👂 Acquired is the kind of business podcast that’s actually fun to listen to — even when episodes can run for hours. Hosted by business history enthusiasts Ben Gilbert And David Rosenthal, the podcast sees the dynamic duo dissect the origins behind some of the world’s most prominent legacy brands, leaving no factual stone unturned.

What delivers: Despite the — if we may — absurd runtimes, Gilbert and Rosenthal cut through the fluff, with every kernel of information shared throughout the episodes proving necessary to the narrative. It’s not just surface-level history these folks are relaying, it’s hours of strenuous, visible research that shows how the business sphere’s biggest players got where they are today, delivered with passion, precision, and practicality — essentially offering indispensable advice for today’s — and tomorrow’s — entrepreneurs.

The episode you need to listen to: The Rolex episode. Originally published in February 2025, this episode has since proven itself the podcast’s crowning achievement (and its longest listen too, at a whopping five hours). Throughout its runtime, Gilbert and Rosenthal offer not just the history of Rolex and its founder Hans Wilsdorf, but discuss how the Rolex founder made lemonade out of World War I lemons, leading the wristwatch revolution.

The episode is a goldmine of business lessons and a trove of historical tidbits. The hosts go through the history of watchmaking, dissect Wilsdorf’s memoirs, and analyze the impact of sociopolitical change on consumer needs. Perhaps most prominently, it explains how a business that sells an insurmountable amount of units can still be one of the world’s prime markers of luxury.

Our only qualm? We’d have liked the five-hour listen to be divided into several parts for easy listening and reference. Otherwise, Acquired checks all the boxes of what an excellent podcast should be — proving itself one you shouldn’t miss out on.

WHERE TO LISTEN- You can tune in on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Anghami | YouTube.

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