Capital & Commerce

Crusader Capitalists Connects Students to Real-World Success

(A Project from Crusader Capitalists) - Gavin Meier

Over the past few months, Crusader Capitalists has taken a major step forward in connecting students with the real world of business. Through a growing speaker series, students have had the opportunity to learn directly from professionals about leadership, responsibility, and what it truly takes to succeed beyond high school.

One of the most impactful speakers was Peter Dugo, President & CEO of Arnot Realty. Rather than focusing solely on technical knowledge, Dugo emphasized mindset, something often overlooked in traditional classrooms.

When asked what advice he would give to the younger generation, he responded:

“Always keep your eyes wide open, explore everything that you can, never feel trapped into one path along your career, things will change and evolve. Just keep your eyes open to new opportunities.”

What makes this advice even more impactful is Dugo’s own path. He began his career as an architect, with no background in business, before eventually pivoting into the business world and rising to become CEO of Arnot Realty. His journey reflects exactly what he preached: that careers are not fixed, and success often comes from staying open to change and recognizing new opportunities when they present themselves.

This message challenged a common belief among students that success follows a straight, predictable path. In reality, careers evolve, and those who stay adaptable and aware of opportunity are the ones who ultimately succeed.

In addition to Dugo, the program was fortunate to welcome Notre Dame alumnus Ellie Mustico ’21, who spoke about financial literacy and personal responsibility, which are two areas that are critical, yet often under-taught. Her perspective offered a relatable and practical look at managing money and making smart decisions at a young age.

Crusader Capitalists was also blessed to host a series of speakers focused on key life and career skills, including professionalism, civil duties, time management, and career planning. Each speaker brought a unique perspective, giving students exposure to lessons that extend far beyond the classroom.

Together, these experiences reflect what the program is working to build: a bridge between education and the real world. Students are not just learning concepts; they are gaining insight, perspective, and the mindset needed to lead in the future.

And this is only the beginning. Crusader Capitalists plans to continue bringing in speakers and expanding opportunities, ensuring that students are consistently exposed to real-world thinking, leadership, and innovation.

Rockefeller & Standard Oil — The Rise of an Empire

Gavin Meier

John D. Rockefeller was the most dominant business titan the world had ever seen. As the President and Founder of Standard Oil, he built a business so powerful that, at its peak, it controlled almost 90 percent of the United States oil industry. His influence was so massive that his wealth is estimated at nearly 3 percent of the U.S. economy at the time, an unimaginable level of control for a single individual. In the end, Rockefeller was not defeated by competition, market changes, or poor decisions. He was only challenged and eventually broken up by the United States government, which feared that the country would become too reliant on one company. 

Rockefeller’s rise did not come from stability or privilege. He was born in 1839 into a very unstable household. His father, William Rockefeller, was a known conman who travelled frequently selling “cures to cancer.” He once told his son John, “Don’t trust anyone in this world, not even me.” Rockefeller took that lesson to heart because, while his father was absent, John took on the responsibility at a young age to take care of his mother. From around the age of 12, he managed money, worked small jobs, and developed a deep sense of discipline and control. These early experiences forged the mindset that would later define him: cautious, calculated, and relentlessly focused. When Rockefeller entered the oil industry after the Civil War, the industry was competitive, chaotic, and inefficient. Many assumed success would come from technical expertise, like scientists, drillers, or refiners. However, Rockefeller started as a bookkeeper and saw the bigger picture. When asked how he built such an expansive empire without being a scientist himself, he responded, “I hire the scientist.” That statement alone captures his genius. He built a system that brought the best people together and controlled every part of the process. Rockefeller entered the oil industry at the perfect time, when it was chaotic and inefficient. Instead of drilling, he focused on refining, recognizing that control came from processing and distribution. After founding Standard Oil in 1870, he expanded rapidly by buying competitors, lowering costs, and reinvesting profits. His rise was not sudden, but calculated and steady, as he built control over the entire oil supply chain.

Through vertical integration, he eliminated or absorbed his competitors. He negotiated aggressively with railroads, at one point clashing with another powerful titan, Cornelius Vanderbilt. When railroads attempted to squeeze and screw him over, Rockefeller adapted by investing in pipeline infrastructure, reducing reliance on railroads entirely and flipping the balance of power in his favor. The Vanderbilt family never truly recovered from Rockefeller’s big hit, losing all of the family fortune in only 2 generations after the Commodore. He did not just respond to pressure; he redesigned the system so that it could not control him again. By the late 1800s, Standard Oil had become something unprecedented, a monopoly. It was so dominant that it reshaped the structure of American business itself. Today, its legacy can still be seen in major companies that came from its breakup, including ExxonMobil, Chevron, Marathon, BP, Shell, Texaco, and Gulf. To understand the scale, imagine one company effectively controlling most of the global energy market, that was Standard Oil. 

Rockefeller’s dominance brought intense scrutiny. Investigative journalists like Ida Tarbell exposed his business practices, and public pressure mounted. In 1911, the U.S. government ordered the breakup of Standard Oil under antitrust laws. Yet even in this moment, Rockefeller remained remarkably composed. In court, when questioned about his role as president of the company, he responded with calm deflection and subtle humor, saying, “It’s an honorary title where I don’t call any shots, similar to being named the President of the United States.” That one thrust of wit displayed his ability to take control in high-stakes situations. Ironically, the breakup did not weaken him financially. Because he maintained ownership stakes in the new companies, his wealth continued to grow as those businesses expanded. Despite his brilliance as a business titan, Rockefeller was not known as a particularly strong investor in the traditional sense. His genius lay in building and controlling businesses, not in market speculation. What truly preserved and expanded his wealth over generations was structure. The Rockefeller family created trusts and long-term financial systems that allowed their fortune to grow and endure. Nearly 150 years later, the Rockefeller name still represents immense wealth and influence.

