Episode Media Acknowledgements
These credits identify media used in the video documentaries and conceptual artwork. The written companions use original teaching diagrams. A media licence applies to the identified item or adaptation, not automatically to every item on this website. No third-party corporate endorsement is implied.
Profitable but broke: why a good year can end in a cash crisis
Original editorial teaching diagrams. No external licensed archival media required for the written story.
Editorial Illustration: Conceptual artwork for Profitable but broke: why a good year can end in a cash crisis
Generator Provenance: OpenAI imagegen
Visual Concept / Alt: Sculptural receipt staircase ending above a dry reservoir, illustrating the gap between profit and available cash.
SHA-256: 1db73a4078ac743aa566aad71fde90192d6d7b6826442920a04ac930bd13d480
Rights note: AI-generated conceptual editorial illustration. Inspired by user-supplied site style reference; not a photograph or factual company asset.
Four clocks behind an AI data centre
Original editorial teaching diagrams. No external licensed archival media required for the written story.
Editorial Illustration: Conceptual artwork for Four clocks behind an AI data centre
Generator Provenance: OpenAI imagegen
Visual Concept / Alt: Four monumental clock forms casting different shadows, illustrating investment timelines.
SHA-256: 94519cd524d67f989b1528e03a70f4a7c5b75ef325241e763471728776efbe1c
Rights note: AI-generated conceptual editorial illustration. Inspired by user-supplied site style reference; not a photograph or factual company asset.
Why a fast AI chip can still be waiting
Original editorial teaching diagrams. No external licensed archival media required for the written story.
Editorial Illustration: Conceptual artwork for Why a fast AI chip can still be waiting
Generator Provenance: OpenAI imagegen
Visual Concept / Alt: Computing blocks queuing at a narrow opening, illustrating a memory bottleneck.
SHA-256: b237f9c32c75c8e0b16c717593f75d74ffbcb9641925e3e757ff4776d6d9c9e8
Rights note: AI-generated conceptual editorial illustration. Inspired by user-supplied site style reference; not a photograph or factual company asset.
Nice margin. Where did the profit go?
Original editorial teaching diagrams. No external licensed archival media required for the written story.
Editorial Illustration: Conceptual artwork for Nice margin. Where did the profit go?
Generator Provenance: OpenAI imagegen
Visual Concept / Alt: Two differently sized sculptural pies and wedges, illustrating percentage margins versus total profit.
SHA-256: 2e5b1c1e77ebb98351f0b9da16a37caa6dc89d58da472371a309b1a1b3c62111
Rights note: AI-generated conceptual editorial illustration. Inspired by user-supplied site style reference; not a photograph or factual company asset.
Nvidia gets paid. What does the customer need to earn?
Image credits (cropped, colour-treated and overlaid where used):
B200 HGX and GB200 rack: Pokiiri, CC BY-SA 4.0.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nvidia_DGX-B200-HGX.jpg
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nvidia_DGX_GB200.jpg
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Nvidia headquarters: Coolcaesar, CC BY-SA 3.0.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nvidiaheadquarters.jpg
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
Adapted stills retain their respective ShareAlike licences. No endorsement implied.
Stock footage and Sawtooz investigative music: licensed Envato assets. Additional Pexels footage is illustrative. The three-clock insert is a labelled AI-generated conceptual illustration; financial diagrams are original explanations.
Cover image: Pokiiri, CC BY-SA 4.0.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nvidia_DGX-B200-HGX.jpg
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Cropped, colour-treated and overlaid; adapted still retains its ShareAlike licence. No endorsement implied. Moving stock and Sawtooz music are licensed Envato assets; generic scenes are illustrative.
Cover image: Pokiiri, CC BY-SA 4.0.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nvidia_DGX_GB200.jpg
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Cropped, colour-treated and overlaid; adapted still retains its ShareAlike licence. No endorsement implied. Moving stock and Sawtooz music are licensed Envato assets; generic scenes are illustrative.
Cover image: Coolcaesar, CC BY-SA 3.0.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nvidiaheadquarters.jpg
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
Cropped, colour-treated and overlaid; adapted still retains its ShareAlike licence. No endorsement implied. Moving stock and Sawtooz music are licensed Envato assets; generic scenes are illustrative.
Editorial Illustration: Conceptual artwork for Nvidia gets paid. What does the customer need to earn?
Generator Provenance: OpenAI imagegen
Visual Concept / Alt: Computing tile forming a bridge toward unfinished spans, illustrating uncertain investment payback.
SHA-256: 4a044c9f740073ea7410bc45f6cbb8ece852952054d99166623b954eed577162
Rights note: AI-generated conceptual editorial illustration. Inspired by user-supplied site style reference; not a photograph or factual company asset.
Who makes money from your McDonald’s meal?
FOOTAGE AND MUSIC
Food and restaurant footage licensed from Envato for this production. Generic illustrative footage is labelled; it is not presented as footage of McDonald’s products or locations. Original accounting graphics by Under the Numbers.
Music: “Funk” by 331Music, licensed via Envato for UTN-006.
Narration: existing approved George synthetic voice.
Independent financial education. No affiliation, sponsorship or endorsement by McDonald’s.
Research cut-off: 5 October 2026 (Auckland). Local review draft; not uploaded.
FOOTAGE AND MUSIC
Food and restaurant footage licensed from Envato for this production. Generic illustrative footage is labelled; it is not presented as footage of McDonald’s products or locations. Original accounting graphics by Under the Numbers.
Music: “Funk” by 331Music, licensed via Envato for UTN-006.
Narration: existing approved George synthetic voice.
Independent financial education. No affiliation, sponsorship or endorsement by McDonald’s.
Editorial Illustration: Conceptual artwork for Who makes money from your McDonald’s meal?
Generator Provenance: OpenAI imagegen
Visual Concept / Alt: Sculptural meal tray above three channels, illustrating restaurant, property and brand economics.
SHA-256: 2d55838449b9335afc4ab5317e0e3011a9dd714d8fec4e7de391adcdc6e41915
Rights note: AI-generated conceptual editorial illustration. Inspired by user-supplied site style reference; not a photograph or factual company asset.
Can discounts save growth and hurt profit?
ARCHIVAL PHOTOGRAPHS (cropped/reframed, with captions and graphics)
lululemon_storefront_west_hartford.jpg: Mike Mozart; CC BY 2.0
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lululemon_Athletica_(29660584756).jpg
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
lululemon_aventura_mall.jpg: Phillip Pessar; CC BY 2.0
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lululemon_Aventura_Mall_(48624856991).jpg
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
lululemon_kings_road_chelsea.jpg: Philafrenzy; CC BY-SA 4.0
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lululemon,_King%27s_Road,_Chelsea.jpg
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Music: UTN Price Tag — original programmed instrumental created for Under the Numbers. Synthesized without third-party recordings or samples. Soundtrack revision: 6 October 2026. Synthetic George narration. Generic stock footage illustrates retail economics; it is not presented as Lululemon staff, stores or products.
Music: Warm Documentary Background — DHDMusicStudio, licensed via Envato for this production and promotional Shorts. Synthetic George narration. Generic stock footage illustrates retail economics; it is not presented as Lululemon staff, stores or products.
What would make you pay full price?
ARCHIVAL PHOTOGRAPHS (cropped/reframed, with captions and graphics)
lululemon_storefront_west_hartford.jpg: Mike Mozart; CC BY 2.0
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lululemon_Athletica_(29660584756).jpg
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
lululemon_aventura_mall.jpg: Phillip Pessar; CC BY 2.0
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lululemon_Aventura_Mall_(48624856991).jpg
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
lululemon_kings_road_chelsea.jpg: Philafrenzy; CC BY-SA 4.0
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lululemon,_King%27s_Road,_Chelsea.jpg
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Music: UTN Price Tag — original programmed instrumental created for Under the Numbers. Synthesized without third-party recordings or samples. Soundtrack revision: 6 October 2026. Synthetic George narration. Generic stock footage illustrates retail economics; it is not presented as Lululemon staff, stores or products.
