How I Built This with Guy Raz
- Episodes
- 879
- Released
- several times a week
- Latest episode
- Oct 23, 2026
About the podcast
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. How I Built This is part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.
Episodes 879
Advice Line with Seth Berkowitz of Insomnia Cookies
Today’s callers: Kahindo from New York is looking to reboot her African-rooted fashion brand after losing a few key retailers. Then Tara from San Diego considers avenues to educate consumers about the benefits …
Show notes
Today’s callers: Kahindo from New York is looking to reboot her African-rooted fashion brand after losing a few key retailers. Then Tara from San Diego considers avenues to educate consumers about the benefits of her wool sauna hats. And Carol from Houston wonders whether to market her collegiate purses and accessories l to students or their gift-giving family members.
Plus, Seth lays out his ambitions to quadruple Insomnia’s locations and become a global chain — without turning to franchising.
Thank you to the founders of Kahindo, Sauna Societé, and Desden for being a part of our show.
Be sure to listen to Insomnia Cookies’ founding story as told by Seth on the show in 2024.
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 and on Substack.
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Sweet Loren’s: Loren Castle. How A Recipe Makeover Built a National Cookie Brand
Loren Castle started baking cookies after surviving cancer in her early twenties. Five years later, Sweet Loren’s refrigerated cookie dough was generating just $350,000 a year. But instead of giving up, she …
Show notes
Loren Castle started baking cookies after surviving cancer in her early twenties. Five years later, Sweet Loren’s refrigerated cookie dough was generating just $350,000 a year. But instead of giving up, she listened to customers, and reinvented the dough without gluten, dairy, eggs or nuts. That transformation turned a small regional business into a national brand sold in more than 30,000 stores.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
- How surviving cancer at 22 inspired Loren to rethink her career and develop a passion for healthier food.
- What working at New York’s Levain Bakery taught her about the enormous appeal—and profitability—of cookies.
- Why Loren decided to sell ready-made cookie dough instead of cookies
- Why she was totally unprepared for her first Whole Foods meeting—but went anyway
- Why raising her first $1 million from friends and family was much harder than she expected.
- Why hundreds of customer requests revealed an unmet need for allergen-free cookie dough.
- Why growing slowly may have saved the company.
- Why Loren isn't rushing to sell Sweet Loren’s
TIMESTAMPS:
8:40 – After her mother's leukemia diagnosis, Loren is diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma at 22.
13:12 – Watching people line up for cookies at Levain Bakery: “I think this is America’s favorite food.”
14:54 – Selling baked goods at Smorgasburg: customers ask if they can just buy the dough
26:52 – Just as Whole Foods agrees to carry her cookie dough, Loren loses her mom
37:41 – What happens after Sweet Loren’s gets on The Today Show: “The whole country is excited by this.”
50:19 – Loren reconsiders her recipes after customers ask for dough without gluten, dairy, eggs.
56:24 – Loren takes the leap: discontinuing her original product line and going allergen-free for all.
1:05:41 – From one Whole Foods to 30,000 stores–the company expands nationally.
1:07:46 – After years of struggle, Loren explains why she wants to keep building the company instead of pursuing an exit.
This episode was produced by Carla Esteves, with music composed by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant. Our audio engineer was Jimmy Keeley.
Follow How I Built This:
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Advice Line with Tara Bosch of SmartSweets
Today’s callers: Lindzi from Chicago wants to expand her gourmet marshmallow brand into retail without cannibalizing her high-margin DTC sales. Then, Vivi from Hawaii considers how to best tell her sustainable …
Show notes
Today’s callers: Lindzi from Chicago wants to expand her gourmet marshmallow brand into retail without cannibalizing her high-margin DTC sales. Then, Vivi from Hawaii considers how to best tell her sustainable swimwear brand’s story to a digital audience. And Aly from Los Angeles wonders whether a subscription model is best for her whimsical curated experiences.
Plus, Tara talks about her latest entrepreneurial venture, Snackish, and how starting a new company feels different the second time around...
Thank you to the founders of XO Marshmallows, Vivi’s Vacation, and Romanticize Collective for being a part of our show.
Be sure to listen to SmartSweets’ founding story as told by Tara on the show in 2024.
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema: Tim and Karrie League (2023)
In the early 1990’s, Tim League spent $50,000 in savings to lease an abandoned movie theater on the wrong side of the tracks—a shaky experiment that eventually grew into a thriving national chain. As Tim and …
Show notes
In the early 1990’s, Tim League spent $50,000 in savings to lease an abandoned movie theater on the wrong side of the tracks—a shaky experiment that eventually grew into a thriving national chain. As Tim and his wife Karrie built theaters in Austin and beyond, they made a name for themselves by offering dinner with the movie, creative pairings (like sake with Godzilla), and roadshows where movie-goers could watch Deliverance in canoes, or Rocky on the famous steps in Philly. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema now has dozens of locations across the country, but there have been plenty of bruises along the way: a failed first theater, a fractious lawsuit with business partners, and a swan dive into the red during the pandemic.
This episode was produced by Carla Esteves, with music by Ramtin Arablouei.
Edited by Neva Grant, with research help from Carla Esteves.
Follow How I Built This:
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Advice Line with Nick Green of Thrive Market
Today’s callers: Mercedes in Utah tries to find harmony between quality and speed as she scales her concert attire brand for musicians. Then Danny in Colorado grapples with the tradeoffs of growing his …
Show notes
Today’s callers: Mercedes in Utah tries to find harmony between quality and speed as she scales her concert attire brand for musicians. Then Danny in Colorado grapples with the tradeoffs of growing his sustainable and functional coffee brand. And Riya in Illinois wonders how to build awareness for her app that aids people affected by speech loss.
Plus, Nick’s insights on how AI is changing the way we fill our grocery carts — and how grocers respond to food and nutrition trends.
Thank you to the founders of Blackstrad Concert Attire, Peak State Coffee, and Voice Back for being a part of our show.
And be sure to listen to Thrive Market’s founding story as told by Nick in 2024.
This episode was produced by Sam Paulson 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.
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10 Years of How I Built This: A Decade of Innovation, Risk and Reinvention
Stories about starting a business are almost always full of drama. They’re about ambition, loss, triumph, catastrophe, resilience. And they’re also full of life lessons – which is why Guy Raz launched How I …
Show notes
Stories about starting a business are almost always full of drama. They’re about ambition, loss, triumph, catastrophe, resilience. And they’re also full of life lessons – which is why Guy Raz launched How I Built This 10 years ago: He wanted to host a free master class in entrepreneurship, one conversation at a time. Ten years on, he’s conducted over 600 interviews with some of the world’s most successful founders, and on today’s show, he replays some of the most memorable moments and lessons. Joining him is Jamie Siminoff, the founder of RING and a former guest on the show. Why Jamie? He’s a friend, a fan, and – as you may remember from his first interview - he doesn’t hide his emotions.
Timestamps:
5:10 A lightbulb switches on at an NYC bodega: “Oh my God, look at all those cherries!”
9:33 The moment Stitch Fix founder Katrina Lake realized she should start her own business.
12:04 The difference between scary and dangerous, and why it matters for founders
19:35 Eileen Fisher’s first, terrifying trade show: “I couldn’t speak. I just stood there.”
22:59 “Everything was on one computer?” The chaotic launch of Instagram
27:32 How Sara Blakely sold her first Spanx
31:16 The marketing genius behind Liquid Death
39:40 Why 2008 was the worst year of Joe Gebbia’s life
44:51 How the co-founder of Banana Republic fell asleep at the wheel—literally
53:40 Makeup mogul Bobbi Brown on selling to Estee Lauder: “I am not a follow-the- leader-kind of person.”
1:01:59 Luck, skill, and staying on the surfboard
This episode was produced by Casey Herman, with music by Ramtin Arablouei.
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
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Advice Line with Scott Tannen of Boll & Branch and Jamie Siminoff of Ring (2025)
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 …
Show notes
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 [email protected] 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.
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
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Seventh Generation: Alan Newman and Jeffrey Hollender. A Partnership that Flourished—until it Failed. (2021)
With its eco-friendly paper towels, diapers, and cleansers, Seventh Generation was one of the first—and most successful—green household brands to hit the market. But in the early 1990s, its two founders had a …
Show notes
With its eco-friendly paper towels, diapers, and cleansers, Seventh Generation was one of the first—and most successful—green household brands to hit the market. But in the early 1990s, its two founders had a bitter falling out.
Alan Newman and Jeffrey Hollender have barely spoken since that time, but they both agreed to come on the show to talk about the business they were both passionate about, and the delicate nature of partnership.
What you'll learn:
- Why Alan says his great strength—and his greatness weakness—is his tendency to say “yes.”
- How Jeffrey and Alan lost their friendship and business partnership after only three years.
- How Jeffrey grew Seventh Generation into a household name—and then got fired.
- How two formerly estranged partners feel about partnership now.
