How I Built This with Guy Raz

Wondery
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.

  1. -3 h

    YETI: Ron and Ryan Seiders. How Two Brothers Turned a $400 Cooler Into a $2 Billion Brand

    Roy and Ryan were avid outdoorsmen who wanted a cooler that wouldn’t break.  So they built one themselves. The result was YETI: a high-end cooler that early retailers thought nobody would buy. But serious outdoorsmen did—and eventually YETI escaped its niche, becoming a status symbol at tailgates, beaches, and soccer fields. In this episode, Roy and Ryan explain how they bootstrapped YETI, survived the sudden loss of their only manufacturing partner, and later stumbled onto the $30 product that supercharged the business.  WHAT YOU'LL LEARN Why solving a problem you personally experience can be more powerful than chasing a huge market.How YETI convinced people accustomed to $40 coolers to spend $300–$400.Why the brothers deliberately started with small independent retailers instead of chasing major chains.Why Roy and Ryan chose not to aggressively fight copycats How the sudden loss of their only manufacturer nearly destroyed YETI—but ultimately made the company stronger.How the brothers bootstrapped YETI for years without venture capitalWhy a simple $30 stainless-steel cup—not the famous $400 cooler— transformed YETI into a mass-market brand. TIMESTAMPS  6:10 — A free-range childhood of hunting and exploring 10:02 — Early businesses: fishing rods and boats   15:30 — Roy’s early frustrations with coolers. “The hinges would break, the latches would snap.”  31:20 — The last-minute flight to the Philippines that led to YETI 40:53 — People didn’t love the name–but they remembered it  47:49 — Why people were willing to spend $400 on a cooler  1:01:18 — The phone call that nearly pulled the plug on the business 1:06:30 — How Roy and Ryan turned a catastrophe into a stronger company 1:22:27 — From coolers to cups: A $30 product changed the trajectory of the brand   1:25:44 — Why the founders eventually moved on from YETI  This episode was researched and produced by Carla Esteves, with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant. Our audio engineers were Maggie Luthar and Jimmy Keeley. Follow How I Built This: Instagram → @howibuiltthis X → @HowIBuiltThis Facebook → How I Built This Follow Guy Raz: Instagram → @guy.raz Youtube → guy_raz X → @guyraz Substack → guyraz.substack.com Website → guyraz.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  2. -4 j

    Advice Line with Carlton Calvin of Razor

    Today’s callers: Shawn from Saskatchewan weighs whether brand-building or licensing is best for his card-based party game. Then Shirin in Texas wants to differentiate her graphic stationery in a crowded Etsy marketplace. And Mark from New Jersey works through refocusing his line of craft spirits.  Plus, Carlton’s recent efforts to pass on his trendspottting talent to the next generation. Thank you to the founders of Youlogy, Honey Bespoke Stationery & Paper Goods, and Little Water Distillery for being a part of our show. If you’d like to be featured on a future Advice Line episode—where Guy and former show guests take questions from early-stage founders—leave us a one-minute message that tells us about your business and a specific question you’d like answered. Send a voice memo to hibt@id.wondery.com or call 1-800-433-1298. And be sure to listen to the Razor founding story as told by Carlton Calvin in 2025. This episode was produced by Casey Herman with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by John Isabella. Our audio engineer was Annlie Huang. You can follow HIBT on X & Instagram and sign up for Guy’s free newsletter at guyraz.com or on Substack. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  3. 17 août

    Bobbie: Laura Modi. How a Baby Formula Startup Took Market Share From Two Industry Giants

