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Explore every episode of the podcast Crack It In An Hour

Dive into the complete episode list for Crack It In An Hour. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

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TitlePub. DateDuration
Can people aspire to less? — ft. Biff Butler25 Aug 202601:02:13

This week on Crack It in an Hour, special guest, and friend of the pod Biff Butler brings Simon, Maria, and Jesse a hefty question: how do we get people to aspire to less?

In a culture built around bigger, better, faster, and more, what would it actually look like to find enough? The team explores how social comparison, consumerism, convenience, and even the way we spend money have shaped what we think we need—and whether a little more friction could help us appreciate what we already have.

From vinyl and movie theaters to digital payments, hustle culture, and the dopamine of constant consumption, they unpack the difference between aspiration that brings fulfillment and aspiration that simply keeps us wanting more.

So… can we learn to want less without giving up the things that make life exciting?

Did they crack it in an hour? Check it out.

How do we get more people to thrift?18 Aug 202601:04:34

This week on Crack It in an Hour, Romain brings a deceptively simple question: how do we get more people to go thrifting? With Gen Z embracing secondhand while adoption drops among older generations, what’s holding people back?

From fear of judgment and hygiene concerns to confusing shopping experiences, the team explores what’s keeping people from the thrill of the hunt—and how we could make thrifting feel more accessible, social, and exciting.

Did they crack it? Check it out!

It's time to say "Hi" to your neighbor11 Aug 202601:00:58

When did saying “hi” to the person next door get so weird?Maria brings Jesse and Simon a deceptively simple problem: people are talking to their neighbors less. Has technology disrupted the little interactions that used to build relationships? Are we too distracted—or just afraid of being vulnerable?What’s really stopping us from saying hello? And can we fix it? Did they crack it in an hour? Check it out.

How do we revive the library — ft. Brooke Lonegan, Audible 04 Aug 202601:03:19

This week on Crack It in an Hour, Brooke Lonegan, Head of Creative Strategy at Audible, brings Simon and Jesse a challenge hiding in plain sight: how do we make people care about libraries again? Libraries have evolved far beyond books, offering maker spaces, digital media labs, creative classes, and resources for entrepreneurs and creators. So why do so many people still think of them as outdated?

The team explores whether libraries have a branding problem, how they can compete in the age of YouTube and creator culture, and whether they should reposition themselves as spaces for creativity, independence, and community. If libraries are one of our most valuable public resources, what would it take to make people see them that way? Did we crack it? Check it out!

Let's make hot air balloons cool 28 Jul 202601:03:22

This week on Crack It in an Hour, Simon brings Maria and Jesse a problem that sounds quaint on the surface but gets weird fast: how do we make hot air balloons cool? Somewhere along the way, hot air balloons got misbranded by the people on the ground. To spectators, they’re pretty, peaceful, colorful things floating across the sky. But the reality of actually going up in one is CRAZY…open flame, wind, altitude, uncertain landings, and the very real feeling that you’ve handed control over to the weather So… have we been thinking about them all wrong? Are hot air balloons closer to an extreme sport than a scenic ride? Are they the ultimate adventure vehicle hiding in plain sight? And if we stopped selling them as gentle tourist moments and started treating them like fire-powered expeditions, what kind of new market could open up? You’ll have to listen to find out where they land.

How do we get the world to wear sunscreen?21 Jul 202601:01:46

Romain brings us a problem that should already be solved: how do you get people to wear sunscreen? The danger is obvious. The solution is cheap, available and easy to understand. Yet more than a third of people never wear sunscreen, and plenty of the people who do use nowhere near enough. So what’s going wrong? Is sunscreen too greasy, too annoying and too easy to forget? Is skin damage simply too distant to feel urgent? Or has the category spent too much time selling protection and not enough time making sunscreen desirable? It's an obvious solution to an obvious problem, but did we crack it? Check it out!

