We Fixed It. You're Welcome.

Pinterest was once the quiet corner of the internet. A place for inspiration, planning, and imagination. No shouting. No doom-scrolling. No constant pressure to buy. That version of Pinterest is now under threat. In this episode of We Fixed It, we unpack The Pinterest Paradox. Can a platform built on slow inspiration successfully pivot to fast commerce without breaking user trust? Pinterest is laying off staff, cutting costs, investing heavily in AI, and pushing aggressively into e-commerce. With TikTok Shop, Amazon, and Instagram all competing for attention and dollars, Pinterest is betting that inspiration should lead directly to purchase. Joined by Leon Lin, former Head of Discovery Product at Pinterest and current CEO of FirstCollab, we go inside how Pinterest’s algorithms actually worked and why monetization is harder than it looks. We explore: Browsing vs buying and where Pinterest truly belongs When monetization feels helpful vs exploitative Why affiliate links and sponsored content can break authenticity How timing and intent matter more than ad volume Why small and local businesses are Pinterest’s biggest opportunity Inspo Mode vs Shop Mode as a potential product fix How Pinterest can evolve without losing its soul This is not an anti-commerce conversation. Pinterest is a business. But the real question is whether platforms can monetize without alienating the very users who made them valuable in the first place. If Pinterest gets this right, it doesn’t just become another shopping app. It becomes the most trusted bridge between imagination and action. Subscribe for more deep dives where we fix big business problems with fresh perspectives. • Website – www.wefixeditpod.com • Follow us on: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/wefixeditpod LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/wefixeditpod YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@WeFixedItPod If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your friends! Keep listening to find out how we fix companies and put them back better than we found them. Disclaimer A quick disclaimer. We are going into this somewhat cold and nothing we say should be construed as legal advice, financial advice or anything that would get us in trouble. These are our views and opinions. We're here to ask the kinds of questions everyone's thinking. Have an engaging conversation and maybe come to some conclusions that we feel are worth exploring. By the end, if we fixed it, you're welcome. All trademarks, IP and brand elements discussed are property of their respective owners. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

LEGO built one of the most iconic brands in history by standing for children, creativity, and open-ended play. But in recent years, a major shift has taken hold. The company is increasingly chasing adult fans with premium, expensive, highly detailed sets, licensed IP, and collector-focused experiences. In this episode, the panel is joined by toy industry veteran Leo Battersby to examine whether LEGO’s pivot toward adults is a smart growth strategy or a dangerous drift away from the very thing that made the brand legendary. The conversation explores the deep tension between imagination vs instruction, open-ended creativity vs rigid build-by-numbers kits, and long-term cultural pipeline vs short-term revenue growth. With declining birth rates, rising screen time, and changing childhood behavior, LEGO is navigating a radically different world than the one it helped shape. The group debates whether LEGO is slowly turning from a system of play into a premium model-building brand and what that means for future generations of builders. Key Topics & TakeawaysWhy adult collectors now make up ~25–30% of the toy marketHow LEGO’s “Adults Welcome” strategy and 18+ sets changed the brandThe shift from imaginative play to instruction-following constructionWhy modern LEGO sets leave less room for creative reinterpretationThe impact of screens, media, and IP on how kids play todayDeclining birth rates and what that means for toy company pipelinesThe difference between “paint by numbers” and a blank canvasWhy nostalgia is powerful but not a long-term growth strategyHow LEGO risks losing the next generation of buildersThe hidden danger of optimizing only for adult moneyThe Strategic Tension Is LEGO still teaching kids how to imagine… or mostly teaching them how to follow instructions? The panel argues that LEGO is not wrong to pursue adults and licensed IP. The real risk is over-indexing on precision, perfection, and display pieces at the cost of the messy, experimental, imaginative play that originally made LEGO magical. The Big Fix Proposed A “LEGO for Life” ecosystem, including:A subscription-based building journey that grows with the childAn “Anything Box” starter kit with no instructions, just imaginationAge-and-stage based kits that evolve from free play → STEM → advanced buildsA community