Guy Raz interviews the world’s best-known entrepreneurs to learn how they built their iconic brands. In each episode, founders reveal deep, intimate moments of doubt and failure, and share insights on their eventual success. How I Built This is a master-class on innovation, creativity, leadership and how to navigate challenges of all kinds.
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Virgin Group founder Richard Branson joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Richard’s recent adventures in bungee jumping, ziplining, space exploration and more—all in the name of promoting some of his brand’s latest offerings. First we meet Lola from New York City, who’s looking to maintain a personal touch as she scales her travel accessory brand. Then Ross from Phoenix, who’s wondering how to make a splash with his ab...
Brad Baxter sidelined a promising career in the car industry to build a better cat litter box – an undertaking that embarrassed his kids and eventually prompted his wife to ask "what’s the endgame here?” That endgame turned out to be Litter-Robot, an automated self-cleaning litter-remover that helped propel Brad’s company, Whisker, to roughly $300 million in sales this year. This episode was produced by Sam Paulson with music composed by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant with researc...
Duolingo co-founder Luis von Ahn joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Luis shares insights on how data can help entrepreneurs understand what their customers really want. First, Steph in Chicago wonders how to manage expansion opportunities for her art-filled vending machines. Then Blair from Atlanta discusses his challenge of selecting which products to focus on with his tech accessories brand. And finally, Stephanie in Indiana considers the be...
Cookware is a $73 billion global industry - awash in all kinds of pots and pans. Like, if you’ve ever cooked scrambled eggs, you've probably used a non-stick frying pan. They’re inexpensive and everywhere. But they’ve been dogged by complaints: many can’t handle high heat, like broiling or searing, and they scratch easily. So, when Danny Winer came across a new non-stick technology at a trade show overseas, he jumped on it, co-founding Hexclad with a buddy. Danny was convinced it could...
Sweetgreen’s co-founder Jonathan Neman joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Sweetgreen’s plans to automate salad assembly in the coming years. First, we meet Dini from Maryland, who's learning how to maintain her brand’s character and product quality as her pie company scales. Next we hear from Matt in Massachusetts, who’s leaning into success growing premium mushrooms for local chefs without getting too big, too fast. Then Joey in Chicago...
What started as a design project for Stanford student Evan Spiegel quickly flourished into one of the most-used social media platforms in the world: Snapchat. It only took two years for Mark Zuckerberg to make a multi-billion offer for the company. But Evan turned it down — convinced of Snap’s potential to disrupt human communication in an even bigger way. And while Evan’s path has been anything but smooth, today Snap is valued at more than $13 billion, with ambitions beyond its hero mobile app....
Bonobos co-founder Andy Dunn joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Andy shares the motivation for his latest venture, Pie—a new social app that fosters in-person friendships and experiences. First, Michele in Connecticut asks about the best way to position her tennis-inspired athletic brand. Then Alek from Chicago, who’s wondering how to reach more health-conscious drinkers with his naturally-flavored vodka. And finally, Sabrina in Philadelphia w...
When Wiliam Wang started selling flat-screen TV’s, he used a winning playbook: partner with an efficient manufacturer, cut out the middlemen, and price your product as low as you can. William used a similar strategy at his first company–making computer monitors–and he built it into a multimillion dollar business. But he wound up mismanaging it into the ground, and spent years working to pay off millions of dollars in debt. After surviving a catastrophic plane crash, William embarked on a new ven...
Guy Raz and Peter Rahal offer advice to early-stage founders, covering topics like marketing women's supplements, scaling exercise accessories, and refining messaging for cocktail mixers. Rahal shares insights from his experiences with RXBAR and David Protein, focusing on branding, channel strategy, and product positioning. The episode provides practical tips for entrepreneurs navigating competitive markets and seeking sustainable growth.
As a college basketball player, Missy Park was lucky to grow up during the early era of Title IX, the 1972 law that created new opportunities for young women in sports. But in the years before Lululemon and Athleta, activewear for women was either ill-fitting or non-existent. So in 1989—with little experience in apparel or retail—Missy launched a female version of Nike. She sent out a mail-order catalog of running shorts, tights, and (at the last minute) sports bras, naming her company for the l...
Jack Black Skin Care co-founders Jeff and Curran Dandurand join Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, how the Dandurands are passing the entrepreneurial torch one carbonated beverage at a time. First we meet Inga from Maine, who’s navigating the role advisors can play for her kelp farm and skincare business. Next we hear from Ashley in Utah, who’s on a quest to find her target market for her luxury home and tableware brand. Then Brent in British Columb...
While apple picking on a farm near Philadelphia, Abhi Ramesh learned that a massive amount of “misfit” produce goes to waste. He started running ads on Facebook to see if people would pay a discount for subscription boxes filled with twisted carrots and oddly-shaped squash. Demand was so strong that Abhi soon hired drivers on Craigslist to deliver produce around Philly from a rented warehouse. Four months in, Misfits Market had thousands of customers and landed $2 million in venture capit...
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams founder Jeni Britton joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs. Plus, how Jeni’s newest venture Floura is tackling one of America’s largest dietary needs—fiber. First, we meet Jesse in Washington, D.C., who’s wondering how to best focus marketing efforts for his frozen french fry company. Then Casey from Boston, who's questioning the pressure she's feeling to pursue outside capital for her frozen pierogi brand. And fina...
Dr. Dennis Gross was worried about putting his name on his skincare brand: would the word “gross” turn shoppers away? But Dennis and his wife and business partner, Carrie, realized that the key to the brand’s success lay in another part of the name – “Dr.” Dennis was able to use his experience as a dermatologist to develop effective skincare products, starting with a peel that could be done at home without causing blotchy skin. Later, the brand introduced an LED face mask, which looked like C-3P...
Taskrabbit founder Leah Solivan joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three tech founders working to identify and grow their core customer base. First we meet Kate in Los Angeles, who wants her digital greeting cards to stand out in app stores. Then Shahn in Australia, who’s rethinking user acquisition for his couples coaching app. And Allen in Hawaii, who’s wondering about product-market fit for his online platform that teaches kids to play instruments. Thanks to ...
Niklas Zennström shares his journey building Kazaa and Skype, detailing the challenges of disrupting the music and telecom industries with peer-to-peer technology. He discusses legal battles, fundraising struggles, and the evolution of Skype from a PDA application to a global communication tool. Zennström also reflects on the impact of Skype on the tech industry and his transition to venture capital.
Rent the Runway co-founder and CEO Jenn Hyman joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs. Plus, Jenn’s take on how letting go of ego helps business leaders stay in the game. First, we meet Sara near Cape Cod, who’s wondering how much her customers actually value local artisans making her apparel. Then Carrie from New York, who’s trying to unlock seven-figure revenue to attract investors to her active haircare brand. And finally, fellow New Yorker ...
After racking up thousands of dollars in fines, Chicago roommates Mark Lawrence and Jeremy Smith figured there had to be an easier way to park. So in 2011, they launched SpotHero as a peer-to-peer service, where people who lived near Wrigley Field might rent out their driveway on a game night. But that strategy wasn’t scalable, so SpotHero soon partnered with garages to sell excess inventory. Over the years, the startup faced intense pressure from investors to expand quickly and copy whate...
Zumba co-founder and CEO Alberto Perlman joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Alberto’s take on the value of partnerships for growing brands — and why entrepreneurs should say ‘yes’ more often. First we meet Stefanie in Michigan, who’s looking for the smartest route to raise capital for her non-slip workout shoes. Then Jack in New Hampshire, who wants to broaden the appeal of his protein powders for sensitive stomachs. And Peter in Colo...
During its formative years in the late 1990's, Paypal attracted an extraordinary group of young entrepreneurs, who then went on to build some of the best known companies in tech. They became known as The PayPal Mafia—and Max Levchin was one of the leaders. A computer genius from Soviet Ukraine, Max joined Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, Reid Hoffman and others as they grew PayPal into a massively successful online payment service. Along the way, they encountered almost every start-up...