Timestamps:
5:30 - Jeffrey makes it big in Canada selling adult-learning courses… before he’s forced to leave the country
11:50 - Alan moves to Vermont on a whim, and winds up in a mail-order catalog business
24:31 - Alan and Jeffrey meet for the first time and find common ground: Alan needs capital and Jeffrey has it
30:13 - An atypical office for 1989: Ping pong table, nap room, and employees get prizes when they make mistakes
40:35 - Crisis hits… and tears Alan and Jeffrey’s friendship apart
45:41 - Jeffrey sends Alan a “Dear John” letter, and Alan leaves the company
50:00 - Seventh Generation grows to new heights… then Jeffrey is fired as CEO
82:56 - Jeffrey and Alan reflect on why their partnership failed, and what it takes to have a good one
This episode was produced by Casey Herman with music 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
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Advice Line with Danny Meyer of Shake Shack
Today’s callers: Janell from Kentucky wonders how to build a sense of hospitality into her canned bourbon cocktail brand. Jade from South Carolina considers the upsides and risks of shipping her smoked salmon …
Show notes
Today’s callers: Janell from Kentucky wonders how to build a sense of hospitality into her canned bourbon cocktail brand. Jade from South Carolina considers the upsides and risks of shipping her smoked salmon directly to customers. And Bar from Colorado considers strategies for bringing his protein-packed cous cous to quick service restaurants.
Plus Danny talks about the elements of a strong company culture as described in his new book, What Could Possibly Go Right?
Thank you to the founders of Ponyboy Slings, Angel Oak Smokehouse, and Boostcous 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 [email protected] or call 1-800-433-1298.
And be sure to listen to Shake Shack’s founding story as told by Danny on the show in 2020.
This episode was produced by Chris Maccini 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 and on Substack.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Banza: Brian Rudolph. The Chickpea Pasta That Nearly Turned to Mush
Brian Rudolph started making chickpea pasta in his Detroit apartment because wheat made him feel sick. A decade later, Banza was in more than 25,000 stores, and today, it’s one of the most popular pasta brands …
Show notes
Brian Rudolph started making chickpea pasta in his Detroit apartment because wheat made him feel sick. A decade later, Banza was in more than 25,000 stores, and today, it’s one of the most popular pasta brands in the country. Success was not automatic: The business barely got off the ground because the cooked pasta was turning to mush—and as Banza became known for its health benefits, a food-safety scare sent sales plunging by 30%.
In this episode, Brian explains why he was inspired to create a whole new category, how he turned chickpea skeptics into fans, and how the company rebuilt trust after a public relations disaster.
What you’ll learn
- How Brian and his brother Scott launched Banza with only $100,000.
- How they learned to stop chasing perfection and to ship something that was “good enough.”
- How crowdfunding and reality TV helped Banza land its first retail accounts.
- How packaging can become an important growth engine for a new brand.
- How transparency can rebuild trust after a PR debacle–but can’t restore it overnight.
Timestamps:
05:50 - Brian uncovers the unexpected culprit behind his health issues: Wheat
07:27 - From Chewy bars and Chipotle to pasta made of… beans?
16:24 - Banza gets a big break on national TV
20:51 - The 192-store order that Banza wasn’t ready for, and why retreating to a smaller manufacturer helped them meet it
26:12 - Banza’s first production run turns to mush when cooked. The solution? “Steep it like tea”
34:04 - The origin of the distinctive orange box
39:13 - Pizza anyone? Banza expands into thousands of stores and launches new products
41:00 - The food safety scare that Brian never saw coming
52:13 - Even in the midst of a crisis, Brian says to “assume positive intent”
This episode was produced by Katherine Sypher, with music by Ramtin Arablouei.
Edited by Neva Grant, with research help from Kerry Thompson. Our audio engineer was Robert Rodriguez.
Follow How I Built This:
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Follow Guy Raz:
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Youtube → guy_raz
X → @guyraz
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Website → guyraz.com
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Advice Line with Michelle Wahler of Beyond Yoga
Today's callers: Carrie from Paris wants to turn interest into bookings for her boutique study-abroad programs for adults. Then, Grace from Nashville considers how to re-build relationships with interior …
Show notes
Today's callers: Carrie from Paris wants to turn interest into bookings for her boutique study-abroad programs for adults. Then, Grace from Nashville considers how to re-build relationships with interior designers she may have let down early on in her furniture upholstery business. And Angel from Indiana explores how to translate the emotional appeal of her self-care soap kits into stronger online sales.
Plus, Michelle explains why founders don't always need to raise outside capital, and why they shouldn’t go into business with an exit plan.
Thank you to the founders of Elective Study Abroad, Grace Ann Upholstery, and Sacred Pause Soap Company for being 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 [email protected] or call 1-800-433-1298.
And be sure to listen to Beyond Yoga’s founding story as told by Michelle in 2025.
This episode was produced by Carla Esteves 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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Thrive Causemetics: Karissa Bodnar. How a Beauty Business Made Millions for a Mission
Karissa Bodnar had a dream job at L'Oréal when a close friend died from cancer at age 24. It shook her up and made her reassess what she really wanted to do with her life. The answer? Build her own beauty …
Show notes
Karissa Bodnar had a dream job at L'Oréal when a close friend died from cancer at age 24. It shook her up and made her reassess what she really wanted to do with her life. The answer? Build her own beauty business with a mission of “giving back.”
The problem? Nobody seemed to want to carry her products. She pitched Sephora, Nordstrom, Ulta, and others—and kept hearing no.
She stuck it out, pouring tens of thousands of dollars of her own savings into it, and worked a full-time job to fund the formulation of new cosmetics.
Two years in, another life-changing event. Karissa posted a video of herself teaching make-up application to domestic violence survivors, and it went viral.
In this episode Karissa explains why mission alone will never save a bad product, how scarcity helped her build a better company, why she resisted raising too much money, and how she turned a deeply personal loss into one of the most distinctive brands in beauty.
What You’ll Learn:
- How Karissa's childhood experimenting with fruits and flowers led her to researching and formulating her own makeup
- How Karissa’s experiences at Nordstrom and Sephora set her up for a plum job in product development
- The importance of attracting an influential mentor or guide to career development, as Karissa did at L’Oreal
- How Karissa developed her unique line — like false eyelashes for people who had lost their natural lashes during cancer treatment
- Why the decision to keep sales DTC and ONLY online can be a great business move
- Why Karissa believes “scarcity drives focus”
- How to handle operations when sales explode
- Why mission helps customer loyalty — but performance drives the initial and repeat purchases
Timestamps:
03:05 – Making makeup in the kitchen at age 10 and Karissa’s first steps into research
06:30 – Learning the beauty business from the ground up
08:57 – How Karissa landed her dream job in product development at L'Oréal
12:23 – The career lessons that got Karissa noticed at L'Oréal
17:23 – How a tragedy made Karissa leave a dream job to start a company “with purpose”
26:56 – The one-person-at-a-time marketing strategy
28:21 – The viral moment that changed Thrive Causemetics
32:26 – Why failing to raise money became an advantage
36:23 – Mission versus product: which really matters?
38:24 – Why Thrive Causemetics stayed direct-to-consumer
This episode was produced by Sam Paulson with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Andrea Bruce with research help from Chris Maccini. Our engineer was 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
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Advice Line with Kip Tindell of The Container Store
Today’s callers: Juliette in France wonders how to raise awareness of her “magical” cooling device—without a costly ad campaign. Then David in North Carolina looks to grow the wholesale channel of his engraved …
Show notes
Today’s callers: Juliette in France wonders how to raise awareness of her “magical” cooling device—without a costly ad campaign. Then David in North Carolina looks to grow the wholesale channel of his engraved gifts business in light of thinning retail margins. And Kaitlin in California wants to leverage the virality of her supportive, bordered sheets and create an enduring sleep brand.
Plus, Kip reflects on The Container Store’s bankruptcy and acquisition, and plugs patience and persistence as the keys to sustainable growth.
Thank you to the folks at CoolaWand, Hazel Grove Customs, and Kaomi Sleep 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 [email protected] or call 1-800-433-1298.
And be sure to listen to The Container Store’s founding story as told by Kip and his wife Sharon in 2024.
This episode was produced by Alex Cheng 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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Bogg Bag: Kim Vaccarella. The $100 Million Business She Almost Abandoned
Kim’s inspiration to launch a business came from an unlikely source: Her son’s Crocs. She thought the durable, washable material would make a great beach bag. So she designed one. But after investing her …
Show notes
Kim’s inspiration to launch a business came from an unlikely source: Her son’s Crocs. She thought the durable, washable material would make a great beach bag. So she designed one. But after investing her savings—inlcuding some of her kids’ college fund—Kim was crushed when her first major shipment of Bogg bags was defective. It knocked her so off balance, that she put the entire business on hold.
