From Scratch with Jessica Harris

Sometimes the company you start looks a lot different from the company you end up with; Azim Premji turned his cooking fat company into one of India’s largest technology companies. With over 70,000 employees and $3Bn in sales, Wipro provides software solutions, research and development, and information technology outsourcing to multinational corporations. Azim is the Chairman of Wipro, and one of India’s five wealthiest men. Azim explains how he turned his father’s company into a technology leader, from scratch. Listen to the interview

Sir Kensington’s is a condiment company that sells ketchup, mayo, mustard, etc. Mark and his partner Scott tried to create a gourmet alternative to Heinz and started tinkering with recipes in their off-campus apartment while they were students at Brown University. Unilever acquired the company in April, 2017. Mark speaks with Jessica Harris about how he launched Sir Kensington’s, from scratch. Listen to the interview

Fabrice Penot, Founder of Le Labo perfume company, explores the significance of scent in triggering memories. He discusses the evolution of smell to include pleasure and beauty, as well as the unique ecosystem and traditions of perfume creation in Grass, France. Fabrice also reflects on his introverted childhood and early desire to escape through his mind, and shares insights into the mechanics of perfume and the challenges of building the Le Labo brand. Additionally, he provides insights into his personal life and home in Brooklyn.

AuthenTec makes fingerprint sensors that could unlock mobile phones and computers. AuthenTec was sold to Apple in 2012 for $356 million, and the fingerprint sensor first appeared on the iPhone 5s in 2013. Scott speaks with Jessica Harris about how he launched AuthenTec, from scratch. Listen to the interview

Entrepreneur Coss Marte, who developed ConBody in prison, shares his inspiring journey of weight loss and launching a successful fitness business. From selling drugs to running a legitimate operation, he discusses his unique approach to fitness training and the impact of his program on the community.

Jo Malone is a fragrance entrepreneur. She launched Jo Malone London in a retail shop in London in 1994. The company was bought by Estee Lauder in 1999. Jo launched her next company, Jo Loves, in 2011 after a five year hiatus from the fragrance industry. Jo is the author of Jo Malone: My Story. Jo speaks with Jessica Harris about how she launched her fragrance businesses, from scratch. Listen to the interview

KIND is a food company that produces sweet and savory bars with whole nuts, spices, and fruit, among other products. KIND is sold in a diverse array of locations including Whole Foods, Walmart, convenience stores and newspaper stands. Daniel launched KIND in 2003. Daniel is also the founder of PeaceWorks, which sells Mediterranean spreads. PeaceWorks aims to foster peaceful relationships among neighbors in the Middle East and other groups in conflict through joint business ventures. Daniel speaks with Jessica Harris about how he launched KIND, from scratch. Listen to the interview

Dr. Langer is a chemical engineer who has pioneered the fields of drug delivery and tissue engineering. His lab at MIT receives roughly $10 Million in annual grants and has 100 researchers. Dr. Langer has helped to launch close to 30 start-ups, and his lab’s innovations have been licensed or sublicensed by 250 companies. Dr. Langer is also a father of three children and a magician. Dr. Langer speaks with Jessica Harris about how he has transformed the bio-materials landscape, from scratch. Listen to the interview

Casper is a company focused on sleep. Casper’s leading product is its mattress, which can be ordered online and delivered in a box, sometimes within hours if you live in New York City. Casper makes one type of mattress for all consumers, believing that more choice does not mean more comfort. Philip speaks with Jessica Harris about how he launched Casper, from scratch. Listen to the interview

Gary is a serial entrepreneur who launched Match.com, the online dating service, in 1993. A host of other online matchmaking personals companies have hatched as a result of Gary’s innovation. Gary also registered a number of lucrative domain names in the early days of the internet including housing.com, jobs.com, and autos.com. He was also the early owner of sex.com, which was the subject of a legal dispute that was ultimately resolved in Gary’s favor. More recently, Gary has been involved in innovations in the clean tech and financial services industries. Gary speaks with Jessica Harris about how he used the internet to connect millions of people, from scratch. Listen to the interview