Herschel Supply Co. co-founder Lyndon Cormack joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders about leveraging brand stories to reach new customers. Today we meet Lauren in Michigan, a former journalist now capturing family histories in bespoke commemorative books. Then Jon in London, whose creation might be a solution for the pile of clothes on your chair. And Virginia in Alaska, who designed a bra that stays comfortable through a 12-hour nursing shift—...
When Barry Turner co-founded Lenny & Larry’s, the idea of selling a protein-packed breakfast muffin was practically unheard of: it was the early 1990’s, and protein-fortified food was not yet a thing. But when Barry was sidelined from a promising gig as an American Gladiator , he and his bodybuilding buddy Benny Graham decided to infuse baked goods with protein powder and sell them around L.A. Soon they were selling brownies, cookies, and cinnamon rolls, but mostly anonymously, as a white la...
Parachute Home founder Ariel Kaye joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three founders on being mindful and strategic in their next expansion steps . Today, we meet Daen, an entrepreneur in Australia considering investment for his line of men’s grooming products after ten years of self-funding. Then Deanna, a former educator in New Jersey seeking new press for the emotional health tool she designed for children. And Meaghan, a Florida-based hard seltzer maker tryin...
Mrs. Meyer’s is a hugely successful line of soaps and cleansers named for a real Mrs. Meyer: a no-nonsense Iowa homemaker who raised nine kids, including the brand’s founder. When Monica Nassif started Mrs. Meyer’s, she’d already launched an upscale cleaning brand, but it was too pricey for the mass market. Worried that another company might muscle into her lane, Monica decided to knock herself off: she launched Mrs. Meyer’s with an elegant design and exotic fragrances– but at a price ...
Dutch Bros co-founder and former CEO Travis Boersma joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Travis reflects on the baby steps that scaled his initial espresso cart into a 900+ location national business. First we meet Sean in Atlanta, who’s trying to reach new customers for his Korean fried chicken as delivery apps cut into margins. Then Trenton in Central Pennsylvania, who’s considering whether to grow his coffee roastery through DTC or w...
When Michelle Wahler and Jodi Guber Brufsky set out to launch a yoga wear brand in 2005, they had no idea that it would eventually be acquired—for hundreds of millions of dollars—by one of the most iconic apparel brands in the world. But it took years for Beyond Yoga to get to that point. It grew slowly by partnering with yoga studios and mom-and-pop boutiques, and apart from some initial seed money, it never took on any outside investment. With an obsessive focus on soft fabrics, inclusiv...
Tatcha co-founder and former CEO Vicky Tsai joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Vicky explains her decision to briefly step back into, and then out of again, the CEO role. First we meet Jessica in Newport Beach, who’s wondering how to increase brand awareness for her handcrafted fine jewelry. Then Brittany in New York City, who’s looking to prioritize sales channels for her growing fem care brand. And Devon in Cleveland, who wants to g...
Sam and Mariah Calagione started dating in high school, and have been on a wild ride ever since. Their biggest, craziest adventure? Founding Dogfish Head Brewery and forever changing the landscape of American craft beer. From the moment Sam started home-brewing in his NYC apartment, he infused his beer with unusual ingredients like cherries, maple syrup, roasted chicory, and licorice. When he and Mariah officially launched Dogfish Head in 1995, it was the smallest brewery in America’s smallest s...
Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Joe shares an update on his latest entrepreneurial adventure: Samara. Today we meet Marina in Texas, who’s wondering if her language-teaching singing books need to be on Amazon. Then Ray in California, who’s seeking fundraising guidance for his self-distributed Mexican-style beer brand. And Jael in South Dakota, who’s navigating her women’s collegiate sports apparel brand...
If you’ve ever bought sports merch or bet on a big-league game, you’ve likely spent money on Fanatics. It’s a massive one-stop-shop for sports, founded by a guy who could barely read growing up. What Michael Rubin did know was how to spin a deal: by 15, he was making thousands of dollars trading in closeout sporting goods, and by his early 20’s, he was CEO of a public company. Since 2011, when he acquired Fanatics, Michael has focused his relentless energy into building his $25 billion sports br...
