How I Built This with Guy Raz
Episodes
Tatcha: Vicky Tsai (July 2020)
02 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In 2008, Vicky Tsai walked away from a startup job and set out to rediscover herself on a trip to Japan. In Kyoto, she had an unforgettable meeting wi...
Advice Line with Steve Holmes of goba Sports Group
29 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Springfree Trampoline founder Steve Holmes joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs. Plus, Steve...
Calm: Alex Tew and Michael Acton Smith
26 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As a young entrepreneur in the Wild West days of the internet, Alex Tew was drawn to meditation for its simple calming power. Together with fellow tec...
Advice Line: Scaling Strategies
22 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Guy is joined by Travis Boersma of Dutch Bros. Coffee, Michael Preysman of Everlane and Chris Ruder of Spikeball in a special “mashup” ...
Tecovas: Paul Hedrick
19 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Western wear is having a moment – and so is the upstart Western brand Tecovas. Founder Paul Hedrick is a Texan who realized that cowboy boots were e...
Advice Line with RJ Scaringe with Rivian
15 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Rivian founder and CEO RJ Scaringe joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage founders. He also gets into how trade polic...
Substack: Chris Best and Hamish McKenzie
12 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Substack was founded to create an escape vehicle for writers: Chris Best and Hamish McKenzie imagined a world where writers didn’t have to rely on l...
Advice Line with Richard Branson of Virgin
08 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Virgin Group founder Richard Branson joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Richard’s rece...
Whisker/Litter-Robot: Brad Baxter
05 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Brad Baxter sidelined a promising career in the car industry to build a better cat litter box – an undertaking that embarrassed his kids and eventua...
Advice Line with Luis von Ahn of Duolingo
01 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Duolingo co-founder Luis von Ahn joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Luis shares insights on how d...
Hexclad: Danny Winer
28 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Cookware is a $73 billion global industry - awash in all kinds of pots and pans. Like, if you’ve ever cooked scrambled eggs, you've probably used a ...
Advice Line with Jonathan Neman of Sweetgreen
24 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sweetgreen’s co-founder Jonathan Neman joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Sweetgreen’s plans ...
Snap: Evan Spiegel
21 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What started as a design project for Stanford student Evan Spiegel quickly flourished into one of the most-used social media platforms in the world: S...
Advice Line with Andy Dunn of Bonobos
17 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Bonobos co-founder Andy Dunn joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Andy shares the motivation for hi...
Vizio: William Wang
14 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When Wiliam Wang started selling flat-screen TV’s, he used a winning playbook: partner with an efficient manufacturer, cut out the middlemen, and pr...
Advice Line with Peter Rahal of RXBAR
10 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
RXBAR co-founder Peter Rahal joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders about positioning new products ...
Title Nine: Missy Park (October 2021)
07 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As a college basketball player, Missy Park was lucky to grow up during the early era of Title IX, the 1972 law that created new opportunities for youn...
Advice Line with Jeff and Curran Dandurand of Jack Black Skin Care
03 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jack Black Skin Care co-founders Jeff and Curran Dandurand join Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, how ...
Misfits Market: Abhi Ramesh
31 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
While apple picking on a farm near Philadelphia, Abhi Ramesh learned that a massive amount of “misfit” produce goes to waste. He started running a...
Advice Line with Jeni Britton of Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams
27 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams founder Jeni Britton joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs. Plus, how Jen...
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare: Dennis and Carrie Gross
24 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Dennis Gross was worried about putting his name on his skincare brand: would the word “gross” turn shoppers away? But Dennis and his wife and ...
Advice Line with Leah Solivan of Taskrabbit (September 2024)
20 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Taskrabbit founder Leah Solivan joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three tech founders working to identify and grow their ...
Skype and Kazaa: Niklas Zennström
17 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the early 2000s, one of the most popular pieces of software in the world was a free peer-to-peer file-sharing network called Kazaa. It was launched...
Advice Line with Jenn Hyman of Rent The Runway
13 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Rent the Runway co-founder and CEO Jenn Hyman joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs. Plus, Jenn’s ta...
SpotHero: Mark Lawrence
10 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After racking up thousands of dollars in fines, Chicago roommates Mark Lawrence and Jeremy Smith figured there had to be an easier way to park. So in ...
Advice Line with Alberto Perlman of Zumba
06 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Zumba co-founder and CEO Alberto Perlman joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Alberto’s ...
