How I Built This with Guy Raz
Guy Raz interviews the world’s best-known entrepreneurs to learn how they built their iconic brands. In each episode, founders reveal deep, intimate moments of doubt and failure, and share insights on their eventual success. How I Built This is a master-class on innovation, creativity, leadership and how to navigate challenges of all kinds. New episodes release on Mondays and Thursdays.
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Recent Episodes
Justin’s Nut Butter: Justin Gold. He Was Waiting Tables, Then...He Reinvented Peanut Butter.
May 25, 2026Summary Preview
Justin Gold transformed a simple idea about making better peanut butter into Justin's Nut Butters, a category-defining brand worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Starting with just a food processor in his Boulder apartment in 2002, Justin spent years experimenting with flavors, bootstrapping through farmer's markets, and eventually creating the game-changing squeeze pack format that propelled the brand to national success. After selling to Hormel for $280 million in 2016, Justin was later let go but has now returned to help revive the brand under new ownership.
- The Origin Story: From Law School to Peanut Butter
- The Chemistry Experiments: Solving the Texture Problem
Advice Line with Sarah LaFleur of M.M. LaFleur
May 21, 2026Summary Preview
This episode of the How I Built This Lab advice line features Sarah LaFleur, founder and CEO of MM LaFleur, helping three entrepreneurs tackle challenges in their businesses. Topics include managing self-doubt as a founder, justifying premium pricing for functional products, and shifting consumer behavior toward sustainable practices. Sarah shares insights from her own journey, including surviving COVID's 60% revenue drop and navigating subsequent financial crises, while emphasizing the importance of mental health and practice for founders.
- Sarah LaFleur's Journey and MM LaFleur Update
- Managing Self-Doubt as a Founder with David from SOAR
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Advice Line: New Offerings, Bigger Markets
May 14, 2026Summary Preview
This mashup episode of The Advice Line features three different callers seeking guidance on scaling their unique businesses into broader markets. Guy Raz is joined by three former guests—Che Wong (Boxed), Hernan Lopez (Wondery), and David Nealeman (JetBlue)—who help entrepreneurs navigate challenges around brand positioning, distribution strategy, and changing consumer behavior. The conversations explore pottery studios, camera equipment innovation, and tool rentals, with each caller wrestling with how to grow beyond their initial success.
- Scaling Seagrass Pottery: Physical Locations vs. Wholesale
- Building Brand Recognition for Lemur Strap Camera Equipment
Room & Board: John Gabbert. A Broken Deal, a Family Rift, and the Birth of a Furniture Giant
May 11, 2026Summary Preview
John Gabbert founded Room and Board after leaving his family's traditional furniture business, Gabbert's, following a bitter falling out with his father. Inspired by IKEA's vertically integrated model in the 1970s, John built Room and Board into a national modern furniture brand known for American-made, high-quality designs featuring steel, solid wood, and natural fabrics. Despite family estrangement lasting over a decade and refusing all private equity offers, John grew the company organically into a hundreds-of-millions-of-dollars business that now operates as an employee-owned ESOP.
- The Family Business and Early Influences
- The Family Rift and Breaking Away
Advice Line with Jonah Peretti of Buzzfeed
May 07, 2026Summary Preview
In this Advice Line episode, Guy Raz is joined by BuzzFeed founder and CEO Jonah Peretti to tackle business challenges from three founders. They help Anthony Cortez of MotionFlix navigate scaling his outdoor movie experience business, advise Andrew Bruce of CatSumo on defending his viral cat wrestling glove category from copycats, and guide Melissa Bermudez of Unrefined Foods on how to stand out in the crowded healthy food space. Throughout the conversation, Jonah shares insights from BuzzFeed's 20-year journey through the changing internet landscape while offering practical advice on scaling, branding, and building community.
- BuzzFeed's Evolution and Current Challenges
- MotionFlix: Scaling an Outdoor Cinema Business
Beautycounter: Gregg Renfrew. She Built Beautycounter to $1B… Then Got Fired From Her Own Company
May 04, 2026Summary Preview
Greg Renfrew shares her remarkable entrepreneurial journey, from selling her first online wedding registry to Martha Stewart, to building Beauty Counter into a billion-dollar clean beauty brand. After being ousted by private equity investors, she ultimately bought back the company's assets from foreclosure and relaunched it as Counter. The episode explores the challenges of scaling a business, working with investors, navigating leadership transitions, and the resilience required to rebuild after losing control of your own company.