Cover: Lululemon Aventura Mall, Phillip Pessar (2019), CC BY 2.0; people-free sign crop with editorial text.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lululemon_Aventura_Mall_(48624856991).jpg
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Music: Warm Documentary Background — DHDMusicStudio, licensed via Envato for this production and promotional Shorts. Synthetic George narration. Generic stock footage illustrates retail economics; it is not presented as Lululemon staff, stores or products.
Editorial Illustration: Conceptual artwork for Can discounts save growth and hurt profit?
Generator Provenance: OpenAI imagegen
Visual Concept / Alt: Oversized blank price tag and folded fabric ramp, illustrating markdowns and what remains.
SHA-256: 0dc57146b7a9274fb969a7bc812e44e264cc2e44c7ad15e36ae22bc83609683c
Rights note: AI-generated conceptual editorial illustration. Inspired by user-supplied site style reference; not a photograph or factual company asset.
How Amazon gets paid when you shop elsewhere
Media attribution & credits:
Thumbnail composite includes Amazon Logistikzentrum DSY1 photo by Ingbife (Frank Eritt), 30 April 2023; source https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Amazon_Logistikzentrum_DSY1.jpg ; licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) ; adapted with diagonal crop and composite text under CC BY-SA 4.0 share-alike. Separately licensed stock footage and illustrations are commercial permitted.
Logistics facility interior photo by Yourusernamewillbepublic2, CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication, source https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Amazon_Logistics_Interior_2.jpg
Music: UTN Quiet Systems — original programmed instrumental created for Under the Numbers. Synthesized without third-party music recordings or samples. Revised soundtrack edition, 6 October 2026.
Editorial Illustration: Conceptual artwork for How Amazon gets paid when you shop elsewhere
Generator Provenance: OpenAI imagegen
Visual Concept / Alt: Parcel linking a shop and a warehouse through a concealed channel, illustrating fulfilment infrastructure.
SHA-256: 5b69ba69fef85b50184d965a55725740eb62e5b14dd1900b4d79fe1884f869b0
Rights note: AI-generated conceptual editorial illustration. Inspired by user-supplied site style reference; not a photograph or factual company asset.
Does your Costco membership pay for the cheap prices?
Media credits: Licensed Envato retail footage is illustrative and is not represented as footage of Costco locations. Music: UTN Aisle Arithmetic — original programmed instrumental created for Under the Numbers. Synthesized without third-party recordings or samples. Soundtrack revision: 6 October 2026. Historical Costco exterior photographs: Ambrosia LaFluer, 3 February 2021, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons; cropped and combined with typography. Photographs are not current operational evidence.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Costco_Exterior.jpg
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Costco_Exterior_(50980844142).jpg
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Media credits: Licensed Envato retail footage is illustrative and is not represented as footage of Costco locations. Music: “Dancing Marimba Minimalism – Playful Minimal Groove” by MusicDog, Envato project licence ZFABSYLTKJ. Historical Costco exterior photographs: Ambrosia LaFluer, 3 February 2021, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons; cropped and combined with typography. Photographs are not current operational evidence.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Costco_Exterior.jpg
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Costco_Exterior_(50980844142).jpg
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Lower Margin. More Gross Profit. How?
ILLUSTRATIVE retailer, not Costco results
Which would you watch: margin or profit dollars?
George AI narration; original educational graphics.
