How I Built This with Guy Raz

When Ben Goodwin was growing up, the concept of healthy soda seemed as oxymoronic as jumbo shrimp. But for Ben, that presented an irresistible challenge: to create a beverage that evoked the colas and root beers of his youth, but was low in sugar and good for the gut. After years of painstaking effort and one failed brand, Ben and his partner launched Olipop in 2018. Made with fiber and prebiotics and sweetened with Stevia, it joined the growing ranks of “functional sodas,” launching first in natural food stores and spreading quickly to the big chains. This year, the brand is expected to do nearly $500 million in sales, and, as younger consumers drift away from legacy soda, Ben says Olipop will only get bigger.

This episode was produced by Sam Paulson with music composed by Ramtin Arabloui and Sam Paulson. It was edited by Neva Grant with research by Katherine Sypher. Our engineers were Robert Rodriguez and Kwesi Lee.

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

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Parachute Home founder Ariel Kaye joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three founders on being mindful and strategic in their next expansion steps. 

Today, we meet Daen, an entrepreneur in Australia considering investment for his line of men’s grooming products after ten years of self-funding. Then Deanna, a former educator in New Jersey seeking new press for the emotional health tool she designed for children. And Meaghan, a Florida-based hard seltzer maker trying to gut-check biases in her male-dominated industry.

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 Parachute Home’s founding story as told by Ariel on the show in 2023.

This episode was produced by Carla Esteves with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by John Isabella. Our audio engineer was Cena Loffredo.

You can follow HIBT on X & Instagram and 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.

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 were standards like pizza or Chinese food. He had a sweet tooth, and he craved warm, homemade chocolate chip cookies. So he took matters into his own hands and started making and delivering cookies to students at his school. The operation soon went from a silly side hustle to a real business - and then an all-consuming struggle. But today, after decades of detours, long-shot decisions, and near-bankruptcies, Insomnia Cookies is now a $350 million dollar business.

This episode was produced by Alex Cheng with music composed by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Andrea Bruce with research help from Katherine Sypher. Our audio engineers were Robert Rodriguez and Maggie Luthar.

You can follow HIBT on Twitter & Instagram and 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.

Ring founder Jamie Siminoff joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three founders about balancing short- and long-term goals.  

Today, we meet Vico, an industrial designer in southern California who's launching a crowdfunding campaign for his patented ergonomic desk. Then Iyin, a Baltimore-based product specialist seeking to balance accessibility and profitability for her ethically-sourced chocolate brand. And Franchesca, an Atlanta area educator deliberating whether to pursue small-business certifications for her motivational classroom posters.

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 Ring’s founding story as told by Jamie on the show in 2020.

This episode was produced by Carla Esteves with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by John Isabella. Our audio engineer was Neal Rauch.

You can follow HIBT on X & Instagram and 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.

With $1500 in savings and no experience in retail, Mel and Patricia Ziegler stumbled upon a clever idea: buy inexpensive Army surplus gear, refashion it into stylish clothes, and sell them in a setting that felt more like a safari than a store. With a retro- feel catalog that turned shopping into an adventure, Banana Republic caught the attention of the media, and sales grew. But so did the headaches of running the business, and in 1983, the Zieglers sold the brand to The Gap. Over the years, Banana Republic lost its distinctive, retro-Safari feel, and the Zieglers departed to start another brand, The Republic of Tea. Today, Banana Republic remains a multi-million dollar business, with hundreds of stores around the world.

This episode was produced by Kerry Thompson with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant. Our audio engineer was Kwesi Lee.

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

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Supergoop! founder Holly Thaggard joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three founders about finding the right audience and introducing their brands.

Today, we meet Christina, the founder of a Cincinnati cookie business who is trying to bake her business to the next level. Then Philadelphia-based engineer Andy introduces a shaving product he developed with his Navy bunkmate while they were deployed. And Erin in Illinois, who wants to make water sports safer with a  life jacket upgrade.

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 Holly tell the story of how Supergoop! was founded from her first visit to the show back in 2020.

This episode was produced by J.C. Howard with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by John Isabella. Our audio engineer was Gilly Moon.

You can follow HIBT on Twitter & Instagram and 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.

