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Guy Raz | Wondery

Guy Raz interviews the world’s best-known entrepreneurs to learn how they built their iconic brands. In each episode, founders reveal deep, intimate moments of doubt and failure, and share insights on their eventual success. How I Built This is a master-class on innovation, creativity, leadership and how to navigate challenges of all kinds.

New episodes release on Mondays and Thursdays.

How I Built This with Guy Raz

In today’s special episode, Guy and four former show guests talk with callers about how they can prove the value of their products—and themselves.

First, Meagan from Vermont questions whether an experiential pop-up concept for her reusable gift wrap and bags is worth the effort. Then, Amanda from Wisconsin seeks new ways to explain her deck of dog enrichment activities to potential customers. And finally, Mark from New York looks for a complement to help grow his artisanal pesto business.

Thank you to the founders of Shiki Wrap, Woofsie, and In Mark’s Kitchen for coming on the show. Also thanks to WeWork co-founder Miguel McKelvey, Paperless Post co-founder Alexa Hirschfeld, and Chomps co-founders Pete Maldonado and Rashid Ali.

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 hibt@id.wondery.com or call 1-800-433-1298.

This episode was produced by Alex Cheng 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 or on Substack.

To hear our returning guests’ previous episodes:

Miguel's original episode: https://wondery.com/shows/how-i-built-this/episode/10386-wework-miguel-mckelvey/

Miguel's HIBT Lab episode: https://wondery.com/shows/how-i-built-this/episode/10386-hibt-lab-wework-miguel-mckelvey/

Miguel's Advice Line episode: https://wondery.com/shows/how-i-built-this/episode/10386-advice-line-with-miguel-mckelvey-of-wework/

Alexa's original episode: https://wondery.com/shows/how-i-built-this/episode/10386-paperless-post-james-and-alexa-hirschfeld/

Alexa's Advice Line episode: https://wondery.com/shows/how-i-built-this/episode/10386-advice-line-with-alexa-hirschfeld-of-paperless-post/

Pete and Rashid's original episode: https://wondery.com/shows/how-i-built-this/episode/10386-chomps-pete-maldonado-and-rashid-ali/

Pete and Rashid's Advice Line episode: https://wondery.com/shows/how-i-built-this/episode/10386-advice-line-with-pete-maldonado-and-rashid-ali-of-chomps/

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

Advice Line: What’s Your Value?

Aaron Krause did not set out to reinvent the kitchen sponge. He was a car detailer, building buffing pads and the machines that made them. To clean his greasy hands, he made a makeshift hand scrubber out of extra-rough foam, and it worked so well he decided to sell it. 

But nobody wanted it.

He shelved the product for years. Then one day while cleaning up around the house, he accidentally discovered the foam’s “magic” properties and realized it would make the perfect kitchen sponge. Scrub Daddy was born. 

 

As a friend advised him, nobody goes to the supermarket to discover new innovations in sponges. So Aaron did a furious round of in-store demos and eventually wound up on QVC (where he nearly got kicked off) and finally Shark Tank, where he made $1M the night it aired.

In this episode, Aaron breaks down the unglamorous mechanics of building a consumer brand—negotiation, patents, and the obsession needed to keep going when no one believes in your vision.

You’ll learn:

 • How Aaron’s many patents helped drive his car-detailing business 
 • The hidden downside of “great” deals: exclusivity traps and corporate bureaucracy
 • How Aaron forced 3M to rethink value during acquisition negotiations 
 • How to sell a product no one is shopping for 
 • How Scrub Daddy built a brand block (Scrub Mommy & more) to become a category leader
 • How to defend against copycats—patents, trade dress and aggressive enforcement

Timestamps:

 • 07:24 — “You get to buy your own sneakers”—the childhood lesson that shapes Aaron’s hustle
 • 09:03 — The brutal factory internship that sends him back to washing cars
 • 17:50 — The mirror snaps off a Mercedes… leading to a buffing pad breakthrough
 • 19:58 — The parable of the DIY patent: “If you had a toothache, would you drill your own tooth?”
 • 27:36 — Dirty factory hands inspire Aaron to invent a special hand scrubber… which no one wants
 • 41:35 — Aaron hangs up on a corporate powerhouse: refusing to sell to 3M based on EBITDA
 • 51:16 — The shelved scrubbers come out of storage and Aaron discovers their “magical” properties 
 • 1:02:31 — Retail won’t bite—so he demos in ShopRite and sells 100 sponges a day
 • 1:13:43 — Shark Tank → $1M in one night… and retailers suddenly call back

