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. Listen to How I Built This on the Wondery App or wherever you listen to your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/how-i-built-this now. Get your How I Built This merch at WonderyShop.com/HowIBuiltThis.
Episodes
Mentioned books
6 snips
Dec 8, 2025 • 1h 18min
(September 2020) Khan Academy: Sal Khan. From Tutoring His Cousins to Teaching the World For Free
Sal Khan, the founder of Khan Academy, shares his inspiring journey from a high-paying finance job to creating a free educational platform serving millions. He discusses the early spark that came from tutoring his cousin, which led him to harness the power of YouTube for educational content. Sal emphasizes his vision for world-class education accessible to anyone and reflects on key moments, like receiving support from Bill Gates and forming a nonprofit to maintain trust. His focus remains on providing quality learning experiences without the distractions of profit.
5 snips
Dec 4, 2025 • 52min
Advice Line with Jane Wurwand of Dermalogica (2024)
Jane Wurwand, co-founder of Dermalogica, shares her insights on building a trusted skincare brand through education. She advises founders like Camille on scaling premium baby food while ensuring quality, emphasizes community value for Molly's fitness classes, and discusses the balance between narrow focus and expansion for Sarah's performance underwear line. Jane highlights modern branding essentials while recalling her scrappy beginnings, giving valuable guidance on entrepreneurship and self-care in the startup world.
55 snips
Dec 1, 2025 • 1h 3min
Meridith Baer Home: Meridith Baer. She Started Over at 50 and Put Home Staging on the Map.
Meridith Baer, founder of Meredith Baer Home, shares her inspiring journey of reinventing her life at 50. From growing up near San Quentin to working as a Hollywood screenwriter, her bold pivot into home staging reshaped her career. She explains how she turned thrift-store finds into a thriving business, amassed a fleet of trucks, and scaled without outside funding. Meridith also discusses the psychology behind staging homes to captivate buyers, and how luck and saying yes to new opportunities played a crucial role in her success.
18 snips
Nov 27, 2025 • 49min
Advice Line with Bill Creelman of Spindrift
Bill Creelman, founder of Spindrift, shares pearls of wisdom with early-stage entrepreneurs. Zach Will seeks advice on marketing strategies for his Hawaiian-inspired flannel brand, while Jean-Pierre Parent struggles with prioritizing revenue channels for his Kombucha business. Bill emphasizes the importance of authenticity in product development and simplifying operations to focus on profitable ventures. The discussion is filled with practical insights that can help aspiring founders navigate their challenges.
70 snips
Nov 24, 2025 • 1h 4min
Hydro Flask: Travis Rosbach. How a thirsty surfer changed the water bottle industry
Travis Rosbach, the co-founder of Hydro Flask, launched his iconic brand after recognizing the flaws in existing water bottles. He shares his journey from an inexperienced entrepreneur to a sought-after innovator, driven by the need for a better bottle. Travis recounts his serendipitous trip to China, the painstaking design process, and the challenges of scaling production. Most fascinatingly, he reveals the critical moment when an unexpected investor saved Hydro Flask from closure, emphasizing the integral roles of perseverance, timing, and a bit of luck in building a successful business.
25 snips
Nov 20, 2025 • 48min
Advice Line with Anthony Casalena of Squarespace
Anthony Casalena, founder and CEO of Squarespace, shares insights on entrepreneurship and the power of AI in digital marketing. He advises Bob on enhancing awareness for his custom mattresses through partnerships and better branding. Stacey from All Better Co. dives into breaking into the competitive first-aid market, exploring packaging strategies and omni-channel placements. Mehak of Kahani discusses launching her mental health app, emphasizing community engagement and user-centric growth strategies. Tune in for valuable advice from a leader in the digital space!
174 snips
Nov 17, 2025 • 1h 17min
Gymshark: Ben Francis. From pizza delivery to billion-dollar fitness brand.
Ben Francis, co-founder of Gymshark, transformed a university project into a billion-dollar fitness brand, starting from his roots as a pizza delivery driver. He discusses the power of building relationships with YouTubers, which helped legitimize Gymshark before influencers became mainstream. Francis shares insights on community-driven branding, learning through doing, and his leadership evolution. He also reflects on overcoming imposter syndrome and the importance of focus and authenticity in business as Gymshark continues to thrive.
39 snips
Nov 13, 2025 • 47min
Advice Line with Chet Pipkin of Belkin International
Chet Pipkin, the founder and former CEO of Belkin International, shares invaluable insights on entrepreneurship. He emphasizes the importance of solving real consumer problems as a path to success. His conversation with Meredith Hudson, founder of Sideline Bags, dives into inventory planning strategies for her fast-selling backpack organizers. Chet advises on the power of building trust with suppliers and discusses grassroots strategies to grow B2B sales, reminding entrepreneurs to embrace limitations and stay true to their vision.
64 snips
Nov 10, 2025 • 51min
Backroads: Tom Hale. How a desk worker became a trailblazer in active travel
Tom Hale, the visionary Founder and CEO of Backroads, started his active-travel company in 1979 with a simple idea born from frustration at his desk job. He shares the story of his first trip in Death Valley with just four guests and how he grew the company without outside capital. Tom reveals how he navigated crises like 9/11 and COVID-19 while ensuring quality experiences. Discover the ingenious 'collect early, pay late' strategy that fueled growth, and how Backroads evolved to offer diverse travel options, steering clear of crowded Instagram spots.
15 snips
Nov 6, 2025 • 50min
Advice Line with Tariq Farid of Edible Arrangements
Tariq Farid, founder of Edible Arrangements and seasoned entrepreneur, joins to lend his expertise to early-stage founders. He shares insights on how to make Filipino banana ketchup mainstream and debates the impact of brand names like 'cruise' for sustainable ventures. Tariq also discusses scaling personalized services without losing the brand's soul and reflects on his entrepreneurial journey, emphasizing the importance of customer feedback and long-term vision.
