Business is Bullshit

Prediction Markets Are Bullshit | Business is Bullsh*t Ep 34

Prediction markets were supposed to be smarter than polls. Put money on the line, cut through the nonsense, and let the wisdom of the crowd tell us what's actually going to happen. Sounds great. Until the crowd turns into whales, bots, insiders, crypto gamblers, politicians, media partners, and people financially incentivized to throw dildos at WNBA games. In this episode of Business is B*llshit, James, Jared, and Jon dig into the prediction market boom and why something that started as a genuinely interesting academic idea has turned into another barely regulated casino with real-world consequences. We get into Kalshi, Polymarket, insider trading, political influence, the CFTC, gambling addiction, media partnerships, market manipulation, war bets, and why the whole thing feels like crypto, sports betting, and Wall Street had a very sketchy baby. Are prediction markets useful? Maybe. Are they being treated like truth machines when they're really just another game people can rig? Absolutely. Watch all our episodes in the usual places: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/business-is-b-t/id1769653675 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/business-is-b-t/id1769653675] Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Xv7C9WFxZHeoARrm8EDc5 [https://open.spotify.com/show/1Xv7C9WFxZHeoARrm8EDc5] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BusinessIsBullsht [https://www.youtube.com/@BusinessIsBullsht]

NIL isn't Bullsh*t (the old system was) | Business is Bullsh*t Ep 33

College sports aren't broken. They're just finally honest. In Episode 33, we get into NIL, revenue sharing, and the chaos behind the scenes that most fans don't actually understand. We break down the difference between NIL, which is outside money, and revenue sharing, which is schools paying players directly. Two completely different systems that everyone keeps mixing up. We also get into how booster collectives really work, and why this whole thing looks a lot like the old bag of cash days, just with contracts now. But the real shift is recruiting. It's no longer about selling the dream. It's about paying for production and not getting it wrong. Schools that can actually evaluate talent win. Schools that just throw money around are burning cash. Inside this episode: ***Why sitting on the bench now literally costs players money ***How the transfer portal turned into free agency ***Why some programs are winning and others are completely lost ***The myth of loyalty in college sports ***And the fan mindset that might be the most delusional part of all There's a lot of noise about NIL ruining college sports. The truth is a little different. The system didn't get worse. It just got exposed. And as always… business is bullsh*t. Check out our other episodes: - Apple: https://bit.ly/3YOQrYT - Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4lHXLzk - YouTube: https://bit.ly/42q0vtM

Luxury Goods Are Bullsh*t | Business is Bullsh*t Ep 32

Luxury isn't always bullsh*t. But what most people think is luxury usually is. In Episode 32 of *Business Is Bullsh*t*, we break down how "luxury" has turned into a branding game where perception beats reality and price becomes the product. From $7,000 handbags with questionable origins To designer brands owned by the same parent companies To sunglasses, gyms, wine, and even agencies charging more just to feel premium We're talking about what's behind the curtain. We get into: * Why "Made in Italy" doesn't mean what you think it does * The massive markups hiding behind luxury branding * How a few conglomerates control most major brands * The psychology of status, signaling, and identity * Why higher price often creates the illusion of value * Where real quality still exists and what's actually worth it This isn't about hating on nice things. We all like nice things. It's about understanding when you're buying quality and when you're just buying a logo. 🎧 Watch or listen: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/business-is-b-t/id1769653675 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Xv7C9WFxZHeoARrm8EDc5 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BusinessIsBullsht Featuring Jon Tsourakis, James Hornick and Jared Gibson. If you've ever paid more just because it felt right, this one will hit. Business. Is. Bullsh*t.

Made in the USA is Bullsh*t | Business is Bullsh*t Ep 31

Most people think "Made in the USA" means something. It used to. It doesn't anymore... In this episode, we dig into one of the biggest marketing scams hiding in plain sight. Not the conspiracy theory version. The actual, boring, legal, everyday version where companies say just enough to make you feel good… without actually telling you anything. "Assembled in the USA." "Designed in the USA." "Crafted with American pride." Sounds great. Means almost nothing. We break down how brands play the game, why the FTC barely enforces any of it, and how companies can legally slap an American flag on something that's 95% made somewhere else. This is the stolen valor of consumerism. We also get into the part nobody wants to admit: Consumers say they care… but don't act like it. Everyone claims they'll pay more to buy American. Then checkout happens and price wins. Every time. That gap between what people say and what they actually do is exactly why these marketing games exist. We cover: * The language tricks companies use to fake "Made in USA" * Why ecommerce makes it almost impossible to know where anything is actually made * How even brands like Apple lean on "Designed in California" while manufacturing happens overseas * Real examples of companies getting caught… and still doing it again * Whether transparency actually hurts brands more than it helps * And the bigger question: even if we wanted everything made here… could we actually pull it off? There's also a reality check in here: Even if you care, it's really hard to buy American. Supply chains are global. Labels are vague. And most of the time, you're guessing. So this isn't about "America good vs bad." It's about calling out the bullshit. If you're buying based on labels, there's a good chance you're getting played. 🎧 Episode 31 – Made in the USA is Bullshit Listen / Watch: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/business-is-b-t/id1769653675 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Xv7C9WFxZHeoARrm8EDc5 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BusinessIsBullsht — Business is Bullshit is a podcast for business owners who are tired of the surface-level advice and want the real conversations. No fluff. No pretending. Just what's actually going on. #BusinessIsBullshit #MadeInUSA #MarketingTruth #Entrepreneurship #Ecommerce #SupplyChain

AI Hysteria Is Bullsh*t | Business is Bullsh*t Ep. 30

Is AI about to replace everyone's job… or are people just losing their minds? In this episode of Business is Bullshit, Jon Tsourakis, Jared Gibson, and James Hornick dive into the growing panic around AI. From viral articles claiming the world is about to change overnight to fears about lawyers, developers, and entire industries disappearing, we break down what's real and what's pure hysteria. We talk about the speed of AI development, why tech leaders might be fueling the fear, what history tells us about automation, and why sales, relationships, and human judgment might become more valuable in an AI-driven world. Plus, somehow we end up debating conspiracy theories, aliens, and whether the robots will eventually write their own language and take over. Business is bullshit. The AI panic might be too.