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, Nick and his co-founders launched an e-commerce mashup of Whole Foods and Costco, where members purchase healthy foods online at a discount.

When it came time to ask venture capitalists for funding, dozens of VC’s said no–but thanks to hundreds of small checks written by health bloggers, Thrive Market pulled together enough money to launch in 2014. Within a year, the founders had proven the VC’s wrong, but still scrambled to fuel the pace of growth, while keeping the business afloat. Today, Thrive Market has over 1.5 million paid members and, last year, brought in over $500 million in sales.

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

Boston Beer Company founder Jim Koch joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three founders about finding product-market fit.

Today, we meet Kim, whose tropical-inspired apparel company in Florida is venturing into the rum market. Then Llance from Washington, who is taking his tea-bag-soup-broth business national. And Ami, who wants potential customers to know that her Ontario-based electrical contracting company has some of the best service out there.

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 Boston Beer Company’s founding story as told by Jim 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 Gilly Moon.

You can follow HIBT on X & Instagram and 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.

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 and moved in to her grandmother’s basement. But, with a gummy bear mold from Amazon and a sugar-free candy recipe she tinkered to perfection, Tara got to work on a wild vision: she would create a global company called SmartSweets that would revolutionize the candy aisle and become a top seller of low-sugar candies. In 2020, Tara achieved her goal and sold SmartSweets for $360 million — a mere five years after creating the brand.  

This episode was produced by Carla Esteves with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Andrea Bruce with research help from Melia Agudelo. Our audio engineers were Gilly Moon and Maggie Luthar.

You can follow HIBT on X & Instagram, and email us at hibt@id.wondery.com. And 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.

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.

Today we meet Uli, who’s trying to balance multiple revenue streams for her Los Angeles-based gelato business. Then Travis in Boulder, who just hired his first employee for his upstart package delivery service. And Karly from southern California, who’s launching a children’s book subscription that makes the full moon more magical.

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 to hear the founding story of Harry’s, check out Jeff's first appearance on the show in 2023.

This episode was produced by Alex Cheng with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by John Isabella. Our audio engineer was Neal Rauch.

You can follow HIBT on X & Instagram and 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.

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: sell high-quality bike parts. He eventually decided to make his own models, becoming a pioneer in the industry by designing the first mass-produced mountain bikes. By the 1990’s, Specialized was pulling in tens of millions of dollars in revenue, and Mike brought in outside experts to help grow the business. That turned out to be a huge mistake; Mike spent the next few years recovering from bad business decisions, and recalibrating the company after near bankruptcy. Today, Specialized has regained its reputation as an industry leader, and does around $500 million in sales per year.  

This episode was produced by J.C. Howard, with music by Ramtin Arablouei

Edited by Neva Grant, with research help from Katherine Sypher.

You can follow HIBT on Twitter & Instagram, and email us at hibt@id.wondery.com.

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

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 decades at Procter & Gamble, where he managed international brands like Jif and Pampers. He spent seven years as P&G’s Global Marketing Officer.

Today, he consults with businesses large and small, and interviews marketing leaders on his show, The CMO Podcast.

This interview was recorded in front of a live audience on the Amazon stage at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, and was supported by Wondery.

This episode was produced by John Isabella with music by Sam Paulson. It was edited by Neva Grant. Our audio engineers were Cena Loffredo and Debbie Daughtry. 

You can follow HIBT on X & Instagram, and email us at hibt@id.wondery.com. And 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.

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, a Florida-based physician with savings to invest back into her fashionable scrubs company. Then Brendan, who wants to bring his Irish handbags to the American luxury market. And Steve in Colorado, who’s exploring wholesale opportunities for his colorful skins for ski gloves.

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 to hear Vuori’s founding story, check out Joe's first appearance on the show in 2023.

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

You can follow HIBT on X & Instagram and 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.

Swiss triathlete and Ironman champion Olivier Bernhard was warned not to challenge the goliaths in the sneaker industry. But, inspired by the cloud-like sensation of a prototype running shoe made with strips of garden hose, Olivier set out to make a new sneaker for elite runners. He initially tried to pitch the design to “big guys” like Nike and Puma, but they weren’t interested. He soon partnered with two fellow Swiss with backgrounds in branding, and gradually, their highly technical shoe found its way to the feet of top runners, and eventually caught the eye of one of the best athletes in the world: Roger Federer. When he became an investor, On transcended running to become a full-fledged sneaker company that in 2023, netted $2 billion in sales. 

