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Podcast episodes

Check latest episodes from Good Bad Billionaire podcast

Peggy Cherng: Engineering a fast-food fortune

2026/02/09

Peggy Cherng never set out to work in fast food, but her engineering mindset transformed how millions of Americans eat. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack trace Peggy Cherng’s journey: from electrical engineering and simulating battlefields, to co-founding Panda Express with her husband Andrew and becoming a billionaire. By applying data and rigorous standardisation, Peggy Cherng helped turn a single mall food-court experiment into the largest Chinese fast-food chain in the USA, with their orange chicken becoming a cultural staple. Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast that explores the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics, and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility. Simon and Zing put their subjects to the test with a playful, totally unscientific scorecard — then hand the verdict over to you: are they good, bad, or simply billionaires? Here's how to contact the team: email [email protected] or send a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176. Find out more about the show and read our privacy notice at www.bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire

Ben Francis: UK’s youngest billionaire

2026/02/02

How Ben Francis went from pizza delivery boy to the UK’s youngest billionaire, by founding sportswear brand Gymshark. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng explore Ben Francis' remarkable rise: from sewing gym vests in his parents’ garage, to innovating in influencer culture. In Gymshark, Ben Francis created one of the fastest growing fitness brands in the world, with the ambition to take on athleisurewear giants like Nike and Adidas. Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast that explores the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics, and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility. Simon and Zing put their subjects to the test with a playful, totally unscientific scorecard — then hand the verdict over to you: are they good, bad, or simply billionaires? Here's how to contact the team: email [email protected] or send a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176. Find out more about the show and read our privacy notice at www.bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire

Lucy Guo: The woman training AI

2026/01/26

She skateboards to work, has a skydiving license, and was the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC Business Editor Simon Jack tell the story of Lucy Guo and trace her trajectory to becoming one of the tech titans. From dropping out of college to join Peter Thiel’s Fellowship, to couch-surfing as a millionaire, they follow Lucy Guo's journey to found Scale AI, a company that trains artificial intelligence for giants like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google, and Microsoft. Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast that explores the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics, and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility. Simon and Zing put their subjects to the test with a playful, totally unscientific scorecard — then hand the verdict over to you: are they good, bad, or simply billionaires? Here's how to contact the team: email [email protected] or send a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176. Find out more about the show and read our privacy notice at www.bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire

Elon Musk: You decide!

2026/01/23

It’s time to hear what you, our listeners, think of Elon Musk. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack read your feedback to our Elon Musk episode: do you think he’s good, bad, or just another billionaire? Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast that explores the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics, and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility. Simon and Zing put their subjects to the test with a playful, totally unscientific scorecard — then hand the verdict over to you: are they good, bad, or simply billionaires? Here's how to contact the team: email [email protected] or send a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176. Find out more about the show and read our privacy notice at www.bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire

David Geffen: The Hollywood power broker

2026/01/19

David Geffen is the money man behind Crosby, Stills and Nash, Guns N' Roses, Cher, Shrek, Gladiator, and even Cats the musical. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack tell the remarkable story of the Brooklyn boy who conquered Hollywood and became an entertainment mogul. From starting in a New York agency mailroom to the heart of Laurel Canyon’s hippie-rock scene, David Geffen rubbed shoulders with almost every major cultural figure of the 20th century. Joni Mitchel wrote a song about him, and Cher dated him. Then he moved from the music industry to movies, founding DreamWorks with Steven Spielberg and building one of the world’s most valuable art collections. Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast that explores the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility. Simon and Zing put their subjects to the test with a playful, totally unscientific scorecard — then hand the verdict over to you: are they good, bad, or simply billionaires? Here's how to contact the team: email [email protected] or send a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176. Find out more about the show and read our privacy notice at www.bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire

Sara Blakely: Shaping the world with Spanx

2026/01/12

Sara Blakely grew up in Florida and dreamed of becoming a lawyer, but after failing the LSAT twice, she pivoted to sales and later entrepreneurship. Frustrated by uncomfortable hosiery, Blakely cut the feet off her tights and sparked an idea that would change fashion. With no formal business training, she cold-called hosiery mills and landed her first big break with Neiman Marcus, then with the Oprah Winfrey show. Spanx went from a scrappy startup to a billion-dollar brand that reshaped celebrity style and became a cultural phenomenon. Journalists Zing Tsjeng and Simon Jack trace Sara Blakely's journey from selling fax machines to building Spanx into a global empire. They explore how she leveraged persistence, marketing, and risk-taking to disrupt an industry dominated by men - and what her story reveals about innovation, branding, and entrepreneurship. Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast from the BBC World Service that explores the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics and success. There are business leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility. Simon and Zing put their subjects to the test with a playful, totally unscientific scorecard — then hand the verdict over to you: are they good, bad, or simply billionaires? To contact the team, email [email protected] or send a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176. Find out more about the show and read our privacy notice at www.bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire

