Best Stephen Semple and David Young Podcasts (2025)

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#235: The Home Depot – Inspired by Wal-Mart 20:24

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12h ago20:24

20:24

When two employees of Handy Dan hardware store gave this idea to management, they got fired! So, they started Home Depot. Someone’s kicking themselves now! Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a market…

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#234: Ebay – Not That Kind of Auction 23:09

7d ago23:09

23:09

From negotiating on the phone for some art to generating 10 Billion dollars a year, Pierre Omidyar built an empire out of other peoples stuff. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brand. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant…

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#233: Lowes – From Hardware to Home Repair 19:29

14d ago19:29

19:29

Lucious Lowe never saw his empire, but his son and son-in-law figured out how to give the customer what they needed. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and st…

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#232: Amazon – 8,000 Orders a Minute 21:20

21d ago21:20

21:20

From Jeffy’s Online Books to everything from A to Z, Amazon.com is an empire amongst empires. Bezos created something remarkable. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story coll…

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#231: Lily’s Sweets – Sweeter Than Sugar 20:36

28d ago20:36

20:36

Cynthia Tice started Lily’s Sweets at the age of 60 and sold it to Hersey’s 11 years later for $400 Million. Wow! Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and story…

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#230: French Florist (Part 2) – In The Business of Love 22:54

1M ago22:54

22:54

Stephen Continues his discussion with Michael Jacobson about how he help save and ultimately revive his uncle’s business. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, a…

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#229: French Florist (Part 1) – From Failing to Flourishing 26:45

1M ago26:45

26:45

Michael Jacobson wanted to help his uncle sell his flower shop, but now it is growing like a weed. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and storyteller. I’m Ste…

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#228: Saving Lego – The Amazing Turnaround 18:38

2M ago18:38

18:38

From almost going out of business in 2000 to becoming the biggest toy manufacturer in the world. This is an empire! Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector and stor…

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#227: AOL – You’ve Got Mail 24:20

2M ago24:20

24:20

Did you know that at it’s peak America On Line was responsible for 50% of all Compact Disc production in America? Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Simple is a marketing consultant, story collector and storyt…

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#226: 7-Eleven – The World’s Biggest 24:30

2M ago24:30

24:30

Joe Thompson saw the future shifting with the invention of the refrigerator. So with innovation after innovation we now have convenience stores. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consult…

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#225: Movie Concessions – Let’s All Go To The Lobby 20:26

2M ago20:26

20:26

Joseph Blumenthal, Jack Beresin and Milton Holloway, all kind of came together to make movie concessions happen. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector and storyte…

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#224: Power Rangers – Japan Meets America 18:17

3M ago18:17

18:17

Haim Saban is a Billionaire and it all started with a trip to Japan and only one thing on TV. Way to Go Go Power Rangers. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, a…

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#223: Untuckit – Shirt. Problem. Solved. 20:45

3M ago20:45

20:45

Chris Ricobono walked into garment makers all over the fashion district in New York and no one would make an off spec shirt for him. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story c…

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#222: Avis – They Try Harder… 15:23

3M ago15:23

15:23

Avis found a loophole for selling used cars at whatever price he wanted. This became the norm for all rental companies. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and…

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#221: Hertz – 10 Years After The Model “T” 18:11

3M ago18:11

18:11

Walter Jacobs was an automotive geek. From the assembly line to owning a Ford dealership to Rental Car King. Walter built and Empire. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast. Teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Simple is a marketing consultant, story …

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#220: LeNoble Lumber (con’t) – 3 Generations Strong 22:53

4M ago22:53

22:53

LeNoble has prided itself, since generation #1, that because it is hard to do, it has to get done. Then mastered the how… Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Simple is a marketing consultant, story collector an…

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#219: LeNoble Lumber – 3 Generations Strong 24:02

4M ago24:02

24:02

Jessica, Dan and Ben took on the responsibility of the family business and are driving it into the future. Three more generations please. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, st…

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#218: Frappuccino – Not A Brand??? 18:57

4M ago18:57

18:57

Starbucks was having a students going home issue and needed to keep selling coffee, so they copied and perfected as Seattle treat. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story col…

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#217: Sesame Street – Breaking Boundries 18:39

4M ago18:39

18:39

Using TV addiction to educate children. Sesame Street broke boundries and changed rules to bring education to every child. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, …

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#216: Oliva Gibbs Law – Part 2 24:19

4M ago24:19

24:19

Zach Oliva truly understands commitment and dedication to growing something you believe in. He practices active recommitting to stay on goal. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant…

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#215: Oliva Gibbs Law – Part 1 21:52

5M ago21:52

21:52

Zach Oliva had just graduated from law school when Ohio discover a huge natural gas shale. Well, he went digging where no other lawyers were… Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant…

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#214: Mr. Coffee – So Easy a Man Can Do It 19:19

5M ago19:19

19:19

Vince Marrotta realized that the percolated coffee at home was not as good as the coffee at restaurants. Mr. Coffee is how he fixed that. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Simple is a marketing consultant, st…

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#213: Folgers – The Best Part of Waking Up 17:48

5M ago17:48

17:48

From a horrible caffeine delivery system, Jim Folger takes a huge interest in making coffee better and we thank him for it. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector,…

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#212: Red Bull – Powerful Branding Works 19:30

5M ago19:30

19:30

Red Bull has used the same marketing for 20 years. This is the power of a well thought out brand that stays the course. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector and …

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#211: Alienware – Computing Power Empire 21:47

6M ago21:47

21:47

Synonymous with gaming Alienware rode the wave of easy to use and beautiful gaming computers. Now they are the G.O.A.T. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and…

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#210: Tesla – Changing the Auto Industry 13:37

