Beyoncé: The business of Queen B
6/1/202645 min
Beyoncé started out as a little girl competing in local talent shows, but over the course of a 30-year career in music she transformed herself into a mogul worth $1 billion. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack trace Beyoncé’s early years in girl group Girls Tyme, the turbulent rise of Destiny’s Child, and her breakout as a solo artist, before examining the strategic decisions that transformed her from performer to powerful businesswoman and entrepreneur. Beyonce’s rise to billionaire features conflicts with family and friends, brand battles, and questions around feminism, capitalism, and control. Simon and Zing ask: is she a force for empowerment, a ruthless operator, or simply one of the most effective wealth-builders in modern entertainment?
Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast that explores the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics, and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility. Simon and Zing put their subjects to the test with a playful, totally unscientific scorecard — then hand the verdict over to you: are they good, bad, or simply billionaires? Here's how to contact the team: email goodbadbillionaire@bbc.com or send a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176. Find out more about the show and read our privacy notice at www.bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsSimon Jack· Host0:00
This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK.
Speaker 20:03
[upbeat music] Roll out. Yep, he's planning another project. So this Father's Day at Lowe's, tap into free gifts for Dad. Get a free select Craftsman power tool when you buy a Craftsman V20 charger with two amp hour and four amp hour batteries. Plus, get a free DeWalt power tool when you buy a select twenty volt Max XR four amp hour battery kit. Dad knows our best lineup is here at Lowe's. Valid through seven/fourteen while supplies last. Selection varies by location.
Zing Tsjeng· Host0:35
[upbeat music] A young girl, just nine years old, sweats under the sweltering Texas sun. She is running. Her tiny feet are pounding the pavement along the edge of the Bayou River.
Simon Jack· Host0:53
Five other girls trail behind her. They're all singing at the top of their lungs, harmonizing as they go. But none of the girls are hitting the notes quite like our lead.
Zing Tsjeng· Host1:03
Because this little girl is Beyoncé, and she will leave everyone in the dust on her journey to becoming a billionaire.
Simon Jack· Host1:12
Welcome to Good, Bad Billionaire from the BBC World Service. Each episode, we pick a billionaire and find out how they made their money.
Zing Tsjeng· Host1:18
We take them from zero to their first million, and then from a million onto a billion.
Simon Jack· Host1:23
I'm Simon Jack, the BBC's business editor.
Zing Tsjeng· Host1:26
And I'm Zing Tsjeng. I'm a journalist, author, and podcaster.
Simon Jack· Host1:28
And this week,