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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.

How I Built This with Guy Raz

Exploding Kittens began as a jerry-rigged version of Russian Roulette — a deck of cards hastily modified with a Sharpie. But what happened next is one of the most improbable success stories in the creator economy: a $10,000 Kickstarter goal that ballooned into nearly $9 million, a community that rewrote the rules of crowdfunding, and a company that has now sold over 60 million card and board games.

Co-founder Elan Lee shares the story behind Exploding Kittens — from dismantling his brother’s toys as a kid, to helping design Halo, to walking away from Microsoft…twice. He reveals how burnout, curiosity, and an obsession with interactive storytelling set the stage for one of the most successful game launches of all time.

This is a story about the genius behind good marketing, and how creative storytelling can build a cult-like audience — without spending millions.

If you’ve ever wondered how a strange idea becomes a global phenomenon — this is that story.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: 

 • How burnout can be a creative turning point
 • How a Sharpie and a deck of cards can unlock breakthrough ideas
 • The storytelling strategy that powered one of Kickstarter’s biggest launches
 • How to treat your fans like collaborators, not just customers
 • Why marketing should feel like 
play • Unit economics to die for: make it for $2, sell it for $20
 • How to power through the threat of a one-hit-wonder

TIMESTAMPS:

 • 00:08:30 — The physics teacher who changed Elan’s life
 • 00:10:35 — How Elan touched up the floating door scene in 
Titanic • 00:13:03 — “You’re the worst program manager I’ve ever seen” — and the pivot to game design
 • 00:15:33 — Meeting Spielberg, riffing on the movie 
AI • , and inventing a new kind of storytelling
 • 00:21:42 — Promoting 
Halo 2 • with payphones 
 • 00:31:35 — The Hawaii getaway that sparked 
Exploding Kittens • 00:42:12 — The Kickstarter launch: most backers on record
 • 00:48:42 — Suddenly a real company — 700,000 decks and a manufacturing crisis
 • 00:53:45 — Marketing genius: a kitty-cat vending machine that dispensed burritos and more
 • 01:00:58 — New games that bombed — the one-hit-wonder dread
 • 01:07:04 — 
Throw Throw Burrito • , and the road to stability
 • 01:19:05 — Elan’s 4-year-old daughter helps design new games
 • 01:30:31 — Small Business Spotlight

Hey—want to be a guest on HIBT?

If you’re building a business, why not get advice from some of the greatest entrepreneurs on Earth?

Every Thursday on the HIBT Advice Line, a previous HIBT guest helps new entrepreneurs work through the challenges they’re facing right now. Advice that’s smart, actionable, and absolutely free.

Just call 1-800-433-1298, leave a message, and you may soon get guidance from someone who started where you did, and went on to build something massive.

So—give us a call.

We can’t wait to hear what you’re working on.

This episode was produced by Sam Paulson with music composed by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant with research help from Noor Gill. Our engineers were Maggie Luthar and Kwesi Lee.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Exploding Kittens: Elan Lee. How cat-themed Russian Roulette changed game night forever

Tempur-Pedic founder Bobby Trussell joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Bobby talks about his new book, The Logic That God Exists.

First, Lyf from Oregon asks about how to expand his fresh seafood business. Then, Colleen from Colorado has questions about where to focus her efforts in growing her whitewater paddleboarding company. And finally, Amanda from Illinois looks for advice on fundraising for her lifejacket brand. 

Thank you to the founders of Flying Fish Company, Hala Gear, and Line + Cleat for being a part of our show.

If you’d like to be featured on a future Advice Line episode, 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 Tempur-Pedic’s founding story as told by Bobby on the show in 2018. 

This episode was produced by Chris Maccini 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.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Advice Line with Bobby Trussell of Tempur-Pedic

What happens when three outsiders try to reinvent access to money… during the worst financial crisis in decades?

Before Kickstarter.

Before GoFundMe.

