Cole Freedman

Holder of historical information. CoS. All opinions are my own.

[Acquired Podcast @AcquiredFM]

Our PDF companion for the Walt Disney Company episode is now complete. Charts, tables, and illustrations of key concepts.

Let us know what you think! https://t.co/NC6KV5pejW

[Acquired Podcast @AcquiredFM]

Announcing the official 2026 Acquired Meetup. San Francisco. With our friends at @sentry.

The first 500 to snag tickets will:
- Hang with us (Ben and David)
- Meet other Acquired listeners
- Hear an ACQ behind-the-scenes conversation

See you there! https://t.co/GY68AvY5sE

[Cole Freedman @freedmancole]

@grnsleeves @AMCTheatres @IMAX The ticket 2 pack is a great deal

[Cole Freedman @freedmancole]

Feeling very fortunate to have access to @AMCTheatres Metreon 70MM @IMAX theater in San Francisco.

It’s the 3rd (?) largest screen in the US, and have been lucky enough to see many of the best films released in the last years here.

Insane that this experience is $30.

[Acquired Podcast @AcquiredFM]

Here's the math from our Disney episode.

While the "box office gross" numbers sound big for Snow White, Cinderella, 101 Dalmatians, etc... here's what Walt Disney Productions actually received:

[Cole Freedman @freedmancole]

@citrini This is an all time meme format.

[Citrini @citrini]

You see, in this world there’s only two kinds of markets, my friend: the semiconductor-go-up market and the oil-go-up market.

[Blake Robbins @blakeir]

this, unironically, works.

we should celebrate agency, not discourage it.

cold emails have almost no downside and asymmetric upside.

worst case, you don’t get a reply. best case, they change your life.

[Acquired Podcast @AcquiredFM]

We're delighted to share that @SierraPlatform is the Presenting Partner for our Fall 2026 Season.

The product, team, and customers that @btaylor and @claybavor have built is incredibly impressive. We’re proud to partner with them. https://t.co/0OImzePiJN

[Cole Freedman @freedmancole]

@dadiomov @AcquiredFM That’s awesome, great fact!

TIL

[Trung Phan @TrungTPhan]

Karl Marx would have changed his mind about capitalism if he was a Costco member and bought 32 sirloin steaks, 48 diet cokes, 10 rotisserie chickens, a 5L Kirkland box wine, a comically-large tub of mayo, 50 frozen burritos and a hot tub while only paying 5% above wholesale price

[Cole Freedman @freedmancole]

@gilbert @nikillinit And better too…

[Cole Freedman @freedmancole]

Amazing to think this is largely the basis of layering in Photoshop or After Effects/ some camera tools in 3D programs today.

Truly OG compositing.

Thanks, Disney.

[Acquired Podcast @AcquiredFM]

The multiplane camera is a truly incredible piece of machinery.

Walt Disney Productions created this one (the most sophisticated at the world) for the creation of Snow White.

[Bret Taylor @btaylor]

Thank you to the 1000+ folks who joined Ben, David, and me to discuss AI and Sierra in NYC. Amazing venue and amazing discussion

[Cole Freedman @freedmancole]

@figma Adobe:

[Acquired Podcast @AcquiredFM]

Disney started as an animation company. At its healthiest, it's a diversified entertainment company.

But by 1983 — 17 years after Walt's death — it was unmistakably just a parks company.

[Acquired Podcast @AcquiredFM]

Americans used to go to movie theaters 46 times per year — until the birth of television.

[Acquired Podcast @AcquiredFM]

How did Disney become the best business of all the classic Hollywood studios?

Animation (which is uniquely well-suited to compounding), the flywheel, and... a lesson learned the hard way.

[Acquired Podcast @AcquiredFM]

In your podcast players now!

[Turner Novak 🍌🧢 @TurnerNovak]

He’s the 3rd or 4th investor in Uber