Podcast
How I Built This with Guy Raz
Guy Raz | Wondery
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.New episodes release on Mondays and Thursdays.
— All episodes
EPISODES
- 01
Jul 20, 2026 · 51m E854
Toast: 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 fa...
- 02
Jul 16, 2026 · 45m E853
Advice Line with Kenneth Cole
Today’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 relation...
- 03
Jul 13, 2026 · 1h 15m E852
Sun 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, t...
- 04
Jul 9, 2026 · 48m E851
Advice 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 newes...
- 05
Jul 6, 2026 · 1h 3m E850
Catalina Crunch: Krishna Kaliannan. From Homemade Keto Cocoa Puffs to Breakfast Aisle Breakthrough
Krishna 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 i...
- 06
Jul 2, 2026 · 43m E849
Advice Line with Ronnen Harary of Spin Master/PAW Patrol
Today’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 strat...
- 07
Jun 29, 2026 · 1h 14m E848
e.l.f. Cosmetics: Joey Shamah. The Dollar Store Formula That Built a Cosmetics Giant
In 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 ti...
- 08
Jun 25, 2026 · 43m E847
Advice Line with Susan Griffin-Black of EO Products
Today’s callers: Ruchi from Chicago looks for advice on which channels to focus distribution for her probiotic skincare line. Then Peter in San Francisco con...
- 09
Jun 22, 2026 · 1h 14m E846
STARR Restaurants: Stephen Starr. How a Non-Foodie Built Thriving Restaurants on Gut Instinct
Stephen 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...
- 10
Jun 18, 2026 · 45m E845
Advice Line with Shazi Visram of Happy Family Organics
Today’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 consider...
- 11
Jun 15, 2026 · 1h 4m E844
Build-A-Bear: Maxine Clark. A Former Shoe Executive Launches a Stuffed Animal Empire
When 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 q...
- 12
Jun 11, 2026 · 45m E843
Advice Line with Christina Tosi of Milk Bar
Today’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 i...
- 13
Jun 8, 2026 · 58m E842
Shopify: Tobias Lütke. How a snowboarder built a $150 billion business (2019)
In 2004, German programmer Tobias Lütke was living in Ottawa with his girlfriend. An avid snowboarder, he wanted to launch an online snowboard shop, but foun...
- 14
Jun 4, 2026 · 47m E841
Advice 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 inspir...
- 15
Jun 1, 2026 · 1h 28m E840
UGG: 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 wh...
- 16
May 28, 2026 · 46m E839
Advice Line with Jeffrey Hollender of Seventh Generation
Today’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...
- 17
May 25, 2026 · 1h 27m E838
Justin’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: br...
- 18
May 21, 2026 · 48m E837
Advice Line with Sarah LaFleur of M.M. LaFleur
Today’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 con...
- 19
May 18, 2026 · 1h 7m E836
NVIDIA: Jensen Huang. From near collapse to becoming the world’s biggest company
NVIDIA is one of the most valuable companies in human history. Its chips run the AI systems transforming everything from entertainment to warfare. But for ye...
- 20
May 14, 2026 · 41m E835
Advice Line: New Offerings, Bigger Markets
Today’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 re...
- 21
May 11, 2026 · 1h 1m E834
Room & Board: John Gabbert. A Broken Deal, a Family Rift, and the Birth of a Furniture Giant
John 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 subu...
- 22
May 7, 2026 · 43m E833
Advice Line with Jonah Peretti of Buzzfeed
Today’s callers: Anthony from Miami considers the best method to grow his pop-up outdoor movie theater business. Then Andrew in San Francisco asks how to set...
- 23
May 4, 2026 · 1h 12m E832
Beautycounter: Gregg Renfrew. She Built Beautycounter to $1B… Then Got Fired From Her Own Company
Gregg Renfrew started a movement by making better-for-you cosmetics, then enlisted an army of women to build the business through direct sales. But after sel...
- 24
Apr 30, 2026 · 44m E831
Advice Line with David Neeleman of JetBlue
Today’s callers: Barbara in Massachusetts wonders how her nutrition education theater company might live on past her own involvement. Then Jeff in Illinois l...
- 25
Apr 27, 2026 · 1h 8m E830
Shep and Ian Murray: Vineyard Vines. A Stale Product Transforms into a Lifestyle Brand.
In the late 1990s, Shep and Ian Murray looked at a shrinking category–men’s ties–and saw an opportunity: a necktie isn’t just functional. It’s expressive. It...
- 26
Apr 23, 2026 · 40m E829
Advice Line with Eric Ryan of Method returns
Today’s callers: Christina from California wonders how to build trust with her fragrance brand formulated without allergens. Then, James, also from Californi...
- 27
Apr 20, 2026 · 1h 5m E828
KIND bars: Daniel Lubetzky. From peace in the Middle East to a $5 billion snack bar
What if the thing you care about most ... might be what’s holding your business back? Daniel Lubetzky didn’t leave his law job to build a straightforward bus...
- 28
Apr 16, 2026 · 51m E827
Advice Line with Chieh Huang of Boxed
Today’s callers: Alec from California wonders if it’s time to bring production for his beef tallow skincare brand out of his kitchen to a co-manufacturer. Th...
- 29
Apr 13, 2026 · 1h 3m E826
iRobot: Colin Angle. How The Roomba Became a Household Icon
Colin Angle didn’t start out trying to clean people’s floors. He started out trying to shape the future–with robots. In the early days of iRobot, there was n...
- 30
Apr 9, 2026 · 42m E825
Advice Line with Steve Ells of Chipotle
Today’s callers: Rebecca from Australia wants to make her small-batch spirits stand out in a crowded market. Then, Sri from England wonders how to balance co...
- 31
Apr 6, 2026 · 1h 18m E824
Wingstop: Antonio Swad. A Brilliant Idea — And a Nail-Biting Exit
A lot of founders spend their lives chasing one big idea. Antonio Swad had two. The first? Migrating chicken wings from the Happy Hour buffet to the center o...
- 32
Apr 2, 2026 · 49m E823
Advice Line with Angie & Dan Bastian of Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP
Today’s callers: Michelle from California assesses the trade offs of accepting outside investment to scale her organic granola brand. Then, Gloria from Conne...
- 33
Mar 30, 2026 · 1h 13m E822
diapers.com: Marc Lore. The ecommerce visionary who lost to Amazon but still made billions (2021)
Back in the early days of ecommerce, Marc Lore took a classic retail loss leader–diapers– and turned it into a DTC giant– Diapers.com. It did so well that it...
- 34
Mar 26, 2026 · 40m E821
Advice Line with Marcia Kilgore of Beauty Pie (June 2025)
Serial entrepreneur Marcia Kilgore — founder of brands like Beauty Pie and Soap & Glory — joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from thre...
- 35
Mar 23, 2026 · 1h 8m E820
Vital Farms: Matt O’Hayer. How a serial entrepreneur re-branded the egg
For decades, a dozen eggs was just… a dozen eggs. No story. No real branding. No reason to care who produced them. Then Matt O’Hayer came along and asked a q...
- 36
Mar 19, 2026 · 37m E819
Advice Line: What’s Your Value?
In today’s special episode, Guy and four former show guests talk with callers about how they can prove the value of their products—and themselves. First, Mea...
- 37
Mar 16, 2026 · 1h 29m E818
Scrub Daddy: Aaron Krause. How a Failed Experiment Became a Billion-Dollar Sponge
Aaron Krause did not set out to reinvent the kitchen sponge. He was a car detailer, building buffing pads and the machines that made them. To clean his greas...
- 38
Mar 12, 2026 · 44m E816
Advice Line with Hernan Lopez of Wondery
Today’s callers: Heather from Ontario talks through a DTC strategy for her retail pain relief tape and patches. Then Nawal in Michigan considers a rebrand fo...
- 39
Mar 9, 2026 · 58m E815
Bobo’s: Beryl Stafford. A Single Mom Turns a Baking Project into a $100M Business
Bobo’s: Beryl Stafford. A Single Mom Turns a Baking Project into a $100M Business At 40, Beryl Stafford’s life cracked open. Her marriage ended, she hadn’t w...
- 40
Mar 5, 2026 · 44m E814
Advice Line with Miguel McKelvey of WeWork
Today’s callers: Jane in Minnesota wants to scale her artful pants brand while staying true to her locally-made mission. Then Melissa in New Mexico wonders h...
- 41
Mar 2, 2026 · 1h E813
Kettle Chips: Cameron Healy. The Wild Bet That Made a Brand
Kettle Chips: Cameron Healy. The Wild Bet That Made a Brand Most founders expand the “right” way: local → regional → national → international. Cameron Healy...
- 42
Feb 26, 2026 · 41m E812
Advice Line with Alexa Hirschfeld of Paperless Post
Today’s callers: Jess from Washington seeks counsel on structuring a collaboration between her sympathy cards company and a pet products brand. Then, Carolin...
- 43
Feb 23, 2026 · 1h 11m E811
Square: Jim McKelvey. He Lost a $2,000 Sale, Then Built a $10 Billion Company
Most entrepreneurs think the hardest part of building a company is the product. For Jim McKelvey — co-founder of Square — the hardest part was the system aro...