Rockefeller’s rivalry with Andrew Carnegie also defined that era. Both men not only competed for the title of world’s richest man, but also for legacy. Carnegie built the steel industry while Rockefeller built the oil industry. Carnegie later argued that wealth should be given away for the public good, and Rockefeller ultimately embraced a similar philosophy, but executed it with even greater scale and structure. As a devout Baptist, Rockefeller believed that wealth was a responsibility, not just an achievement. He became one of the greatest philanthropists in history, funding major advancements in education and medicine. He founded the University of Chicago and transformed it into one of the top institutions in the world. He also funded medical research that helped combat diseases and improve public health on a global scale. His giving was not random, but rather strategic, designed to create lasting systems that would continue to improve lives long after his death.

Perhaps the most revealing part of Rockefeller’s legacy is not found in his business tactics, but in what he passed down. The notes and guidance he gave to his son were not focused on formulas, deals, or shortcuts to wealth. Instead, they emphasized education, discipline, and, most importantly, how to think. Rockefeller understood that true power does not come from a single business or strategy, but from the ability to analyze, adapt, and make sound decisions over a lifetime. In the end, John D. Rockefeller did more than just build a company. He built a system, a philosophy, and a legacy that reshaped the modern world. His dominance forced the government to redefine the limits of capitalism. His philanthropy reshaped education and medicine. And his long-term thinking ensured that his influence would endure for generations. He was not remembered for inventing a business principle or perfecting a refining formula. But what did he invent? The monopoly.

The Crash of 1929: How the Stock Market Collapse Sparked the Great Depression

Trevor Agan

On October 24, 1929, “Black Thursday” occurred. The Wall Street stock market crashed after years of success. As stock trading began to decline, panicked stockbrokers sold more shares, driving prices down. By Tuesday, millions of dollars had been lost, and many stockbrokers were ruined. The crash would lead to the Great Depression.

During the Roaring Twenties, there was widespread optimism for the United States economy. Many people became stockbrokers, hoping to make a fortune. Confidence in the stock market and the economy helped create a bull market, when stock prices consistently rise. Confidence in the market, however, was one factor that led to the crash. Many people bought stock on margin, loaning money from a bank to buy stocks and putting down small percentages of the share value. If the stock prices declined, they could not repay their loans. Many banks themselves invested in the stock market. Overconfidence led to rising stock prices, which led to larger loans. This resulted in the creation of an asset bubble. An asset bubble is created when an asset price is so high that it exceeds its actual value. On October 4, the bubble burst.

Black Thursday began with stock prices significantly lower than before. Nervous stockbrokers began selling stocks, hoping to recover. As prices fell rapidly, more shares were sold. 12.9 million shares were sold on that day alone. At noon, a group of bankers pooled their money to create a $750 million fund that helped the market recover slightly. This eased fears of stockbrokers, and for a few days, prices went up again; however, on Monday, prices began to fall more rapidly than before. By Tuesday, panicked stockbrokers rushed to sell their stocks. A guard at the building described the men “roaring like a bunch of lions and tigers”. Sixteen million shares were sold on Black Tuesday, more than ever before. Fourteen billion dollars were lost on Tuesday. Many investors were ruined

In the aftermath of the crash, many banks that had invested in stocks were at risk of failing. Panicked Americans rushed to the banks, hoping to withdraw their money. Huge crowds gathered at many banks, but there were too many for the banks to handle. Eventually, the bank had to close. People who had lent money to buy stocks could not repay them, leading them to lose their valuable property and homes. This left them homeless. Businesses that had invested in stocks had to close or lay off workers, because people could not afford their products. 

A domino effect caused the Great Depression. Rising stock prices suddenly fell, causing brokers to sell more. The lost money caused banks to fail, and investors were unable to repay their loans. Because many Americans could not afford anything, many businesses closed, too. This led to unemployment and homeless rates skyrocketing. The stock market would not see the same success it had during the Twenties until the 1950s.

Adapt to Survive: How Human-AI Teamwork Will Define 2030

Matthew Keough

Artificial intelligence is nearing the point where it creates more jobs than it displaces by driving changes that enhance human work rather than replace it, leading to a positive jobs gap by 2030. Although AI will automate routine tasks, such as data entry, simple customer service, and basic analysis, it also creates new jobs in AI engineering, data science, and prompt engineering. The lessons of the past indicate that technological transformations, such as the present AI boom, will ultimately lead to economic expansion and increased productivity, allowing for new industries to emerge.

Nonetheless, the process is expected to be highly disruptive in the short term, requiring a change in the skill set of the workforce rather than simply eliminating jobs. The future of work in the age of AI will be based on human-AI collaboration, where humans concentrate on high-level, creative, and social skills and leave the routine, technical work to AI. Thus, while the total number of jobs may rise, success will depend on the ability to adapt and train for the new jobs created.

Entertainment on the Business Level

Ana Vitoria Barberino Pinto

The entertainment business covers movies, streaming, and the music industry, but it also includes merchandise from actors and singers, brand collaborations, and TV show promotions. Studios and artists don’t just make money from tickets or streams — they also profit from partnerships with major brands. For example, Stranger Things collaborated with Doritos to create themed products and campaigns. Singer Sabrina Carpenter partnered with Pringles for a special promotion. The Netflix series Bridgerton also teamed up with Google for interactive promotions. These collaborations help brands reach younger audiences while giving shows and artists more visibility and profit.