2 Problems: Breaking up friendships & Penalty shootouts.14 Jul 202600:53:38

In this first-ever two-problem episode, Romain and Jesse tackle two surprisingly complicated questions. First: how do you end a friendship that’s become toxic? Unlike romantic relationships, there are no social rules, no scripts, and often no closure. They explore why friendships quietly fade, when a difficult conversation is necessary, and whether ghosting, honesty, or simply letting paths diverge is the better approach.

Then they turn to the 2026 FIFA World Cup and ask a question sparked by the tournament itself: are penalty shootouts the best way to decide football’s biggest matches? They debate why penalties create some of sport’s most unforgettable moments, whether they’re a fair test of a team’s quality, and imagine alternative ways to settle knockout games without losing the drama.

Crack It Quick | Timothée Chalamet — ft. Sylvain Tron, CYLNDR Studios09 Jul 202600:21:37

Live from Cannes at the PayPal Ads Studio, Sylvain Tron from Cylndr Studios drops a deceptively juicy question on the table: does Timothée Chalamet have a branding problem?

Romain immediately flips the question, Jesse challenges whether there's even a problem to solve, and Simon reaches for a Taylor Swift comparison when the Leo/Gosling reference points start breaking down. Things get real when the conversation cracks open into ambition — why France (and Canada's "tallest poppy") clip anyone who voices it, why Chalamet and Mbappé get called arrogant for simply saying they want to be the best, and how this guy isn't playing the Hollywood game by the rules — he's playing the generational game on a 4D level.

The verdict? They cracked it — by realizing there was nothing to crack. Chalamet's a wizard, and if you don't get it, it's not for you. Check it out!

Crack It Quick | Male loneliness — ft. Maria Galleriu, 72andSunny06 Jul 202600:24:30

Maria Galleriu from 72andSunny joins the crew live from Cannes (at the PayPal Ad Studio) and drops a heavy one on the table: the male loneliness epidemic. She comes armed with stats — men with zero close friends have shot up over the decades — and a thesis she's very happy to needle Romain with: women are just better at this.

From there it gets real. The gang digs into why male friendships fall apart (they're shoulder-to-shoulder and activity-based, so when the activity ends, so does the friendship), whether you can actually teach boys to say "I love you," and Simon's golden rule of just being a good hang. Ideas fly: hikes as the ultimate vulnerability hack, reframing "friendship-maxing" as a longevity flex, and bringing back the PSA to remind people friendship matters. Maria closes with a genuinely moving story about her Romanian immigrant dad that gives everyone goosebumps.

Did they crack it? Not even close — and everyone agreed it needs a full hour. Check it out!

Crack It Quick | Financial literacy — ft. Gareth Kay, Coinbase02 Jul 202600:23:09

Crack It on the Croisette continues at Cannes Lions, live from the PayPal Ads Studio — and this time the challenge comes from guest Gareth Kay of Coinbase. His question: how do you make financial literacy not suck? Three quarters of Americans fail basic financial literacy tests, yet most financial education is dull enough to guarantee nobody pays attention.

The crew quickly agrees the real problem isn't the tools — it's everything around them. Jesse argues that culture talks "money" while brands keep talking "finance," and money is the version that's actually cool, cultural, and fun. Romain digs into the trust gap (everyone teaching this is trying to sell you something) and the money taboo that runs even deeper outside the US. Simon zeroes in on the cultural stigma you have to clear before the conversation can even start. Plus: why your dad is a terrible financial advisor, the competitive instinct that keeps us all quiet, a gloriously fucked-up Meta glasses idea, and the case for handing this whole job to comedians.

Did they crack it? Call it progress — which, for a systemic issue in 20 minutes, might be the honest win. Check it out!

Crack It Quick | Aging out — ft. Kirsten Rutherford, Doordash30 Jun 202600:22:58

Crack It heads to the Croisette in Cannes for a fast 20 minutes at the PayPal Ads Studio — and this time the challenge comes from guest Kirsten Rutherford, Executive Creative Director at DoorDash and self-described 47-year-old rave bunny who's usually the oldest person on the dance floor by about 25 years. Her question: how do we stop people aging out of the things they love?