Follow How I Built This:

Instagram → @howibuiltthis

X → @HowIBuiltThis

Facebook → How I Built This

Follow Guy Raz:

Instagram → @guy.raz

Youtube → guy_raz

X → @guyraz

Substack → guyraz.substack.com

Website → guyraz.com

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

Scrub Daddy: Aaron Krause. How a Failed Experiment Became a Billion-Dollar Sponge

Today’s callers: Heather from Ontario talks through a DTC strategy for her retail pain relief tape and patches. Then Nawal in Michigan considers a rebrand for her uniforms designed for Muslim students. Finally, Casey in Idaho seeks new revenue streams for her farmer and worker-owned seed cooperative. 

Plus, Hernan’s take on the future of podcasting and the sweet relief of vindication... 

Thank you to the founders of Heali Medical, Studyous Monday, and Snake River Seed Cooperative 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 hibt@id.wondery.com or call 1-800-433-1298. 

And be sure to listen to Wondery’s founding story as told by Hernan on the show in 2023. 

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.

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

Advice Line with Hernan Lopez of Wondery

Bobo’s: Beryl Stafford. A Single Mom Turns a Baking Project into a $100M Business

At 40, Beryl Stafford’s life cracked open. Her marriage ended, she hadn’t worked in years, and she had two daughters to raise. She needed income—fast. 

So she did the only thing that felt real: she baked.

What started as 4-ingredient oat bars— hastily placed in a Boulder coffee shop—became Bobo’s, a national brand built in the Silicon Valley of natural foods. 

In this episode, Beryl walks us through the scrappy early days: buying ingredients at full retail, a risky $25K packaging machine, the Whole Foods breakthrough, the burnout, and the pressure shift that comes with outside capital—and Costco.

It’s a story powered by community support, relentless demos, and a founder who kept saying “yes” before she knew how.

What you’ll learn: 

 • Why “survival” can be a powerful founder advantage
 • How to sell your product before you feel ready (and why that’s often the point)
 • The unglamorous truth of early CPG: shelf life, shared kitchens, endless demos
 • In a trend-driven category, the value of sticking to a recipe “your grandmother could have made.” 
 • The two faces of Costco: growth rocket 
and • operational trap

Timestamps:

 • 08:35—Divorced at 40… “I was trying to survive.” 
 • 12:02—The baking project with her daughter… and the unexpected product-market signal
 • 17:21—The first sale: snack bars in cellophane; making up a price
 • 28:38—Sharing a kitchen with 
Justin’s Nut Butters • : scrappy collaboration + conflict
 • 31:49—The first-time founder playbook: sell first, learn the rest later
 • 33:54—Whole Foods says yes… 
before • she knows what “freezer safe packaging” even means
 • 39:10—Getting into national distribution: “What just happened?” 
 • 46:34—Burnout, hiring a CEO, raising outside money—and what changes when investors arrive
 • 54:31—The Costco conundrum: huge upside, real downside 

—------------------

This episode was produced by Noor Gill, with music by Ramtin Arablouei.

Edited by Neva Grant, with research help from Alex Cheng.

—--------------------- 

Follow How I Built This:

Instagram → @howibuiltthis

X → @HowIBuiltThis

Facebook → How I Built This

Follow Guy Raz:

Instagram → @guy.raz

Youtube → guy_raz

X → @guyraz

Substack → guyraz.substack.com

Website → guyraz.com

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

Bobo’s: Beryl Stafford. A Single Mom Turns a Baking Project into a $100M Business

Today’s callers: Jane in Minnesota wants to scale her artful pants brand while staying true to her locally-made mission. Then Melissa in New Mexico wonders how to respond to diminishing returns on digital advertising for her grief care packages. And Lee in Massachusetts hopes to decrease customer acquisition costs for his history merch brand ahead of America’s 250th anniversary.

Plus, Miguel reflects on his WeWork experience and the similarities he sees in today’s AI-dominated tech industry. Miguel’s latest venture, Unbound, seeks to disrupt healthcare in the United Kingdom.

Thank you to the founders of Copa Threads, Good Grief, and The History List Store for being a part of our show.