    Laura Modi set out to build a better infant formula. What followed was years of setbacks: a crippling dispute with the FDA, a frustrating search for a manufacturer, and the constant fear that the company would run out of money before it reached customers. But today, Bobbie generates over $100 million a year and has captured nearly 4% of the U.S. infant formula market by challenging one of the most protected industries in America. In this conversation, Laura explains how she made it through—and why many of the moments that looked like disasters ultimately built a better company, and made her a better entrepreneur. You'll learn: Why Laura left a great job to launch one of the most heavily regulated products in AmericaHow she spent nearly $200,000 of her own savings before raising outside capitalHow 64 investor pitches helped her tell a better storyHow a public apology changed the trajectory of the companyWhy Bobbie turned away thousands of customers during its fastest period of growthWhy Laura moved to Washington, D.C., and how she thinks about federal oversight Timestamps: 13:17 – The emotional experience that revealed a massive business opportunity 23:09 – Laura learns about the two companies that had a lock on U.S. formula 25:52 – Quitting Airbnb, starting Bobbie while pregnant, risking her savings 38:52 – Pitching 64 investors—and the brutal feedback that fueled her to keep going 50:04 – The FDA shuts the company down after two weeks 1:01:14 – Building a community while waiting nearly two years for approval 1:09:11 – Launch day, and selling out faster than expected 1:13:59 – Why Laura shut off new customer orders during the infant formula shortage 1:17:12 – Buying her own manufacturing plant to control Bobbie's future 1:20:19 – Navigating Washington, regulation, and building a mission-driven brand This episode was researched and produced by Alex Cheng with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant. Our audio engineer was Robert Rodriguez.  Follow How I Built This: Instagram → @howibuiltthis X → @HowIBuiltThis Facebook → How I Built This Follow Guy Raz: Instagram → @guy.raz Youtube → guy_raz X → @guyraz Substack → guyraz.substack.com Website → guyraz.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  4. 13 août

    Advice Line with Bobbi Brown of Jones Road Beauty (September 2025)

    Today's callers: Bob in Chicago looks to promote his cabbage-based muscle and joint rub beyond the walls of his orthopedic practice. Then Abby in Dallas wonders whether her popular social media livestreams are a sustainable way to market her trendy phone cases. And Henry in Charlotte wants to turn his mouth rinse for coffee drinkers into a mainstream oral care brand. Plus, Bobbi shares what drove her to found her new company—Jones Road—at the age of 62. Thank you to the founders of Cabbage Labs, AbbyRose, and Tannin Oral Care for being a part of our show. If you’d like to be featured on a future Advice Line episode—where Guy and former show guests take questions from early-stage founders—leave us a one-minute message that tells us about your business and a specific question you’d like answered. Send a voice memo to hibt@id.wondery.com or call 1-800-433-1298. And be sure to listen to Bobbi Brown Cosmetics’ founding story as told by Bobbi on the show in 2018. This episode was produced by Sam Paulson with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Andrea Bruce. Our audio engineer was Cena Loffredo. You can follow HIBT on X & Instagram and sign up for Guy’s free newsletter at guyraz.com or on Substack. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  5. 10 août

    MadeGood: Salma and Nima Fotovat Lost Their First Business. They Grew Their Next One Into a Snack Giant.

    What do you do when the family business you've spent decades building... gets bought out from under you?  That’s what happened to Nima and Salma Fotovat. Devastated, the family rebuilt a new company from the ground up. This time they set out with a new idea: build an allergen-free, organic snack brand not just for kids, but their parents.   Their new brand: MadeGood. Today, the Canadian brand’s parent company does hundreds of millions of dollars in sales. But getting there meant rebuilding from scratch, fixing 200,000 mislabeled snack bars by hand, and turning a family of co-packers into branding experts. What you'll learn: How owning manufacturing can be a competitive edgeHow they grew a national brand with almost no marketing. Why it can be a winning strategy to say "yes" before you know how Introducing new products: the tension between research and emotion  The mindset that can help you rebuild after a devastating setback Timestamps: 6:05 - Growing up in Iran during wartime, and emigrating to Canada  11:55 - Their dad’s new business: “Why are North Americans not eating nougat?”   19:25 - Building the family’s first snack bar brand—and losing it overnight 34:20 - The next business: going all in on healthier school snacks 42:30 - Fixing a 200,000-bar production error with alcohol wipes  48:30 - Landing MadeGood’s first retail store 51:10 - The 100-mile radius marketing strategy  56:50 - The lure of new products: from human treats to dog treats  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  6. 6 août

    Advice Line: "Strategy Sessions"

