This is Matt Reustle. Today, we break down Winmark, a major player in the reseller economy. You're likely familiar with some of Winmark’s brands, like Plato's Closet or Play It Again Sports. Altogether, Winmark operates five brands through a franchising model.  Our guest to break down Winmark is the current CEO, Brett Heffes. During our conversation, we discuss the broader reseller economy, the dynamics of managing those brands and different franchise brands, and how Winmark thinks about growth. In the back half of the conversation, I also made sure to talk to Brett about his thoughts on ..read more

This is Matt Reustle. We are back in the world of aviation today, breaking down Embraer. Embraer has carved out an interesting niche, manufacturing regional jets, business jets, and military aircrafts. Our guest is Richard Aboulafia, Managing Director at AeroDynamic Advisory and long-time aviation analyst and consultant. We break down how this aviation success story grew out of Brazil, the evolution of the regional jet market, the business jet market, & tap into military aircrafts, and, of course, we cover the opportunity presented by Boeing today. Please enjoy this breakdown of Embraer ..read more

Today we’re replaying our Breakdown on Boeing, hosted by Zack Fuss. We recorded the episode in September before the mid-air blowout on a Boeing 737 operated by Alaska Airlines and the subsequent management changes, but it serves as a useful overview of the commercial airline industry writ large, how we got here, and what the future might look like. It also pairs well with the breakdown we’re releasing next about Brazilian-based airplane manufacturer Embraer. So look out for that, and in the meantime, enjoy this episode on Boeing. For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best cont ..read more

This is Matt Reustle. Today we are breaking down Duolingo, the learning app built on language learning that is increasingly expanding into other territories like math and music. Founder Luis von Ahn is constantly looking for ways to make this accessible and free to use for people all around the world while simultaneously finding reasonable ways to monetize and create a profitable, longer-term business. Duolingo has adjusted its business model over time to ensure that this can happen. My guest is Thaiha Nguyen from Baillie Gifford. You should assume that most of our guests own the businesses th ..read more

This is Zack Fuss. Today we are breaking down the Mitsubishi Corporation. In Japan, the business model of a trading company is prominent. The big five trading companies caught the attention of global investors in 2020, when Berkshire Hathaway disclosed a major stake in all of them: Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Itochu, Marubeni, and Sumitomo. Today's Berkshire stake is nearly 10%.   I'm joined by Krishna Mohanraj, a Portfolio Manager at Diamond Hill Capital Management. In this episode, we discuss how the rich history of trading houses is steeped in Japanese culture and how each differs fr ..read more

Today, we are breaking down a giant in the medical device space, Intuitive Surgical. Intuitive creates robotic products to assist minimally invasive surgeries. Its Da Vinci system is a pioneer in this area as it increases the efficiency & accuracy of surgery and reduces the burden on the surgeons themselves. To break down Intuitive, I'm joined by Joseph Thomas, equity analyst at the global asset manager, Ninety One. Joe walks us through the history of surgical procedures, the emergence of robotics & surgery, and how Intuitive has emerged as the winner in this space. Please enjoy this b ..read more

This is Matt Reustle. Today we are releasing a bonus episode of Breakdowns. While we typically love to cover businesses, this was an interesting opportunity to cover a special situation around a business. And in this case, the FTX bankruptcy.  I was joined by Erin Broderick, Head of U.S. Cross-Border Restructuring & Insolvency at Eversheds Sutherland. Erin represents the Ad Hoc Committee of Non-U.S. customers for FTX, giving her a front-row and hands-on seat to everything that's unfolded at FTX since they entered Chapter 11 in November of 2022. We cover the basics around bankruptcy pr ..read more

This is Matt Reustle. Today, we are going into the land of oil and gas to break down CNX. The history of CNX dates back over 150 years. When it comes to energy production, the company's evolution has been very comparable to that of the United States.  Our guest today is James Wilson, manager of The Huginn Fund at Phoenix Asset Management. We discuss the CNX backstory and how it took its coal roots to build this massive natural gas business. We also cover what differentiates CNX's management team and operational strategy relative to Exploration & Production (E&P) peers. Please enjo ..read more

This is Matt Reustle. Today, we are breaking down Vulcan Materials. Vulcan is America's largest producer of construction aggregates. This includes all of the crushed rock, sand, and gravel, which gets used for the foundation of nearly everything around us. Think of all of the buildings, the roads, and the infrastructure that define the physical footprint of America. To break down Vulcan, I am joined by Rob Hansen, Senior Analyst at Vontobel Asset Management. Rob shares what makes this relatively simple business so successful. We get into the dynamics of operating quarries, the logistics of mov ..read more

This is Matt Reustle. Today we are breaking down HEICO. HEICO is an aerospace business, most notably operating in the aircraft parts and repairs market. This is another case study of a very successful business in a nonobvious niche market. To break down HEICO, I am joined by Eric Ruden, an analyst at Ironvine Capital. We cover the fascinating story of the Mendelson family and how they've built HEICO into what it is today. And if you haven't listened to the 50X Podcast on TransDigm, it makes for an excellent pairing with this HEICO breakdown. So please enjoy this breakdown on HEICO. Pair with ..read more