If you’d like to be featured on a future Advice Line episode, leave us a one-minute message that tells us about your business and a specific question you’d like answered. Send a voice memo to hibt@id.wondery.com or call 1-800-433-1298.

And be sure to listen to WeWork’s founding story as told by Miguel in 2017, as well as his second appearance on the show in 2022.

This episode was produced by Sam Paulson 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 or on Substack.

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

Advice Line with Miguel McKelvey of WeWork

Kettle Chips: Cameron Healy. The Wild Bet That Made a Brand

Most founders expand the “right” way: local → regional → national → international.

Cameron Healy totally skipped the “national” part. 

When Kettle Chips was still an upstart regional brand, Cameron made a move that seems almost reckless: he launched his thick-cut, kettle-cooked chips to the United Kingdom — one of the most competitive “crisps” markets on earth — before conquering the U.S.

And that wasn’t his first risky move. 

Before Kettle, Cameron was a turban-wearing Sikh entrepreneur in 1970s Salem, Oregon, building a natural foods business…until he was abruptly fired. He started again from scratch with a $10,000 bank loan. Inspired by the extra thick, crunchy potato chips that he sampled on a trip to Hawaii, he taught himself how to fry sliced potatoes through trial-and-error. 

Then, just as Kettle started taking off overseas, another trip to Hawaii sparked a second act: Kona Brewing — a craft beer brand that initially lost $20K a month — for years — before Cameron was able to make it work.

Meanwhile, buoyed by its UK success, Kettle chips eventually spread across the US, becoming the top-selling natural chip in the country. 

What you’ll learn

 • The hidden details (like cooking-oil quality control) that can make or break a chip
 • How curiosity about British “crisp” culture fueled a risky UK rollout
 • The decision that turned Kona Brewing from a money pit into a scalable brand

Timestamps

 • 07:21 — “You had to get up at 3 a.m.”: building a life in a Sikh community in Salem
 • 10:11 — Fired with four kids and no severance: the moment Cameron is forced to rebuild
 • 12:04 — The $10K loan (helped along by the offer of ski passes)
 • 14:06 — The 1980 peanut crop gamble that suddenly capitalized Cameron’s business
 • 23:14 — “Pot Chips” was the original name…until friends told him how bad it was
 • 24:48 — Hand-feeding potatoes into vats of oil: inventing a process with zero playbook
 • 29:10 — The Safeway disaster: rancid oil, a rejected order, and demand evaporating overnight
 • 31:52 — The car crash that jolted Cameron out of despair
 • 46:35 — UK word-of-mouth “switches on”--with an extra boost from Lady Di
 • 56:03 — Kona Brewing bleeds money…until one decision turns things around

***

Hey—want to be a guest on HIBT?

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

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

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

So—give us a call. We can’t wait to hear what you’re working on.

***

This episode was produced by Casey Herman with music composed by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant with research help from Rommel Wood. Our engineers were Robert Rodriguez and Kwesi Lee.

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

Kettle Chips: Cameron Healy. The Wild Bet That Made a Brand

Today’s callers: Jess from Washington seeks counsel on structuring a collaboration between her sympathy cards company and a pet products brand. Then, Caroline from Colorado wonders if she should build an in-house production team or outsource manufacturing for her decorative garland company. And Sayuri from California is looking to drive sales of her Japanese tatami mats through a unique approach to yoga practice.

Plus, Alexa shares how Paperless Post is responding to advancements in AI and the prevalence of post-pandemic loneliness.

Thank you to the founders of Five Dot Post, The Creative Garland Company, and Sumo Yoga 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 hibt@id.wondery.com or call 1-800-433-1298. 

And be sure to listen to Paperless Post as told by Alexa and her brother James on the show in 2024. 

This episode was produced by Rommel Wood with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by John Isabella. Our audio engineers were Debbie Daughtry and Cena Loffredo. 

You can follow HIBT on X & Instagram and sign up for Guy's free newsletter at guyraz.com and on Substack.

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

Advice Line with Alexa Hirschfeld of Paperless Post

Most entrepreneurs think the hardest part of building a company is the product.

For Jim McKelvey — co-founder of Square — the hardest part was the system around the product.

Because Square wasn’t just competing with other startups …

It was competing with regulations, middlemen, entrenched networks, and monopolies designed to keep outsiders out.