Guy Laliberté: Cirque du Soleil’s clown turned CEO

2026/01/05

Guy Laliberté went from busking on the streets of Quebec to entertaining Hollywood celebrities and wearing a clown nose on the International Space Station. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng tell the story of the Cirque du Soleil founder, and how he turned his passion for parties into a billion-dollar entertainment empire. Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast that explores the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility. Simon and Zing put their subjects to the test with a playful, totally unscientific scorecard — then hand the verdict over to you: are they good, bad, or simply billionaires? To contact the team, email [email protected] or send a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176. Find out more about the show and read our privacy notice at www.bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire

Elon Musk: Money, memes and Mars

2025/12/08

Elon Musk’s extraordinary rise, from a troubled childhood in apartheid-era South Africa to becoming the first person to amass half a trillion dollars. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng chart Elon Musk's journey to becoming a multi-billionaire entrepreneur: from tech giant PayPal, to revolutionising electric cars at Tesla, and launching rockets at SpaceX. But becoming the richest person in the world comes with plenty of boardroom drama and controversy. Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast that explores the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility. Simon and Zing put their subjects to the test with a playful, totally unscientific scorecard — then hand the verdict over to you: are they good, bad, or simply billionaires? We're taking a break over the next few weeks but we'll be back in the New Year with a host of new billionaires. You can still contact the team: email [email protected] or send a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176. Find out more about the show and read our privacy notice at www.bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire

Luciano Benetton: Famous fashion to cultural controversy

2025/12/01

Luciano Benetton rose from poverty in postwar Italy to found a chain of 7,000 high street fashion stores and create some of the most controversial advertising campaigns in history, becoming a billionaire along the way. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack discover how it all started for Luciano Benetton with a yellow sweater knitted by his sister, on a journey that takes in Benito Mussolini, Dolce Vita, Formula One, and Princess Diana. But Benetton wasn’t just about fashion; with photographer Oliviero Toscani, the entrepreneur launched a series of highly controversial ad campaigns that tackled race, religion, AIDS, and the death penalty, that made the fashion brand infamous. Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast that explores the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels billionaire stories of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility to explore how they achieved financial success, before asking the audience to decide if they are good, bad, or just billionaires. Some of the people we've featured previously on Good Bad Billionaire include Tyler Perry, Evan Spiegel, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Henry Ford, LeBron James, Selena Gomez and Martha Stewart. Every episode is available to listen wherever you get your BBC podcasts. To contact the team, email [email protected] or send a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176. Find out more about the show and read our privacy notice at www.bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire

Tyler Perry: Homeless to Hollywood entrepreneur

2025/11/24

From a childhood marked by abuse and trauma, Tyler Perry worked whatever jobs he could to fund his self-written and produced play for six years: sometimes performing to an audience of just one. But then success literally came calling for the future billionaire, and kick-started his rise in showbiz. Journalists Zing Tsjeng and Simon Jack explore how Tyler Perry’s faith, relentless work ethic, and deep understanding of his audience helped him defy critics and reshape Black entertainment. From the creation of his iconic Madea character to founding Tyler Perry Studios, the first Black-owned major film studio in the US, his story reflects the power of ownership and knowing your audience. As his friend and mentor Oprah Winfrey advised him, Perry made it his mission to "write his own cheques" and remain "fully in control". Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast that explores the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility, before asking the audience to decide if they are good, bad, or just billionaires. To contact the team, email [email protected] or send a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176. Find out more about the show and read our privacy notice at www.bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire

Lakshmi Mittal: King of steel

2025/11/17

Lakshmi Mittal grew up in Kolkata, where he gained early experience in his father’s steel business before founding his own steel mill in Indonesia in his twenties. By adopting mini-mill technology and electric arc furnaces, Lakshmi Mittal produced steel more efficiently than traditional methods and began acquiring underperforming state-owned mills around the world, setting him on his path to becoming a billionaire. Journalists Zing Tsjeng and Simon Jack trace his journey of entrepreneurship from one mill in Indonesia to leading ArcelorMittal, the world’s largest steelmaker. They explore how Lakshmi Mittal navigated a split from the family business, executed bold global acquisitions, and reshaped a fragmented industry into a profitable, consolidated powerhouse. Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast that explores the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics and success. There are business leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility, before asking the audience to decide if they are good, bad, or just billionaires. To contact the team, email [email protected] or send a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176. Find out more about the show and read our privacy notice at www.bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire

Michael O’Leary: Ryanair’s cost-cutting king

2025/11/10

How Michael O’Leary, the outspoken CEO of Ryanair, turned a struggling regional airline into a €28 billion powerhouse by relentlessly cutting costs and embracing controversy. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng uncover how O’Leary - who neither founded Ryanair nor intended to work in aviation - redefined the airline industry. Through radical cost-cutting, lightning-fast plane turnarounds, and headline-grabbing stunts, he transformed the company into a disruptive, ultra-low-cost giant. From his early ventures to his rise as the face of budget flying, this episode charts how his bold tactics reshaped how millions travel across Europe. Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast that explores the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility, before asking the audience to decide if they are good, bad, or just billionaires.

Diane Hendricks: Building a fortune

2025/11/03

Diane Hendricks rose from a teenage mother on a Wisconsin dairy farm to become America’s richest self-made woman, building a $22 billion fortune through roofing giant ABC Supply. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng trace her journey from selling homes to leading the largest roofing supplies company in the US. From renovating properties to reshaping her hometown of Beloit, Hendricks’ story is one of grit, ambition, and political influence. Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast that explores the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility, before asking the audience to decide if they are good, bad, or just billionaires.

John Fredriksen: Tanker king

2025/10/27

Norwegian shipping magnate John Fredriksen once owned the world’s largest fleet of oil tankers. He made billions shipping goods round the globe and was unafraid of high-risk deals. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng explain how Fredriksen began as a ship broker, then dabbled in oil trading, before entering the most profitable part of the oil trade – ship owning. Once known for rowdy parties and sending his ships into war zones, he reformed his reputation after an oil spill made him pioneer improved industry safety standards. Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast that explores the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility, before asking the audience to decide if they are good, bad, or just billionaires. To contact the team, email [email protected] or send a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176. Find out more about the show and read our privacy notice at www.bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire

Evan Spiegel: Snapchat fratboy

2025/10/20

Snapchat co-founder Evan Spiegel dropped out of Stanford Business School when the disappearing messages app made him a millionaire. Four years later, he was named the world’s youngest billionaire at 25. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng tell Spiegel’s story, from shy schoolboy to partying teen, to tech titan, all in just a few years. Spiegel formed Snapchat with a fraternity buddy and their app soon spread around the world, but old emails and a lawsuit caused controversy. Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast that explores the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility, before asking the audience to decide if they are good, bad, or just billionaires. To contact the team, email [email protected] or send a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176. Find out more about the show and read our privacy notice at www.bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire

Downtown LR 2025/07/28

Costco

The Sam Walton story incorrectly states that they bought Costco.

Littleworldcunningly 2025/11/28

There are no good billionaires

Every billionaire represents the disenfranchisement of all working people. No matter how much they make a performance of altruism, they are still the ...

Vandetta_37 2025/11/14

a title

So good!!!!!!

CanadaGooseGoose 2025/10/06

Affable hosts

Interesting stories - great format!

CuriousPal 2025/07/28

ABSOLUTE CINEMA

This is a great podcast they really gives me a great in depth scope on each of these people. This is one of my favorite podcasts. I try to savor it ov...

Saksham Shinde 2025/04/14

Just watched ep 1

Must watch

Jmmillett 2025/03/19

Honest, Informative, Entertaining

I’ve listened to Good Bad Billionaire since the beginning and find it gets better and better each season. Simon and Zing’s individual self confidenc...

(Mario500) 2025/04/12

A Review of "Good Bad Billionaire"

I had found certain parts of this "Good Bad Billionaire" to had been vulgar (or profane), unnecessary, negative, disgusting, and detrimental (especial...

Taidie Bumps 2025/01/25

Claire

I enjoy your presentation very much on this podcast / some episodes better than others but that is measured by my interest in the person you are speak...

תקקון 2025/01/14

Good idea…but

I think this is a good idea for a podcast but I think that it might run the risk of exposing or highlighting the worldview or political persuasion of ...

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