What follows is part tactical, part philosophical. Kirsten makes the case that clubs are leaving money on the table — literally — by only offering $5,000 bottle service when all she wants is a seat and a place to spend on drinks. Jesse goes after the sneaky vocabulary of "I'm too old for that" (and the mysterious groan everyone starts doing when they stand up), Simon confesses he's over-curated himself down to one or two shows a year, and Romain owns up to saying "I'm too old for this" way too often. Plus: French boulangerie morning raves, no-phone clubs, 30-and-up pizza parties, and a callback to the very first Crack It episode about bringing back aerobics.

Did they crack it? Let's call it "ish" — possibly to be continued. Check it out!

Why don't people celebrate their birthday?23 Jun 202601:01:39

In a society where we’re not having enough fun, birthdays feel like a layup. They come around every year, they’re personal, they’re a reason to get together and celebrate someone you care about. So why do so many of us act like they’re no big deal? In this episode Simon, Maria Van Buskirk and Biz Anderson dig into why birthdays can make people uncomfortable, why we don’t like talking about ourselves and why we still secretly want people to make a fuss. From the pressure of planning to the fear of seeming self-involved, the group tries to crack what’s getting in the way of bigger, better birthdays. Give it a listen!

How do we improve networking?16 Jun 202601:01:30

Networking is responsible for countless jobs, partnerships, friendships, and business opportunities. It’s also one of the most universally disliked activities in professional life. Why does something so valuable feel so terrible? Ahead of their first trip to Cannes Lions, Jesse, Simon, and Romain attempt to redesign networking from the ground up: from debate-club panels and no-phoned allowed hot-take sessions to banning the question “What do you do?” Can they crack networking in an hour?

What happened to dressing up?09 Jun 202601:02:05

The global athleisure market is on its way to $900 billion. Formal wear? About $4 billion. Comfort won. But at what cost?

This week, Romain brings the problem: how do you get people to dress up again? What starts as a data drop (enclothed cognition, productivity hits, one in twelve remote workers in pajamas every single day) turns into a deeper conversation about confidence, identity, and why "formal wear" might just be the worst two words in fashion.

Simon's plotting a suit phase. Jesse won't budge (but she has found a jacket with beaded Minions on it). And somewhere between rebranding formal wear as "intelligent wear," the case for fashion-as-rebellion, and a truly compelling argument for wearing a cane in Cannes, the crew lands on something worth cracking: what does formal wear look like when it actually starts a conversation?
Check it out!

Don't be tardy for the party!...Or maybe do.02 Jun 202601:04:04

Being late seems like one of those small everyday annoyances, but it turns out there’s a lot more going on under the surface. On this episode Simon brings the topic of lateness to Romain and Biz, and the gang gets into the strange ripple effects of people not showing up on time. When is being late understandable? When is it unacceptable? Why does it bother us so much? And what would it actually take to make people stop doing it? A surprisingly big conversation about a seemingly small problem. Check it out!

3 Problems: Cooking, email and plane boarding.26 May 202601:01:40

We're back with only our second-ever lightning round — three hosts, three problems, 20 minutes each. Nobody knows what's coming.
Jesse kicks things off asking why we can't get more people to start cooking. Romain admits cooking stresses him out (it's the time pressure, not the talent), Simon reveals a rampant cocaine addiction — which, for the record, is just Romain mishearing "cooking" — and we land on a surprisingly solid framework: ditch the perfectionism, remove the steps you hate, and just make the one-pot meal.
Then Romain brings the problem that literally started this whole podcast — the one we've been sitting on since a cold, wet night in Boston in January 2025. Why has nobody solved plane boarding? We go deep on window-to-aisle loading, the overhead bin chaos nobody enforces, why Southwest actually had it right all along, and Jesse's bold pitch to give everyone a boarding score.
Simon closes it out with a big one: fixing email. Is it even fixable, or is it just a war of agents vs. agents from here on out? We pitch important.com, mailer.com, and garbage.com as the holy trinity of a better inbox — and somehow that feels like the most reasonable solution we've heard anywhere.
Check it out!

