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Acquired
Walmart
Acquired

Walmart

Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal 3h 2m 47 months ago
Every company has a story. Learn the playbooks that built the world’s greatest companies — and how you can apply them.
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Show Notes

We kick off Season 11 with the incredible story of the retail “granddaddy of them all” Walmart, and its founder Sam Walton. Once you study Walmart, you realize just how deep its heritage runs through Amazon and so many iconic modern companies we cover on Acquired. This episode was an absolute blast, and we even uncovered a new addendum to the hallowed “focus on what makes your beer taste better” playbook theme! 
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 Links:
 Walmart’s 1972 Annual Report
 Episode sources
 Carve Outs:
 Ted Weschler on the Nebraska Furniture Mart podcast!!!
 Mario Puzo’s The Godfather (the book)
‍ Note: Acquired hosts and guests may hold assets discussed in this episode. This podcast is not investment advice, and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any financial transactions.

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