The rise and fall

Currently Playing: The rise and fall of Juul: How the $38B company imploded

Special thanks to Zapier for sponsoring this video: https://bit.ly/3XpEM1M Juul was founded with a bold mission: help smokers quit cigarettes through harm reduction. What started as a Stanford design project quickly became one of the fastest-growing companies in history, capturing over 70% of the vaping market and reaching a $38 billion valuation. But behind the sleek design and explosive growth, something much darker was unfolding. Looking to become a channel member to support our production and receive exclusive content? Sign up here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-mfn4ibOC5ewLcpmgl0C4g/join Get the 2-minute cheat sheet for this video → https://girdley.com/youtube 👇 SUBSCRIBE for more business breakdowns https://www.youtube.com/@Michael-Girdley?sub_confirmation=1 Get my free guide → Why Great Businesses Fail: 10 Multi-Million Dollar Mistakes To Avoid: https://links.girdley.com/10fails-yt ------------------------------------------------------------------ ► For sponsorships or inquiries please reach out to: Contact@girdley.com ► Get my weekly letter to business owners: essential insights to run, grow, and stay ahead in your business → https://links.girdley.com/newsletter-yt ► Free events on all things small business: https://links.girdley.com/lectures-yt ► Deep dives on businesses for sale: https://www.youtube.com/@AcquisitionsAnonymousPodcast ► Follow me on Twitter/X: https://x.com/girdley ------------------------------------------------------------------ In this video, we break down the rise and fall of Juul, from its early innovation in nicotine delivery to the marketing decisions that hooked an entire generation of teenagers. As regulators, parents, and state governments caught on, Juul went from Silicon Valley darling to public enemy almost overnight—facing federal raids, massive lawsuits, and billions wiped off its valuation. This is a story about incentives, ethics, and what happens when growth matters more than responsibility. Subscribe for more deep dives into business failures, startup scandals, and the real lessons behind massive companies.