Business Entertainment
Training
Food for thought
Companies Talks is pleased to bring the histories of Google, Facebook, Amazon, Airbnb, Instagram, Olivetti, Kickstarter, LinkedIn and WhatsApp to managers, public and private.
This is an "educational diet" based on video content that will entertain but will also, and
more importantly, give viewers food for thought.
The History of Amazon
History, Vision and Business Model
Give up? Never.
Jeff Bezos, the creator of Amazon, forges ahead through criticism and difficulties. His vision was to offer the customer the best solution at the best possible price. But to get to the largest online store on Earth, we will have to retrace our steps along a truly winding path. Miles of scotch tape, doors used as desks, mountains of dollars gone up in smoke... Amazon had to fight tooth and nail before triumphing. Guided by Bezos' unwavering will, we will see how Amazon can bring everything you desire straight to your home. And it can be done today.
Available from 08:00 on 20/11/2020 to 23:59 on 20/11/2020
Actress: Sheila Gordhan
Directed by: Denise McNee
Written by: Tiziana Ragni
The History of Airbnb
History, Vision and Business Model
An airbed. That was enough to start a millionaire business.
We are talking about Airbnb, the portal that allows us to find accommodation anywhere in the world. It doesn't seem so original, does it? How did Brian Chesky, Joe Gebbia and Nathan Blecharczyk manage to transform a room with a few airbeds into such a successful venture? It took a very sharp eye to enable us to sleep peacefully anywhere from Brazil to Norway. This is a tale of failures, success against the odds and new ways of thinking about travel. It is thanks to these that we will find ourselves, suitcases in hand, on the threshold of an Airbnb.
Available from 08:00 on 04/12/2020 to 23:59 on 04/12/2020
Actor: Jack Frank
Directed by: Denise McNee
Written by: Tiziana Ragni
The History of Instagram
History, Vision and Business Model
A failed restorer, passionate about photography who is struck by the imperfection of a plastic camera: how much farther will Kevin Systrom have to go to conceive and develop his project?
"The lesson I learned - he says - is that you have to make sure you always cut out what doesn't work, remove what’s unpopular and focus on the continuous improvement of your product because too often start-ups are technologies looking for a problem. Successful businesses have a fundamental question at their heart. And the question is: what do people really need? ".
Available from 07:00 on 17/12/2020 to 23:59 on 17/12/2020
Actress: Rosy Carrick
Directed by: Denise McNee
Written by: Tiziana Ragni
The History of Facebook
History, Vision and Business Model
The bulletin board, the “like” button, the shares, the tags: Facebook seems to have always been there, yet that is not the case. So how did we all end up on there?
To answer this question, let’s travel back in time a few years, until we find ourselves in the room of a college student: Mark Zuckerberg. That’s where everything, or almost everything, started. It is a story of personal successes and battles, moments of glory and blunders, of surprising planning and absurd strokes of luck. Offers involving exorbitant, dizzying figures will flit by. And we, together with Mark, will turn them down. Because Facebook is not just a company, it’s a mission.
Available from 08:00 on 06/11/2020 to 23:59 on 06/11/2020
Actress: Charlotte Touboulic
Directed by: Denise McNee
Written by: Tiziana Ragni and Francesco Pompilio
The History of Kickstarter
History, Vision and Business Model
It took just three guys in a Brooklyn Diner to show that citizens of the web, as compared to those of the rest of the world, are more forward-looking, more generous and more open than we could ever have imagined.
They have shown us that millions of people are ready; ready to put their hands in their pockets to make small and not-so-small contributions to creativity in the world, even if there is no economic return. From the tables of a Brooklyn Diner to $6 billion in funds raised. This is the story of three guys who, while developing a crowdfunding idea, actually invented a new model of doing business.
Available from 08:00 on 19/02/2021 to 23:59 on 19/02/2021
Actor: Ross Bentley
Directed by: Denise McNee
Written by: Tiziana Ragni
The History of Olivetti
History, Vision and Business Model
"It's Always Day One!"says Jeff Bezos, "Don't Be Evil!" continue Larry Page, Sergey Brin and Joe Gebbia, who together with Brian Chesky, explain to us the success of the “Design of Trust”.
But are we sure that a syndrome that has its roots in Ivrea, in Italy in the early twentieth century, has not spread to the brightest minds of the Silicon Valley?
It is said that the visionary builds what dreamers imagine. And for Adriano Olivetti it is not enough to dream: “well, if you’ll allow me, calling something a ‘utopia’ is often the easiest way to liquidate what you do not have the desire, capacity or courage to achieve. A dream seems like a dream until you start working on it. And then it can become something infinitely bigger”.