- Early Career and Sales Training at Xerox
- The Wedding List: First Company and Sale to Martha Stewart
Advice Line with David Neeleman of JetBlue
Apr 30, 2026Summary Preview
Guy Raz hosts the Advice Line with guest expert David Neeleman, founder of five airlines including JetBlue, Azul, and Breeze Airways. Three entrepreneurs call in seeking guidance: Barbara Storper on sustaining her nutrition education theater company, Jeff Pyjack on expanding his ninja gym franchise and launching a professional league, and Vince Speroni on growing his organic men's underwear brand. Neeleman shares insights on the importance of flawless execution, building community, and focusing on what you can control.
- Introduction to Breeze Airways and David Neeleman's Philosophy
- Barbara Storper's Nutrition Education Theater Company Dilemma
Shep and Ian Murray: Vineyard Vines. A Stale Product Transforms into a Lifestyle Brand.
Apr 27, 2026Summary Preview
Shep and Ian Murray, two brothers dissatisfied with their corporate jobs in New York, quit in 1998 to start Vineyard Vines selling neckties inspired by their summers on Martha's Vineyard. What began as 800 ties financed by credit card cash advances grew into a half-billion-dollar lifestyle brand with over 100 stores. They built it entirely without outside investment, staying focused on quality, customer experience, and the New England beach culture that defined their childhood.
- Breaking Free from Corporate Life
- The Tie Business Idea Takes Shape
Advice Line with Eric Ryan of Method returns
Apr 23, 2026Summary Preview
Guy Raz hosts an advice line with serial entrepreneur Eric Ryan, co-founder of Method and other consumer brands, now a venture capitalist with Greycroft. They advise three entrepreneurs facing challenges in scaling their businesses: Christina Pang of Haven Beauty (allergen-free fragrances), James Chambliss of Pigeon Toes (customizable kids' flip-flops), and Ben Forrest of Reserved for Humans (illuminated crystal jewelry). The episode explores brand building, customer acquisition, and fundraising strategies in competitive consumer markets.
- Eric Ryan's Transition to Venture Capital and Consumer Market Outlook
- Haven Beauty: Allergen-Free Fragrance for Sensitive Skin
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Daniel Lubetzky shares his journey from trying to build peace through business in the Middle East to creating a $5 billion snack empire with Kind Bars. As the son of a Holocaust survivor, Daniel initially founded PeaceWorks to unite Arabs and Israelis through joint business ventures making gourmet spreads. When that struggled, he pivoted to creating Kind Bars—nut and fruit bars with transparent packaging—which became a massive success through strategic placement at Starbucks and Whole Foods, eventually selling to Mars for billions.
- Family Legacy and Early Influences
- The PeaceWorks Mission and Early Struggles
Advice Line with Chieh Huang of Boxed
Apr 16, 2026Summary Preview
On this episode of the Advice Line, host Guy Raz teams up with Che Wang, co-founder of Boxed, to help three entrepreneurs tackle challenges in scaling their businesses. They advise Alec on growing his natural skincare brand Surfing Cow, Jessica on expanding her equine products company Tail Cinch, and Eli on scaling his anti-inflammatory coffee brand Macor Coffee. The conversation spans manufacturing partnerships, distribution strategies, and balancing growth with authenticity.
- Che Wang's Journey: From Boxed Success to Bankruptcy and Beyond
- Surfing Cow: Scaling a Beef Tallow Skincare Brand
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Colin Angle co-founded iRobot in 1990 with the dream of bringing robots into everyday life. After 12 years of surviving on government and military contracts, the company launched the Roomba in 2002, creating the consumer robotics category. The product became a cultural phenomenon, selling tens of millions of units and achieving nearly 70% global market share. However, rising competition from Chinese manufacturers and a blocked Amazon acquisition led to iRobot's eventual sale to a Chinese company in 2024, ending Angle's 34-year journey as CEO.
- The Origins of iRobot: From MIT Lab to Startup
- Survival Mode: Building a Business Without a Business Model
Advice Line with Steve Ells of Chipotle
Apr 09, 2026Summary Preview
In this Advice Line episode, Guy Raz teams up with Chipotle founder Steve Ells to help three entrepreneurs tackle their business challenges. The callers include Rebecca from Streaky Bay Distillers in remote Australia seeking to differentiate her gin brand, Sri from MatZero working to balance multiple market opportunities for her innovative heating mats while staying true to her humanitarian mission, and John from Cantina di Rosina navigating declining wine consumption trends while building an Italian wine brand with deep family roots. Steve shares insights on differentiation, focusing on core strengths, and building authentic customer relationships.
- Steve Ells Returns: From Kernel to Counter Service
- Streaky Bay Distillers: Differentiation Through Sense of Place
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Antonio Swad built two successful restaurant franchises from scratch, starting from a working-class background in Ohio. After learning the restaurant business washing dishes, he created Pizza Patron and then Wingstop, which grew to 3,000+ locations worldwide. His journey includes both extraordinary success and hard lessons about business deals, particularly a contentious sale of Wingstop where he had to fight for seven years to get paid the $12 million he was owed.
- From Dishwasher to Pizza Entrepreneur
- Opening Pizza Pizza in a Rough Dallas Neighborhood
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Guy Raz hosts the Advice Line on How I Built This Lab with Angie and Dan Bastian, co-founders of Angie's Boom Chicka Pop, who sold their multi-million dollar popcorn business. They offer advice to three entrepreneurs facing growth challenges: Michelle from Nana Jo's Granola seeking investment without compromising values, Gloria from Elida tackling stigma in the bladder health device market, and Eric from Maple Roo navigating competition in sports nutrition. The episode explores bootstrapping versus raising capital, overcoming social stigma, authentic brand scaling, and the personal toll of entrepreneurship.
- The Founders' Journey and Lessons on Work-Life Balance
- Michelle's Dilemma: Raising Capital While Preserving Values
diapers.com: Marc Lore. The ecommerce visionary who lost to Amazon but still made billions (2021)
Mar 30, 2026Summary Preview
Mark Laurie shares his entrepreneurial journey from selling diapers online at a guaranteed loss to building two massive e-commerce companies. Starting with Diapers.com in 2005, he created an innovative business model that lost money on every transaction but built incredible customer loyalty. After Amazon acquired the company for $550 million in what Mark describes as feeling like a 'mob shakedown,' he launched Jet.com to compete directly with Amazon, ultimately selling it to Walmart for $3.3 billion—the highest price ever paid for a U.S. e-commerce startup at that time.
- From Banking to Entrepreneurship: The Early Years
- The Diapers.com Origin Story: Selling Dollars for 90 Cents
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Guy Raz hosts the How I Built This Advice Line with serial entrepreneur Marcia Kilgore, founder of Beauty Pie and multiple successful beauty brands. Three entrepreneurs call in seeking guidance: Victor from Sol Diaz Ice Cream on balancing retail stores versus wholesale distribution, Lydia from Clear Story Skin Care on overcoming fear of failure and marketing her products, and Jack from Wampy Bags on reducing customer drop-off in his custom bike bag ordering process. Marcia delivers practical, actionable advice rooted in her extensive experience building and scaling beauty brands.
- Introduction to Marcia Kilgore and Beauty Pie
- Building Brands in 2025: Challenges and Strategies
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Matt O'Hare shares his journey from serial entrepreneur through multiple businesses to founding Vital Farms, a nearly $1 billion pasture-raised egg company. After years of trial and error in carpet cleaning, bartering, and travel businesses, a chance conversation with Whole Foods founder John Mackey inspired Matt to revolutionize the egg industry by creating humanely-raised eggs with bright orange yolks from chickens living on pasture rather than in cages.
- Early Entrepreneurial Ventures: Carpet Cleaning to Bartering
- The Interline Advantage Roll-Up and 9/11 Impact
Advice Line: What’s Your Value?
Mar 19, 2026Summary Preview
This special mashup episode of The Advice Line features three callers seeking advice on communicating their value propositions and product positioning. Guy Raz teams up with former guests Miguel McKelvey (WeWork), Alexa Hirschfeld (Paperless Post), and Pete Maldonado and Rashida Lee (Chomps) to help founders tackle challenges around product messaging, market positioning, and business growth strategies.
- Reusable Gift Wrap Positioning Challenge
- Strategic Advice on Experiential Marketing