Then something unexpected happened.The few thousand customers who already had a bag….clamored for more. So Kim decided to start over. She borrowed $120,000, found another factory, shared trade show booths with four other founders, and slowly built Bogg Bag into a $100 million phenomenon.
What you'll learn:
- How getting nowhere with Crocs gave Kim the motivation to make Bogg Bag herself.
- Why her first $30,000 production run nearly killed the company.
- Why a founder isn’t always the best judge of her product
- How Superstorm Sandy gave new life to Bogg Bag
- How Kim built Bogg Bag for years while keeping her full-time job and raising two kids.
- How COVID turned Bogg Bag from a beach product into a “beach and beyond” product.
- How Kim got a massive acquisition offer–and why she turned it down.
- Why Kim thinks Bogg Bag can eventually become a billion-dollar brand.
Chapters:
04:11 - Growing up without financial security
05:52 - From high-school dropout to a six-figure career
14:54 - Reading “Mommy Millionaire” and dreaming of inventing something
17:16 - The Crocs-on-the-beach moment
22:31 - Kim hits a wall with Crocs, so she decides to make Bogg Bag herself
28:53 - The early prototypes and a nervous visit to a boutique: “I don’t know what this is, but I think I need it.”
36:36 - The first big shipment, a $30,000 defect, and a decision to pull the plug
42:33 - A massive natural disaster presents an opportunity
47:35 - “Now I gotta make this damn bag”
50:05 - A factory showdown in China
53:42 - Starting over with $120,000
55:41 - The trade-show “timeshare” in a tiny booth
01:01:02 - Finally quitting her day job
01:04:32 - COVID boosts the business
01:07:18 - The acquisition offer that could have changed everything
01:17:30 - Learning to lead a much bigger company
01:20:03 - The dream of a family legacy
This episode was produced by J.C. Howard, with music by Ramtin Arablouei.
Edited by Neva Grant, with research help from Sam Paulson.
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
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Advice Line with Ben Goodwin of Olipop
Today’s callers: Darin from North Carolina seeks guidance on consumer education as his ghee-based snack brand grows into major retailers. Then Sarah from Massachusetts explores scaling pathways for her …
Show notes
Today’s callers: Darin from North Carolina seeks guidance on consumer education as his ghee-based snack brand grows into major retailers. Then Sarah from Massachusetts explores scaling pathways for her ‘never-frozen’ gluten-free baked goods. And John from Ohio considers whether online sales can turn around his local food co-op.
Plus, Ben comments on the drivers of Olipop’s nearly $2 billion valuation, and critiques a common piece of business advice that often holds founders back.
Thank you to the founders of Gheelish, Sarah’s Gluten Free Goods, and Bexley’s Natural Foods 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 [email protected] or call 1-800-433-1298.
And be sure to listen to Olipop’s founding story as told by Ben in 2024.
This episode was produced by Kerry Thompson with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by John Isabella. Our audio engineers were Cena Loffredo and Robert Rodriguez.
You can follow HIBT on X & Instagram and sign up for Guy’s free newsletter at guyraz.com or on Substack.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Late July Snacks: Nicole Bernard Dawes. Crackers and Cookies were Failing… Tortilla Chips Saved Them
Nicole Bernard Dawes spent much of her childhood hanging out in her dad’s potato chip factory on Cape Cod. She liked his kettle-cooked chips a lot more than the flavorless snacks in her mom’s health food store …
Show notes
Nicole Bernard Dawes spent much of her childhood hanging out in her dad’s potato chip factory on Cape Cod.
She liked his kettle-cooked chips a lot more than the flavorless snacks in her mom’s health food store. But when she started her own business, she wanted the best of both worlds: a snack made with natural, organic ingredients…that still tasted good.
Nicole launched Late July Snacks in 2003, when most consumers barely knew what “organic” meant. For years, sales limped along. Then, in a moment of crisis, she made a company-saving pivot by launching a brand new product – organic tortilla chips. Within just a few years, Late July grew to over $100M in sales, and Nicole decided to launch a new brand in an even more challenging category: soda.
You Will Learn:
- How growing up in a family business can help–and hurt–when you launch your own
- The pros and cons of financial vs. strategic investors
- When to cut a product that isn’t working
- Why the fine print in a contract is so important
- How the hardest decision might be the best one for your family and the business
Timestamps:
04:57 - The car crash that launched a potato chip company
18:53 - Pregnant and craving crackers: The birth of Late July Snacks
32:14 - The organic cookies that tasted great but nearly sunk the business
36:09 - Tragedy and crisis: a father’s death and a $3 million loan in default
45:51 - A tortilla chip Hail Mary
52:49 - Nicole’s first big sales call… and her last chance to save the company
1: 02:39 - “The big fish eats the small fish.” A food giant acquisition
1:07:26 - Nicole launches a new brand, moving from a hard category–to an even harder one
This episode was researched and produced by Chris Maccini with music composed by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant. Our engineer was Robert Rodriguez.