Available from 08:00 on 05/03/2021 to 23:59 on 05/03/2021
Actress: Charlotte Touboulic
Directed by: Denise McNee
Written by: Tiziana Ragni
The History of LinkedIn
History, Vision and Business Model
"Man is by nature a social being, and those who live outside the community must be either a beast or a god": this is Reid Hoffman's guide. Who is this god who will accompany him in building his success? A Guru who will help him to understand the key to opening the doors of the world, including the working world: the need for a network of relationships. Starting from Antiquity and passing through Socialnet, Paypal and Star Wars, we will arrive at the desk of a man who wanted to become a Public Intellectual and instead changed the world of professional relationships.
Available from 08:00 on 22/01/2021 to 23:59 on 22/01/2021
Actor: Adam Broomfield-Strawn
Directed by: Denise McNee
Written by: Tiziana Ragni
The History of Netflix
History, Vision and Business Model
Does Netflix sell movies or series? No: it connects people to stories and places where they have never been and have always wanted to go, without realising it, until a TV series revealed it to them.
Netflix continues to grow because it has accepted one of the most difficult challenges in the world: seduce, intrigue, conquer. But... for how long can it continue to surprise us? This is the problem of
lovers all over the planet, since time began. And, unlike his algorithm, Reed Hastings knows that no one has guessed the formula yet. He is doomed to satisfy us forever. But will he succeed?
Available from 00:00 on 08/01/2021 to 23:59 on 08/01/2021
Actor: Stewart Briggs
Directed by: Denise McNee
Written by: Tiziana Ragni
The History of Wikipedia
History, Vision and Business Model
"Fail faster and try again!" Jimmy Wales suggests tackling our projects with a small dose of humor. According to him, strategies are unpredictable and even though they may all be sound in theory, you have to try them out to understand which of them will work. And thus, beginning with a food-delivery service conceived way ahead of its time, followed by an unsuccessful adults-only website, Wales eventually invented Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia with no borders, free and accessible to all. He managed to make his dreams come true, and for this, he says, he gives thanks for "a world in which every single person on the planet has free access to the sum of all human knowledge. This is what we do”.
Available from 00:00 on 06/12/2022 to 00:00 on 31/01/2023
Actress: Maisie Asbury
Directed by: Denise McNee
Written by: Nàima Tomaselli
The History of WhatsApp
History, Vision and Business Model
Two guys looking for innovative ways to deal with old problems. Old problems that are common to us all. Because, as usual, the success of an idea is directly proportional to the number of times it is resolved with the word "Finally!". Success at the exit of a labyrinth involving emigration, economic and family tragedies, professional frustrations, technological insights and tenacity to sell. Success born from the desire to cut costs and distances, to connect friends and relatives that "will not stop until anyone, anywhere, can have this opportunity".
Available from 08:00 on 05/02/2021 to 23:59 on 05/02/2021
Actor: Nicholas Alexander
Directed by: Denise McNee
Written by: Tiziana Ragni
The History of Disney
History, Vision and Business Model
With the debts incurred making Alice in Wonderland, the unexpected loss of rights to Oswald the Rabbit and the disappointing revenues from Fantasia, Disney’s passage is a bumpy one made of successes and failures. It is during the premiere of Snow White however, that Walt Disney understands for the first time what will turn out to be the true key to his success. He observes people in the audience crying when Snow White appears to die even though they know she is only sleeping. For the very first time, cartoons, which until now had only made people laugh, are able to evoke emotion in the hearts of their audiences for evermore.
Available from 00:00 on 20/12/2022 to 00:00 on 31/12/2023
Actor: Josh Dobinson
Directed by: Denise McNee
Written by: Tiziana Ragni
The History of Spotify
History, Vision and Business Model
How long did it take for Elvis Presley to become known to a billion people? Twenty years? And how long did it take Lady Gaga? A few weeks after she releases a new single, the entire world can memorize it. Astonishing, isn't it? And even more surprising is that Spotify was able to conquer the world starting from just one single country, Sweden, with its 10 million inhabitants. Daniel Ek never considered himself an inventor, just a man who put his efforts into improving the things he thought weren't working, because "the value of a company is nothing more than the sum of the problems that an entrepreneur manages to solve".
Available from 00:00 on 21/12/2022 to 00:00 on 31/12/2023
Actress: Autumn Fenn
Directed by: Denise McNee
Written by: Filippo Santaniello
The History of Google
History, Vision and Business Model
Who turns over 200 billion dollars a year?
You’ll find the answer on Google... and the answer is Google.
Let us tell you how the search engine giant was born. It is a journey dedicated to technology and organization. Brilliant intuitions alternate with very practical choices. We will analyse the vision of those who had the ideas, revealing the secret of their global success. And we will try to understand why a simple white screen with a logo has become the oracle of our times.
