Description
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.
How I Built This is part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.
Episodes
- 2026 / 10 / 19Sweet Loren’s: Loren Castle. How A Recipe Makeover Built a National Cookie BrandLoren Castle started baking cookies after surviving cancer in her early twenties. Five years later, Sweet Loren’s refrigerated cookie dough was generating just $350,000 a year. But instead of giving up, she...
- 2026 / 10 / 15Advice Line with Tara Bosch of SmartSweetsToday’s callers: Lindzi from Chicago wants to expand her gourmet marshmallow brand into retail without cannibalizing her high-margin DTC sales. Then, Vivi from Hawaii considers how to best tell her...
- 2026 / 10 / 12Alamo Drafthouse Cinema: Tim and Karrie League (2023)In the early 1990’s, Tim League spent $50,000 in savings to lease an abandoned movie theater on the wrong side of the tracks—a shaky experiment that eventually grew into a thriving national chain. As Tim and...
- 2026 / 10 / 8Advice Line with Nick Green of Thrive MarketToday’s callers: Mercedes in Utah tries to find harmony between quality and speed as she scales her concert attire brand for musicians. Then Danny in Colorado grapples with the tradeoffs of growing his...
- 2026 / 10 / 510 Years of How I Built This: A Decade of Innovation, Risk and ReinventionStories about starting a business are almost always full of drama. They’re about ambition, loss, triumph, catastrophe, resilience. And they’re also full of life lessons – which is why Guy Raz...
- 2026 / 10 / 1Advice Line with Scott Tannen of Boll & Branch and Jamie Siminoff of Ring (2025)CEO and co-founder of Boll & Branch, Scott Tannen joins Ring founder Jamie Siminoff and Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs. Plus, Jamie and Guy talk about how...
- 2026 / 9 / 28Seventh Generation: Alan Newman and Jeffrey Hollender. A Partnership that Flourished—until it Failed. (2021)With its eco-friendly paper towels, diapers, and cleansers, Seventh Generation was one of the first—and most successful—green household brands to hit the market. But in the early 1990s, its two founders had a...
- 2026 / 9 / 24Advice Line with Danny Meyer of Shake ShackToday’s callers: Janell from Kentucky wonders how to build a sense of hospitality into her canned bourbon cocktail brand. Jade from South Carolina considers the upsides and risks of shipping her smoked salmon...
- 2026 / 9 / 21Banza: Brian Rudolph. The Chickpea Pasta That Nearly Turned to MushBrian Rudolph started making chickpea pasta in his Detroit apartment because wheat made him feel sick. A decade later, Banza was in more than 25,000 stores, and today, it’s one of the most popular pasta...
- 2026 / 9 / 17Advice Line with Michelle Wahler of Beyond YogaToday's callers: Carrie from Paris wants to turn interest into bookings for her boutique study-abroad programs for adults. Then, Grace from Nashville considers how to re-build relationships with interior...
- 2026 / 9 / 14Thrive Causemetics: Karissa Bodnar. How $150 a Day in Sales Turned into a $150 Million Beauty Business with a MissionKarissa Bodnar had a dream job at L'Oréal when a close friend died from cancer at age 24. It shook her up and made her reassess what she really wanted to do with her life. The answer? Build her own beauty...
- 2026 / 9 / 14Thrive Causemetics: Karissa Bodnar. How a Beauty Business Made Millions for a MissionKarissa Bodnar had a dream job at L'Oréal when a close friend died from cancer at age 24. It shook her up and made her reassess what she really wanted to do with her life. The answer? Build her own beauty...
- 2026 / 9 / 10Advice Line with Kip Tindell of The Container StoreToday’s callers: Juliette in France wonders how to raise awareness of her “magical” cooling device—without a costly ad campaign. Then David in North Carolina looks to grow the wholesale channel of his...
- 2026 / 9 / 7Bogg Bag: Kim Vaccarella. The $100 Million Business She Almost AbandonedKim’s inspiration to launch a business came from an unlikely source: Her son’s Crocs. She thought the durable, washable material would make a great beach bag. So she designed one. But after investing her...
- 2026 / 9 / 3Advice Line with Ben Goodwin of OlipopToday’s callers: Darin from North Carolina seeks guidance on consumer education as his ghee-based snack brand grows into major retailers. Then Sarah from Massachusetts explores scaling pathways for her...
- 2026 / 8 / 31Late July Snacks: Nicole Bernard Dawes. Crackers and Cookies were Failing… Tortilla Chips Saved ThemNicole Bernard Dawes spent much of her childhood hanging out in her dad’s potato chip factory on Cape Cod. She liked his kettle-cooked chips a lot more than the flavorless snacks in her mom’s health food...
