Becoming a 'digital vegan', free from the biggest names in the industry, is not as easy as you might think. Shubham Agarwal reflects on his journey into a lonely, lonely world without Big Tech. Read by Michael Satow.

The Hustle cuts through the noise, bringing you the best of business and tech news, with a bold and irreverent voice.

The Hustle

I tried a Big Tech diet. It didn’t go well

Straight from the pages of a romantic comedy, Jen Glatz turned her relentless bridesmaid duties into a lucrative career.  Katherine Laidlaw hears from the real-life bridesmaid for hire and learns about the intense dynamics of modern weddings which she helps her clients overcome. Read by Emily Woo Zeller.




The surreal life of a professional bridesmaid

The Super Bowl halftime show offers artists unparalleled exposure to a massive audience, generating significant media value and boosting their commercial ventures. Mark Dent reflects on why the halftime show has evolved into a coveted platform for artists to showcase their talent and expand their influence, shaping both their careers and the cultural landscape of the event. Read by Ron Butler.

Why the Super Bowl halftime show is the most important commercial on TV

Pantone's colour expert, Leatrice Eiseman, annually selects a single shade symbolizing the world, transforming it into a trendsetting celebrity colour. Katherine Laidlaw reflects on how her choices, magnified by the Color of the Year campaign's success, not only influence consumer purchases but also redefine Pantone's global perception. Read by Sharon McCune.

Who chooses the world’s Color of the Year?

In most countries, 37% of software sold is counterfeit, putting consumers at risk for malware and malfunctioning that could cost even more money—and their documents or photos. Olatunji Olaigbe reflects on why solving this problem may require reevaluating sales models to bridge the gap between affordability and security. Read by Malk Williams.

Why so much of the world runs on counterfeit software

How a 10-year-old girl changed the glow-in-the-dark market

From a sudden idea sparked in fading light to securing the patent for a luminescent backing sheet, Sara Friedman explores the extraordinary life of the youngest female inventor - Becky Shroeder.

How the youngest female inventor changed the glow-in-the-dark market

Do you remember the iconic troll doll? After taking the world by storm in the 60s and 90s, Zachary Crockett explores the original inventor's curious life. Here, he reveals why he only received a sliver of the proceeds for making one of the hottest toys of the 20th century.

How the inventor of the Troll doll missed out on a fortune

Why would he trade luxury for island isolation?

In the 1980s, David Glasheen was a multi-millionaire among the titans of Australian commerce. In this interview, Zachary Crockett discovers how he lost it all in the stock market crash and opted to live the life of a castaway in a tropical paradise.

The millionaire who lost it all and became a castaway

One cannot live on prayer alone.

Since the early 20th century, nuns across the United States have produced communion wafers to sustain living expenses and keep local churches stocked. However, one hundred years later, all that has changed. Mark Dent explores how the absence of the Benedictine Sisters in the wafer industry has resulted in a broader loss of religious life and culture.

How nuns got squeezed out of the communion wafer business

Was Charles Mitchell the scapegoat or the one to blame?

In 1929, disaster struck, and American stocks plummeted in a moment that signalled the beginning of the Great Depression. Mark Dent revisits the nearly forgotten story of Charles Mitchell, the wealthy stock broker that sparked this catastrophic financial meltdown. 

The banker who caused the 1929 stock crash 

He caused the dot-com bubble of the early 19th century.

Nearly 200 years ago, Gregor MacGregor pulled off one of the most brazen real estate scams in history. Mark Dent explores how a member of British high society, created a fake country, lured people to the Caribbean to settle there, and helped cause a nationwide financial crisis.

The con artist who sold rich investors a fake country

How do adult content creators get ahead of their competition? 

During the pandemic, OnlyFans saw a boom of people transforming their lives through adult content. But an influx of people means cutthroat competition and sex workers are turning to marketers to help grow their following. Zachary Crockett discovers how an emerging model of adult marketing is helping sex workers get to the top of their game.

The burgeoning business of OnlyFans consulting

How did independent producer secure the deal of a lifetime?

Cubby Broccoli managed to obtain a cut of the Bond rights in 1961. Since then, he made hundreds of millions from the franchise. Mark Dent reveals the events that lead to Bond being a lucrative family business over half a decade later.

The family business that owns a share of the $7B James Bond franchise

Reservations are needed up to eight months in advance.

Somewhat hidden in the California redwoods, a tiny mushroom-shaped dome continues to outperform millions of other Airbnb listings, not only in America but across the world. What's the secret? 

Zachary Crockett pays a visit to the mysterious establishment. He tells us all about what it's like to stay in the most desired spot on Airbnb, delving into the history of Katherine “Kitty” Mrache, the host with an equally interesting story as that of her coveted dome.

Inside the world’s most booked Airbnb

What could go wrong?

Satellites are set to grow by over 1,000% in the next decade. They might help us predict pandemics and save the planet. Caitlin Macleod explores how they are also raising concerns about surveillance and pollutions. She considers whether the law can go beyond the atmosphere to solve the problems raised by the rapid evolution of the technology.

How the explosive growth in satellites could impact life on Earth

He did more than thirty thousand paintings. Where are they?

The TV artist was one of history’s most prolific painters, yet next to no one has the boasting rights of owning a masterpiece from his wildly successful show. Zachary Crockett discovers why you’re not likely to find his work on the open market.

Why it’s nearly impossible to buy an original Bob Ross painting

How to retire in your 30s.

A growing number of young professionals are growing disillusioned with the prospect of a lifetime of work. Zachary Crockett explores how a growing number of young tech workers are speed-running the path to financial independence by living frugally and investing intelligently.

Meet the young professionals chasing an early retirement

Could you spot a fake vintage?

In the early noughties, Rudy Kurniawan quickly made a name for himself by sourcing and selling millions of dollars worth of extremely rare wines. But behind his extravagance was a dark and fraudulent secret. Zachary Crockett reveals how the unassuming young supertaster nearly pulled off the biggest wine fraud in US history.

The man who (almost) pulled off the biggest wine fraud in history

She found success in mistakes.

Her invention became one of the most popular office supplies of the 20th century. And yet today, she’s largely been forgotten. Zachary Crockett explores the inspirational life of Bette Nesmith Graham, the inventor of Liquid Paper. At a time when women were discouraged from pursuing business ventures, the single-mom from Texas used her product marketing talent to grow her business organically and retired a multimillionaire with an incredibly progressive workplace legacy.

The secretary who turned Liquid Paper into a multimillion-dollar business

A guide to the “new IPO”.

A special purpose acquisition company (or SPAC) is a "publicly traded shell company set up specifically to merge with, and take public a private company." Zachary Crockett provides a step by step breakdown of Wall Street’s hottest trend and examines whether they are worth the investment. 