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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

Stacy’s Pita Chips co-founder Stacy Madison joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs. Plus, Stacy talks about her hard-won experience of knowing when to stick with an idea… and when to walk away.

First up, Sam wants to figure out how to leverage his popular pizza instagram account into the go-to place for men to learn how to bake. Then, Alex wants to know how to make his Peruvian pisco brand stand out in a relatively unknown liquor category. And finally, Stephanie is eager to learn how she can rejuvenate what had been her family’s 88-year-old candy business. 

Thank you to the founders of Dough Guy, SUYO, and Stuckey’s 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 go back and listen to Stacy’s episode from 2019 where she shares how a decision to make chips with the leftover pita from her sandwich cart led to a multi-million dollar snack category that didn’t exist before her. 

This episode was produced by Rommel Wood with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Andrea Bruce. Our audio engineer was Robert Rodriguez. 

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. 

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 Stacy Madison of Stacy’s Pita Chips

When identical twins Mike and Alex Faherty launched their clothing brand, they made a daring move– launching wholesale, retail, and online, pretty much at the same time. Investors said it was outdated, maybe even doomed.

But that contrarian bet helped grow Faherty into a hugely popular brand, built on family, ingenuity, and obsession with detail.

The two brothers spent 12 years preparing for launch—Mike at Ralph Lauren learning the craft of fashion, Alex in finance learning the mechanics of business. In the early days they traveled the country in a beach house on wheels, pulling over on the PCH to sell bathing suits and board shorts. Mike’s designs—surf culture meets big-city chic—took hold online, in department stores, and even swanky boutiques in Japan, giving Faherty the momentum it needed to eventually grew to $250 million in sales. 

What You’ll Learn:

 • Why the 
“all channels” strategy • (wholesale + retail + online) can actually be a competitive advantage.
 • The power of 
12 years of preparation • prior to launch.
 • How to 
leverage factory relationships • and suppliers as true partners.
 • Why 
old-school, in-person sales • can be a killer marketing tool 
 • How family, trust, and resilience became a core advantage of the Faherty brand.

Timestamps:

(05:41) Mike discovers Bergdorf’s, cashmere, and fashion inspiration as a teenager in NYC

(08:19) Mike gets grief from his basketball teammates for studying fashion at Wash U

(13:38) Mike lands a job at Ralph Lauren to learn fashion from the inside

(21:28) The moment Alex’s mentor tells him that starting a clothing brand is “the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard”

(31:41) The brothers launch Faherty online from a borrowed apartment in Puerto Rico

(35:00) Roaming the country in a mobile beach house that doubles as their first store

(41:34) Early wins with specialty shops

(59:14) The brand nearly runs out of money and gets rescued by a man from Nantucket 

(1:07:14) A Covid-era gamble that pays off in massive growth 

(1:15:04) How the identical-twin bond became a superpower for the brand

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.

Faherty Brand: Alex and Mike Faherty. How Jersey Shore + Manhattan Chic grew to 80 stores.

Dollar Shave Club founder Michael Dubin joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Michael shares his latest career pivot into the screenwriting world.

First, Benita from New Jersey asks how to create a “guerilla-style” marketing campaign to introduce customers to her specialty Syrian Cheese. Then, Brandon from California wonders how he can encourage his mobile mini golf employees to become more emotionally invested in his business. And finally, Bria from Kansas wants to know the best way to scale her custom wildland firefighter uniforms. 

Thank you to the founders of Kasbo’s Middle Eastern Kitchen, Parrs Mobile Mini Golf, and Incidental Wildland 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 Dollar Shave Club’s founding story as told by Michael on the show in 2018. 

This episode was produced by Noor Gill with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Andrea Bruce. Our audio engineer was Cena Loffredo.

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 Michael Dubin of Dollar Shave Club

What if the best startup isn’t sexy at all? In 2013, Vijen Patel left private equity to pursue “the least-worst idea”: dry cleaning. No patents. No app wizardry. Just laundry lockers in high-rises, ruthless unit economics, and a $1.99-a-shirt price that was seared into America’s brain.

From bootstrapping routes at 5 a.m. to breaking even in 6 weeks, Vijen and co-founder Drew McKenna scaled Pressbox to hundreds of locations, stared down well-funded competitors, and ultimately sold to Procter & Gamble, where Pressbox became Tide Cleaners (now ~1,200 locations). After the exit, Vijen launched The 81 Collection, a VC fund backing “boring” businesses that quietly power the economy.

This episode is a masterclass in building profit first, creating user behavior (not changing it), and protecting customer retention like your life depends on it.

What you’ll learn:

 • How the “least-worst idea” found product-market fit
 • How sidestepping rent + labor can flip margins from 15% to ~40%
 • The efficiency insight that beat “Uber-for-X” rivals
 • The new-residence edge: creating customer habits with a welcome-kit
 • Why Pressbox had to set crazy-high retention goals (98%!)
 • How to keep competitors close—and turn a Goliath into your buyer
 • The post-exit premise: “boring” businesses are engines of the middle class

Timestamps:

Choosing dry cleaning with a private equity lens • : don’t do it for passion–focus on practicality — 
00:09:30The SMS “app” • : low tech, high convenience — 
00:14:14Unit economics breakthrough: • lockers (
26 transactions per hr • ) versus scheduled pickup (4-6) —
 00:18:55The $1.99 insight • : a price everyone expected — 
00:24:58How getting into • Chicago’s top high-rise was a game-changer — 
00:31:11Margins that work • : if you’re a high-rise “amenity,” you don’t pay rent — 
00:33:08Competing with Washio • : convenience wins — 
00:39:07Vertical integration • : building the plant, staffing via Spanish newspapers — 
00:41:48P&G looms • : head-to-head, then the acquisition dance — 
00:51:25Burnout, trade-offs, and life after exit • : launching a VC fund that specializes in boring businesses — 
01:03:28

This episode was produced by Alex Cheng with music composed by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant with research help from Olivia Rockeman. Our engineers were Patrick Murray and Maggie Luthar.

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.

Pressbox and Tide Cleaners: Vijen Patel. The $1.99 Gamble That Built a National Brand

Tony Xu, founder of DoorDash, joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs. Plus, Tony updates Guy on his latest ventures: expanding into grocery and retail delivery - and taking on international markets.

First, we hear from Ron in Portland, who’s wondering about the right time to expand his product line - from kitchen knives to cutting boards.

Then Kathryn in Raleigh, North Carolina asks if it’s time to raise outside money to expand her line of date sweetened dark Chocolate bars. 

Finally, Yori in Stanford, Connecticut - wants to know the best way to educate customers about the benefits of buying grass raised beef. 

Thanks to the founders of Steelport Knife Company, Spring and Mulberry and Route 22 Meats 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 Doordash’s founding story, as told by Tony on the show in 2018.

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

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 Tony Xu of Doordash

What if the founder of one of the internet’s most enduring brands… never wanted to run a company?

In 1995, Craig Newmark was a 42-year-old computer programmer in San Francisco who simply wanted to share local tech meetups with friends. He started an email list that became Craigslist—a website that reshaped how we find jobs, apartments, and community.

In this conversation, Craig opens up about how not having a grand vision (or a taste for power) led to one of the most popular platforms in the world. With fewer than 50 employees, Craigslist still generates hundreds of millions in revenue—while looking like a website frozen in 1996.

This is the story of an “accidental entrepreneur” who built a global brand by being in the right place at the right time—and why he now calls himself the Forrest Gump of the Internet.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

 • Why keeping things simple is often the smartest design choice.
 • How knowing your weaknesses can be the ultimate superpower.
 • Why community beats marketing every time.
 • How to monetize 
minimally • —and still build a wildly profitable company.
 • Why luck and timing matter more than you might think.