Sources:
https://investor.costco.com/news/news-details/2026/Costco-Wholesale-Corporation-Reports-Fourth-Quarter-and-Fiscal-Year-2026-Operating-Results/default.aspx
https://investor.costco.com/news/news-details/2025/Costco-Wholesale-Corporation-Reports-Fourth-Quarter-and-Fiscal-Year-2025-Operating-Results/default.aspx
https://investor.costco.com/overview/default.aspx
https://customerservice.costco.com/app/answers/answer_view/a_id/1205/~/what-is-an-executive-membership%3F
Full documentary (private review): https://youtu.be/rVUpoZnRXnw
Media credits: Licensed Envato retail footage is illustrative and is not represented as footage of Costco locations. Music: “Dancing Marimba Minimalism – Playful Minimal Groove” by MusicDog, Envato project licence ZFABSYLTKJ. Historical Costco exterior photographs: Ambrosia LaFluer, 3 February 2021, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons; cropped and combined with typography. Photographs are not current operational evidence.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Costco_Exterior.jpg
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Costco_Exterior_(50980844142).jpg
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
#Costco #UnderTheNumbers #BusinessExplained
The Costco Upgrade: What Does $3,250 Actually Cover?
US $65 incremental upgrade; full year; before tax/other benefits; eligible purchases only
Would your eligible spending cover the upgrade?
George AI narration; original educational graphics.
Sources:
https://investor.costco.com/news/news-details/2026/Costco-Wholesale-Corporation-Reports-Fourth-Quarter-and-Fiscal-Year-2026-Operating-Results/default.aspx
https://investor.costco.com/news/news-details/2025/Costco-Wholesale-Corporation-Reports-Fourth-Quarter-and-Fiscal-Year-2025-Operating-Results/default.aspx
https://investor.costco.com/overview/default.aspx
https://customerservice.costco.com/app/answers/answer_view/a_id/1205/~/what-is-an-executive-membership%3F
Full documentary (private review): https://youtu.be/rVUpoZnRXnw
Media credits: Licensed Envato retail footage is illustrative and is not represented as footage of Costco locations. Music: “Dancing Marimba Minimalism – Playful Minimal Groove” by MusicDog, Envato project licence ZFABSYLTKJ. Historical Costco exterior photographs: Ambrosia LaFluer, 3 February 2021, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons; cropped and combined with typography. Photographs are not current operational evidence.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Costco_Exterior.jpg
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Costco_Exterior_(50980844142).jpg
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
#Costco #UnderTheNumbers #BusinessExplained
Costco Membership Revenue Is Not Membership Profit
FY2026 consolidated; fee revenue comparison ≠ profit attribution
Which denominator did that headline use?
George AI narration; original educational graphics.
Sources:
https://investor.costco.com/news/news-details/2026/Costco-Wholesale-Corporation-Reports-Fourth-Quarter-and-Fiscal-Year-2026-Operating-Results/default.aspx
https://investor.costco.com/news/news-details/2025/Costco-Wholesale-Corporation-Reports-Fourth-Quarter-and-Fiscal-Year-2025-Operating-Results/default.aspx
https://investor.costco.com/overview/default.aspx
https://customerservice.costco.com/app/answers/answer_view/a_id/1205/~/what-is-an-executive-membership%3F
Full documentary (private review): https://youtu.be/rVUpoZnRXnw
Media credits: Licensed Envato retail footage is illustrative and is not represented as footage of Costco locations. Music: “Dancing Marimba Minimalism – Playful Minimal Groove” by MusicDog, Envato project licence ZFABSYLTKJ. Historical Costco exterior photographs: Ambrosia LaFluer, 3 February 2021, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons; cropped and combined with typography. Photographs are not current operational evidence.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Costco_Exterior.jpg
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Costco_Exterior_(50980844142).jpg
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
#Costco #UnderTheNumbers #BusinessExplained
Editorial Illustration: Conceptual artwork for Does your Costco membership pay for the cheap prices?
Generator Provenance: OpenAI imagegen
Visual Concept / Alt: Membership-card gateway and grocery basket with a parent and child, illustrating household value.
SHA-256: 2ba333a744ba0c88cdeb0d07ad3e93bc4549925d2b7128e500b6c7409450661e
Rights note: AI-generated conceptual editorial illustration. Inspired by user-supplied site style reference; not a photograph or factual company asset.