Episode 108: Guy Raz

My guest today is the host and author of How I Built This, Guy Raz. He started his career as an intern at NPR’s “All Things Considered”, then became a foreign correspondent before taking a two-year stint at CNN. Guy then returned to NPR, starting hit shows like the TED Radio Hour and the How I Built This podcast, where he interviews famous entrepreneurs from companies like Allbirds, Yelp, and Airbnb. Now Guy has turned his podcast into a book by the same name, which we discuss in this podcast episode.

The 5 questions I ask in this episode:

1. What lessons did you learn early on in your career when you were with NPR and CNN that helped you become an effective interviewer and storyteller today?
2. I’ve interviewed about 2,300 people in my career and you’re at over 6,000. Which guest was most surprising to you and what was the most inspirational moment that had a lasting effect on you?
3. It seems like so many entrepreneurs have a safety net, in the form of family money or a full-time job, that enables them to execute on a big idea. Do you believe there is such a thing as “rags to riches” and “self-made” or do all entrepreneurs have a financial advantage when they start?
4. In two previous episodes I asked billionaire venture capitalists Ben Horowitz and Chamath Palihapitiya about the qualities all successful entrepreneurs have in common and they said they are original thinkers, have leadership skills, a learning mindset, and deep-seated insecurity. Do you agree with this list and would you add anything to it?
5. What’s your best piece of career advice?

Follow Guy’s journey:

• Website
• Book
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn