A computer scientist built a smarter pressure cooker, sold millions on word of mouth, and watched private equity turn a viral kitchen hit into a bankruptcy case study. Here is what the Instant Pot did, what it cost, and what a founder can actually copy.
General Electric sold its appliance business to a Chinese buyer and expected quiet decline. Instead, Haier handed the keys to the people running the machines - and GE Appliances started pouring billions back into Kentucky.