podcast image for How I Built This with Guy Raz
How I Built This with Guy Raz
Description

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
  • 2025 / 7 / 31
    Advice Line with Isaac Larian of MGA Entertainment

    Isaac Larian is the founder of MGA Entertainment, the company behind Bratz and LOL Surprise dolls. This week, he joins Guy on Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs. Plus, Isaac...

  • 2025 / 7 / 28
    Torchy's Tacos: Mike Rypka

    Long before founding Torchy’s Tacos, Mike Rypka was a troubled teenager trying to outrun his own self-destruction. Growing up around addiction and falling into heavy drug use himself, Mike’s future looked...

  • 2025 / 7 / 24
    Advice Line with Troy Carter of Atom Factory

    Former manager of Lady Gaga and Atom Factory founder Troy Carter joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs. Plus, Troy’s advice for reaching new audiences...

  • 2025 / 7 / 21
    WHOOP: Will Ahmed

    As a Harvard squash player, Will Ahmed discovered his game improved when he focused on things like sleep, diet, and time spent recovering from training. He was convinced that granular health and heart...

  • 2025 / 7 / 17
    Advice Line with Justin McLeod of Hinge

    Hinge founder and CEO Justin McLeod joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Justin describes Hinge’s new initiatives around intentional dating.First, Jessica in...

  • 2025 / 7 / 14
    Chobani: Hamdi Ulukaya (2022)

    As a newly arrived immigrant from Turkey, Hamdi Ulukaya learned to be resourceful, determined, and even stubborn when he needed to be. All those traits would serve him well as he began to navigate the hairpin...

  • 2025 / 7 / 10
    Advice Line with Norma Kamali of Norma Kamali (2024)

    Iconic fashion designer Norma Kamali joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early stage founders. Plus, Norma shares her take on balancing a strong creative vision with the...

  • 2025 / 7 / 7
    Rick Steves' Europe: Rick Steves (2021)

    Rick Steves spent the summer after high school backpacking through Europe on two dollars a day—sleeping on the floor, sneaking into museums, and subsisting on a diet of bread and jam. When he came home, he...

  • 2025 / 7 / 3
    Advice Line with Jim Koch of Boston Beer Company (August 2024)

    Boston Beer Company founder Jim Koch joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three founders about finding product-market fit.Today, we meet Kim, whose tropical-inspired apparel company...

  • 2025 / 6 / 30
    Talenti: Josh Hochschuler

    After falling in love with the gelato shops of Buenos Aires, Josh Hochschuler came home to Dallas with a bold idea: bring authentic Argentine gelato to the U.S. He raised $600,000 from friends and family and...

  • 2025 / 6 / 26
    Advice Line with Eric Ryan of Method

    Method co-founder and serial entrepreneur Eric Ryan joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Eric shares his strategies for entering new market categories, and...

  • 2025 / 6 / 23
    UNTUCKit: Chris Riccobono

    On a trip to Las Vegas, Chris Riccobono found himself wearing the same J.Crew shirt over and over; it was the only dress shirt he had that looked good untucked. All of his other button-downs were too long and...

  • 2025 / 6 / 19
    Advice Line with Marcia Kilgore of Beauty Pie

    Serial entrepreneur Marcia Kilgore — founder of brands like Beauty Pie and Soap & Glory — joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders managing uncertainty and...

  • 2025 / 6 / 16
    Figma: Dylan Field

    The dashboard in your car – the interface on your Zoom screen … many of the products we interact with every day were created with the collaborative software Figma. Figma is a kind of Google Docs for design,...

  • 2025 / 6 / 12
    Advice Line with Perry Chen of Kickstarter

    Kickstarter co-founder Perry Chen joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders about what they really want from investment deals and acquisitions.Today we meet...

  • 2025 / 6 / 9
    Perfect Snacks: Bill and Leigh Keith

    Bill and Leigh Keith had an extraordinary childhood, travelling the country in a school bus with their parents and ten siblings. Along the way, their dad fed them a homemade concoction of peanut butter, honey...

