Today on our builders podcast, entertainment lawyer and The Business of Television author Ken Basin breaks down the economics of Hollywood, the rise and fall of cable, and what’s next for streaming. Learn how networks decide which shows survive, why actors are making millions per episode, and how AI is already changing the industry.

Watch the episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Ruff and tumble: Zoom Room is Planet Fitness for dogs

Flawless: Overseas film dubs look more natural with AI

Fancy cologne: Get a whiff of the “smellmaxxing” trend

(Source: Zoom Room)

If spending your life at a perpetual puppy party sounds like a blast, Zoom Room founder and CEO Mark Van Wye can confirm that it is. The company, a nationwide chain of indoor dog training gyms with 100 locations, offers classes in everything from agility to therapy-animal training. (Zoom Rooms also throw “Doggie Discos.” Yes, with a real mirror ball.)

Van Wye spoke with b. about growth, community and the booming pet economy. 

b.: What’s behind this boom in the “pet economy” over the past decade?

Van Wye: The first big change was the U.S. catching up with other countries in positive reinforcement as opposed to … shock collars and stuff like that. Once we started treating dogs with kindness, that means they can be inside the house. … Now people start treating [their] dog more like a family member.

That leads to a lot more products and services for dogs. … Employers start to compete for talent by offering things like dog-friendly workplaces.

b.: What were some of the challenges you faced when you were first starting?

Van Wye: It was really the franchising aspect [because] that is such a heavily regulated industry — state regulations, federal regulations. The simplest franchise still has disclosure documents that are hundreds and hundreds of pages long. It’s just so much to learn.

At first you think, “Well, I should talk to other dog businesses — I should talk to dog daycares and groomers,” then you realize … an Orangetheory Fitness or a Dunkin Donuts is a lot more similar, even if they’re such completely different things. All franchises are much more alike than they are different …

Everything doesn’t have to be a business with a million locations or millions of sales. However, if you want a franchise to succeed, everything does have to be not just scalable but repeatable. So, if I am like the most charming, charismatic teacher — and that’s the only reason people come or learn — that’s a problem. I can’t be everywhere. I need someone who’s not me to be able to do the same thing.

b.: Where do you see this market going in the future? 

Van Wye: Certainly, when you ask that of an entrepreneur in almost any other vertical, they have to be talking about AI and things you can do remotely, and apps on your phone and goggles!

The reality is … there can’t be a remote dog-training university. They physically need to be around other dogs. … Every business that wants to be a brick-and-mortar [now] has to fight for its space. You can’t just be “bad retail” anymore; you have to earn your spot on a street or you’re going to go out of business.

This interview has been edited for length. Read the full Q&A at business.com. 

(Source: Flawless)

Let us know if this sounds familiar:

• You pick a critically acclaimed movie or show from overseas
• Reading the captions makes it difficult to check social media or shop on your phone
• You switch to the English dub, but the dialogue never lines up
• You turn off the movie or show

With Flawless, those days might be over. Its AI software adjusts facial movements to match audio tracks in several languages. Only 17 percent of Americans choose dubs over captions when watching TV in a language they don’t know, so this could be a way for video creators to reach untapped markets around the globe.

(Flawless even lets creators rewrite entire performances without having to do expensive reshoots or dialogue rerecording, but actors’ unions might object to crossing the line from dubs to deepfakes.)

(Source: business.com)

First, Gen Z got really particular about socks (TL;DR: crew socks good, and ankle socks bad). Now, they’re slapping on nicer cologne than their dads wear — like, really expensive cologne, according to The New York Times.

Teen boys’ annual spending on fragrances was up 26 percent last year, with the bulk going to luxe labels like Jean Paul Gaultier and Valentino. Meanwhile, classic young guy brands like Axe and Old Spice fell off. TikTok influencers like Jeremy Fragrance, who has 10 million followers, have dubbed the trend “smellmaxxing,” because of course they have.

Your first question might be: How can high schoolers afford to drop $160 on 1.7 ounces of Bleu de Chanel or $300 on Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille? Your next question might be: Has social media pressure finally gone too far?

On the other hand, teen boys getting super into discussing floral base notes is way healthier than a whole lot of other things they could get into. Just remember, bros: Cologne should be discovered, not announced. 

Written by Tess Barker, Antonio Ferme and Dan Ketchum.