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
May 16, 2022 • 28min
HIBT Lab! UNLESS Collective: Eric Liedtke
Eric Liedtke, former Executive Board Member at Adidas and founder of UNLESS Collective, shares his inspiring journey in transforming fashion towards sustainability. He discusses the pressing environmental challenges from plastic in the industry and critiques the recycling narrative. Eric highlights his shift from corporate leadership to launching a brand focused on plant-based, biodegradable clothing. His insights on redefining fashion practices and engaging consumers in sustainability make for a compelling conversation about the future of apparel.
7 snips
May 12, 2022 • 31min
HIBT Lab! ClassPass: Payal Kadakia
Payal Kadakia, founder of ClassPass and author of 'LifePass,' shares her journey from launching a fitness subscription service to navigating the challenges of the pandemic. She candidly discusses how ClassPass adapted by pivoting to virtual events and the eventual acquisition by Mindbody. Payal also introduces her unique goal-setting method, focusing on personal aspirations rather than conventional resolutions. Her insights on resilience, authenticity, and balancing dual identities shed light on her holistic approach to life and business.
4 snips
May 9, 2022 • 1h 20min
PODS & Red Rover: Pete Warhurst
Pete Warhurst, the visionary behind PODS and Red Rover, shares his unexpected journey from firefighter to entrepreneur. He revolutionized self-storage with mobile containers, solving inefficiencies of traditional methods. With humor, he recounts quirky storage finds and discusses the challenges of launching Red Rover, his latest venture competing with PODS. Pete also reflects on navigating growth, innovative marketing, and the balance of hard work and luck in entrepreneurship.
10 snips
May 5, 2022 • 34min
HIBT Lab! Blogilates: Cassey Ho
Cassey Ho, the dynamic founder of Blogilates and Popflex, shares her inspiring journey from an immigrant background to becoming a fitness icon with over 6 million YouTube subscribers. She discusses the risks she took to follow her passion in a world that prioritized financial security over dreams. Cassey reveals how she built her brand through free content and community engagement, and reflects on the financial realities of the digital fitness industry. Lastly, she emphasizes her vision for creating a legacy that empowers women beyond her personal influence.
56 snips
May 2, 2022 • 1h 20min
Strava: Mark Gainey and Michael Horvath
Mark Gainey and Michael Horvath, the dynamic co-founders of Strava, embark on their entrepreneurial journey from college friends to fitness innovators. They share fascinating tales of launching their original idea in the '90s, only to pivot to a successful IPO before finally launching Strava in 2008. With humor, they discuss the rocky start of their clunky prototype and the key role of community in their success. Their commitment to user privacy, leadership styles, and the evolution of the app showcase how hard work and serendipity paved the way for their global fitness platform.
Apr 28, 2022 • 31min
HIBT Lab! Armbrust American: Lloyd Armbrust
Lloyd Armbrust, a former ad sales professional, shares his incredible journey from newspaper operations to launching a surgical mask manufacturing business during the pandemic. He discusses the urgent need that sparked this pivot and the rapid decision-making that enabled him to scale operations within six weeks. Lloyd highlights the challenges of securing FDA approval, sourcing materials, and adapting to consumer needs. He also explores the hurdles and opportunities in American manufacturing, including his company's transition from masks to air filters.
15 snips
Apr 25, 2022 • 1h 23min
Raising Cane's: Todd Graves
Todd Graves, Founder and CEO of Raising Cane's, shares his journey from an aspiring restaurateur to leading a multi-billion dollar chicken finger empire. He discusses the struggles of securing funding, including braving two tough jobs to finance his dream. Todd emphasizes sticking to core values despite pressures to diversify the menu. He also reflects on the importance of quality ingredients and how inspiration from In-N-Out Burger shaped his vision. With over 600 locations, he reveals secrets behind their success and the iconic cane sauce recipe.
Apr 21, 2022 • 29min
HIBT Lab! WeWork: Miguel McKelvey
Miguel McKelvey, co-founder of WeWork, shares a candid look back at the company's meteoric rise and subsequent fall from the $47 billion valuation. He discusses leadership dynamics with co-founder Adam Neumann and the challenges they faced during aggressive expansion. McKelvey reflects on personal growth after leaving WeWork, emphasizing his journey through therapy and new social ventures aimed at supporting entrepreneurs of color. His insights reveal the complexities of building a billion-dollar business and the lessons learned from failure.
Apr 18, 2022 • 1h 11min
Zola: Shan-Lyn Ma
Shan-Lyn Ma, Co-founder and CEO of Zola, reflects on her early entrepreneurial spirit sparked by childhood competitions and experiences at Yahoo and Gilt Groupe. She discusses the challenges of convincing investors of the need for a modern wedding registry and shares the humorous origins of Zola’s name. Ma highlights her journey through the pandemic, emphasizing resilience in adapting to the wedding industry's shifts and the personal growth that stemmed from her struggles, including a transformative recovery experience.
5 snips
Apr 14, 2022 • 37min
HIBT Lab! Colin and Samir: Colin Rosenblum and Samir Chaudry
Colin Rosenblum and Samir Chaudry, co-creators of the YouTube channel "Colin and Samir," delve into the creator economy's evolution. They share their 10-year journey of transforming from lacrosse enthusiasts into successful storytellers on digital platforms. Insights on monetizing online content and engaging audience communities highlight the challenges and opportunities in today's rapidly-changing landscape. They also discuss the unique advantages of YouTube compared to TikTok, emphasizing deeper creator-audience connections.