- 2026 / 8 / 27Advice Line with Daymond John of FUBUToday’s callers: Cristopher from Chicago wants to expand his family’s salsa brand from farmers markets into retail. Next, Darcy in Australia considers adapting his protein bar brand’s messaging to reach...
- 2026 / 8 / 24YETI: Ron and Ryan Seiders. How Two Brothers Turned a $400 Cooler Into a $2 Billion BrandRoy and Ryan were avid outdoorsmen who wanted a cooler that wouldn’t break. So they built one themselves.The result was YETI: a high-end cooler that early retailers thought nobody would buy. But serious...
- 2026 / 8 / 24YETI: Roy and Ryan Seiders. How Two Brothers Turned a $400 Cooler Into a $2 Billion BrandRoy and Ryan were avid outdoorsmen who wanted a cooler that wouldn’t break. So they built one themselves.The result was YETI: a high-end cooler that early retailers thought nobody would buy. But serious...
- 2026 / 8 / 20Advice Line with Carlton Calvin of RazorToday’s callers: Shawn from Saskatchewan weighs whether brand-building or licensing is best for his card-based party game. Then Shirin in Texas wants to differentiate her graphic stationery in a crowded Etsy...
- 2026 / 8 / 17Bobbie: Laura Modi. How a Baby Formula Startup Took Market Share From Two Industry GiantsLaura Modi set out to build a better infant formula. What followed was years of setbacks: a crippling dispute with the FDA, a frustrating search for a manufacturer, and the constant fear that the company...
- 2026 / 8 / 13Advice Line with Bobbi Brown of Jones Road Beauty (September 2025)Today's callers: Bob in Chicago looks to promote his cabbage-based muscle and joint rub beyond the walls of his orthopedic practice. Then Abby in Dallas wonders whether her popular social media livestreams...
- 2026 / 8 / 10MadeGood: Salma and Nima Fotovat Lost Their First Business.They Grew Their Next One Into a Snack Giant.What do you do when the family business you've spent decades building... gets bought out from under you? That’s what happened to Nima and Salma Fotovat.Devastated, the family rebuilt a new company from...
- 2026 / 8 / 10MadeGood: Salma and Nima Fotovat Lost Their First Business. They Grew Their Next One Into a Snack Giant.What do you do when the family business you've spent decades building... gets bought out from under you? That’s what happened to Nima and Salma Fotovat.Devastated, the family rebuilt a new company from...
- 2026 / 8 / 6Advice Line: "Strategy Sessions"Today’s callers: Tony in Michigan is considering bringing on partners to run different parts of his brew pub and theater business. Then Monica in London is exploring the best way to reach style-conscious...
- 2026 / 8 / 3Serena & Lily: Serena Dugan and Lily Kanter. They Built a $20M Brand—Then One Investor Almost Destroyed ItMany founders think the hardest thing about business is finding customers.It's not.It's surviving success.When Lily Kanter and Serena Dugan launched a luxury baby linen business, they had no manufacturing...
- 2026 / 7 / 30Advice Line with Chris Riccobono of UNTUCKitToday’s callers: Adrian from California wants to grow his apparel company to complete with big-name athletic brands. Then, Preet from the Rockies looks for strategies to reach seniors and their children with...
- 2026 / 7 / 27Sweetwater: Chuck Surack. How a Customer Service Strategy Built a Billion Dollar Online Pro Audio and Music Company.Chuck Surack never planned to build one of America's largest online retailers. He just wanted to be a musician. So right after high school, he took his sax and drove off in his old VW van to play gigs around...
- 2026 / 7 / 23Advice Line with Curt Richardson of OtterBoxToday’s callers: Andy from Sarasota weighs whether the path to scalability for his live game show business is through personality or product. Then, Marissa from Tampa wants to recapture sales for her fairy...
- 2026 / 7 / 20Toast: Aman Narang. How a Long Wait for the Dinner Check Launched a $2 Billion Business.After waiting too long to pay his restaurant bill, Aman Narang thought there had to be a better way. His first idea—a mobile payment app—flopped.But that failure revealed a much bigger opportunity.Restaurants...
- 2026 / 7 / 16Advice Line with Kenneth ColeToday’s callers: Matt from New York City unpacks the stigma working against his line of foot wellness products. Then Emefa in Toronto seeks a direct relationship with customers of her fashion brand in the...
- 2026 / 7 / 13Sun Bum: Tom Rinks. The Secrets of a Master Brand Builder (2023)Tom Rinks got his start in the commission-only "shark tank" of midwestern furniture sales. That’s where he learned what makes customers buy. Decades later, those instincts helped him grow a joke of a side...
- 2026 / 7 / 9Advice Line with Jeni Britton of Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams (2025)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...
- 2026 / 7 / 6Catalina Crunch: Krishna Kaliannan. From Homemade Keto Cocoa Puffs to Breakfast Aisle BreakthroughKrishna Kaliannan wanted to start a tech company but failed at every attempt. On the side, he was teaching himself how to cook with high-protein, low-sugar ingredients. Not just out of interest, but out...
