
How Success Happens
How Success Happens tells the inspiring, entertaining, and unexpected journeys that influential leaders in business, the arts and sports traveled on their way to becoming household names. Hosted by Entrepreneur Media’s VP of Special Projects Dan Bova, these conversations are a must-listen for anyone looking to pave their own path to success.
Latest episodes

Jul 18, 2025 • 6min
Snack Break: James Patterson
Bestselling author James Patterson sat down with Dan while promoting his memoir James Patterson. In this snack break, Dan revisits their conversation about James’s childhood and the moment he knew it was time to commit to writing full-time. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re headed in the right direction in life, this one’s for you.
Got a question or a rude comment? Email it to howsuccesshappens@entrepreneur.com and Dan just might read it on the air. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 16, 2025 • 41min
Comedian Ben Gleib Finds Success in Going Slow
Comedian, actor, and founder Ben Gleib is a busy bee. He's the host of the brand new podcast The Wrong Side of History,
where he debates politics with guests from the opposite side of the
aisle. But he's also taking on his biggest project yet: launching the
first late-night talk show built natively for the internet. In this
episode, Gleib talks about learning to run a multi million-dollar
business, how to stay calm while public speaking, and the unexpected
ways Siri has improved his sex life.
Got a question or a rude comment? Email it to howsuccesshappens@entrepreneur.com and Dan just might read it on the air. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 11, 2025 • 7min
Snack Break: Emily Ratajkowski
Model, actor, and star of Too Much, Emily Ratajkowski sat down with Dan in 2021 for Entrepreneur’s 100 Women of Impact issue. In this snack break, Dan revisits her honest take on 10-year plans, creative ambition, and the pep talk she gave listeners who might be afraid to take the leap. If you agree that failure sucks, but know it’s part of the deal, this episode is for you.
Got a question or a rude comment? Email it to howsuccesshappens@entrepreneur.com and Dan just might read it on the air. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 9, 2025 • 1h 2min
Robert Irvine and Dan Bova Live in New York
Celebrity chef, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Robert Irvine joins Dan for a live taping of the show in New York. Robert discusses the big risk he took on FitCrunch — and how it paid off big time — as well as the work he does for veterans and first responders with The Robert Irvine Foundations. Robert also shares how one unforgettable episode of his show, Restaurant: Impossible, reshaped his definition of success and the way he treats every guest who walks through his doors. He also does shots with the audience, answers questions from the crowd, and sends everyone home with a signed copy of his book Overcoming Impossible: Learn to Lead, Build a Team, and Catapult Your Business to Success.
Want to attend a future live taping of How Success Happens? Follow @entrepreneur on socials or email Dan at howsuccesshappens@entrepreneur.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 4, 2025 • 10min
Snack Break: Ed Brubaker Talks Success in the Comic Book Industry
In this snack-sized episode, Dan revisits his conversation with Ed Brubaker, comic book author of Criminal, Batman, and Daredevil, and co-creator of Marvel’s The Winter Soldier. They talk about how the comic book world has changed, why chasing your dream job can actually hold you back, and the value of doing what you love.
Got a question or a rude comment? Email it to howsuccesshappens@entrepreneur.com and Dan just might read it on the air. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 2, 2025 • 26min
Guy Fieri and Dan Bova Live in Las Vegas
In this on-site interview from Las Vegas, Dan sits down with the Mayor of Flavortown himself, Guy Fieri, at the Customer Contact Week (CCW) convention. Their conversation covers everything from creating a positive impact in the world to life after death with a few wild detours in between. Guy gives a listener feedback on a product idea and even leaves a surprise for the next guest. Want to see what he did to Dan’s jacket? Watch this episode on Spotify.Wanna get your product in front of a future guest? Email it to howsuccesshappens@entrepreneur.com and Dan just might make that happen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 27, 2025 • 14min
Snack Break: Laird Hamilton and Gabby Reece
Grab a cup of coffee and check in with volleyball icon Gabby Reece and big-wave surfer Laird Hamilton, the duo behind Laird Superfood, Laird Apparel and XPT, an extreme performance training system. In this snack-sized episode, they share the lessons sports taught them about business, how they work through challenges together, and why authenticity is their not-so-secret ingredient for success. A quick hit of inspiration to keep you moving. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 25, 2025 • 32min
To Mary Lynn Rajskub, Success Smells Like Bacon and Dogs
Mary Lynn Rajskub, known for playing Chloe O'Brian on 24 and Gail the Snail on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, joins the show to talk about what success means at this stage of her career. She shares her excitement about her new role in North by North, recalls the final line of 24, and Dan explains how she once helped him out at work. While success might smell like pomegranates to some, for Mary Lynn, it smells like bacon and dogs.
Got a question for comedian Ben Gleib? Email it to howsuccesshappens@entrepreneur.com and Dan just might read it on the air. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 20, 2025 • 7min
Snack Break: How Randy Hetrick Perfected TRX
Retired Navy SEAL Squadron Commander Randy Hetrick didn’t mean to invent the TRX. but once the idea took hold, he got intentional fast. From field testing to sourcing materials and even sewing the early prototypes himself, Randy treated every part of the process with military precision. If you’re looking for inspiration on how to take an idea from scrappy to scalable, this episode delivers.
Got a success tip we can share on the show? Email it to howsuccesshappens@entrepreneur.com and Dan just might read it on the air. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 18, 2025 • 45min
Timmy Failure Author Stephan Pastis Always Makes Sure He's Wearing Pants
Author and cartoonist Stephan Pastis is a creative shape-shifter. He left a legal career to create Pearls Before Swine, wrote the bestselling children’s book series Timmy Failure, added screenwriter to the list, and now has his eye on travel writing. In this conversation, he shares how he protects his creativity, listens for the joke, and occasionally gets so deep in the zone he has to double-check whether he’s wearing pants.
Got a hilarious question for Food Network star Robert Irvine or comedian Ben Gleib? Email it to howsuccesshappens@entrepreneur.com and Dan just might read it on the air.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices