How I Built This with Guy Raz

Sun Bum co-founder Tom Rinks joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders about refining their brand identities.  Today we meet Wendy, a former comedian whose sugar scrub takes the sticky-icky off your hands. Then Allyson, who went from producing reality television to trucker hats designed for women’s heads. And Zephyrus, an opera performer with a new way for kids to hear their favorite bedtime stories...

The Theragun was born out of a late-night experiment with a Makita jigsaw, by a man searching desperately for pain relief in his arm. Jason Wersland was studying to become a chiropractor when he got injured in a motorcycle accident. While casting about for solutions, he discovered that the percussive massage from his jury-rigged power tool helped ease his pain and increase range of motion...

Orgain founder and CEO Andrew Abraham joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders about strategically positioning their products.   Today we meet Brynn, who’s tackling cavities and dental anxiety with an electric flosser. Then Turner, a radiologist mixing up craft cocktails for the golf course. And Catherine, whose pasta sauces and dressings help ease the weeknight dinner juggle...

When Madeline Haydon decided to turn her homemade, plant-based coffee creamer into a business, she didn’t fit the mold of a typical founder. She was a woman of color, pregnant with her second child, and had no experience in the food industry. At first, almost all of her sales were through Amazon, and she struggled to convince investors to take a risk on her...

Clif Bar founder Gary Erickson joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders about expanding their customer base. Today we meet James, who recycles water bottles into one of the most sustainable plastics on the market. Then Valerie, a leathercrafter with a co-op of artisans born from a strike against Etsy. And finally, Elsie, who accidentally invented a pet hair remover while cleaning her dog’s muddy pawprints...

Every summer for the past seven decades, 50 high school seniors—one from every state—descend on Mobile, Alabama to take part in one of the country’s most lucrative scholarship competitions for teen girls.  The Competition takes you behind the scenes of the Distinguished Young Women (DYW) program, and follows seven girls as they experience the highs and lows of competing for two weeks, away from home and under the most high-stress circumstances. Some girls enter for the money, some for prestige...

As co-founder of Twitter and founder of Blogger and Medium, Evan Williams literally helped change the conversation: he understood that real-time connectivity—being able to write a post and have people read it seconds later—was the future of engagement online. A Nebraska farm boy who dropped out of college, Ev ran into several business failures before starting Blogger, and—after it sold to Google—launching Twitter with Jack Dorsey and others...

Former guest Pete Maldonado, co-founder and co-CEO of Chomps, joins Guy for another “Advice Line” edition of HIBT Lab.  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...

Five years before he became a massively successful content creator, Dhar Mann was nearly broke and living in a studio apartment. It’s the kind of story he might tell in one of his videos: bite-sized, live-action morality tales that have earned 60 billion views across YouTube, Facebook, and other platforms. Raised in an Indian Sikh family, Dhar had a strong entrepreneurial drive, which led to early business success, but also a spectacular downfall when he got pulled into a Ponzi scheme...

Former guest Fawn Weaver, founder of Uncle Nearest Whiskey, joins Guy for an “Advice Line” edition of HIBT Lab. Three early-stage entrepreneurs call in for advice on telling their brand story.  In this episode, we’ll meet Kevin, the owner of a coffee trailer and roastery who grew up on a coffee farm in Honduras. Then Elisabeth, whose jewelry company aims to make a difference in the developing world...