Follow How I Built This:
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Advice Line with Daymond John of FUBU
Today’s callers: Cristopher from Chicago wants to expand his family’s salsa brand from farmers markets into retail. Next, Darcy in Australia considers adapting his protein bar brand’s messaging to reach beyond …
Show notes
Today’s callers: Cristopher from Chicago wants to expand his family’s salsa brand from farmers markets into retail. Next, Darcy in Australia considers adapting his protein bar brand’s messaging to reach beyond his core enthusiasts. Finally, Seema in Canada seeks strategies to increase B2B sales for her ethical kitchen linen company.
Plus, Daymond and Guy talk about what makes a great Shark Tank pitch, and why Guy decided to start How I Built This 10 years ago.
Thank you to the founders of Sabor a Mexico, Raised Nutrition and Cooks Who Feed for joining us on the 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 [email protected] or call 1-800-433-1298.
And be sure to listen to FUBU’s founding story as told by Daymond on the show in 2018.
This episode was produced by Katherine Sypher with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by John Isabella. Our audio engineer was Kwesi Lee.
You can follow HIBT on X & Instagram and sign up for Guy's free newsletter at guyraz.com and on Substack.
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YETI: Roy 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 …
Show notes
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 capital
- Why 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
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Facebook → How I Built This
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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 …
Show notes
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 [email protected] 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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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 …
Show notes
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 America
- How she spent nearly $200,000 of her own savings before raising outside capital
- How 64 investor pitches helped her tell a better story
- How a public apology changed the trajectory of the company
- Why Bobbie turned away thousands of customers during its fastest period of growth
- Why Laura moved to Washington, D.C., and how she thinks about federal oversight
Timestamps:
10:52 – The emotional experience that revealed a massive business opportunity
20:44 – Laura learns about the two companies that had a lock on U.S. formula
23:27 – Quitting Airbnb, starting Bobbie while pregnant, risking her savings
34:12 – Pitching 64 investors—and the brutal feedback that fueled her to keep going
45:24 – The FDA shuts the company down after two weeks
56:34 – Building a community while waiting nearly two years for approval
1:03:01 – Launch day, and selling out faster than expected
1:07:49 – Why Laura shut off new customer orders during the infant formula shortage
1:11:02 – Buying her own manufacturing plant to control Bobbie's future
1:14:09 – 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
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Youtube → guy_raz
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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 …
Show notes
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 [email protected] 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.
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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 …
Show notes
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 edge
- How 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:
3:40 - Growing up in Iran during wartime, and emigrating to Canada
09:30 - Their dad’s new business: “Why are North Americans not eating nougat?”
17:00 - Building the family’s first snack bar brand—and losing it overnight
29:40 - The next business: going all in on healthier school snacks
37:50 - Fixing a 200,000-bar production error with alcohol wipes
42:20 - Landing MadeGood’s first retail store
45:00 - The 100-mile radius marketing strategy
51:00 - The lure of new products: from human treats to dog treats
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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 …
Show notes
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 [email protected] 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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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 …
Show notes
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 run
- How one perfectly timed opportunity launched the business
- Why "smart money" isn't always smart
- How investor and founder incentives can be completely misaligned
- The warning signs hidden inside a term sheet
Timestamps:
03:46 – Lily's years at Microsoft, and the money that helped launch a business
09:30 – Serena repaints an old table and discovers people will pay for her designs
21:56 – “No bunnies, ducks or choo choo trains.” Lily and Serena meet, and decide to sell high-end baby linen:
31:21 – $100,000 in orders... for products that didn't exist yet
32:58 – The cash-flow hack that kept the company afloat
41:34 – “They patted us on the head.” Patronizing investors, and a predatory term sheet
46:48 – The financial crisis forces a complete reinvention of the business
52:37 – The lawsuit, the boardroom battle, and the investor who nearly brought Serena & Lily down
57:16 – 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
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Instagram → @guy.raz
Youtube → guy_raz
X → @guyraz
Substack → guyraz.substack.com
Website → guyraz.com
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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 …
Show notes
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 [email protected] 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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sweetwater: Chuck Surack. How a Customer Service Strategy Built a Billion Dollar Online Pro Audio and Music Company.