Before crowdfunding became a thing, there was Indiegogo, an idea born from frustration, inequity, and more than 93 rejections from investors.

It was a funding platform built not for banks, studios or gatekeepers… but for everybody else.

In this episode, co-founders Danae Ringelmann and Slava Rubin reveal the unpolished and often painful story behind Indiegogo — from digging into savings accounts, to fighting over strategy, to grinning and bearing it when their idea was dismissed as “cute.” 

You’ll hear how their mission was shaped by loss of parents, financial instability, and a fundamental belief in fairness.

How the 2008 crash nearly killed the company before it began.

And how in the end, Indiegogo helped spark a massive cultural shift—proving that anyone, anywhere, could bring an idea to life.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: 

 • How 
gatekeepers • underestimate outsiders’ ideas
 • How grief and personal history shape entrepreneurial courage
 • How to recover from 93 “no’s” 
 • Why making money matters, but maintaining your values matters even more 
 • How co-founder conflict can sharpen (or break) a company
 • Why Indiegogo didn’t become Kickstarter — and what founders can learn from that
 • How to know when it’s time to walk away from your own company

TIMESTAMPS: 

0:05:34 - Slava’s childhood, and the deep loss that shaped his worldview

0:09:00 - Danae’s first lesson in leadership… from her dad’s moving business

0:12:43 - “Hollywood Meets Wall Street:” the emotional spark that led to Indiegogo

0:18:43 - The Golden Gate conversation where Slava asked, “Why not put this on the internet?“ 

0:32:56 - Building Indiegogo: mismatched personalities, big arguments, and the first 10 campaigns

0:40:22 - The 2008 crash hits: 93 investor rejections and many moments of truth

0:46:53 - Expanding beyond film: the inevitable pivot that ignited explosive growth

0:54:04 - Internal evolution: roles, titles, hires, and the first taste of real scale 

0:59:56 - Why the founders eventually stepped away — and why some opportunities were squandered

1:05:19 - The legacy: how Indiegogo reshaped culture, creativity, and opportunity

1:09:44 - Bonus: Small Business Spotlight 

This episode was produced by Katherine Sypher, with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant, with research help from Chris Maccini. Our engineers were Patrick Murray 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.

93 Rejections, One Revolution: How Indiegogo Changed Crowdfunding Forever

CEO and co-founder of Boll & Branch, Scott Tannen joins Ring founder Jamie Siminoff and Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs. Plus, Jamie and Guy talk about how creating repeat customers often comes from creating social good. 

First, we hear from Melita in Toronto who's wondering whether to continue bootstrapping her organic clothing business. Then Eric in the Sunshine State asks which direction to take to grow his sunscreen apparel lines. And Chris in Alpine Meadows, California, is trying to figure out how to get his sleek binoculars into the hands of more people.

Thank you to the founders of Q for Quinn, L Cubed Lifestyle, and Nocs Provisions. 

If you’d like to be featured on a future Advice Line episode, 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 story of how Jamie founded Ring from our episode back in 2020, as well as his appearance on the Advice Line in 2024.. And how Scott and his wife Missy started Boll & Branch, a story they told on the show in 2024.

This episode was produced by J.C. Howard with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Andrea Bruce. Our audio engineer was Jimmy Keeley.

You can follow HIBT on Twitter & 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.

Advice Line with Scott Tannen of Boll & Branch and Jamie Siminoff of Ring

Khan Academy offers hundreds of free tutorials in fifty languages, and has 170 million monthly global users. 

It all began in 2009 when Sal Khan walked away from a high-paying job to start a business that had no way of making money. 

His idea to launch a non-profit teaching platform was sparked while helping his young cousins do math homework over the computer. 

When he started posting his tutorials on Youtube, the world took notice. 