PayPal: Max Levchin (June 2022)
03 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
During its formative years in the late 1990's, Paypal attracted an extraordinary group of young entrepreneurs, who then went on to build some of the b...
Advice Line with Lyndon Cormack of Herschel Supply Co.
27 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Herschel Supply Co. co-founder Lyndon Cormack joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders about leveragi...
Lenny & Larry’s Protein Snacks: Barry Turner
24 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When Barry Turner co-founded Lenny & Larry’s, the idea of selling a protein-packed breakfast muffin was practically unheard of: it was the early...
Advice Line with Ariel Kaye of Parachute Home (August 2024)
20 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Parachute Home founder Ariel Kaye joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three founders on being mindful and strategic in thei...
Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day: Monica Nassif
17 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Mrs. Meyer’s is a hugely successful line of soaps and cleansers named for a real Mrs. Meyer: a no-nonsense Iowa homemaker who raised nine kids, incl...
Advice Line with Travis Boersma of Dutch Bros
13 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dutch Bros co-founder and former CEO Travis Boersma joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, T...
Beyond Yoga: Michelle Wahler
10 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When Michelle Wahler and Jodi Guber Brufsky set out to launch a yoga wear brand in 2005, they had no idea that it would eventually be acquired—for h...
Advice Line with Vicky Tsai of Tatcha (September 2024)
06 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Tatcha co-founder and former CEO Vicky Tsai joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Vicky exp...
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery: Sam and Mariah Calagione (2022)
03 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sam and Mariah Calagione started dating in high school, and have been on a wild ride ever since. Their biggest, craziest adventure? Founding Dogfish H...
Advice Line with Joe Gebbia of Airbnb
30 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Joe shares an update on ...
Fanatics: Michael Rubin
27 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you’ve ever bought sports merch or bet on a big-league game, you’ve likely spent money on Fanatics. It’s a massive one-stop-shop for sports, ...
Advice Line with Katlin Smith of Simple Mills
23 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Simple Mills founder Katlin Smith joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three founders about knowing how, when, and where to go “all...
Resy and Eater: Ben Leventhal
20 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When Ben Leventhal first started blogging about New York City’s restaurant scene in the early 2000s, he was doing it as a hobby. But as the website ...
Advice Line with Jack Conte of Patreon
16 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Patreon co-founder and CEO Jack Conte joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders about marketing and bu...
Bombas: David Heath and Randy Goldberg (2022)
13 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
David Heath and Randy Goldberg saw an opportunity to disrupt a long dormant—and arguably boring sector...socks. They met at a startup in their 20s, ...
Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024)
09 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
LÄRABAR founder Lara Merriken joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Lara discusses her lat...
Raising Cane's: Todd Graves (2022)
06 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
By his early 20s, Todd Graves knew exactly what he wanted to do—open a restaurant near Louisiana State University that would make four things better...
Advice Line with Brett Schulman of CAVA (July 2024)
02 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
CAVA co-founder and CEO Brett Schulman joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders experiencing growing ...
Hero Cosmetics: Ju Rhyu and Dwight Lee
30 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The company behind the blockbuster acne fighter, Mighty Patch, was launched in 2017 with a single product sold exclusively on Amazon. It was inspired ...
Advice Line with Serial Entrepreneur Marc Lore
26 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Serial entrepreneur and U.S. National Bobsled Team qualifier Marc Lore joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early stag...
The Container Store: Kip and Sharon Tindell
23 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When Kip Tindell co-founded The Container Store in 1978, people laughed at him for wanting to sell empty boxes. But Kip and his partners had identifie...
Advice Line with Steve Case of AOL
19 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
AOL co-founder and former CEO Steve Case joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Steve reflec...
Marucci Sports - Kurt Ainsworth
16 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
No athlete wishes for an injury, but when Kurt Ainsworth’s bad shoulder derailed his professional pitching career, it created a big opportunity. Kur...
Advice Line with Jane Wurwand of Dermalogica
12 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jane Wurwand, co-founder of the global skincare brand Dermalogica, joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early stage fo...
Norma Kamali: Norma Kamali (2021)
09 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When Norma Kamali studied fashion illustration in the 1960s, she never expected to become a designer. So when a job as an airline clerk came along, sh...