Available from 08:00 on 23/10/2020 to 23:59 on 23/10/2020
Actress: Madeline Hatt
Directed by: Denise McNee
Written by: Tiziana Ragni
The History of Tesla
It seems very strange to look back and see that this idea started from a "divorce" and a "funeral" but it is the same idea that, just a few years later, will be the one that will become a turning point for the entire automotive sector. It will also happen thanks to the intuitive idea of making software central to the project and by taking inspiration from the exciting designs of the fashion world. Since 2003, when the idea of building a seductive, electric car still seemed like madness, Tesla has done nothing but add more pieces to its puzzle, making the neurodiversity of its CEO a strength and managing to conceive many innovative and desirable products.
Available from 00:00 on 08/08/2023 to 00:00 on 09/08/2023
Actor: Gareth Balai
Directed by: Denise McNee
Written by: Eleonora Forsinetti
The History of IBM
TJ Watson Sr.'s "Think", TJ Watson Jr.'s "Basic Beliefs", Lou Gerstner's "Bear Hug" and finally Palmisano with the "Values Jam". Why has a large technology company like IBM regularly invested in a seemingly trivial theme such as values? More than a hundred years have passed since TJ Watson Sr. took up the challenge of turning a small group of companies into a profitable and long-lasting project and perhaps, among the things he said it is possible to find the key to interpreting the world, both of that time and probably also of today: "What every company needs is more people who think".
Available from 00:00 on 08/08/2023 to 00:00 on 31/12/2024
Actor: Richard Kay
Directed by: Denise McNee
Written by: Nàima Tomaselli
The History of LEGO
It was in 1924 that Godtfred and his brother Karl Georg set fire to the woodwork. The two little brothers know that punishment will be just around the corner but instead their dad Ole gives them a long, serious look and, when the fire is out, says: "Remember that creativity is born from difficulty, and no one is condemned until they stop fighting to achieve their dreams". What? No punishment? Judgment day has been postponed to a date yet to be determined. No harsh words but instead an important teaching moment from a father who inspired his boys for the rest of his life. Lego's bumpy journey seems to suggest that every obstacle or company crisis has been wisely used to reposition its product as the desires of children change and grow.
Available from 00:00 on 08/08/2023 to 00:00 on 31/12/2024
Actor: Tom Clare
Directed by: Denise McNee
Written by: Filippo Santaniello
The History of Ferrero
What is the point of trying to make sense of our crazy, busy lives? This constant alienation from fun and enjoyment stimulated the imagination of an entrepreneur from Piedmont who decided to seize the opportunity to creep into our consciousness in small steps, with sweetness certainly, but above all with kindness, inserting delight into our daily routine. He tells us to stop and feel joy; to catch our breath and to understand when it's time to give ourselves a treat, to be kind to ourselves; small pleasures that tell of love and respect for work, customers, and employees.
Available from 00:00 on 08/08/2023 to 00:00 on 31/12/2024
Actress: Ruth Galliers
Directed by: Denise McNee
Written by: Michela Torraco
The History of Microsoft
Two guys inspired by a magazine, a daring series of lucky events and a central figure who has come to control a space on desks around the world with his own software. A conqueror or a saviour? Certainly, he’s a leader, able to explain to us the need to reduce the noise of our hectic working days, but he is also a man with a great personality, someone with determination to spare, who doesn't get distracted by the bewitching song of success. Because, as Bill himself warns, “Success is a bad teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can't fail".
Available from 00:00 on 08/08/2023 to 00:00 on 31/12/2024
Actress: Kathryn Hanke
Directed by: Denise McNee
Written by: Simone Petrelli
In this delicate period, each of us made ourselves available with enthusiasm, in the belief that we could contribute, even in a small way, to overcoming the difficult phase we are experiencing. This too, in its own way, is a testimony to the fact that, together, we can make it.
What is Companies Talks?
Companies Talks is a series of live monologues on the themes of major Web projects (with the exception of the History of Olivetti which is very valuable even if it is not related to the world of dot-com companies).
The monologues are performed by professional actors and have the aim of recounting the birth
and development of major web projects in a simple way. Musical accompaniment to the live
performances is provided by a violin, saxophone or trumpet.
Who is it for?
The Companies Talks format was conceived for an audience of Managers, but over time we realized that the type of people interested in these issues was much wider.
Within each story, a soft-skill was identified from those described as fundamental by the World Economic Forum in its study called The Future of Jobs. So, for example, in the history of
Google, we speak of Critical Thinking, for Facebook we talk about People Management and so on. For each theme, therefore, there is a dedicated soft-skill.
Food for thought
The history of successful projects like those of Google, Facebook, Amazon etc. has at least a couple of predictable effects. First of all, the representation of the difficulties encountered by the founders during the initial development of their projects makes the spectator feel closer to the
protagonists, who appear less heroic and more human.
Secondly, from listening to all the stories a strong message emerges that applies to us all: the tenacity needed to achieve one's goals.