In this episode, Jim shares the mindset and tactics that helped Square go from a tiny card reader that processed credit card payments … to a company—now known as Block— that generates over $10 billion in gross profit.

What You’ll Learn:

 • Why the market is often “locked” on purpose
 • How a simple hack can solve a seemingly complex problem
 • How candor can sway investors more than confidence
 • How Square survived by building something Amazon couldn’t copy

Timestamps:

 • 00:12:26 – Engineering and art: Balancing an IBM job with glassblowing
 • 00:15:46 – The family trauma that rewired Jim
 • 00:36:26 – Losing a $2,000 sale — the moment Square was born
 • 00:43:06 – Breaking into the credit card club: “We were violating 17 rules”
 • 00:48:31 – The headphone jack hack that sidestepped Apple’s control
 • 00:58:03 – The “140 reasons we might fail” pitch that won over investors
 • 01:06:26 – The taxi ride that convinced Jim he had product-market fit
 • 01:09:28 – Amazon attacks, and why copying doesn’t always work
 • 01:13:18 – The founder’s job after success: choosing hard problems

***

Hey—want to be a guest on HIBT?

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

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

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

So—give us a call. We can’t wait to hear what you’re working on.

***

This episode was produced by Alex Cheng with music composed by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant with research help from Katherine Sypher. Our engineers were Patrick Murray and Robert Rodriguez.

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

Square: Jim McKelvey. He Lost a $2,000 Sale, Then Built a $10 Billion Company

Today’s callers: Yadi from New York thinks through an expansion strategy for her college campus-based empanada business. Then, Zachary from New York looks for ways to break into big retailers with his fresh-made frozen pies. And Josh from Indiana wonders how to go all-in on his small mouth bass lifestyle brand without overhauling his family’s lifestyle.

Plus, Pete and Rashid reflect on the ‘protein-ification’ of our food, and how a scare last year reaffirmed the importance of doing right by the customer — no matter the cost. 

Thank you to the founders of Yadi’s Artisanal Empanadas, Noble Pies, and Achigan 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 hibt@id.wondery.com or call 1-800-433-1298. 

And be sure to listen to Chomps founding story as told by Pete and Rashid on the show in 2023. 

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 and on Substack.

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

Advice Line with Pete Maldonado and Rashid Ali of Chomps

Before Spinbrush became the top selling toothbrush in the U.S—and before Procter & Gamble paid $475M for it—John Osher was a teenager selling earrings for $4.99. 

In this episode, John walks through the strange, scrappy, but disciplined path that led to one of the fastest consumer-product breakouts ever: from a six-year stint in a commune (where he learned plumbing and carpentry), to selling baby products and battery-powered spinning lollipops. Finally, the big bet: a $5 electric toothbrush that was cheap enough to compete with manual brushes, and good enough to become a best-seller.

You’ll hear the make-or-break moment that many founders can’t survive: the decision to scrap 400,000 defective brushes before they hit the shelves. And then, the stealth move that turned a “licensing pitch” into a buyout —with one perfectly timed bluff.

What you’ll learn:

 • Why pricing is about what the market will pay, not what your product costs
 • The hidden power of packaging (How “Try Me” changed everything)
 • How to recover from “entrepreneurial terror” 
 • Why scrapping inventory can be the most important decision you’ll ever make
 • The acquisition formula: you get a lot more money when they want to buy… than when you want to sell

Timestamps: 

07:01 - A pricing lesson that John used forever: The 19-cent earrings that sold for $4.99.

12:04 - Six years in a commune and the unexpected skill stack: plumbing and construction.

22:09 - “Entrepreneurial terror” and a lifeline from Toys R Us 

29:11 - Spinning lollipops lead to a $166 million Hasbro exit.

35:54 - What’s the real competition: $80 electric toothbrushes, or cheap manual ones?

38:42 - The design breakthrough: fixed + oscillating bristles.

55:43 - P&G admits: “We’ve bought three companies like yours… and ruined them all.”

58:07 - The earnout problem: What happens when Spinbrush performs much better than expected? 

Hey—want to be a guest on HIBT?

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

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

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

So—give us a call. We can’t wait to hear what you’re working on.

This episode was produced by Katherine Sypher, with music composed by Ramtin Arablouei.

It was edited by Neva Grant, with research by Rommel Wood. 

Our engineers were Patrick Murray and Kwesi Lee. 

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

Advice Line with Hernan Lopez of Wondery

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