Too Many Tabs with Pearlmania500 The EVIL COMPANY you are paying EVERY DAY | TMT 164
Feb 15, 2026
A wide-ranging dive into how private equity infiltrates everyday life, from theme parks and hotels to dating and dog apps. They spotlight big firms buying music catalogs, DNA services, and familiar food chains. Listeners hear about franchising, corporate cost-cutting, and surprising ownership ties across industries.
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One Firm Touches Many Daily Things
- Blackstone has acquired many consumer brands and cultural assets across industries from theme parks to DNA companies.
- These concentrated holdings mean private equity influences daily life, entertainment, and sensitive data ownership.
Concentrated Control Of Genealogy And DNA Data
- Ancestry.com holds massive historical records and sold millions of DNA kits, creating a for-profit DNA dataset.
- Blackstone bought Ancestry, centralizing control over vast genealogical and genetic data.
Spanx Began With A White-Pants Demo
- P tells the Spanx origin: the founder demoed garments under white pants and won Neiman Marcus interest, later hitting Oprah's list.
- She negotiated an all-female investment team and stayed as executive chairman after selling.
