Howzat? 3.9 / 6

Let’s start with the elephant in the sound-proofed room: although the release cadence of Acquired is monthly, this podcast is over 4 hours long. 4 BLOODY HOURS! That’s the same time as it takes to drive from London to Yorkshire, or, if you want to be more scientific, how long it takes Jimmy Carr to get dressed.* 

As you can imagine from the title, this is a show that aims to – in their words – “tell the stories and strategies of great companies”. Hosts Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal are actually two lovable guys who look like the love children of snowboarder Shaun White and Apple founder Steve Jobs. Tonally, they sound like Big Bird, layered with a verve that only Americans can offer. 

The format of the show is simplicity itself: Ben and David chat through the history of a noted company like two old friends who haven’t seen each other in a while. But that’s it, and if that’s all you’re after, you’ll like Acquired.  

But if you’re looking for a premium podcast, this isn’t a patch on How I Built This from Guy Raz, who will interview a business guru and craft a story with great sound design. However, this is a solid offering nevertheless and it offers some (very) well researched insights – for example, did you know that Bill Gates didn’t grow up in the “projects” but actually comes from a privileged and monied background? I know, right?! 

Sarcasm aside, Acquired is a useful (and free, don’t forget) tool for those who want to learn life and business lessons from the best in business. And the list of commendations come from some impressive names too (Daniel Ek, Dan Shapero, Garry Tan, etc). The story of Bill Gates and Microsoft is no exception. 

However, it ultimately lacks a bit of texture. You can imagine listening to this on a long (British) / short (American) road trip and being content for the duration… although there are no guarantees that you’d remember all of it. It’s the kind of thing I would put on to go to sleep – which isn’t necessarily a criticism. It’s testament to the consistency and nature of their presentation style and the great balance they achieve between the two voices over the course of this mammoth episode. 

GF

*conjecture.