Key quote: “One great book I read for research was Last Man Standing to prep for the Jamie Dimon interview.”

The host mentioned 'Last Man Standing' as a valuable resource while preparing for an interview with Jamie Dimon. They found it to be a compelling read that provided insights into Dimon's career and the financial landscape.

ASIN: N/A

Buy on Amazon

Click the book cover image to open the affiliate link.

The Art of Spending Money

Morgan Housel

“I just love reading Morgan Housel and his new book, The Art of Spending Money, is really fun.”

Sentiment: Highly Recommended

Trigger: reading recommendations

For: Individuals interested in personal finance and happiness

Key quote: “I just love reading Morgan Housel and his new book, The Art of Spending Money, is really fun.”

The host mentions 'The Art of Spending Money' by Morgan Housel as a fun read that provides valuable insights about money and happiness. They appreciate Housel's ability to explain complex ideas in an accessible way.

ASIN: N/A

Buy on Amazon

Click the book cover image to open the affiliate link.

Emperors of Chocolate

Joel Glenn Brenner

“First one is a reachback to December of last year with the Mars episode, Emperors of Chocolate by Joel Glenn Brenner. It's so good.”

Sentiment: Highly Recommended

Trigger: history of chocolate companies

For: Readers interested in business history and chocolate industry enthusiasts.

Key quote: “It's the dual history of Hershey and Mars together.”

The host mentions 'Emperors of Chocolate' as a significant book that explores the dual history of Hershey and Mars. They express admiration for the book, calling it a masterpiece and highlighting its compelling narrative.

ASIN: 0679421904

Buy on Amazon

Click the book cover image to open the affiliate link.