- 44
Feb 19, 2026 · 48m E810
Advice Line with Pete Maldonado and Rashid Ali of Chomps
Today’s callers: Yadi from New York thinks through an expansion strategy for her college campus-based empanada business. Then, Zachary from New York looks fo...
- 45
Feb 16, 2026 · 1h E809
Spinbrush: John Osher. The Electric Toothbrush That Sold for $475M
Before Spinbrush became the top selling toothbrush in the U.S—and before Procter & Gamble paid $475M for it—John Osher was a teenager selling earrings for $4...
- 46
Feb 12, 2026 · 46m E808
Advice Line with Julia Hartz of Eventbrite
Today’s callers: Mia from Germany wants to know how to balance her pottery business between an online shop and a YouTube channel. Then, Jen from Connecticut...
- 47
Feb 9, 2026 · 1h 24m E807
Netflix: Reed Hastings. “We’re Not a Family.” The Provocative Idea That Helped Build a Streaming Giant
Netflix shouldn’t have survived. In 1997, Blockbuster owned home entertainment—9,000 stores, a business fueled by late fees, and a brand that felt untouchabl...
- 48
Feb 5, 2026 · 46m E806
Advice Line with Jon Stein of Betterment
Plus, Jon’s take on why now is a good time to start a business — in spite of market uncertainty. Today’s callers: Dan from Washington considers new offerings...
- 49
Feb 2, 2026 · 55m E805
HOKA: Jean-Luc Diard and Nicolas Mermoud. The “Clown Shoe” That Became a $2B Bonanza
In the late 2000s, two French mountain athletes set out to build a running shoe that captured the feeling of flying. Jean-Luc Diard and Nicolas “Nico” Mermou...
- 50
Jan 29, 2026 · 53m E804
Advice Line with Serial Entrepreneur Mark Cuban
Plus, Mark on his most challenging venture yet: revolutionizing the prescription drug market in America. First we meet Lucy from Washington DC, considering a...
- 51
Jan 26, 2026 · 1h 9m E803
Taylor Guitars: Kurt Listug and Bob Taylor. From $3,700 Shop to Global Icon
A bright blue guitar covered in orange koi fish vanished from a museum display … and Swifties immediately knew what it meant. That distinctive guitar—the one...
- 52
Jan 22, 2026 · 40m E802
Advice Line with Monica Nassif of Mrs. Meyer's
Plus, how candor has been a more effective press strategy than talking points for (the literal) Mrs. Meyer. First we meet Allison in California, seeking mark...
- 53
Jan 19, 2026 · 1h 20m E801
Gymboree: Joan Barnes. How Building a Beloved Brand Nearly Destroyed Its Founder
Before Gymboree became a cultural icon in the 80s and 90s, it was just one lonely new mom trying to find connection. Joan Barnes started hosting weekly playg...
- 54
Jan 15, 2026 · 45m E800
Advice Line with Neil Blumenthal of Warby Parker
Warby Parker co-founder Neil Blumenthal joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs. Plus, how AI integrat...
- 55
Jan 12, 2026 · 1h 8m E799
La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti. A Brotherhood Built on Coffee (2020)
When Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti met at a grunge concert in Seattle in the 1980s, they were an unlikely pair. But they shared a love for great coffee, an...
- 56
Jan 8, 2026 · 53m E798
Advice Line with Jack Conte of Patreon (December 2024)
Patreon co-founder and CEO Jack Conte joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders about marketing and building...
- 57
Jan 5, 2026 · 52m E797
Dollar Shave Club: Michael Dubin, From Zero to a Billion Dollar Exit in Five Years (December 2018)
It started with a massive pile of razors sitting in a Rancho Cucomonga warehouse, and Michael Dubin’s chance meeting of the man who wanted to get rid of them...
- 58
Jan 1, 2026 · 43m E796
Advice Line: Tapping AI as a Resource for Your Business
This week, Guy is joined by TRX exercise straps founder Randy Hetrick, chicken restaurant giant Raising Cane’s Todd Graves, and Chesapeake Bay Candle Company...
- 59
Dec 29, 2025 · 1h 24m E795
SkinnyDipped: Breezy and Val Griffith. The Flourishing Snack Company That Almost Failed
For decades, snack companies believed Americans wanted everything sweeter. More sugar. More chocolate. More indulgence. But what if that assumption was wrong...
- 60
Dec 25, 2025 · 50m E794
Advice Line with Todd Graves of Raising Cane's
Raising Cane’s founder Todd Graves joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage founders who are each considering a big, next step...
- 61
Dec 22, 2025 · 1h 27m E793
Exploding Kittens: Elan Lee. How cat-themed Russian Roulette changed game night forever
Exploding Kittens began as a jerry-rigged version of Russian Roulette — a deck of cards hastily modified with a Sharpie. But what happened next is one of the...