  • 2025 / 6 / 5
    Advice Line with Mark Ramadan of Sir Kensington's (June 2024)

    Sir Kensington’s co-founder and former CEO Mark Ramadan joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they work through business challenges with three early-stage founders.Today we meet Pat, a physician assistant...

  • 2025 / 6 / 2
    Tatcha: Vicky Tsai (July 2020)

    In 2008, Vicky Tsai walked away from a startup job and set out to rediscover herself on a trip to Japan. In Kyoto, she had an unforgettable meeting with a geisha, and learned about the face creams and...

  • 2025 / 5 / 29
    Advice Line with Steve Holmes of goba Sports Group

    Springfree Trampoline founder Steve Holmes joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs. Plus, Steve’s tariff navigation guidance for businesses manufacturing...

  • 2025 / 5 / 26
    Calm: Alex Tew and Michael Acton Smith

    As a young entrepreneur in the Wild West days of the internet, Alex Tew was drawn to meditation for its simple calming power. Together with fellow tech founder Michael Acton Smith–known for hits like Moshi...

  • 2025 / 5 / 22
    Advice Line: Scaling Strategies

    This week, Guy is joined by Travis Boersma of Dutch Bros. Coffee, Michael Preysman of Everlane and Chris Ruder of Spikeball in a special “mashup” episode of Advice Line.First, Andy from Nashville is...

  • 2025 / 5 / 19
    Tecovas: Paul Hedrick

    Western wear is having a moment – and so is the upstart Western brand Tecovas. Founder Paul Hedrick is a Texan who realized that cowboy boots were either too expensive or too cheap, so he decided to create a...

  • 2025 / 5 / 15
    Advice Line with RJ Scaringe with Rivian

    Rivian founder and CEO RJ Scaringe joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage founders. He also gets into how trade policies and shifting tariffs are impacting the automotive...

  • 2025 / 5 / 12
    Substack: Chris Best and Hamish McKenzie

    Substack was founded to create an escape vehicle for writers: Chris Best and Hamish McKenzie imagined a world where writers didn’t have to rely on legacy publications or corporate advertisers, but could...

  • 2025 / 5 / 8
    Advice Line with Richard Branson of Virgin

    Virgin Group founder Richard Branson joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Richard’s recent adventures in bungee jumping, ziplining, space...

  • 2025 / 5 / 5
    Whisker/Litter-Robot: Brad Baxter

    Brad Baxter sidelined a promising career in the car industry to build a better cat litter box – an undertaking that embarrassed his kids and eventually prompted his wife to ask "what’s the endgame here?” That...

  • 2025 / 5 / 1
    Advice Line with Luis von Ahn of Duolingo

    Duolingo co-founder Luis von Ahn joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Luis shares insights on how data can help entrepreneurs understand what their customers...

  • 2025 / 4 / 28
    Hexclad: Danny Winer

    Cookware is a $73 billion global industry - awash in all kinds of pots and pans. Like, if you’ve ever cooked scrambled eggs, you've probably used a non-stick frying pan. They’re inexpensive and everywhere....

  • 2025 / 4 / 24
    Advice Line with Jonathan Neman of Sweetgreen

    Sweetgreen’s co-founder Jonathan Neman joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Sweetgreen’s plans to automate salad assembly in the coming years. First, we...

  • 2025 / 4 / 21
    Snap: Evan Spiegel

    What started as a design project for Stanford student Evan Spiegel quickly flourished into one of the most-used social media platforms in the world: Snapchat. It only took two years for Mark Zuckerberg to...

  • 2025 / 4 / 17
    Advice Line with Andy Dunn of Bonobos

    Bonobos co-founder Andy Dunn joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Andy shares the motivation for his latest venture, Pie—a new social app that fosters...

  • 2025 / 4 / 14
    Vizio: William Wang

    When Wiliam Wang started selling flat-screen TV’s, he used a winning playbook: partner with an efficient manufacturer, cut out the middlemen, and price your product as low as you can. William used a similar...

  • 2025 / 4 / 10
    Advice Line with Peter Rahal of RXBAR

    RXBAR co-founder Peter Rahal joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders about positioning new products in competitive markets. Plus, Peter’s take on getting back...

