Mark Dent
Writer, The Hustle
football player holding money

Are superstar athletes good for the economy?

The world’s best athletes make us happier. It’s harder to tell if they make us richer.

Mark Dent • September 8, 2023
spinning a record

Why nobody got paid for one of the most sampled sounds in hip-hop

This month marks the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. A few seconds from one forgotten rap song have tied artists and eras together for decades.

Mark Dent • August 4, 2023
Ricolaaa gif

Why so many brands use sound to make you buy stuff

Netflix made sonic logos — the new version of jingles — trendy. But its success is hard to replicate.

Mark Dent • July 14, 2023
pickleball

One man’s quest to make pickleball quiet

America’s fastest-growing sport has a noise problem. Can the solution be found in a makeshift lab outside Pittsburgh?

Mark Dent • June 2, 2023
Salvador Dalí

Why Salvador Dalí is the most faked artist in the world

Dalí’s legacy was thrown into disarray by an American myth: that art is an investment.

Mark Dent • May 12, 2023
Chris Matthews

The basketball journeyman who became a shooting coach to the stars

Many of the best shooters in the NBA, WNBA, and NCAA have hired Chris Matthews, a basketball entrepreneur.

Mark Dent • May 5, 2023

The secretary who helped uncover one of America’s strangest Ponzi schemes

Carpet cleaning, reputed mobsters, and a woman who refused to be fleeced.

Mark Dent • April 28, 2023
tv

What old sitcoms reveal about America’s rising cost of housing

Living single with friends used to be a lot easier.

Mark Dent • March 25, 2023

Americans want revenge on companies for bad service

Nearly 75% of Americans had a problem with a company in the last year.

Mark Dent • March 8, 2023

Will ‘premiumization’ disrupt the economy?

Companies want to sell higher-priced goods to fewer customers.

Mark Dent • March 7, 2023

Why some travelers fly across the world without leaving the airport

“Mileage runs” allow hardcore travelers to maintain elite status. Are they worth it?

Mark Dent • March 3, 2023

The supply chain is fine, but inflation is not

It’s still expensive to ship from Europe and store in the United States.

Mark Dent • February 28, 2023

Is eBay’s brief renaissance over?

The site has pivoted from auctions to ESG.

Mark Dent • February 24, 2023
scooter

A scooter company is… profitable?

Lime had its best year, while Bird cratered.

Mark Dent • February 22, 2023

2023 could be really bad for Adidas

One analyst says Adidas is struggling to find the next big thing.

Mark Dent • February 14, 2023

The Super Bowl of gambling is upon us

As many as one in five American adults may bet on the game.

Mark Dent • February 8, 2023

The future of AI looks like the music industry’s past

Does AI steal people’s creative work?

Mark Dent • February 6, 2023

Are people buying houses again?

If interest rates fall to 5.5%, the market may recover.

Mark Dent • February 3, 2023

Where did Lorem Ipsum come from?

Designers have been using Latin for a long time.

Mark Dent • January 31, 2023

Why athletes (and some remote workers) owe a ‘jock tax’ wherever they go

Professional athletes owe major tax bills every time they work in another state. If you’re a remote employee, you might, too.

Mark Dent • January 28, 2023

Why are there so many tech layoffs?

Cheap money is out, and companies hired lots of people during the pandemic.

Mark Dent • January 24, 2023

TikTok’s new plan to avoid getting banned in the US

The app will consider letting Oracle and others police its algorithm.

Mark Dent • January 17, 2023

Why snow costs America a fortune every year

Snow is peaceful and calm when it falls, but it leads to billions of dollars in cascading costs.

Mark Dent • January 13, 2023

Will the US ban gas stoves?

A new study revealed gas stoves contribute to at least 12% of US childhood asthma cases.

Mark Dent • January 10, 2023

23 predictions for 2023: Their takes and our takes

Predictions for 2023 from experts across fields — but also from us.

Mark Dent • December 30, 2022

Movie theaters need Avatar to be a tortoise

Theater owners are banking on Avatar to keep making bank.

Mark Dent • December 20, 2022

Is this exactly what Elon Musk wanted?

Elon Musk is losing money, but he has inserted himself in every news cycle.

Mark Dent • December 19, 2022

Budweiser’s dry World Cup saga

Budweiser employed smart marketing moves to stay relevant at an alcohol-free World Cup.

Mark Dent • December 13, 2022

The sneaky economics of Ticketmaster

Ticketmaster’s maligned fees and customer service issues are again under the microscope. Will American music fans ever see anything better?

Mark Dent • December 10, 2022

The next big thing for influencers is less influencing

As the economy falters, influencers may lose clients and connections with their audiences.

Mark Dent • December 8, 2022

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