Advice Line with Gary Erickson of Clif Bar (May 2024)
05 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Clif Bar founder Gary Erickson joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders about expanding their custome...
Dude Perfect: Cory Cotton and Tyler Toney (2021)
02 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As Texas A&M students in the mid 2000's, Cory Cotton, Tyler Toney and their housemates spent countless hours playing hockey in the living room and...
Advice Line with Norma Kamali of Norma Kamali
28 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Iconic fashion designer Norma Kamali joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early stage founders. Plus, Norma shares her...
Noosa Yoghurt: Koel Thomae
25 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In a small beach town on Australia’s sunshine coast, Koel Thomae tasted a yogurt that would change her life: creamy, infused with honey and piquant ...
Advice Line with Chris Ruder of Spikeball
21 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Spikeball founder and CEO Chris Ruder joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Chris shares an...
Athletic Brewing Company: Bill Shufelt
18 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Bill Shufelt founded Athletic Brewing Company to re-invent non-alcoholic beer, but quickly learned that brewers didn’t want to make it, stores didn’...
Advice Line with Gary Hirshberg of Stonyfield
14 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Stonyfield co-founder and former CEO Gary Hirshberg joins Guy on the Advice Line where they answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Ga...
Boll & Branch: Scott and Missy Tannen
11 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Scott and Missy Tannen knew nothing about bed linens when they dreamed up the idea of launching a bedding company, but that didn’t stop them from se...
Advice Line with Brian Scudamore of 1-800-GOT-JUNK?
07 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
1-800-GOT-JUNK? founder and CEO Brian Scudamore joins Guy on the Advice Line where they answer questions from three early-stage founders. F...
BARK: Matt Meeker
04 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When Matt Meeker started sharing a Brooklyn apartment with a Great Dane, he didn’t know it would inspire him to launch a multi-million dollar compan...
Advice Line with Angie Hicks of Angi
31 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Angie Hicks, founder of Angi (formerly Angie’s List), joins Guy on the Advice Line where they answer questions from three early-stage founders. ...
Black Diamond Equipment: Peter Metcalf
28 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In 1989, after years of scaling some of the most challenging peaks in the world, Peter Metcalf took on a daunting new risk: resuscitating a bankrupt c...
What It Really Takes To Build a Food Business: Part 2
25 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This is part two of our special series on building food businesses presented by Klaviyo. If you haven't heard part one from last week, go back and che...
Advice Line with Michael Preysman of Everlane
24 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Everlane co-founder and former CEO Michael Preysman joins Guy on the Advice Line where they answer questions from three early-stage founders. &nb...
21 Seeds: Kat Hantas
21 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Kat Hantas turned her home hobby of infusing Tequila into a $160 million business. Her story began when her nightly glass of wine started to give her ...
What It Really Takes To Build a Food Business: Part 1
18 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Innovation is a constant in the food industry. But it’s incredibly difficult to go from a tasty idea to an actual spot on the grocery store shelves....
Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR
17 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
LÄRABAR founder Lara Merriken joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Lara discusses her lat...
Viator: Rod Cuthbert
14 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Clicking a button to book vacation tours might feel normal today, but Rod Cuthbert helped create that future through his company, Viator. Founded in t...
Advice Line: Growing Beyond Your Niche
10 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Guy is joined by Fawn Weaver of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, Andrew Abraham of Orgain, and Brett Schulman of CAVA to give advice to three...
Paperless Post: James and Alexa Hirschfeld
07 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In 2007, when James Hirschfeld got the idea to start an online invitation company, the first person he turned to for help was his older sister, Alexa....
Advice Line: Reaching New Customers
03 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Guy is joined by Leah Solivan of TaskRabbit, Scott and Ally Svenson of MOD Pizza, and Holly Thaggard of Supergoop! to answer questions abou...
Lily’s Sweets: Cynthia Tice
30 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to launching a multi-million dollar brand, Cynthia Tice was a late bloomer. Nearly 60 and looking for a healthy way to satisfy her love ...
Advice Line with Vicky Tsai of Tatcha
26 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tatcha co-founder and former CEO Vicky Tsai joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Vicky exp...
Graduate Hotels: Ben Weprin
23 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In 2014, Ben Weprin decided to take people’s best college memories and spin them into a new business: Graduate Hotels. Each of the chain’s propert...
Advice Line with Sadie Lincoln of barre3
19 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
barre3 co-founder and CEO Sadie Lincoln joins Guy on the Advice line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Sadie breaks ...