This episode was researched and produced by Katherine Sypher with music composed by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant. Our audio engineers were Robert Rodriguez and James Willetts.

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

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 questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs about growing their businesses. 

In this episode, we’ll meet Jennifer, a sourdough bagel slinger thinking about taking on 'big cream cheese.' Then Brandi, a tea shop owner hoping to bring her blends to big box retailers. And finally, Jake, an Alaska native trying to bring fresh wild salmon to Utah…even if he has to knock on every door north of Salt Lake.

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 check out how Pete and his partner Rashid scaled the Chomps brand, from his first appearance on the show last year.

This episode was produced by J.C. Howard with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by John Isabella. Our audio engineer was Gilly Moon.

You can follow HIBT on Twitter & Instagram, and email us at hibt@id.wondery.com.

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

Paul English is a perpetual founder. Since high school, he's started 3 philanthropies and 8 companies—ranging from e-commerce, to gaming, to GetHuman, a site that helps users access human customer support. His best-known venture is probably KAYAK, a travel website launched in 2004 over two gin-and-tonics with co-founder Steve Hafner. Using a simple interface, KAYAK specialized in search; and it made partners out of potential rivals like Orbitz and Expedia by charging them a fee to send users to their sites. Eventually KAYAK became one of the most-searched "K" words on Google, and in 2012, it sold to Priceline for $1.8 billion. A few years later, Paul started yet another company, Lola.com—and says he plans to launch many more.

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

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, who’s wondering how to tell if his small town Illinois candy store is a winning franchise idea. Then Zach, a Wall Street trader trying to bring a popular Asian craft to the U.S. And Jennifer, a designer in San Diego looking to promote her home decor brand on social media—without paying big bucks to influencers.

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 Kona Ice’s founding story on the show from November 2023. 

This episode was produced by Casey Herman with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by John Isabella. Our audio engineer was Cena Loffredo.

You can follow HIBT on X & Instagram, and email us at hibt@id.wondery.com. And 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.

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 bustling New York City salon - and then a national hair care brand, splitting the responsibilities of running the business with her husband Peter. Juggling finances and family, the couple lived apart during the week for 16 years, all while raising two kids. Eventually, in 2018, after 40 years in the hair industry, Ouidad sold the brand, and now volunteers as a consultant for people launching their own salons.

This episode was produced by Alex Cheng with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant with research help from Melia Agudelo. Our audio engineers were Robert Rodriguez and Kwesi Lee. 

You can follow HIBT on X & Instagram, and email us at hibt@id.wondery.com. And 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.

CAVA co-founder and CEO Brett Schulman joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders experiencing growing pains as they scale their companies. 

Today we meet Devin, who’s navigating imposter syndrome as his spiked root beer gets picked up by stores across Texas. Then Sophia, a Los Angeles mom exploring new sales channels for the accessories she designed to support children’s allergy needs. And Sean, who’s weighing whether outside investment is the best way to grow his Michigan-based coffee roastery into a national brand. 

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 CAVA’s founding story as told by Brett and his co-founder Ted Xenohristos on the show in 2023. 

This episode was produced by Carla Esteves with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by John Isabella. Our audio engineer was James Willetts. 

You can follow HIBT on X & Instagram, and email us at hibt@id.wondery.com. And 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.

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 had moved overseas. The first struggle was finding all the components—the cotton, the buttons, the zippers, the rivets; the next was finding people to actually do the work—the dying, the napping, the sewing and the finishing. Once Bayard did all that he ended up with his first product, a plain hooded sweatshirt. But soon after a viral article proclaimed it “the greatest hoodie ever made” Bayard faced a  backlog of orders that took him almost three years to fulfill. Today, American Giant has expanded their line to include all the basics: t-shirts, denim, flannel, and accessories, still entirely produced in the U.S.

This episode was produced by J.C. Howard, with music by Ramtin Arablouei

Edited by Casey Herman, with research help from Katherine Sypher.

You can follow HIBT on Twitter & Instagram, and email us at hibt@id.wondery.com.

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