    Today’s callers: Tony in Michigan is considering bringing on partners to run different parts of his brew pub and theater business. Then Monica in London is exploring the best way to reach style-conscious parents with her line of children’s clothes. And Sandy in Colorado is seeking the ideal pricing strategy to bring his adaptive test prep platform to schools nationwide. Thank you to the founders of Hearsay Brewing and Theater, Tres London and Brain Buffs for being a part of our show. If you’d like to be featured on a future Advice Line episode—where Guy and former show guests take questions from early-stage founders—leave us a one-minute message that tells us about your business and a specific question you’d like answered. Send a voice memo to hibt@id.wondery.com or call 1-800-433-1298.  And be sure to listen to our Advice Line episodes with Jeffrey Hollender of Seventh Generation, Sarah LaFleur of M.M LaFleur and Shazi Visram of Happy Family Organics. This episode was produced by Kerry Thompson with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by John Isabella. Our audio engineer was Jimmy Keeley. You can follow HIBT on X & Instagram and sign up for Guy’s free newsletter at guyraz.com or on Substack. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  7. 3 août

    Serena & Lily: Serena Dugan and Lily Kanter. They Built a $20M Brand—Then One Investor Almost Destroyed It

    Many founders think the hardest thing about business is finding customers. It's not. It's surviving success. When Lily Kanter and Serena Dugan launched a luxury baby linen business, they had no manufacturing experience, no inventory, and barely any capital. But after their first catalog landed just as a major competitor left the market, orders flooded in almost overnight. The problem? They hadn’t made the products yet.  Today, Serena and Lily has grown into one of the best known luxury home goods brands in the country. But getting there was a grind.  This is one of the most revealing conversations we've ever had about unplanned opportunities, and the hidden cost of taking outside investment. From financing their first inventory with customer deposits... to walking away from a disastrous investment deal... to nearly losing control of the company they built, this episode is a masterclass in what happens when rapid growth collides with the realities of cash flow. You Will Learn:  The clever way Serena & Lily financed its first production runHow one perfectly timed opportunity launched the businessWhy "smart money" isn't always smartHow investor and founder incentives can be completely misalignedThe warning signs hidden inside a term sheet Timestamps: 06:11 – Lily's years at Microsoft, and the money that helped launch a business 11:55 – Serena repaints an old table and discovers people will pay for her designs  24:21 – “No bunnies, ducks or choo choo trains.” Lily and Serena meet, and decide to sell high-end baby linen:  36:01 – $100,000 in orders... for products that didn't exist yet 37:38 – The cash-flow hack that kept the company afloat  46:14 – “They patted us on the head.” Patronizing investors, and a predatory term sheet  51:28 – The financial crisis forces a complete reinvention of the business 58:47 – The lawsuit, the boardroom battle, and the investor who nearly brought Serena & Lily down 1:03:26 – Why acquisition offers couldn't save the company—and the lesson every founder should hear This episode was produced by J.C. Howard, with music by Ramtin Arablouei. Edited by Neva Grant, with research help from Katherine Sypher. Follow How I Built This: Instagram → @howibuiltthis X → @HowIBuiltThis Facebook → How I Built This Follow Guy Raz: Instagram → @guy.raz Youtube → guy_raz X → @guyraz Substack → guyraz.substack.com Website → guyraz.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  8. 30 juil.

    Advice Line with Chris Riccobono of UNTUCKit

    Today’s callers: Adrian from California wants to grow his apparel company to complete with big-name athletic brands. Then, Preet from the Rockies looks for strategies to reach seniors and their children with his daily check-in app. And Derek from Virginia considers social media and professional partnerships to advertise his hockey equipment brand.  Plus, Chris talks about launching a new athletic apparel brand while continuing to grow UNTUCKit. Thank you to the founders of Eras Shorts, Snug Safety, and Hockey Ninja for being a part of our show. If you’d like to be featured on a future Advice Line episode—where Guy and former show guests take questions from early-stage founders—leave us a one-minute message that tells us about your business and a specific question you’d like answered. Send a voice memo to hibt@id.wondery.com or call 1-800-433-1298.  And be sure to listen to UNTUCKit’s founding story as told by Steve on the show in 2017. This episode was produced by Chris Maccini with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by John Isabella. Our audio engineer was Annlie Huang. You can follow HIBT on X & Instagram and sign up for Guy's free newsletter at guyraz.com and on Substack. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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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.

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