  • 2025 / 4 / 7
    Title Nine: Missy Park (October 2021)

    As a college basketball player, Missy Park was lucky to grow up during the early era of Title IX, the 1972 law that created new opportunities for young women in sports. But in the years before Lululemon and...

  • 2025 / 4 / 3
    Advice Line with Jeff and Curran Dandurand of Jack Black Skin Care

    Jack Black Skin Care co-founders Jeff and Curran Dandurand join Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, how the Dandurands are passing the entrepreneurial torch one...

  • 2025 / 3 / 31
    Misfits Market: Abhi Ramesh

    While apple picking on a farm near Philadelphia, Abhi Ramesh learned that a massive amount of “misfit” produce goes to waste. He started running ads on Facebook to see if people would pay a discount for...

  • 2025 / 3 / 27
    Advice Line with Jeni Britton of Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams

    Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams founder Jeni Britton joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs. Plus, how Jeni’s newest venture Floura is tackling one of America’s...

  • 2025 / 3 / 24
    Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare: Dennis and Carrie Gross

    Dr. Dennis Gross was worried about putting his name on his skincare brand: would the word “gross” turn shoppers away? But Dennis and his wife and business partner, Carrie, realized that the key to the brand’s...

  • 2025 / 3 / 20
    Advice Line with Leah Solivan of Taskrabbit (September 2024)

    Taskrabbit founder Leah Solivan joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three tech founders working to identify and grow their core customer base. First we meet Kate in Los...

  • 2025 / 3 / 17
    Skype and Kazaa: Niklas Zennström

    In the early 2000s, one of the most popular pieces of software in the world was a free peer-to-peer file-sharing network called Kazaa. It was launched by two Scandinavian entrepreneurs, Niklas Zennström and...

  • 2025 / 3 / 13
    Advice Line with Jenn Hyman of Rent The Runway

    Rent the Runway co-founder and CEO Jenn Hyman joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs. Plus, Jenn’s take on how letting go of ego helps business leaders stay in...

  • 2025 / 3 / 10
    SpotHero: Mark Lawrence

    After racking up thousands of dollars in fines, Chicago roommates Mark Lawrence and Jeremy Smith figured there had to be an easier way to park. So in 2011, they launched SpotHero as a peer-to-peer service,...

  • 2025 / 3 / 6
    Advice Line with Alberto Perlman of Zumba

    Zumba co-founder and CEO Alberto Perlman joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Alberto’s take on the value of partnerships for growing brands — and...

  • 2025 / 3 / 3
    PayPal: Max Levchin (June 2022)

    During its formative years in the late 1990's, Paypal attracted an extraordinary group of young entrepreneurs, who then went on to build some of the best known companies in tech. They became known as The...

  • 2025 / 2 / 27
    Advice Line with Lyndon Cormack of Herschel Supply Co.

    Herschel Supply Co. co-founder Lyndon Cormack joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders about leveraging brand stories to reach new customers.Today we meet...

  • 2025 / 2 / 24
    Listen Now: Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky

    Monica Lewinsky has been a major reference in pop culture since she was 24 years old when a scandal made her a household name overnight. Since then, she’s fought to redefine her reputation - and now, she's...

  • 2025 / 2 / 24
    Lenny & Larry’s Protein Snacks: Barry Turner

    When Barry Turner co-founded Lenny & Larry’s, the idea of selling a protein-packed breakfast muffin was practically unheard of: it was the early 1990’s, and protein-fortified food was not yet a thing. But...

  • 2025 / 2 / 20
    Advice Line with Ariel Kaye of Parachute Home (August 2024)

    Parachute Home founder Ariel Kaye joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three founders on being mindful and strategic in their next expansion steps. Today, we meet Daen, an...

  • 2025 / 2 / 17
    Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day: Monica Nassif

    Mrs. Meyer’s is a hugely successful line of soaps and cleansers named for a real Mrs. Meyer: a no-nonsense Iowa homemaker who raised nine kids, including the brand’s founder. When Monica Nassif started Mrs....

  • 2025 / 2 / 13
    Advice Line with Travis Boersma of Dutch Bros

    Dutch Bros co-founder and former CEO Travis Boersma joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Travis reflects on the baby steps that scaled his initial...