layer where kids and families share creations and challengesA “Pass the Brick” system for reused bricks to improve accessibilityClear separation between:Kid-first creative play LEGOAdult premium collectible LEGOThe goal: Use adult profits to subsidize kid-first innovation and rebuild the long-term pipeline of LEGO fans. The Big Question This Episode Answers Is LEGO building the future of imagination, or just really expensive shelf art? Final Take LEGO doesn’t have an adult problem. It has a pipeline problem. The brand must protect the emotional and creative experiences that make people become adult LEGO fans in the first place, or the nostalgia engine eventually runs dry. PanelAaron WolpoffMelissa EatonChino NnadiGuestLeo Battersby Former Mattel executive and co-founder of Mattel Creations, the adult collectibles business that scaled from zero to $110M. Currently founder of Midnight Rally Club and VP of Brand Creative at Fluid Logic. Subscribe for more deep dives where we fix big business problems with fresh perspectives. • Website – www.wefixeditpod.com • Follow us on: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/wefixeditpod LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/wefixeditpod YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@WeFixedItPod If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your friends! Keep listening to find out how we fix companies and put them back better than we found them. Disclaimer A quick disclaimer. We are going into this somewhat cold and nothing we say should be construed as legal advice, financial advice or anything that would get us in trouble. These are our views and opinions. We're here to ask the kinds of questions everyone's thinking. Have an engaging conversation and maybe come to some conclusions that we feel are worth exploring. By the end, if we fixed it, you're welcome. All trademarks, IP and brand elements discussed are property of their respective owners. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Season 3 kicks off with a timely and culture-shifting question: Is Dry January actually good for business, or is it a self-inflicted economic slowdown? Every January, millions of people across the U.S. and the world voluntarily press pause on alcohol. What started as a small UK health initiative has become a global behavioral shift, with nearly 1 in 5 adults now participating and overall alcohol consumption at its lowest level in nearly 90 years. But this is not just a personal wellness trend. It’s a market disruption. In this episode, our panel explores how Dry January impacts bars, restaurants, beverage brands, corporate culture, and consumer behavior. We break down whether this movement is just a temporary reset that snaps back in February or a signal of a much deeper shift toward mindful consumption, wellness, and long-term habit change. From inventory planning and staffing challenges to the rise of non-alcoholic beverages, sober-curious culture, and experience-driven hospitality, the conversation reframes Dry January as not just a month, but a strategic testing ground for the future of food, beverage, and social culture. Key Topics & TakeawaysWhy alcohol consumption is at a 90-year low and what that signalsIs Dry January a meaningful reset or just behavioral whiplash?The business impact of 20% of customers disappearing for a monthHow Gen Z and wellness culture are reshaping social drinking normsWhy “mindful consumption” is becoming mainstreamThe rise of non-alcoholic, zero-proof, and better-for-you beveragesHow bars and restaurants should rethink menus, experiences, and inventoryUsing January as an R&D lab instead of a dead monthCorporate culture, team bonding, and moving beyond “happy hour culture”The danger of over-indexing on one month instead of building evergreen optionsStrategic Business Ideas ExploredTreating Dry January as a season, not a stuntDesigning non-alcoholic experiences that feel premium, not like an afterthoughtUsing January to test new menus, pairings, formats, and partnershipsDiversifying revenue beyond alcohol without alienating core customersReframing internal culture toward wellness, inclusion, and balanceBuilding experiences around activities, not just drinkingAvoiding the January 1st / January 30th consumer behavior whiplashWho This Episode Is ForConsumer brand marketers and strategistsOperators dealing with seasonality and demand swingsHR and culture leaders rethinking workplace social normsFood & beverage brand leadersBar, restaurant, and hospitality ownersAnyone interested in how wellness trends reshape entire industriesThe Big Question This Episode Answers Is Dry January something businesses should fight, ignore, or design for? Final Take Dry January is not the problem. Ignoring the long-term shift in consumer behavior is. Subscribe for more deep dives where we fix big business problems with fresh perspectives. • Website – www.wefixeditpod.com • Follow us on: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/wefixeditpod LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/wefixeditpod YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@WeFixedItPod If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your friends! Keep listening to find out how we fix companies and put them back better than we found them. Disclaimer A quick disclaimer. We are going into this somewhat cold and nothing we say should be construed as legal advice, financial advice or anything that would get us in trouble. These are our views and opinions. We're here to ask the kinds of questions everyone's thinking. Have an engaging conversation and maybe come to some conclusions that we feel are worth exploring. By the end, if we fixed it, you're welcome. All trademarks, IP and brand elements discussed are property of their respective owners. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this special episode of We Fixed It, You’re Welcome, the team welcomes back financial expert Lukas Sundahl to put real numbers behind our hypothetical business fixes. What’s the actual value of “fixing” a struggling company? Lukas analyzes three big names—Southwest Airlines, Party City, and Jaguar—and shows how our proposed strategies could have meant millions in revenue, survival, and long-term brand strength. Expect insights on: Why Southwest’s baggage fees could still work without killing loyalty? How Party City could have survived with community-driven retail? What Jaguar missed in its EV pivot and how to reclaim brand trust? This episode blends strategy + financial modeling, proving that fixing companies isn’t just theory—it’s measurable impact. Listen, learn, and maybe rethink how YOU approach business pivots. We dive deep into the real numbers behind our “fixes.” With returning guest Lukas Sundahl (CFO, financial strategist, LinkedIn thought leader), we analyze three case studies: Southwest Airlines: Would baggage fees really alienate customers? Or could they generate $350M–$450M while keeping loyalty intact?Party City: How localized inventory and community tie-ins might have saved them from bankruptcy—potentially adding $43M–$130M in value.Jaguar: The pitfalls of abandoning brand heritage in the EV race—and how aligning EVs with Jaguar’s legacy could mean $35M–$179M in gains. Chapters 0:00 – Welcome to We Fixed It, You’re Welcome 1:20 – Meet our guest: Lukas Sundahl 2:40 – How we quantify “fixes” 4:20 – Case Study 1: Southwest Airlines 8:00 – Case Study 2: Party City 14:40 – Case Study 3: Jaguar 18:20 – The power of the pivot 23:00 – Why grounding fixes in real companies works 25:45 – Closing thoughts & where to find Lukas Key Themes: The financial impact of strategic pivots Brand loyalty vs revenue growth The “power of the pivot” in corporate turnarounds Why storytelling + numbers matter in fixing companies Key Pull Quote “The numbers—whether worst or best case—prove the power of the pivot. Even small strategic shifts could have meant hundreds of millions in value.” – Lukas Sundahl Subscribe for more deep dives where we fix big business problems with fresh perspectives. Links: • Website - www.wefixeditpod.com • Follow us on: Instagram: @wefixeditpod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wefixeditpod YouTube: @wefixeditpod If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your friends! Keep listening to find out how we fix companies and put them back better than we found them. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jaguar’s EV rebrand was meant to redefine the luxury car brand — but instead, it sparked massive backlash, confused loyal customers, and even led to their CEO stepping down. In this episode, we break down exactly what went wrong with Jaguar’s electric vehicle strategy, why their marketing campaign failed, and how they can fix their brand without losing their iconic heritage. Discover the key lessons every business can learn from Jaguar’s rebranding mistake, the reality of competing in the EV market, and the blueprint to reconnect with loyal buyers while attracting a new generation. 📌 Topics Covered: Jaguar EV rebrand failure explained Why the marketing campaign missed the mark The danger of abandoning brand heritage How to merge tradition with EV innovation Strategies to win back luxury car buyers If you’re interested in brand strategy, luxury cars, electric vehicles, or marketing case studies, this breakdown is a must-watch. https://wefixeditpod.com/ A quick disclaimer. We are going into this somewhat cold and nothing we say should be construed as legal advice, financial advice or anything that would get us in trouble. These are our views and opinions. We're here to ask the kinds of questions everyone's thinking. Have an engaging conversation and maybe come to some conclusions that we feel are worth exploring. By the end, if we fixed it, you're welcome. All trademarks, IP and brand elements discussed are property of their respective owners. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.