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
Aug 7, 2017 • 55min
Rent The Runway: Jenn Hyman
Jenn Hyman, co-founder of Rent the Runway, shares her inspiring journey that began in 2008 when she envisioned a solution to expensive fashion. She recounts the challenges of being a female entrepreneur, including facing sexism and funding hurdles. Hyman highlights pivotal moments, like a crucial pitch to a designer, and discusses the innovative blend of fashion with technology. The conversation also touches on the societal pressures of repeated outfits and how clothing rental empowers women while promoting sustainability.
Jul 31, 2017 • 41min
Kickstarter: Perry Chen
Perry Chen, co-founder of Kickstarter, shares his unconventional journey from working in the stock market to founding Kickstarter. He discusses the challenges they faced, meeting co-founders, and building the company amidst competition. The podcast also features how Kristel Gordon invented a solution for stuffing a duvet into its cover.
Jul 27, 2017 • 49min
Live Episode! BuzzFeed: Jonah Peretti
In 2001, when most of us had no idea what it meant to "go viral," Jonah Peretti shared an email prank among his friends — and saw it spread to millions. That began his fascination with how information spreads, and set him on the path to launch two of the most powerful media organizations of the Internet age: The Huffington Post and BuzzFeed. Recorded live in New York City.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Jul 24, 2017 • 36min
Samuel Adams: Jim Koch (2017)
We're hard at work planning our upcoming live shows, so we bring you this favorite from the last year: Samuel Adams. In 1984, Jim Koch felt suffocated by his cushy but boring corporate job. So he left, dusted off an old family beer recipe, started Sam Adams, and helped kickstart the craft beer movement in America. PLUS in our postscript "How You Built That," we check back with Kaitlin Mogental who is making packaged snacks out of the leftover fruit and veggie pulp from LA juice bars.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Jul 17, 2017 • 42min
Aden + Anais: Raegan Moya-Jones
Cotton muslin baby blankets are commonplace in Australia, where Raegan Moya-Jones grew up. But when she started a new life and family in NYC, she couldn't find them anywhere. She was sure Americans would love muslin blankets as much as Australians. So in 2006, she started the baby blanket company Aden + Anais, which now makes more than $100 million in annual revenue. PLUS in our postscript "How You Built That," how Sam Boyd created Guided Imports, a middleman business to help entrepreneurs find manufacturing and production solutions ... in China.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Jul 10, 2017 • 47min
Rolling Stone: Jann Wenner
After being involved in Berkeley's Free Speech Movement, Jann Wenner wanted to start a publication to capture the exploding counterculture scene of the 1960s. The result was Rolling Stone, a gritty music magazine that – for 50 years — has left an indelible mark on rock music and journalism. PLUS in our postscript "How You Built That," how Cleveland resident Joel Crites created the app Micro Fantasy, a game where fans can make mini-predictions about what will happen next during a baseball game.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
13 snips
Jul 3, 2017 • 29min
Spanx: Sara Blakely (2017)
Spanx founder Sara Blakely's journey from fax machine sales to creating a billion-dollar shapewear brand. The challenges faced, from securing a patent to naming the brand 'Spanx'. Unconventional marketing tactics, like showcasing the product in a bathroom stall, highlighted. Plus, a tech entrepreneur's experience with a friend-matching app on a reality show.
Jun 26, 2017 • 43min
TRX: Randy Hetrick
Randy Hetrick, a former Navy SEAL and the mastermind behind the TRX suspension training system, shares his incredible journey from military innovation to fitness revolution. He recounts how a makeshift workout tool created during a deployment led to a global fitness brand. Randy details the challenges posed by counterfeit products that threatened TRX's success and the emotional toll of protecting his creation. He also discusses his entrepreneurial vision for TRX's future, emphasizing commitment and resilience in business.
12 snips
Jun 19, 2017 • 47min
WeWork: Miguel McKelvey
In 2007, architect Miguel McKelvey convinced his friend Adam Neumann to share an office space in Brooklyn. That was the beginning of WeWork: a shared workspace for startups and freelancers looking for an inspiring environment to do their work. Today, WeWork has created a "community of creators" valued at nearly $16 billion.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Jun 12, 2017 • 42min
Carol's Daughter: Lisa Price
Lisa Price worked in television but had a passion for beauty products. At her mother's suggestion, she began selling her homemade moisturizer at a church flea market. Twenty years later, Carol's Daughter is one of the leading beauty brands catering to African-American women. PLUS in our postscript "How You Built That," how professional trumpet player Dan Gosling created a special lip balm for musicians called ChopSaver.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
