YouTube, just like all your friends during the pandemic, is getting into podcasts.

A new podcasts homepage is now available to US users, going live sans fanfare in late July. TechCrunch speculates YouTube is waiting for its creator event next month to make a formal announcement.

But YouTube also:

• Hired podcast exec Kai Chuk in 2021
• Offered podcasters and networks $50k-$300k to create videos
• Discussed audio ads and new analytics for audio-centric creators in a leaked document
• Partnered with NPR to bring on 20+ of its most popular shows

Why’s it matter?

While YouTube is often seen as a video-first platform, YouTube Music had 2B+ monthly users and 50m+ paid subs as of September 2021.

Though competitors including Spotify, Apple, and Amazon have made big moves in the space, a Cumulus Media analysis found YouTube is America’s most popular podcast platform, capturing 24.2% of listeners compared to Spotify’s 23.8% and Apple’s 16%.

What’s next?

In the most recent episode of Marketing Against The Grain, HubSpot’s own CMO Kipp Bodnar and SVP of marketing Kieran Flanagan argue that this makes YouTube subscribers the most valuable subscribers on the internet.

Their predictions:

• YouTube will make its background listening feature free for all users, potentially offering an ad-free version for subscribers.
• Podcasters will benefit from YouTube’s discovery platform and its ability to surface evergreen content by guest, host, and topic.
• YouTube will change podcasting, prompting hosts and marketers to move to a more visual format.

Listen to the full episode here.

In the world of academic endowments, Harvard is king. The university’s funds added a staggering $11.3B to its coffers between 2020 and 2021.

But the University of Texas is catching up, and analysts believe it might steal Harvard’s title when 2022 numbers are reported.

The University of Texas…

… has a secret weapon: land — specifically 2.1m acres in the Permian Basin. The university makes ~$6m a day leasing that land to oil drillers, per Bloomberg.

• This cashflow could help Texas’ endowment stay in the black while Harvard and others fall victim to the bear market.

Understandably, UT has faced criticism for its oil investments. Notably, the university also uses its west Texas land for wind and solar generation.

Harvard…

… is no stranger to criticism for its own investments. An op-ed in The Harvard Crimson accused the school of benefiting off the prison-industrial complex and unsustainable energy.

In 2021, Harvard said it would stop investing in fossil fuels. Soon, that decision could make it the second richest school.

… Recs to pair with your Friday Frappuccino, Saturday SunnyD, or Sunday Beard Beer.

ICYMI:

• Zack told the story of a man who orchestrated ~80% of all US bank robberies in the late 1800s — all while living a strange double life.
• Jacob broke down the lucrative rise of Corn Kid, the internet’s latest viral sensation, in just ~100 words.
• The blog squad wrote about how time boxing can help entrepreneurs up their productivity and take back their calendar.

Spot the fake:

• Starbucks employees were accused of kidnapping their boss after asking for a raise.
• Snoop Dogg just launched a cereal called Snoop Loopz.
• A streetwear company is turning defective sex toys into fashionable shoes.
• Peloton is harnessing the energy produced by its studio bikes to lower facility costs.

Boomer-owned businesses in the US account for over 2m companies, 24m employees, and $5T in sales.

And they’re retiring like crazy.

The recent Trends signal is all about business ideas built around this transfer of wealth, like:

• Business-for-sale platforms that help boomers sell their companies.
• Family legacy summits that teach them how to pass on family businesses.
• Buy-‘em-yourself methods inspired by several My First Million guests.

Industry signals like these are a fixture of the weekly Trends newsletter.

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🚢 On this day: In 1791, John Fitch was granted a patent for the steamboat, four years after demonstrating one on the Delaware River.

🍅 That’s interesting: How the ketchup war was won.

🍴 Useful: SideChef lets you choose recipes, then generates a shopping list that you can have delivered from your nearest Walmart.

🎮 That’s cool: The Museum of Mario is an interactive online experience that explores the eras of the popular video game character.

🏀 And now: Basketball… for rats.

1. “A lot of people have stung their eyes from opening them underwater after seeing people on TV do it flawlessly.”  SOURCE
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2. “A bee's stinger doesn't protect the bee in any way, yet it protects the species as a whole.”  SOURCE
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3. “Dairy Queen really doesn’t have enough dairy products to be considered the queen of dairy.”  SOURCE
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4. “McDonald’s French fries go from delicious to inedible in 10 mins then stay exactly the same for eternity.”  SOURCE
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5. “Eating junk food is so common that when someone starts eating healthy, it's instantly labeled as dieting.”  SOURCE
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