- 62
Dec 18, 2025 · 44m E792
Advice Line with Bobby Trussell of Tempur-Pedic
Tempur-Pedic founder Bobby Trussell joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Bobby talks about his new book, T...
- 63
Dec 15, 2025 · 1h 7m E791
93 Rejections, One Revolution: How Indiegogo Changed Crowdfunding Forever
What happens when three outsiders try to reinvent access to money… during the worst financial crisis in decades? Before Kickstarter. Before GoFundMe. Before...
- 64
Dec 11, 2025 · 43m E790
Advice Line with Scott Tannen of Boll & Branch and Jamie Siminoff of Ring
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 ent...
- 65
Dec 8, 2025 · 1h 18m E789
Khan Academy: Sal Khan. From Tutoring His Cousins to Teaching the World For Free (September 2020)
Khan Academy offers hundreds of free tutorials in fifty languages, and has 170 million monthly global users. It all began in 2009 when Sal Khan walked away f...
- 66
Dec 4, 2025 · 52m E788
Advice Line with Jane Wurwand of Dermalogica (December 2024)
Jane Wurwand, co-founder of the global skincare brand Dermalogica, joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early stage founders....
- 67
Dec 1, 2025 · 1h 3m E787
Meridith Baer Home: Meridith Baer. She Started Over at 50 and Put Home Staging on the Map.
Meridith Baer grew up on the grounds of San Quentin prison, acted in TV and movies, wrote scripts in Hollywood … and then, at 50, started over – and built on...
- 68
Nov 27, 2025 · 48m E786
Advice Line with Bill Creelman of Spindrift
Bill Creelman, CEO and founder of Spindrift, joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs. Plus, Bill and Guy talk a...
- 69
Nov 24, 2025 · 1h 4m E785
Hydro Flask: Travis Rosbach. How a thirsty surfer changed the water bottle industry
What if the idea that changes your life… starts with something as ordinary as being thirsty? In 2007, Travis Rosbach walked into a sporting goods store looki...
- 70
Nov 20, 2025 · 48m E784
Advice Line with Anthony Casalena of Squarespace
Squarespace founder Anthony Casalena joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs. Plus, Anthony shares how...
- 71
Nov 17, 2025 · 1h 16m E783
Gymshark: Ben Francis. From pizza delivery to billion-dollar fitness brand.
At 19, Ben Francis was lifting weights during the day and delivering pizza at night. He didn’t have money. He didn’t have fashion experience. He didn’t even...
- 72
Nov 13, 2025 · 47m E782
Advice Line with Chet Pipkin of Belkin International
Chet Pipkin, former CEO and founder of the electronic goods company Belkin International, joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-s...
- 73
Nov 10, 2025 · 50m E781
Backroads: Tom Hale. How a desk worker became a trailblazer in active travel
In his 20’s, working an office job he hated, Tom woke up in the middle of the night with a wild idea: why not take people on bike trips? No playbook. No inve...
- 74
Nov 6, 2025 · 50m E780
Advice Line with Tariq Farid of Edible Arrangements
Tariq Farid the founder of Edible Arrangements joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs. Plus, Tariq updates Guy...
- 75
Nov 3, 2025 · 1h 7m E779
Babylist: Natalie Gordon. How a new mom used nap time to build a $500M business.
In 2010, software engineer Natalie Gordon was pregnant– and fed up with the overwhelming baby aisles in big box stores. So she quit her computer job to code...
- 76
Oct 30, 2025 · 44m E778
Advice Line with Niraj Shah of Wayfair
Wayfair co-founder Niraj Shah joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs about how to bet on themselves – and defi...
- 77
Oct 27, 2025 · 1h 12m E777
Nuts.com: Jeff Braverman. From Corner Store to Snacktime Powerhouse
A century ago, Jeff Braverman’s grandfather opened a peanut shop in Newark, New Jersey. By the early 2000s, the family business was doing $1M in sales and st...
- 78
Oct 23, 2025 · 50m E776
Advice Line with John Zimmer of Lyft
Lyft co-founder John Zimmer joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, John talks about his recent decision to s...
- 79
Oct 20, 2025 · 1h 33m E775
Magnolia: Chip & Joanna Gaines. From House Flipping to Household Name
What happens when a charismatic home renovator marries a budding design whiz? You get the billion-dollar powerhouse that is Chip and Joanna Gaines. The Gaine...
- 80
Oct 16, 2025 · 54m E774
Advice Line with Stacy Madison of Stacy’s Pita Chips
Stacy’s Pita Chips co-founder Stacy Madison joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs. Plus, Stacy talks about he...