Chuck Surack never planned to build one of America's largest online retailers. He just wanted to be a musician. So right after high school, he took his sax and drove off in his old VW van to play gigs around …
Show notes
Chuck Surack never planned to build one of America's largest online retailers. He just wanted to be a musician. So right after high school, he took his sax and drove off in his old VW van to play gigs around the country.
It didn’t work out. But with the audio and mixing skills Chuck learned gigging, he decided to convert his van into a mobile recording studio - and started making money fast by making recordings of local bands, businesses, and schools.
The game-changer came as a one-two-three punch: first, he created a new product - digitized sound libraries - to sell nationally; second, he started selling high end pro audio gear; third, he instituted a sales culture hyper-focused on customers and relationship-building that resulted in Sweetwater’s enormous and super loyal online customer base.
In this episode, Chuck shares how he built a retail giant from his garage, why customer service became his greatest competitive advantage, and why, even in the age of AI, human relationships remain one of the most valuable assets any business can build.
What you'll learn
- The hiring philosophy that transformed customer service into a competitive moat and has helped Sweetwater fend off much larger competitors
- Why under-cutting competitor prices and offering discounts isn’t always the answer to fuel sales and growth
- Why the best salespeople aren’t always don’t think of themselves as salespeople - and don’t have to come from sales or marketing backgrounds
- Why training people—not technology—may be the biggest, best investment a company can make
- How saying "no" to bad products strengthened customer trust
- The leadership principle: empowering employees to solve problems without asking permission
Timestamps
- 03:14 — The saxophone player who never meant to build a billion-dollar company
- 06:46 — How turning his VW van into a mobile recording studio was the first step in building a business
- 12:12 — The $20,000 keyboard synthesizer that changed his life forever
- 19:02 — Chuck gets into retail - almost in spite of himself
- 29:59 — Why Sweetwater refused to compete on price
- 33:11 — How Chuck and his early team started to learn the power of customer service
- 40:05 — Inside "Sweetwater University" and being a Sales Engineer: 13 weeks of training before an employee answers the phone
- 42:15 — Leadership rule for employees: Never ask permission to do the right thing
- 57:09 — Why Amazon hasn’t stopped him
This episode was produced by Casey Herman with music by Ramtin Arablouei, and edited by Andrea Bruce with research help from Carla Esteves.
Follow How I Built This:
Instagram → @howibuiltthis
X → @HowIBuiltThis
Facebook → How I Built This
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Youtube → guy_raz
X → @guyraz
Substack → guyraz.substack.com
Website → guyraz.com
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Advice Line with Curt Richardson of OtterBox
Today’s callers: Andy from Sarasota weighs whether the path to scalability for his live game show business is through personality or product. Then, Marissa from Tampa wants to recapture sales for her fairy …
Show notes
Today’s callers: Andy from Sarasota weighs whether the path to scalability for his live game show business is through personality or product. Then, Marissa from Tampa wants to recapture sales for her fairy tale-inspired teas after taking a hiatus to focus on her family. And Vince from New Jersey wonders how to allocate marketing dollars for his sustainable baby gear company..
Plus, Curt reflects on the importance of focus in sustaining OtterBox as a leading tech accessories brand over 30 years.
Thank you to the founders of Mr GameShow, Gilded Coach Teas, and Evrloop 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 [email protected] or call 1-800-433-1298.
And be sure to listen to OtterBox's founding story as told by Curt on the show in 2019.
This episode was produced by Carla Esteves with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by John Isabella. Our audio engineer was Robert Rodriguez.
You can follow HIBT on X & Instagram and sign up for Guy's free newsletter at guyraz.com and on Substack.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Toast: Aman Narang. How a Long Wait for the Dinner Check Launched a $2 Billion Business.
After waiting too long to pay his restaurant bill, Aman Narang thought there had to be a better way. His first idea—a mobile payment app—flopped.But that failure revealed a much bigger opportunity.Restaurants …
Show notes
After waiting too long to pay his restaurant bill, Aman Narang thought there had to be a better way. His first idea—a mobile payment app—flopped.
But that failure revealed a much bigger opportunity.
Restaurants were struggling with outdated software that many owners hated. Payment systems were expensive, unreliable, and trapped on servers hidden in back offices. Replacing them cost time and money.
But that’s exactly what Aman and his co-founders set out to do: create an entirely new POS system for restaurants—from scratch.
They worked from an unfinished basement, answered customer calls on their own phones, crashed their first restaurant on day one, survived years of rejection from investors—and eventually grew Toast into a business that generates more than $2 billion in annual revenue.