Timestamps:

 • 07:10 Craig’s childhood struggles with social situations—and how local Holocaust survivors shaped his worldview
 • 16:15 Discovering the early internet and becoming an “evangelist” at Charles Schwab
 • 20:07 The simple email list that broke at 240 addresses—and became “Craig’s List”
 • 29:16 Why Craig refused banner ads and said no to early monetization
 • 35:00 Handing the CEO role to Jim Buckmaster—and how that decision led to Craigslist’s success
 • 49:44 eBay buys a stake in Craigslist, then launches a competitor—sparking a messy legal battle
 • 53:46 Was Craigslist really responsible for killing newspaper classifieds? Craig reveals his opinion
 • 58:08 Why Craig gave hundreds of millions of dollars to support journalism, veterans, and… pigeons
 • 1:03:10 Craig on money, meaning, and why billionaires are often miserable

Follow How I Built This:

Instagram → @howibuiltthis

X → @HowIBuiltThis

Facebook → How I Built This

Follow Guy Raz:

Instagram → @guy.raz

X → @guyraz

Substack → guyraz.substack.com

Website → guyraz.com

 

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

It was edited by Kevin Leahy with research by Sam Paulson. 

Our engineers were Patrick Murray, Maggie Luthar and Robert Rodriguez.

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

Craigslist: Craig Newmark — The Forrest Gump of the Internet

Randy Hetrick, former Navy SEAL and founder of the suspension training company TRX, joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs. Plus, Randy updates Guy on his latest venture, a mobile gym called Outfit that brings the workout to you.

First, we hear from Paige in Toronto, who’s wondering how to best capitalize on a major new retail account for her caffeine-conscious energy drink company. Then Kerri in British Columbia asks how to select the right strategic investor for her Australian-style meat pie bakery chain. And Katharine in Ontario wonders whether it's best to expand or narrow the focus of her adaptive clothing brand.

Thank you to the founders of Benny, Peaked Pies and Adaptt Apparel 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 TRX’s founding story as told by Randy on the show in 2017.

This episode was produced by Katherine Sypher with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Andrea Bruce. Our audio engineers were Robert Rodriguez 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.

Advice Line with Randy Hetrick of TRX

A decade ago, Allison Ellsworth was drinking apple cider vinegar for health reasons and doctoring it with fruit so she could stand the taste. Her husband Stephen helped her turn it into a business by adding carbonation on a hacked soda line in their Dallas townhouse. They called it “Mother Beverage,” and sold out every week at the farmers market…but then heard the words no founder forgets: “Your branding is…sh*t.” 

What happens next is one of the wildest CPG glow-ups of the 2010s: a Shark Tank deal with brand whisperer Rohan Oza, a full rebrand to Poppi, colored cans that jumped off the shelf, a launch derailed by Covid—and finally, an explosion fueled by Amazon, TikTok, and a Super Bowl moment that planted the flag: We’re soda–and we’ve left the farmers market for good. 

Five years after its rebrand, Poppi was acquired by Pepsi for nearly $2B. This is the story of the messy bottling line, saying no to “dumb money,” baptism by Shark Tank, and building a generational brand while staying married.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

 • How rebranding can rescue a beverage, and when to avoid early eye-rolls 
 • The hit-and-miss of carbonating on a small scale (and why co-packers said no).
 • How the risky decision to call Poppi “soda” unlocked a new retail set (functional soda).
 • What a Shark Tank partner does during a rebrand window.
 • How Allison seized on TikTok to spike sales during Covid 

Timestamps:

