#6: Valentine’s Day—The Surprising Economics and Evolution of Love’s Biggest Day
Business Made Simple Podcast
StoryBrand.ai
4.8 • 2K Ratings
🗓️ 10 February 2025
⏱️ 34 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Every February 14th, millions of people rush out to buy heart-shaped chocolates, overpriced roses, and mass-produced cards, turning Valentine’s Day into a global cash grab. But how did a once obscure tradition become a billion-dollar industry? Whether you adore the holiday or roll your eyes at its commercialism, one thing is certain—it works. So, what makes this day so powerful, and why do we keep celebrating it year after year?
In this week’s episode, hosts Donald Miller and Kyle Reed explore the unexpected history of Valentine’s Day, from its ancient pagan roots to its modern commercial dominance. They unpack the psychology behind our grand romantic gestures and why the greeting card and chocolate industries owe their success to one man’s brilliant idea. Tune in to discover how romance, commerce, and culture combined to create love’s biggest day.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | You're listening to the Why That Work podcast presented by storybrand.a.I. |
| 0:07.7 | If you've ever wondered why certain brands, trends, or cultural phenomena find success while others don't, you're in the right place. |
| 0:13.9 | Every week we unpack why something worked, then give you actionable insights that you can use in your own life. |
| 0:19.5 | Now let's dive in with your hosts, Donald |
| 0:21.3 | Miller and Kyle Reed. Welcome back to the Why That Worked podcast, episode six, February 10th, |
| 0:30.3 | if you're listening to us in real time. And I thought no better topic to talk about because it's |
| 0:34.9 | Valentine's Day week. Valentine's Day. Not to point out that that's the first time you said Valentine's Day since we started doing this. You it's Valentine's Day week. Valentine's Day. I have to point out that |
| 0:37.9 | that's the first time you said Valentine's Day since we started doing this. You're a Valentine's guy. |
| 0:42.2 | I didn't realize it until you called me out. But I just, I think I was going to realize it. Nobody has |
| 0:47.1 | ever called you on it. No, I just say it's so fast that I kind of get through it, but I had no idea I was saying it. You know whose fault this is? Who's? Your second grade teacher. |
| 0:54.5 | Probably so. |
| 0:55.3 | Well, interesting enough, in second grade, my dad chose to move me to homeschooling, |
| 0:59.2 | so it's my dad's fault. |
| 1:00.0 | So it's your dad's fault. |
| 1:01.0 | Everything comes back to your dad, right? |
| 1:02.3 | He wanted it to be Valentine's Day. |
| 1:04.2 | Valentine's Day. |
| 1:04.2 | And he didn't want, and no one corrected him. government institution of school to teach you correctly. My mom would always say put it in the |
| 1:10.8 | washer machine. Warsher. So Indiana, very Midwest. So Valentine's Day, something, there's something |
| 1:17.4 | there with that. Yeah, the warishing machine, but also Walmart instead of Walmart. I don't say that |
| 1:22.3 | thankfully. Yeah, we had Kmark and Walmart. Kmark. Kmark. And Walmart. That's good. Well, |
| 1:26.2 | there you go. A little bit more. The more you know about |
... |
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