In this episode, Aman shares how a failed product became a billion-dollar company.
What you'll learn:
- How to know when it's time to pivot
- Why investors rejected Toast again and again
- How to convince customers to replace mission-critical software
- Why Toast intentionally stayed small before scaling
- The leadership lesson Aman learned after almost breaking the company
- How Toast survived COVID after restaurants shut down
- What founders should look for when choosing a co-founder
Timestamps:
- 9:00 — The frustrating restaurant experience that inspires Toast
- 13:16 — The first product fails—and reveals a bigger opportunity
- 14:18 — Building Toast: “We grossly underappreciated what it would take.”
- 23:40 — Why nearly every investor said “No.”
- 27:51 — Toast’s disastrous first launch: writing credit card numbers by hand
- 29:38 — Pitching hundreds of restaurant owners before finding believers
- 33:28 — Why customer obsession beats competitor obsession
- 38:07 — Bringing in a new CEO: “We need to rethink how we do things here.”
- 46:21 — The biggest lessons from building a $2 billion company
This episode was produced by Sam Paulson with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant with research help from Casey Herman. Our engineer was 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
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Advice Line with Kenneth Cole
Today’s callers: Matt from New York City unpacks the stigma working against his line of foot wellness products. Then Emefa in Toronto seeks a direct relationship with customers of her fashion brand in the wake …
Show notes
Today’s callers: Matt from New York City unpacks the stigma working against his line of foot wellness products. Then Emefa in Toronto seeks a direct relationship with customers of her fashion brand in the wake of a key retailer going out of business. Finally, Levi in Rhode Island explores new audiences and product lines for his commemorative golf sculpture business.
Plus, Kenneth and Guy discuss how to make social impact a real part of your business model.
Thank you to the founders of Pedestrian Project, ISRAELLA KOBLA, and Swing Sculpt for joining us on the 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 [email protected] or call 1-800-433-1298.
And be sure to listen to Kenneth Cole’s founding story as told on the show in 2020.
This episode was produced by Alex Cheng 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 and on Substack.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sun Bum: Tom Rinks. The Secrets of a Master Brand Builder (2023)
Tom Rinks got his start in the commission-only "shark tank" of midwestern furniture sales. That’s where he learned what makes customers buy. Decades later, those instincts helped him grow a joke of a side …
Show notes
Tom Rinks got his start in the commission-only "shark tank" of midwestern furniture sales. That’s where he learned what makes customers buy. Decades later, those instincts helped him grow a joke of a side hustle into a $400 million success.
In 2009, he created the iconic branding for an obscure sun tan lotion, drawing on a mish-mash of surf culture, Scandinavian furniture, and Japanese streetwear. Sun Bum became a huge success, but even before that, Tom helped boost a wildly diverse range of brands: a line of tequila, a series of Christian videos, and the ubiquitous “Yo quiero Taco Bell” campaign. All were successful, though it took a prolonged legal battle for Tom to get paid for the Taco Bell chihuahua.
In this episode, Tom reveals how he learned to manipulate consumer psychology, survive the brutal warfare of a stolen idea, and engineer a brand explosion on his own terms.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
- Chihuahuas and Apes: How the Right Mascot can Transform a Brand
- What it takes to survive a five-year legal battle against a corporate titan.
- The "Elvis Principle:” How combining unexpected design elements can create an unforgettable package
- The "Trojan Horse" Strategy: Why forcing retailers to buy a massive display creates the illusion of a brand overnight.
TIMESTAMPS
- 05:50 - What selling furniture taught Tom about customer psychology
- 07:00 - How the Slogan“Surf Michigan” got him into the T-shirt Business
- 22:42 - Psycho Chihuahua, Taco Bell, and the Branding Deal that Wasn’t
- 29:09 - Inside the grueling battle over a chihuahua mascot. “I was the guy suing Taco Bell.”
- 34:55 - A dramatic legal verdict, and Tom’s branding business takes off with fancy Tequila
- 45:07 - The sun screen opportunity: “I saw a gigantic hole that you could drive through.”
- 50:23 - How Tom and his partner came up with their “badass ape” logo
- 1:01:26 - Opening (fake) Sun Bum headquarters in Cocoa Beach, Fla
- 1:04:21- Early store displays and making the brand seem bigger than it was
- 1:08:46 - A $400M sale to SC Johnson, and Tom starts a new company
This episode was researched by Katherine Sypher and Susannah Broun and produced by Casey Herman, with music by Ramtin Arablouei, and 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
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