Barefoot Wine: Bonnie Harvey and Michael Houlihan
16 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Bonnie Harvey and Michael Houlihan started Barefoot Wine with $300,000 in debt and almost no knowledge of wine. What they did understand was how to se...
Advice Line with Leah Solivan of Taskrabbit
12 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Taskrabbit founder Leah Solivan joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three tech founders working to identify and grow their ...
Groupon and Descript: Andrew Mason
09 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Andrew Mason was a 27-year-old with a degree in music when he co-founded one of the fastest growing companies of all time: Groupon. Its deep discounts...
Advice Line with Scott and Ally Svenson of MOD Pizza
05 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
MOD Pizza founders Scott and Ally Svenson join Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three founders about strategic expansion, plus...
Olipop: Ben Goodwin
02 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When Ben Goodwin was growing up, the concept of healthy soda seemed as oxymoronic as jumbo shrimp. But for Ben, that presented an irresistible challen...
Advice Line with Ariel Kaye of Parachute Home
29 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Parachute Home founder Ariel Kaye joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three founders on being mindful and strategic in thei...
Insomnia Cookies: Seth Berkowitz
26 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When Seth Berkowitz was in college, he was the cookie guy on campus. He’d grown frustrated that the only food he could get delivered late at night w...
Advice Line with Jamie Siminoff of Ring
22 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ring founder Jamie Siminoff joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three founders about balancing short- and long-term goals.&...
Banana Republic: Mel and Patricia Ziegler
19 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
With $1500 in savings and no experience in retail, Mel and Patricia Ziegler stumbled upon a clever idea: buy inexpensive Army surplus gear, refashion ...
Advice Line with Holly Thaggard of Supergoop!
15 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Supergoop! founder Holly Thaggard joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three founders about finding the right audience and i...
Thrive Market: Nick Green
12 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In 2013, Nick Green set out to solve a vexing problem: in many parts of the country, it’s hard to get access to healthy groceries. As a solution, Ni...
Advice Line with Jim Koch of Boston Beer Company
08 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Boston Beer Company founder Jim Koch joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three founders about finding product-market fit.To...
SmartSweets: Tara Bosch
05 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tara Bosch wasn’t always considered a likely contender for success. At 21 years old, she dropped out of college the summer before her junior year an...
Advice Line with Jeff Raider of Harry's
01 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Harry’s and Warby Parker co-founder Jeff Raider joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they talk with three founders grappling with strategic decisions...
Specialized Bicycle Components: Mike Sinyard
29 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Mike Sinyard helped put mountain biking on the map. In the 1970’s, he founded Specialized Bicycle Components to do exactly what the name suggests: s...
BONUS: Brand Building Live at Cannes Lions
26 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What does it take to successfully market a brand today? Last month, Guy sat down with marketing expert Jim Stengel to find out.Jim spent more than two...
Advice Line with Joe Kudla of Vuori
25 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Vuori founder Joe Kudla joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they work through business challenges with three early-stage founders.Today we meet Laurie...
On athletic shoes: Olivier Bernhard and Caspar Coppetti
22 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Swiss triathlete and Ironman champion Olivier Bernhard was warned not to challenge the goliaths in the sneaker industry. But, inspired by the cloud-li...
Advice Line with Pete Maldonado of Chomps (April 2024)
18 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In case you missed it, we’re rerunning one of our first Advice Line episodes. Chomps co-founder and co-CEO Pete Maldonado joins Guy to answer questi...
KAYAK: Paul English (2021)
15 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Paul English is a perpetual founder. Since high school, he's started 3 philanthropies and 8 companies—ranging from e-commerce, to gaming, to GetHuma...
Advice Line with Tony Lamb of Kona Ice
11 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Kona Ice co-founder and CEO Tony Lamb joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders.Today we meet Dylan, w...
Ouidad hair products: Ouidad Wise
08 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ouidad Wise found the inspiration for her multi-million-dollar business right on top of her own head. She turned her passion for curly hair into a bus...
Advice Line with Brett Schulman of CAVA
04 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
CAVA co-founder and CEO Brett Schulman joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders experiencing growing ...
American Giant: Bayard Winthrop
01 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Bayard Winthrop founded American Giant in 2011 with the simple idea to sell clothes made entirely in America at a time when most apparel manufacturing...