You will learn: 

 • Not just cat videos: How Sal discovered the early power of YouTube. 
 • How a book by Isaac Asimov lay the foundation for Khan Academy
 • Why Sal said no to a for-profit business model
 • How Sal got discovered by Bill Gates–and other wealthy donors 
 • How Sal defines ambition: Free world class education for anyone, anywhere 

Listen now to hear how Khan Academy has grown to become one of the most trusted teaching tools around the world. 

This episode was produced by Jed Anderson, with music composed by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant. 

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.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Khan Academy: Sal Khan. From Tutoring His Cousins to Teaching the World For Free (September 2020)

Jane Wurwand, co-founder of the global skincare brand Dermalogica, joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early stage founders. Plus, Jane shares her philosophy on the importance of customer education for building a trusted brand. 

First we meet Camille in Virginia, who’s wondering how to scale her vegan baby food company without compromising on quality. Then Molly in Maine, who’s trying to build a community of new parents for her baby-friendly workout classes. And Sarah in Connecticut, who’s considering whether to expand beyond her core performance underwear product. 

Thank you to the founders of Chunky Vegan, Baby Booty and Paradis Sport for being part of the show.

If you’d like to be featured on a future Advice Line episode, 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 Dermalogica’s founding story as told by Jane on the show in 2016. 

This episode was produced by Katherine Sypher. It was edited by John Isabella. Our audio engineer was Neal Rauch.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Advice Line with Jane Wurwand of Dermalogica (2024)

Meridith Baer grew up on the grounds of San Quentin prison, acted in TV and movies, wrote scripts in Hollywood … and then, at 50, started over – and built one of the best known home-staging companies in real estate.

Meridith’s life unfolds like a movie: As a teenager, she was forced to give up her baby for adoption. In her twenties, she was a writer for Penthouse. In her thirties and forties, she was a screenwriter in Hollywood, hobnobbing with Sally Field and dating Patrick Stewart.

But in her late forties, Meridith hit a wall. Her writing career stalled, so she poured her energy into fixing up the house she was renting. When the owner sold that house almost immediately, she stumbled onto a strange new idea: why not stage homes for a living?

From there, Meridith turned a few pieces of thrift-store furniture and potted plants into a full-blown business: trucks, warehouses, hundreds of employees, and high-end homes across Los Angeles, New York, Miami, and beyond. Along the way, she weathered the pressures of scaling a creative service into an operational machine—without ever raising outside capital.

What you’ll learn:

How to reshape a career at 50 (or any age) without a master plan

How Meridith priced her work based on value created, not hours worked

Why you don’t always need investors to grow a multi-million-dollar service business

The psychology of home staging: designing spaces that make buyers fall in love in the first 10 seconds

How Meridith thinks about legacy, stepping back, and seizing new opportunities

Timestamps: 

06:08 – Growing up as a warden’s daughter inside San Quentin

11:01 – Teen pregnancy, forced adoption, and reunion decades later

12:43 – From Pepsi commercials to Penthouse magazine

19:58 – Selling a major movie script, recoiling at the finished product

22:47 – How a breakup with Patrick Stewart totally reshaped Meridith’s life

27:41 – The accidental first staging job at age 50

35:17 – Early days of the business: vans, day laborers from Home Depot, and naming her price

47:18 – Unexpected struggles: tax trouble, a cancer diagnosis

51:07 – The business expands to New York and beyond

1:00:22 – Running a 320-person company at 78—and what comes next

1:05:56 – Small Business Spotlight

This episode was produced by Alex Cheng, with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant, with research help from Noor Gill. Our engineers were Patrick Murray and Kwesi Lee.

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.

Meridith Baer Home: Meridith Baer. She Started Over at 50 and Put Home Staging on the Map.

Bill Creelman, CEO and founder of Spindrift, joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs. Plus, Bill and Guy talk about the importance of solving one problem at a time. 

First, we hear from Josh in West Hollywood, California - a pickle beer maker - who's wondering whether to drop his home-made brine to save money by using a manufactured flavor instead. Then Zac in Marshfield, Massachusetts, is trying to figure out how to get marketing help for his Hawaiian themed Flannel shirt company. And Jean Pierre in Portland is wondering about the best way to get his Kombucha business back on track. 

