The untold stories behind the products you’re obsessed with and the bold risk-takers who made them go viral. How did Birkenstocks go from a German cobbler’s passion project 250 years ago to a starring role in the Barbie movie? Who created that bottle of Sriracha permanently living in your fridge? Did you know the Air Jordans were initially banned by the NBA, or that Super Mario became the best-selling video game character ever thanks to a strategy called “The Infinite Game?” On Wondery’s new weekly podcast The Best Idea Yet, Nick Martell and Jack Crivici-Kramer (hosts of the award-winning daily pop-business podcast, The Best One Yet aka TBOY) have identified the most viral products of all time and reveal their untold origin stories — plus the bold risk-takers who brought them to life. From the Happy Meal to Levi’s 501 jeans, come for the products you’re obsessed with, stay for the business insights that’ll make you the most interesting person at your next brunch.

Follow The Best Idea Yet on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free on Wondery+. Wondery.fm/TBIY_IP

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Failure is often seen as something negative, but it’s not always a bad thing. When one door closes, another opens. Or, if you’re like television and film producer Nina Jacobson, you make your own door, so to speak. Jacobson’s credits include The Hunger Games and Crazy Rich Asians. But she was also fired as a Walt Disney Company studio exec more than a decade ago. In this episode, Jacobson will talk about what she learned from her own failures to become the success she is today.

Then, Liz and Rico give will give some advice to listener Nicole, who’s trying to juggle her new role as a “middle manager.” In other words, she’s managing others while working under her own boss. We’ll also hear from listener Dustin, who feels out of place among his more privileged colleagues.

And in this week’s Mind the Gap segment, Liz and Rico will tackle hypothetical workplace situations, like whether you should stick your hand in that communal candy bowl on your colleague’s desk.

As always, if you've got a burning workplace question and need some advice, don't hesitate to send us an email (that email, unsurprisingly, is also Safe@Wondery.com). You can also find us on Twitter, we’re @SafeFor Work. Don't forget to follow our sage hosts on Twitter, too; they're @SSLiz and @RicoGagliano. And if you want to check out Liz’s other show, Satellite Sisters, you can find it on Apple Podcasts or Art19.

To hear more episodes, listen exclusively with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for this and more exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App. https://wondery.app.link/mT4GXWxqdab

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The perpetual battle between time spent at work vs. home can be heart-wrenching. But if your kid is asking for an appointment to get a hug, Coach Larry joins us with some thoughts on how to change that. In this episode, Larry will parse the challenges men and women face to find time for family, the importance of your phone’s “Do Not Disturb” function and how to carve out a personal life (or even [gasp] a vacation!) without feeling like you’ve left your colleagues hanging.

Then, Liz and Rico help returning listener Gilbert, who’s been given a bait-and-switch after accepting a new position. And listener Gabriel calls in about whether to put BDSM event planning and training gigs on his otherwise orthodox resume.

And in today’s Bad Advice segment, we give our take on whether sending emails at night should be off-limits.

As always, if you've got a burning workplace question and need some advice, don't hesitate to send us an email (that email, unsurprisingly, is also Safe@Wondery.com). You can also find us on Twitter, we’re @SafeFor Work, and don't forget to follow our sage hosts on Twitter, too; they're @SSLiz and @RicoGagliano. And if you want to check out Liz’s other show, Satellite Sisters, you can find it on Apple Podcasts or Art19.

To hear more episodes, listen exclusively with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for this and more exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App. https://wondery.app.link/mT4GXWxqdab

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.