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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

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 hibt@id.wondery.com 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.

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 Kip Tindell of The Container Store

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:

06:36 - Growing up without financial security

08:17 - From high-school dropout to a six-figure career

17:19 - Reading “Mommy Millionaire” and dreaming of inventing something 

19:41 - The Crocs-on-the-beach moment 

24:56 - Kim hits a wall with Crocs, so she decides to make Bogg Bag herself

33:33 - The early prototypes and a nervous visit to a boutique: “I don’t know what this is, but I think I need it.” 

41:16 - The first big shipment, a $30,000 defect, and a decision to pull the plug 

47:13 - A massive natural disaster presents an opportunity 

52:15 - “Now I gotta make this damn bag”

54:45 - A factory showdown in China

59:52 - Starting over with $120,000

01:01:51 - The trade-show “timeshare” in a tiny booth 

01:07:12 - Finally quitting her day job

01:10:42 - COVID boosts the business

01:13:28 - The acquisition offer that could have changed everything

01:23:40 - Learning to lead a much bigger company

01:26:13 - 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

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

Bogg Bag: Kim Vaccarella. The $100 Million Business She Almost Abandoned

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 hibt@id.wondery.com 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.

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 Ben Goodwin of Olipop

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:

07:22 - The car crash that launched a potato chip company

21:00 - Pregnant and craving crackers: The birth of Late July Snacks

36:54 - The organic cookies that tasted great but nearly sunk the business

40:49 - Tragedy and crisis: a father’s death and a $3 million loan in default

50:31 - A tortilla chip Hail Mary

57:29 - Nicole’s first big sales call… and her last chance to save the company

1:08:49 - “The big fish eats the small fish.” A food giant acquisition

1:13:36 - 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:

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.

Late July Snacks: Nicole Bernard Dawes. Crackers and Cookies were Failing… Tortilla Chips Saved Them

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 hibt@id.wondery.com 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.

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 Daymond John of FUBU

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

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.

YETI: Roy and Ryan Seiders. How Two Brothers Turned a $400 Cooler Into a $2 Billion Brand

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 hibt@id.wondery.com 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.

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 Carlton Calvin of Razor

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:

13:17 – The emotional experience that revealed a massive business opportunity

23:09 – Laura learns about the two companies that had a lock on U.S. formula

25:52 – Quitting Airbnb, starting Bobbie while pregnant, risking her savings

38:52 – Pitching 64 investors—and the brutal feedback that fueled her to keep going

50:04 – The FDA shuts the company down after two weeks

1:01:14 – Building a community while waiting nearly two years for approval

1:09:11 – Launch day, and selling out faster than expected

1:13:59 – Why Laura shut off new customer orders during the infant formula shortage

1:17:12 – Buying her own manufacturing plant to control Bobbie's future

1:20:19 – 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

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.

Bobbie: Laura Modi. How a Baby Formula Startup Took Market Share From Two Industry Giants

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

And be sure to listen to Bobbi Brown Cosmetics’ founding story as told by Bobbi on the show in 2018.

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

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

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

Advice Line with Bobbi Brown of Jones Road Beauty (September 2025)

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:

6:05 - Growing up in Iran during wartime, and emigrating to Canada 

11:55 - Their dad’s new business: “Why are North Americans not eating nougat?” 

19:25 - Building the family’s first snack bar brand—and losing it overnight

34:20 - The next business: going all in on healthier school snacks

42:30 - Fixing a 200,000-bar production error with alcohol wipes 

48:30 - Landing MadeGood’s first retail store

51:10 - The 100-mile radius marketing strategy 

56:50 - The lure of new products: from human treats to dog treats 

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

MadeGood: Salma and Nima Fotovat Lost Their First Business. They Grew Their Next One Into a Snack Giant.

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 best known companies in tech. They became known as The PayPal Mafia—and Max Levchin was one of the leaders. A computer genius from Soviet Ukraine, Max joined Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, Reid Hoffman and others as they grew PayPal into a massively successful online payment service. Along the way, they encountered almost every start-up challenge imaginable, including the emotional ouster of Elon Musk as CEO. After PayPal was acquired by eBay in 2002, Max couldn't sit still, so he launched a startup lab that eventually led to another successful fintech company: Affirm.

This episode was produced by Alex Cheng with music by Ramtin Arablouei. Edited by Neva Grant, with research from Claire Murashima.

You can follow HIBT on X & Instagram, and email us at hibt@id.wondery.com. Sign up for Guy’s free newsletter at guyraz.com

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

PayPal: Max Levchin (June 2022)

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