Thank you to the founders of Donna’s Pickle Beer, Kona Brand and Soma Kombucha. 

If you’d like to be featured on a future Advice Line episode, 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 Spindrift’s Founding Story as told by Bill on the show in 2020.

This episode was produced by Kerry Thompson with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Andrea Bruce. Our audio engineer was Kwesi Lee.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Advice Line with Bill Creelman of Spindrift

What if the idea that changes your life… starts with something as ordinary as being thirsty?

In 2007, Travis Rosbach walked into a sporting goods store looking for a water bottle—and stumbled onto a problem no one had solved. Plastic, BPA-lined bottles dominated the market. Metal alternatives leaked, dented, or couldn’t keep drinks cold enough. 

Travis’s solution? A double-walled, vacuum-insulated, stainless steel bottle. His expertise? Non-existent. 

This is the improbable story of how Hydro Flask was built—from scavenging metal parts in China, to selling bottles at outdoor markets, to getting into Whole Foods by sheer timing and luck, to a last-minute investor who walked in on the day Travis planned to shut the company down.

Hydro Flask would go on to become one of the most recognizable and popular bottles in the country. 

This is the story behind it.

What You'll Learn

 • How paying attention to trends can lead to new business ideas
 • How a novice learns the ropes by obsessively comparing existing products 
 • How the lessons from past ventures can fuel future success 
 • Why perseverance and timing can be just as important as know-how

Timestamps: 

 • 05:46 - Building a fence, and a first business: “I had no clue.” 
 • 09:33 - A one-way trip to Hawaii : The surprising detour that leads Travis to his biggest invention
 • 15:13 - How Travis gets inspired—then obsessed—after trying to buy a water bottle 
 • 22:08 - Searching for a manufacturer: a here-goes-nothing trip to China
 • 31:58 - The first prototype: two colors, sharp edges
 • 35:43 - Bootstrapping Hydro Flask: moving in with mom, storing bottles in grandpa’s garage 
 • 37:14 - Farmer’s markets, ice tests and the first buyers
 • 52:27 - The crisis that almost kills the company
 • 56:30 - An eleventh-hour visitor: “I might want to invest”
 • 58:34 - Leaving the company he built: why Travis walked away
 • 1:06:07 - Small Business Spotlight

This episode was produced by Chris Maccini, with music by Ramtin Arablouei.

Edited by Neva Grant, with research help from Claire Murashima.

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.

Hydro Flask: Travis Rosbach. How a thirsty surfer changed the water bottle industry

Squarespace founder Anthony Casalena joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs. Plus, Anthony shares how Squarespace is leveraging AI to help people bolster their sites and digital presence more effectively.

First we meet Bob in Connecticut, who’s wondering how to pump up awareness for his custom-made mattresses. Then Stacy in California asks how her new first aid products can stand out in a category dominated by legacy brands. And Mehek in New York strategizes about how to best launch a new digital companion she’s building: an app that supports people recovering from eating disorders.

Thank you to the founders of Custom Sleep Technology, All Better Co., and Kahani for being a part of our show.

If you’d like to be featured on a future Advice Line episode, 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 Squarespace’s founding story as told by Anthony on the show in 2019.

This episode was produced by Sam Paulson with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Andrea Bruce. Our audio engineer was James Willetts.

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.

Advice Line with Anthony Casalena of Squarespace

A decade ago, full-time mom Alli Webb noticed a gap in the beauty market: there was no place that just focused on blow-drying hair. Now with more than 100 locations, Drybar is testament to Webb's motto: Focus on one thing and be the best at it. PLUS in our postscript "How You Built That," we check back in with Chris Healy, a long-haired Southern Californian who co-founded The Longhairs and created special hair ties for guys.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Drybar: Alli Webb (2017)

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