Can cable TV make a comeback?19 May 202601:02:38

Cable TV peaked at 105 million households in 2010. Today it's in less than 34% of American homes — and yet, somehow, streaming has become the new cable. Complicated bundles, decision fatigue, and the constant pressure to watch the right thing at the right time have made TV genuinely stressful.
This week, Simon, Jesse, and Romain are joined by Maria Van Buskirk — newly minted Head of Comms and Go-to-Market at Significant — for her very first episode. Jesse brings the problem: how do you bring cable TV back from the dead?
The crew digs into why streaming accidentally recreated everything people hated about cable, why a younger generation with zero nostalgia might actually be cable's best audience, and why the real pitch isn't about channels at all — it's about selling your "chill subscription." Oh, and there's a very strong case made for the return of the kitchen TV.
Check it out!

Let's party, people!12 May 202601:01:36

House parties are dying. The data is real, the stats are wild, and somehow Romain is the one mad about it. In this episode, Romain tasks Simon and Jesse with figuring out why nobody throws parties anymore — and more importantly, how to bring them back. The gang gets into the liking gap (why we're all secretly waiting for someone else to make the move), why LA kills the vibe by 11pm, whether the dinner party even counts, and the deeply underrated case for the adult sleepover. There's a strong argument that cleaning brands should be sponsoring house parties, that alcohol companies should be running party PSAs, and that the real problem isn't that parties are hard — it's that Instagram made us think they are. It's a conversation about loneliness, lowering the bar, and why all you really need is good people and a couple of pizzas. Check it out!

We need to laugh more.05 May 202601:01:48

When did everything get so serious? In this episode Simon tasks Jesse and Romain with trying to get the world to laugh more. In a time when people are feeling more lonely, isolated and anxious than ever, laughter feels like it might be more than entertainment, it might be medicine. The gang gets into how comedy has been sapped from corporate life, what it would take to bring it back, who stands to gain the most from a funnier world and, naturally, some deeply ridiculous solutions along the way. It’s a conversation about confidence, vulnerability and the weird power of not taking everything so damn seriously! Check it out!

Three problems.28 Apr 202601:02:24

On this episode of Crack It, we try something new baby!!!!! Instead of spending the whole episode on one problem, Jesse, Simon and Romain each bring their own and give themselves 20 minutes to solve it. Jesse wants to know how the heck we stop public bathrooms from inevitably becoming disgusting and whether it’s possible to inspire a little more societal decency. Simon takes on airport security and the challenge of making it both quicker and less miserable while getting people to respect the process a bit more. Then Romain dives into one of the great modern restaurant tensions: no substitutions. Is that actually a problem or are we all being babies about it? It’s a fun one with three very different problems and a whole lot of opinions. Check it out!

It's time to learn a second language.21 Apr 202601:03:29

“Everyone agrees learning a second language is valuable. Almost no one actually does it.”

In this episode of Crack It In An Hour, Romain speaks with Jesse and Biz to unpack a question that feels obvious on the surface and surprisingly broken underneath: why aren’t more people learning another language?
They get into the real barriers: the illusion that it’s too late, the dominance of English, the way education systems strip the joy out of language, and the lack of real-world necessity. But they also challenge the premise: what if the benefits go far beyond utility? Identity, empathy, access to culture, even how you think.
At some point, the conversation turns inward with a personal “taste audit”: what languages do we wish we spoke, and what’s actually stopping us?
From there, it shifts into solutions. Not the usual apps and streaks but more radical ideas. What would it take to force people into learning? Should we design more friction, not less? What would a product or system look like that actually changes behavior?

This one goes beyond language and into how we choose to stay comfortable vs. expand our world.

Did they crack it? Listen and find out.