6M ago13:37

13:37

Instead of talking like all the others about EVs being environmentally friendly, Tesla made a sure everyone knew just how exciting driving one was. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing cons…

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#209: Hexclad – From Auditions to Non-Stick 25:41

6M ago25:41

25:41

What would you do if you were a starving actor that just lost his last orange? Start a cookware Company of course. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and stor…

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#208: 4 Years of Learning – What this Podcast Has Taught Us 16:05

6M ago16:05

16:05

You don’t create 4 years of podcasts and walk away without some insights. Dave and Stephen talk about what they have learned so far on The Empire Builders Podcast. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is …

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#207: Dr. Gross Skincare – Yes, A Real Doctor 17:26

7M ago17:26

17:26

Dr. Dennis met Carrie in the elevator and they would make fun of how skincare products had no real value to them. Then they changed that. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, st…

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#206: Transformers – More Than Meets The Eye 18:08

7M ago18:08

18:08

Tonka needed something to get them out of a $10,000,000 hole. The needed to transform their situation. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Simple is a marketing consultant, story collector and storyteller. I’m …

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#205: Specialized Bikes – Staying Ahead of the Trends 23:19

7M ago23:19

23:19

Mike Sinyard dropped out of school at 16, toured Europe on a bike and became the Specialist no one knew they needed. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector and sto…

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#204: Levis – Did NOT Invent Denim 20:33

7M ago20:33

20:33

Levi help Jacob patent the famous rivet on the Levis jeans that make the pockets so durable. That is how Levis starts to build the empire. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Simple is a marketing consultant, s…

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#203: Parker Brothers – Their Monopoly Story 15:47

7M ago15:47

15:47

Making games better and getting them into the world seems like the thing to do when your dad passes and you need money. Sounds like Monopoly. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant…

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#202: Sour Patch Kids – Gummy Bears Meet Cabbage Patch Kids 15:44

8M ago15:44

15:44

Sour Patch Kids were the result of paying attention to the industry and the wants and delights of the world at large. And delivering what the people wanted. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marke…

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#201: Cabela’s – From Furniture to Fishing Flies 23:34

8M ago23:34

23:34

1000 fishing flies and an ad that failed turned a furniture store family into a sporting goods store empire. Way to go Cabela’s. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story colle…

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#200: Happy Meal – 35 Billion Served 19:44

8M ago19:44

19:44

Because of the Happy Meal McDonalds is the world’s largest toy distributor. Larger than Hasbro or Mattel. This is an Empire! Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector…

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#199: Supergoop – A Cancer Scare Jumpstarts An Empire 24:48

8M ago24:48

24:48

When a family friend is diagnosed with skin cancer, Holly Thaggard polls a bunch a skin care chemists and comes up with the Unseen Sunscreen. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant…

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#198: Wizard Academy – Magical Communication 21:29

9M ago21:29

21:29

From writing a regular article in Radio Ink magazine to a weekly outbound memo to free clinics, Roy H. Williams created a marketing school like no other. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketin…

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#197: James Bond – Shaken Not Stirred 22:18

9M ago22:18

22:18

A feeling of authenticity is what really brought 007 to life and the Broccoli family brought it to the screen. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and storytel…

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#196: Swatch – Saving the Swiss Watch Makers 22:39

9M ago22:39

22:39

Japan’s digital watches massively disrupted the Swiss watch market. So, an entry level fashion watch is created to save the day. Swatch! Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, sto…

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#195: PEZ – Part 2 – From Loophole to Pez Outlaw 13:17

9M ago13:17

13:17

How Steve Glue made 4 Million giving the people what they wanted by beating the system; and how Pez ran him out of the business. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story colle…

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#194: Pez – Part 1 – The Mint that Became a Collectable 17:00

10M ago17:00

17:00

What do you do when you think cigarette smoke is disgusting and you are a bit of a germaphobe? Create a collectable candy empire, of course. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant,…

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#193: Jacuzzi – Propellers to Propellers 18:51

10M ago18:51

18:51

The Jacuzzi Seven were obsessed with flight and engineered better propellers. What is the difference between propellers of air or water??? Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, s…

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#192: Polaroid – Instant Idea, Instant Pic, Instant Empire 24:16

10M ago24:16

24:16

What happens when you are in the polarization film business and your daughter asks why she can’t see the picture right away? You invent Polaroid. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consul…

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#191: Three Levels of Trust – From Surface to Deep 23:09

10M ago23:09

23:09

Stephen has been studying and learning how to use and explain trust for Organizations. Let’s just say, you need to get vulnerable for this one. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consulta…

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#190: Care & Repair – A True Empire Building Story 29:01

11M ago29:01

29:01

Sergei Kaminskiy started his empire by taking jobs that he didn’t know how to do and then hiring a professional to learn from. Wow. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story co…

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#189: Birkenstock – Went Public At 7 Billion 18:21

11M ago18:21

18:21

You know you have a great idea when you start having competitors copy you. Well, Dr. Scholl’s copied the foot bed from Birkenstock. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story co…

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#188: Walmart – Big Dreams for Small Towns 17:55

11M ago17:55

17:55

Sam Walton left JC Penny and realized that people in rural America had to travel to shop in department stores. He changed all that. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story co…

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#187: Willy Wonka – More Than A Movie! 15:50

11M ago15:50

15:50

Stephen and Dave stroll down memory lane to discover just how the Willy Wonka bar came to be. Dave was a little disappointed. But you won’t be. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consulta…

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#186: Rolex – How To Promote a Premium Brand 21:02

11M ago21:02

21:02

Affinity marketing at it’s very, very finest. Rolex has made Mariners, Aviators, Drivers, etc, seek out and own a luxury time piece. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story c…

Stephen Semple And David Young Podcasts