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
22 snips
Dec 25, 2023 • 53min
KiwiCo: Sandra Oh Lin
Sandra Oh Lin, Founder and CEO of KiwiCo, transformed an inspirational hobby into a billion-dollar venture. She discusses quitting her tech career to create fun, educational projects for kids, which sparked the idea for her subscription box service. Sandra shares her journey testing ideas with children, navigating Silicon Valley’s tough funding landscape, and overcoming early financial hurdles. Her vision for KiwiCo aims to inspire hands-on learning and grow it to a household name like LEGO.
35 snips
Dec 21, 2023 • 38min
Shooting for the moon with Steve Altemus of Intuitive Machines
Steve Altemus, co-founder and CEO of Intuitive Machines, once worked at NASA and now aims to commercialize lunar exploration. He discusses the logistics of sending the first commercial spacecraft to the moon, highlighting innovations and the global space race. Altemus embraces the importance of learning from failure and emphasizes sustainable funding models for lunar missions. He explores the potential of moon resources like water ice and rare minerals, while addressing the evolving challenges and collaborations shaping the future of lunar exploration.
61 snips
Dec 18, 2023 • 1h 8min
reCAPTCHA and Duolingo: Luis von Ahn (2020)
Luis von Ahn, a computer scientist and entrepreneur, discusses his groundbreaking journey from creating CAPTCHA to co-founding Duolingo. He reveals how an academic problem inspired a tech solution that became essential for internet security and digitization. Luis shares personal anecdotes from his childhood in Guatemala and how they fueled his passion for accessible education. He also explains the innovative freemium model of Duolingo and the balance between profitability and providing free language learning, alongside humorous moments that led to his entrepreneurial success.
17 snips
Dec 14, 2023 • 39min
Framing the future of eyecare with Neil Blumenthal and Dave Gilboa of Warby Parker
Neil Blumenthal and Dave Gilboa, co-CEOs of Warby Parker, discuss their journey of disrupting the eyewear market since 2010. They delve into the pivotal role of brick-and-mortar stores for customer relations, despite their direct-to-consumer roots. The conversation touches on their commitment to social responsibility, like providing glasses to underserved students. They also explore the impact of artificial intelligence on eyecare and their unique path to becoming a public company, emphasizing innovation and integrity in their growth.
27 snips
Dec 11, 2023 • 1h 17min
Wondery: Hernan Lopez
Hernan Lopez, the founder of Wondery, shares his remarkable journey from a television executive at Fox to a podcast pioneer. He discusses the challenges of building a podcast network in a skeptical industry and the success of shows like 'Dirty John.' Hernan reflects on moments of resilience, including turning down a $25 million buyout, and highlights the importance of storytelling in his transition. He also delves into personal struggles with identity and his commitment to mentoring young professionals, showcasing how hard work intersects with opportunity.
17 snips
Dec 7, 2023 • 41min
Full body preventive health care with Andrew Lacy of Prenuvo
Andrew Lacy, co-founder and CEO of Prenuvo, discusses his innovative approach to preventive health care through full-body scans that can detect diseases early. He shares insights from his personal scan experience and the journey of establishing a healthcare business in a skeptical environment. Lacy addresses industry criticism, emphasizes the importance of patient education on preventive measures, and explores how advanced imaging can revolutionize individual health outcomes and accessibility in health care.
5 snips
Dec 4, 2023 • 1h 14min
Briogeo Hair Care: Nancy Twine (2020)
Nancy Twine, the founder of Briogeo Hair Care, shifted from a finance career to create her natural hair care brand after a personal tragedy. Inspired by childhood memories of homemade treatments, she faced funding challenges as a Black entrepreneur in a predominantly white industry. Despite initial struggles, her determination led to a remarkable partnership with Sephora, launching a line that now generates $100M in annual sales. Twine’s journey highlights resilience, innovation, and the importance of family support in achieving entrepreneurial dreams.
34 snips
Nov 30, 2023 • 42min
The surprise that's saving food with Lucie Basch of Too Good To Go (2023)
Lucie Basch, a French entrepreneur and co-founder of Too Good To Go, shares her inspiring journey to combat food waste. She discusses the app's innovative 'surprise bags' concept, connecting consumers with restaurants and groceries to buy surplus food at reduced prices. Collaboration is key, as Lucie highlights partnerships with other food startups to tackle the larger food waste crisis. The conversation also touches on balancing ethical business practices and securing investment while driving impactful change in the global food system.
45 snips
Nov 27, 2023 • 1h 17min
CAVA: Ted Xenohristos and Brett Schulman
Ted Xenohristos, co-founder of CAVA, grew up in a Greek-immigrant family with a passion for his heritage’s cuisine. Alongside Brett Schulman, former consultant turned CEO, they discuss the humble beginnings of their Mediterranean restaurant journey. They faced daunting challenges, like financial struggles and learning the ropes of the restaurant business, before achieving remarkable growth. Innovative thinking and strategic expansions into new markets, including Los Angeles, led to CAVA becoming a nationally recognized chain with over 280 locations.
27 snips
Nov 23, 2023 • 42min
The future of driving is autonomous with Dmitri Dolgov of Waymo
Dmitri Dolgov, Co-CEO of Waymo and a key player in autonomous vehicle technology, shares insights into the future of self-driving cars. He believes Waymo's vehicles surpass human drivers in safety and efficiency after years of development and thousands of rides. The conversation touches on how Waymo’s strategies differ from Tesla's, the journey from Google to an independent service, and the rapid growth of autonomous ride-hailing. Dmitri also discusses when we can expect more autonomous vehicles on the roads than human-driven ones.