Making great TV.14 Apr 202601:00:39

What makes great TV… great? Is it art? Is it comfort food? Is it something in between? In this episode, Jesse brings a deceptively simple question to Simon and Biz: how do we make great TV today? What follows is a wide-ranging, nuanced conversation about the current state of television, the pressures of the modern landscape, and whether “greatness” is even something we can all agree on anymore. From prestige dramas to easy rewatches, the gang digs into what audiences actually want, what creators are up against, and what it might take to truly stand out. It’s a big one with no easy answers. Did they crack it? Give it a listen.

How do we expand our musical taste? — ft. Luke Yun07 Apr 202601:02:54

Most of us are stuck. Stuck in the same playlist, the same three artists, the same songs we discovered in high school. And the algorithm isn't helping, 70% of music consumption comes from titles older than 18 months. So Romain brings the question to the table: how do you actually get people to leave their taste bubble? Joined by friend and digital creator Luke Yun, the crew digs into why taste is so hard to shake — comfort, identity, social pressure, and the three-second skip culture that's rewiring how we even listen. They get into mood-based playlists, listening rooms, "normal people" music reviews, and whether the sociology of taste formation is the real thing nobody's cracking. Spoiler: they don't crack it. But they get close enough to make you want to go listen to something you've never heard before.

The new American sport.31 Mar 202601:01:20

Creating a new sports league sounds easy…until you actually try to do it. In this episode Simon brings a big swing to the table: can they invent the next great American sports league? Alongside Jesse and Romain, the group dives headfirst into what modern audiences actually want. From rethinking gender in sport, to dialing in the right level of physicality, to dissecting what past leagues got right (and very, very wrong), the conversation quickly turns into a chaotic, hilarious, and surprisingly thoughtful attempt at building something people would actually watch. It’s part sports, part media strategy, part cultural commentary. Did they crack it? No. No they did not.

Donate your blood.24 Mar 202601:02:17

Only about 3% of eligible Americans donate blood. THREE PERCENT. For something that quite literally saves lives, that number feels…insane. In this episode Jesse brings the problem to the table and tasks Romain and Simon with figuring out how to change it. Is it awareness? Is it fear? Or is it something deeper about how we form habits and what actually motivates people to do things that don’t immediately benefit them? The gang digs into the psychology of behavior change, emotional incentives, and what it would take to make donating blood feel less like a chore and more like something you want to do.

Breaking the buzzword of community — ft. Nourhan Wahdan17 Mar 202601:01:52

Somewhere along the way, “community” became one of the most overused words in marketing. Every brand wants one, every founder claims to build one, but what does it actually mean? In this episode, Jesse, Biz, and Romain are joined by brand strategist and creative director Nourhan Wahdan to unpack the buzzword and get closer to a real definition. Is community about scale or intimacy? Is it built around shared ideology, mutual support, or simply a sense of belonging?

The conversation explores why community has become such a powerful aspiration for brands and people alike, and whether the term has started to lose its meaning through overuse. They introduce the idea that real community often requires friction. Instead of frictionless convenience, you sometimes need effort, exposure to new perspectives, and moments of discomfort to create the conditions for deeper connection.

From belonging and shared values to the tension between access and intimacy, the group debates what actually holds communities together and what brands consistently get wrong when they try to manufacture them. Did they crack it? Check it out!

Can award shows reclaim their DNA?10 Mar 202601:00:43

Award shows used to feel like cultural events. Now? Ratings are down, attention is split, and they just don’t seem to matter the way they once did. So Romain brings the question: how do we make award shows important again? The crew digs into what made them great at their best — shared moments, unpredictability, star power — and what it means to recreate that in a world without monoculture. We get tactical on format tweaks, audience engagement, and how to make them feel bigger than just trophies. It’s an energetic one full of real ideas and real excitement. Are award shows done…or just ready for a reinvention? Check it out.

Accepting Rejection — ft. Kathleen Munroe03 Mar 202601:06:41

Rejection. We all hate it. We all face it. So this week Simon brings a tough one to the table: how do we actually get better at dealing with it? We’re joined by the fantastic actor Kathleen Munroe, to break down how to deal with “no” better. From auditions to everyday life, we unpack what rejection really is, the ingredients that make someone resilient, and practical techniques to reframe it from personal failure to simple mismatch. We even brainstorm product ideas to help destigmatize rejection in public. It’s deep, honest, and surprisingly fun. Check it out!

Can we fall back in love with reading?24 Feb 202601:04:02

In a world where we scroll more than we sit, skim more than we study, and get our information in 30-second bursts, reading books feels…harder than it used to. So in this episode Jesse asks how we get people to read more books and whats stopping us? Sure, the obvious culprits are there. Endless notifications. Streaming everything. Social feeds engineered to hijack our attention. But the conversation doesn’t stop at “phones bad, books good.” The gang goes deeper on what reading actually does for us, how it shapes empathy, sharpens thinking, expands imagination, and forces a kind of mental endurance that’s getting rarer by the day. Check it out!

Doing nothing could be everything.17 Feb 202601:04:50

There was a study where people would rather shock themselves than sit alone with their own thoughts. Not a metaphor. Actually shock themselves. And yet doing absolutely nothing has massive benefits for our brains, from creativity to emotional regulation to long-term mental health. So what gives? In this episode Simon brings Jesse and Romain a deceptively simple challenge: how do we help people do more nothing? In a culture built on distraction, productivity hacks and infinite scroll, “doing nothing” might be the hardest sell of all. The gang digs into distraction culture, the fear of boredom, the business of attention and whether the only way to market nothing…is to show the results of it. It’s quiet. It’s uncomfortable. It’s kind of a big one. Check it out.

Let the kids roam!10 Feb 202601:03:05

Somewhere along the way, keeping kids safe slowly turned into keeping them supervised at all times. In this episode, Romain kicks things off by asking a simple but uncomfortable question: when did letting kids roam start to feel irresponsible? Why has independent play, wandering the neighborhood, or figuring things out alone become so rare? Jesse, Biz, and Romain dig into the cultural, emotional, and practical reasons parents hold on so tightly—from fear and social pressure to convenience and guilt—and what kids might be losing as a result. They talk confidence, risk, boredom, resilience, and why freedom isn’t the opposite of care. Did they crack it? Check it out.

Can we stop replacing and start fixing?03 Feb 202601:02:44

Somewhere along the way, “I’ll just pay someone to do it” became the default. In this episode, Jesse kicks things off by asking why DIY and basic handiness have quietly disappeared from everyday life. Why don’t more people try to fix things themselves? Is it the time commitment? The mental load? Or the fear of making it worse and having nothing to show for it? Jesse, Simon, and Romain get into the psychology of modern convenience, the satisfaction (and frustration) of doing things yourself, and whether the risk of failure has scared us off from even trying. Did they crack it? Check it out!

How do we get people to hydrate?27 Jan 202601:05:43

Most of us know we should drink more water… and yet here we are. On this episode, Simon brings a deceptively simple problem to the table: why don’t people drink enough water? With nearly half of Americans falling short and around 30% walking around dehydrated, the gang (Biz, Jesse, Romain, and Simon) dig into why awareness hasn’t translated into action. From the rise of Stanley cups to the limits of wellness culture, they explore what actually drives behavior change — and what it would take to get people drinking water more often. Is this a branding problem? A habit problem? Or something deeper? Let’s crack it.

Should we bring back landlines?20 Jan 202601:04:35

Landlines are dead…but what would it take to bring them back? In this episode, Biz joins Jesse, Simon, and Romain as they discuss how we could bring one of the more recent forgotten pieces of technology back into our lives.

What starts as a conversation about reducing screen time quickly turns into a bigger debate about purpose, nostalgia, and whether has just moved past communal technology. Could landlines be reimagined for modern life? How do other “old” things manage to feel cool again? And is there something we’ve lost by abandoning them entirely? It’s a tough, wide-ranging discussion with plenty of disagreement and a few completely unexpected ideas. Check it out.

Do New Year's resolutions need a makeover?13 Jan 202601:03:02

Every January, we promise ourselves change. Eat better. Move more. Finally become the person we swore we’d be last year. And then… most resolutions quietly die by February. In this episode, Simon brings a question he’s been circling with Romain and Jesse: how do we actually help people stick to their New Year’s resolutions?

The group digs into the role resolutions are supposed to play, why they so consistently fail, and whether the entire concept needs a rethink. Are we asking too much? Framing it all wrong? Or setting people up to fail from the start? It’s a wide-ranging conversation about motivation, identity, pressure, and whether the traditional New Year’s resolution still makes sense in modern life. Did they crack it? Give it a listen and find out.

Are value customers your most valuable QSR customers?06 Jan 202601:02:33

“Value” has always been one of QSR’s biggest weapons. Cheap, fast, dependable. But what happens when rising food costs start chipping away at the very thing that made QSR… well, QSR?

In this episode, Jesse, Romain, and Simon dig into the future of quick service restaurants and ask a deceptively simple question: are value customers actually your most valuable customers anymore? From redefining what “value” really means today, to exploring the emotional, experiential, and brand factors that matter beyond price, the group goes wide on how QSRs can stay relevant in a world where affordability is no longer guaranteed. It’s a big conversation about changing expectations, shifting loyalties, and what customers really want when everything costs more. Did they crack it? Give it a listen.

Holiday Special: Old episodes, new takes23 Dec 202501:03:31

It’s the Holiday Special, which means normal rules do not apply. In this episode Jesse, Simon, and Romain crack open five past topics — Aging, Sleep, Dating, Tennis, and College — to see what they got right, what they got wrong, and what new takes have emerged after letting these ideas sit for a while. Some opinions have evolved, some have hardened, and a few get completely re-litigated. It’s reflective, messy, funny, and exactly what happens when you put three strong opinions in a room at the end of the year. Consider this a festive remix of some Crack It greatest hits.

Will the great mall revival ever happen?16 Dec 202501:02:19

The American mall didn’t die overnight—it slowly lost its reason to exist. In this episode, Jesse, Simon, and Romain unpack how overbuilding, e-commerce, cultural shifts, and the loss of hangout spaces like record stores hollowed malls out. Then they flip the question forward: what should a mall be in a world where online shopping is permanent? From experiential brands to fandom-driven spaces and destination food, the crew takes a crack at whether malls still have a future worth saving. Did they crack the great mall revival?

How do you make bold choices? — ft. Alix Petit09 Dec 202501:03:34

Why do some people leap while others freeze? In this episode, Romain, Jesse and Simon team up with French entrepreneur Alix Petit, founder of Heimstone, Creative Director of The Refreshment Club and the mind behind the Substack WHAT COMES AFTER. Together they unpack the psychology of making big choices, what failure really means, how physical well-being fuels mental courage, and the reasons people avoid change even when they desperately want it. Did they crack what it takes to choose boldly? Listen and find out!

America has a drinking problem.02 Dec 202501:02:40

Drinking isn’t down because indulgence is down — it’s down because the entire culture around it is cracking. In this episode, Jesse, Simon and Romain tackle the decline of drinking as a social experience and ask what it would take to revive it. Are bars worse now? Is the rise of remote work, wellness trends, and “protecting your peace” killing the collective joy of being a little buzzed together? And what happens to human connection when everyone is terrified of being filmed after three margaritas? From London pub culture to the idea of phone-free bars, to the possibility that drinking might actually be a form of modern self-care (don’t @ us), the gang breaks down what drinking used to mean, and what it could mean again. Did we crack it? Check it out.

Can social be good again?25 Nov 202501:03:05

Social used to be… social. Remember that? Before everything became an ad, a performance, or a perfectly-filtered version of life? In this episode, Biz sits down with Jesse, Romain and Simon to figure out what it would actually take to make social media feel personal again. From whether Instagram introduced “the aesthetic era,” to the rise of finstas and close friends, the gang digs into how we went from genuine connection to algorithm-optimized broadcasting, and how we might reverse it. Can we get people to share like real people again? Check it out!

