How an "Unsexy" Product Led to a $1.4 Billion Exit | One Smart Business Story

How an "Unsexy" Product Led to a $1.4 Billion Exit | One Smart Business Story

Cat litter may seem unsexy. But Daniel Rotman was able to turn PrettyLitter from $1 million in capital into a $1.4 billion exit.    Inc. reporter Ali Donaldson discusses her conversation with Daniel Rotman and shares his advice to look for “unsexy” categories, why staying scrappy and small can sometimes pay off, and the benefits of focusing on unit economics rather than topline growth.    Then, this week’s Action Item: Why you should read off paper and not off your screens.

Transition With Purpose for Veterans | Founder Group Chat

Over the next four episodes, Inc. senior editor Rob Verger is going to chat with three veterans about how they made the jump from military life to the private sector and start their own businesses. Our three founders are:  * Brad Genser, founder and chief technology officer of Farther, an intelligent wealth company  * John Keh, founder and CEO of Valtec, a maritime aerial drone platform  * Tim Hsia, co-founder and CEO of VetraFi, a digital banking platform for the U.S. military   They tackle some of the biggest questions veterans face during the transition to civilian life: How did they lean on their veteran networks to navigate a new chapter? What were the biggest adjustments they had to make? And which lessons from military service helped them stand out as entrepreneurs?

Are body scans the future of health?

Venture capital is throwing cash at body scan companies. Firms like Prenuvo, Function, and Sweden’s Neko Health are promising they’re the future of health care.     But what’s the limit of these costly, out-of-pocket tests?      Inc. reporter Chloe Aiello went deep into the world of body scans [https://www.inc.com/chloe-aiello/the-4499-body-scan-flipping-healthcare-on-its-head/91340384] and she explains it all to senior editor Rebecca Deczynski on this episode of 1 Smart Business Story.     Then, this week’s Action Item: How to retain Gen-Z employees.

How Skype Lost the Video Call Wars

Before Zoom meetings, FaceTime calls, and Microsoft Teams, there was Skype.  In the early 2000s, Skype revolutionized the way people communicated, making it possible to call anyone in the world over the internet for little to no cost. The company grew at a staggering pace, attracted hundreds of millions of users, became a household name, and helped turn video calling from a novelty into a necessity. So how did the company that pioneered internet communication lose its place in the future it helped create? Welcome to Fail Factory—where we look at the companies that stumbled, faded, or failed, and fix them up with the benefit of hindsight. In this episode, Inc. staff reporters Ali Donaldson and Ben Sherry explore Skype's rise from startup disrupter to global tech powerhouse, the billion-dollar acquisitions that reshaped its trajectory, and the strategic decisions that left it vulnerable as competitors like Zoom, WhatsApp, Slack, and Microsoft Teams transformed the communications landscape. Along the way, we'll examine the founders' lessons hidden inside Skype's story: why being first isn't always enough, how success can make companies complacent, and what happens when market leaders stop evolving while customer expectations continue to change.

We Drove Rivian’s R2

Rivian Automotive has been losing a lot of money—around $3.6 billion in 2025 alone. That may soon change. Founder and CEO RJ Scaringe hopes that with the release of the R2, Rivian’s highly anticipated electric SUV, the company can drive toward profitability.     On this episode of One Smart Business Story, Inc. senior editor Rob Verger talks about his visit to Rivian’s factory, his test drive of the R2, and his candid conversation with Scaringe.