- 2026 / 7 / 2Advice Line with Ronnen Harary of Spin Master/PAW PatrolToday’s callers: Ann from Nashville asks how to adapt her jewelry business in the face of rising gold prices. Then Felix in Martha’s Vineyard considers strategies for growing his family’s legacy honey and...
- 2026 / 6 / 29e.l.f. Cosmetics: Joey Shamah. The Dollar Store Formula That Built a Cosmetics GiantIn 2004, Joey Shamah and his partner launched a cosmetics company built on an idea that made almost no sense:Sell high-quality makeup for just $1.At the time, high quality beauty products were supposed to be...
- 2026 / 6 / 25Advice Line with Susan Griffin-Black of EO ProductsToday’s callers: Ruchi from Chicago looks for advice on which channels to focus distribution for her probiotic skincare line. Then Peter in San Francisco considers strategies to champion his line of organic...
- 2026 / 6 / 22STARR Restaurants: Stephen Starr. How a Non-Foodie Built Thriving Restaurants on Gut InstinctStephen Starr didn’t plan to get into the restaurant business.He set out to be a radio DJ. Then a nightclub owner. Then a music promoter.Along the way, he booked a young Jerry Seinfeld for $75, promoted shows...
- 2026 / 6 / 18Advice Line with Shazi Visram of Happy Family OrganicsToday’s callers: Daisy in the United Kingdom looks to grow her barefoot shoe brand across the pond in the United States. Then Rachel in Pennsylvania considers private labeling for her protein-packed...
- 2026 / 6 / 15Build-A-Bear: Maxine Clark. A Former Shoe Executive Launches a Stuffed Animal EmpireWhen Maxine Clark left a top job in retail to start a make-your-own stuffed animal store, people thought she’d lost her mind. Investors doubted it. Friends questioned it. Retail experts couldn't...
- 2026 / 6 / 11Advice Line with Christina Tosi of Milk BarToday’s callers: Whitney in Utah wonders how to bridge the gap between pre-seed and institutional investment for her fitness/retail combo space. Then Chloe in the U.K. considers which markets to target...
- 2026 / 6 / 8Shopify: Tobias LĂĽtke. How a snowboarder built a $150 billion business (2019)In 2004, German programmer Tobias LĂĽtke was living in Ottawa with his girlfriend.An avid snowboarder, he wanted to launch an online snowboard shop, but found the e-commerce software available at the time to...
- 2026 / 6 / 4Advice Line with Tim Ferriss (August 2025)Entrepreneur, author, and podcaster Tim Ferriss joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Tim shares the inspiration behind his latest venture, Coyote—a 10-minute...
- 2026 / 6 / 1UGG: Brian Smith. How an epiphany, surfers, and $500 launched an iconic sheepskin footwear company.In 1978, Brian Smith quit his accounting job in Australia and headed to California with a surfboard, some savings, and ambition. He figured California was where he’d find an idea or a product to bring back...
- 2026 / 5 / 28Advice Line with Jeffrey Hollender of Seventh GenerationToday’s callers: Kristina in Ohio looks for avenues beyond organic social media to market her furniture designed for toddlers and parents alike. Then Phil in Michigan considers the best messaging to brew...
- 2026 / 5 / 25Justin’s Nut Butter: Justin Gold. He Was Waiting Tables, Then...He Reinvented Peanut Butter.At 25, Justin Gold was making experimental peanut butter in his home kitchen with a food processor and a stack of recipe journals. His singular obsession: bring new life to a tired lunchtime staple.What...
- 2026 / 5 / 21Advice Line with Sarah LaFleur of M.M. LaFleurToday’s callers: David from New Jersey struggles with self-doubt as he works to grow his muscle-scraping soap brand. Then, Marnie from Australia wants to convince customers that her colorful tick-repellent...
- 2026 / 5 / 18NVIDIA: Jensen Huang. From near collapse to becoming the world’s biggest companyNVIDIA is one of the most valuable companies in human history. Its chips run the AI systems transforming everything from entertainment to warfare. But for years, almost nobody believed in co-founder Jensen...
- 2026 / 5 / 14Advice Line: New Offerings, Bigger MarketsToday’s callers: Kristina in Florida wants to take her local pottery workshops nationwide. Then Jim from Colorado wonders if retail is right for his quick release camera straps. And Will in Ohio hopes...
- 2026 / 5 / 11Room & Board: John Gabbert. A Broken Deal, a Family Rift, and the Birth of a Furniture GiantJohn Gabbert built a massive furniture brand. But in order to do it, he had to defy his family. John grew up working at his dad’s furniture store in the suburbs of Minneapolis. It sold classic,...