What writing does that texting can't.18 Nov 202501:04:21

The written word is pretty powerful. Some people may complain about the time it takes or the process of, but maybe that's entirely the point. In this episode the gang discusses the idea of writing letters and the secret power of them, trying to figure out how we get people to see the value and participate in writing more of them. Did we crack it? Check it out.

Is driving still freedom?11 Nov 202501:01:16

Driving used to be a right of passage, a symbolic moment of attaining a new level of freedom on your journey towards adulthood. But things are changing, fewer young people are getting their licenses and fewer people are driving in general. With the rise of rideshare and other services it's never been easier to get by without having to drive, so how do you sell people on the idea of driving when freedom is no longer the main pull? This one goes deep with lots of thoughts and feelings. Did we crack it? Check it out!

Is travel still fun? — ft. Jesper Andréasson04 Nov 202501:05:15

Travel used to be about discovery, or relaxation or adventure. But lately the process of travel has started to feel like a hassle that gets in the way of the enjoyment of the process. We've been given more freedom to go more places and stay in anything from hotels to homes which is great... but forces us to be alot more active in the decision making of it all. Throw in social media, and other modern pressures and it's a perfect cocktail for making something meant to be fun alot more stressful than it needs to be. In this episode Jesper Andréasson joins us to discuss the problem and how to fix it. Check it out!

Is Candy Corn the Marmite of candy?28 Oct 202500:57:45

Candy corn. The words alone typically spark a big reaction either positive or negative, but the story goes deeper than that. While the candy industry is flourishing, candy corn is lagging. So what would it take to help candy corn make a comeback? In this one the gang goes deep on candy corn and the candy industry as a whole. It's a subject near and dear to a whole bunch of us. Check it out!

Tupperware...?21 Oct 202501:03:49

Tupperware. Some people remember it as THE reusable storage brand...others simply know it as a name for reusable storage but didn't know it was an actual company. But recently, the company has been given new life with outside investment. In this episode, Romain, Biz, and Simon dig into how they could make Tupperware bigger than ever again. It's a fun one where our ages really kinda sorta show.

Why is dating so miserable? — ft. Sarah Jenkins14 Oct 202501:04:28

Everyone says dating has never been easier...apps, algorithms, endless choice. But if that’s true, why does it feel so hard, so awkward, so… miserable? In this episode, Jesse and Romain dig into the modern dating paradox with guest Sarah Jenkins, Head of Creative Brand Initiatives at Grindr. From swipe fatigue to the illusion of abundance, to what love even means when everything is optimized, we ask: is dating broken, or are we?

Eat more ice cream.07 Oct 202501:04:23

I scream, you scream we all scream for ice cream...well we used to scream a lot more. It turns out ice cream has actually been on the decline for a while, peaking in the 2000s before beginning its steady drop for the last two decades. How can that be? Is it societal? Is it competition from other sweet treats? Changing tastes? In this episode the gang gets into how to start the great ice cream resurgence. This is a fun one. Don't get brain freeze while listening. Check it out!

The big deal with small talk.30 Sep 202501:05:36

Small talk might seem like, well, a small thing but did you know that small talk has been proven to boost mood, make people more receptive to outside opinions and change people's perception of the world? It's all true! So what if small talk was actually the tiny, little secret to helping us get back to a more cohesive, happy society? In this episode the crew breaks down how to bring small talk back, how it could be made more easy, more fun and more enjoyable. It's a big chat about small talk...We couldn't help ourselves with that last one. Check it out!

Is it ok to want nice things?22 Sep 202501:03:29

Humans are a paradox. A collection of wants and needs that run directly into each other and make no sense. In this episode we dive directly into one of those paradoxes. While most of us want for nice things, we also often want to be seen as unpretentious and unbothered. Why is that? is it because we're worried as being a person who likes nice things and what it says about us? Is it something deeper? Something more shallow? It's a big one as the gang tries to dive deep on figuring out the weird societal boundaries around liking and wanting nice things. Check it out!

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