 • 0:10:15 Meeting cute at a snowboard shop → engagement in 7 months 
 • 0:14:00 How apple cider vinegar helped Allison’s health…but tasted terrible (early flavor hacks) 
 • 0:22:36 DIY carbonation disasters: exploding bottles & the 40°F lesson 
 • 0:37:48 Appearing on Shark Tank while nine months pregnant and the deal with Rohan: “your branding is sh*t.”
 • 0:42:28 Selling out at the Dallas Farmers Market 
 • 0:47:02 The nail-biting rebrand from “Mother” to Poppi: colored cans vs. white, and winning the shelf 
 • 0:55:43 Expo West canceled by Covid → a massive turnaround fueled by Amazon, Shark Tank, and TikTok
 • 1:07:51 Super Bowl ad– “We’re soda!”--and the road to a ~$2B Pepsi acquisition 
 • 1:09:58 Growing a business while managing a marriage 

Follow How I Built This:

Instagram → @howibuiltthis

X → @HowIBuiltThis

Facebook → How I Built This

Follow Guy Raz:

Instagram → @guy.raz

X → @guyraz

Substack → guyraz.substack.com

Website → guyraz.com

This episode was produced by Rommel Wood with music composed by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant with research help from Alex Cheng. Our engineers were Patrick Murray and Jimmy Keeley.

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.

Poppi: Allison and Stephen Ellsworth. From Farmers Market Vinegar Drink to $2B Soda Sensation

Bobbi Brown, founder of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics and Jones Road Beauty, joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs. Plus, Bobbi shares what drove her to found her new company — Jones Road — at the age of 62.

First we meet Mark in Chicago, an orthopedic surgeon who’s looking to promote his cabbage-based muscle and joint rub beyond the walls of his practice. Then Abby in Dallas, who’s wondering whether her popular social media livestreams are a sustainable way to market her trendy phone cases. And Henry in Charlotte, who wants to turn his mouth rinse for coffee drinkers into a mainstream oral care brand.

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, 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.

Advice Line with Bobbi Brown of Jones Road Beauty

Many of us don’t know our neighbors anymore — and Nirav Tolia wanted to change that. He walked away from millions in stock options at Yahoo and eventually co-founded Nextdoor, the hyperlocal social network where neighbors share local news and recommendations. Along the way, he learned that for a digital service, Nextdoor demanded a ton of manual work: drawing neighborhood boundaries with Sharpies, sending individual “invite” postcards by snail mail, talking to neighbors about the information they wanted. After 8 years of grind, Nirav stepped away as CEO, only to return 6 years later to spearhead an ambitious rebrand of Nextdoor, which now has 100 million users around the world. 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

 • Why Nirav walked away from millions in stock options to launch his own business 
 • How the failure of an early business helped fuel Nextdoor’s success 
 • How not having an initial vision for your brand can be a superpower. 
 • Why apps that focus on “local” are so hard to master 
 • Why Nirav believes” local” is a massive untapped opportunity in tech.

This episode was produced by Casey Herman with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant. Our audio engineers were Kwesi Lee and Jimmy Keeley.

Follow How I Built This:

Instagram

→ @howibuiltthis

X → @HowIBuiltThis

Facebook

→ How I Built This

Follow Guy Raz:

Instagram

→ @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.

Nirav Tolia: Nextdoor. How neighborhood chatter went global

In 2001, three web designers built a quirky email tool called Mailchimp.

It wasn’t their main business.

It wasn’t even meant to make real money.

For years, Ben Chestnut and his partners survived on web-design gigs, while Mailchimp earned just enough to cover lunch.

Then…one surprising spreadsheet changed everything.

In this episode, Ben reveals:

 • The decision that tripled their revenue 
overnight • How a mispronunciation on the world's biggest podcast turned into a marketing masterstroke
 • How a painful wake-up call about leadership reshaped the company’s culture

Listen now to hear how guerrilla billboards, a monkey logo, and a string of improbable breaks built one of the most recognizable names in tech. 

Follow How I Built This:

Instagram → @howibuiltthis

X → @HowIBuiltThis

Facebook → How I Built This

Follow Guy Raz:

Instagram → @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.

(July 2021) Ben Chestnut: From Side Business to $12 Billion – The Accidental Triumph of Mailchimp

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