Levis may well have been the pants that won the West, but it wasn’t the pants themselves that put Levi Strauss & Company on the map, it was the rivets that held them together under the strain of hard labor. And the rivets weren’t Strauss’ invention – that came from Jacob Davis, a tailor from Reno, Nevada, who had a great idea but not $69 for a patent. So he partnered with Strauss, and the rest is history.
Listen to this episode of This Week in Business History with Kelly Barner to trace blue jean innovations as they cross paths with the gold rush, the great 1906 San Francisco earthquake, World War I, and the Gilded Age.
More Podcast Episodes
climate change
Podcast
May 28, 2024
Digital Asset Innovators: Alan Seid on Blockchain, Climate Change, and Harnessing Sovereignty
In the latest episode of the Digital Asset Innovators series on Digital Transformers, host Kevin L. Jackson interviews Alan Seid, a digital asset visionary from Palau. Seid discusses the underutilized value of sovereignty in small nations and how it can be leveraged through blockchain and digital assets for environmental protection, economic growth, and education. He shares his firsthand experiences with climate change and its impact on the island’s ecosystem, including rising tides, coral bleaching, and crop destruction. Seid suggests using blockchain technology to document these changes and make them visible and accountable to larger countries and companies. He also highlights the issue of plastic waste in the Pacific and hopes that digital assets can help find solutions to clean up the oceans. Listen in to hear how Seid expresses his appreciation for the National DigiFoundry and its resources, and his hope to bring together the islands with these resources to address climate issues and educate people about the value of technology and blockchain.
Podcast
July 23, 2025
Del Combate al Liderazgo con Propósito
En este episodio de Supply Chain Now en Español, Sofía Rivas conversa con Carlos Llanes fundador y CEO de Spartan Carrier Group, sobre cómo el liderazgo con propósito y fe puede transformar vidas, empresas y comunidades enteras. Carlos es veterano de combate con cuatro misiones en Medio Oriente, ex ejecutivo de Tesla, Toyota y Ryder, y hoy lidera una de las empresas logísticas de más rápido crecimiento en Norteamérica. Su historia es un testimonio de resiliencia, visión y servicio. En Spartan Carrier Group, la fe y el servicio no son un extra: son el centro. Desde apoyar a conductores latinos, hasta desarrollar tecnología con inteligencia artificial y abrir escuelas de transporte, Carlos nos muestra que el propósito puede ser tan poderoso como la eficiencia. Si trabajas en logística, transporte o simplemente buscas inspiración sobre cómo liderar con el corazón y la convicción, este episodio es para ti. ¿Aún no te has suscrito a nuestra página en Youtube? https://bit.ly/SCNE_YouTube ¿Quieres mantenerte al tanto de nuestros episodios, invitados, eventos, y más? https://bit.ly/SCNE_Newsletter ¿Ya nos sigues en LinkedIn? https://bit.ly/SCNE_LinkedIn