How I Built This
By NPR
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Description
How I Built This is a podcast about innovators, entrepreneurs, and idealists, and the stories behind the movements they built. Each episode is a narrative journey marked by triumphs, failures, serendipity and insight — told by the founders of some of the world's best known companies and brands. If you've ever built something from nothing, something you really care about — or even just dream about it — check out How I Built This hosted by Guy Raz @guyraz. Follow the show @HowIBuiltThis.
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1 |
CleanTOMS: Blake Mycoskie | Blake Mycoskie started and sold four businesses before age 30. But only in Argentina did he discover the idea he'd want to pursue long term. After seeing a shoe drive for children, he came up with TOMS — part shoe business, part philanthropy. PLUS in ou | 5/28/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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2 |
CleanCompaq Computers: Rod Canion | In 1981, engineer Rod Canion left Texas Instruments and co-founded Compaq, which created the first IBM-compatible personal computer. This opened the door to an entire industry of PCs that could run the same software. PLUS in our postscript "How You Built | 5/21/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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3 |
CleanWhole Foods Market: John Mackey | In 1978, college drop-out John Mackey scraped together $45,000 to open his first health food store, "Safer Way." A few years later he co-founded Whole Foods Market — and launched an organic food revolution that helped change the way Americans shop. PLUS | 5/14/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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4 |
CleanLonely Planet: Maureen & Tony Wheeler | In 1972, Maureen and Tony Wheeler bought a beat-up car and drove from London "as far east as we could go." They wound up in Australia, by way of Afghanistan, India and Thailand. Their notes on how to travel on a shoestring became a book, which grew into L | 5/7/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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5 |
CleanLady Gaga & Atom Factory: Troy Carter | As a kid, Troy Carter dreamed of being a rapper, but soon discovered he was a better manager than a musician. He took Lady Gaga from obscurity to stardom – helping shape both her music and her brand. Then he turned his gift for spotting talent to spotti | 4/30/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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6 |
ExplicitReal Estate Mogul: Barbara Corcoran | Barbara Corcoran grew up in a working-class Irish Catholic family in Jersey – with nine brothers and sisters. But she used her charisma to conquer the streets of Manhattan and build the real estate company, The Corcoran Group. She then reinvented hersel | 4/23/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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7 |
Clean1-800-GOT-JUNK?: Brian Scudamore | Brian Scudamore didn't dream of a life hauling away other people's trash. But when he needed to pay for college, he bought a $700 pickup truck, painted his phone number on the side, and started hauling. Now 1-800-GOT-JUNK? makes over $200 million in annua | 4/16/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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8 |
CleanInstacart: Apoorva Mehta | App developer Apoorva Mehta almost gave up on being an entrepreneur until he figured out what he really wanted to do: find a hassle-free way to buy groceries. Five years after launch, the grocery delivery app Instacart is valued at $3 billion. | 4/9/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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9 |
CleanAOL: Steve Case | When Steve Case started out in the tech business in the mid-80s, the idea of the internet — as we think of it today — didn't exist. But with AOL, Case saw an opportunity to connect millions of people, through chat rooms, news updates, and the iconic g | 4/2/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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10 |
CleanPower Rangers: Haim Saban | As a refugee growing up in Tel Aviv, Haim Saban remembers not having enough money to eat. As an adult, he hustled his way into the entertainment business, writing theme songs for classic cartoons like Inspector Gadget and Heathcliff. But producing the meg | 3/26/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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11 |
CleanKendra Scott: Kendra Scott | Ever since she was a little girl playing dress-up in her aunt's closet, Kendra Scott loved fashion. Her first business was a hat shop, which she started at 19 – it failed. A few years later, she started a jewelry business out of her spare bedroom. Today | 3/19/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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12 |
Clean5-Hour Energy: Manoj Bhargava | After living as a monk in India and running a plastics company in Florida, Manoj Bhargava decided to launch something new: a one-shot energy drink in a bright, battery-shaped bottle. Today, 5-Hour ENERGY is one of the most recognizable energy drinks in th | 3/12/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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13 |
CleanChesapeake Bay Candle: Mei Xu | Twenty-five years ago, when Mei Xu emigrated from China to the U.S., she loved going to Bloomingdale's to gaze at their housewares. She eventually started making candles in her basement with Campbell's Soup cans, an experiment that led to the multi-millio | 3/5/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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14 |
CleanAtari & Chuck E. Cheese's: Nolan Bushnell | Before he turned 40, Nolan Bushnell founded two brands that permanently shaped the way Americans amuse themselves: the iconic video game system Atari, and the frenetic family restaurant Chuck E. Cheese's. | 2/26/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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15 |
CleanCrate & Barrel: Gordon Segal | In 1962, Gordon Segal — with his wife Carole — opened a scrappy Chicago shop called Crate & Barrel. That store turned into a housewares empire that has shaped the way Americans furnish their homes. | 2/19/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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16 |
CleanLive Episode! Beyond Meat: Ethan Brown | As founder and CEO of Beyond Meat, Ethan Brown believes he can turn peas and lentils into protein that tastes — and feels – exactly like beef and chicken. He says they're not quite there yet, but after 8 years in business, their products are sold in 1 | 2/15/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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17 |
CleanLyft: John Zimmer | Ridesharing wasn't a thing 12 years ago when John Zimmer was in college. But a class on green cities got him thinking about the glut of underused cars on the road, and eventually led him to co-found Lyft, a company that has helped make ridesharing a way o | 2/12/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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18 |
CleanKate Spade: Kate & Andy Spade | A 1991 conversation at a Mexican restaurant led Kate & Andy Spade to ask, "What's missing in designer handbags?" Kate's answer was a simple modern-shaped handbag that launched the iconic fashion brand: Kate Spade. | 2/5/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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19 |
CleanVirgin: Richard Branson | Richard Branson took a record shop and built it into a label, a bank, an airline, space tourism, and 200 other businesses — all under the name Virgin. But the serial entrepreneur has also had his share of failures. | 1/29/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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20 |
CleanZappos: Tony Hsieh | Computer scientist Tony Hsieh made millions off the dot-com boom. But he didn't make his mark until he built Zappos — a customer service company that "happens to sell shoes." Now Zappos is worth over a billion dollars and known for its completely unorth | 1/22/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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21 |
CleanHonest Tea: Seth Goldman | In 1997, after going for a long run, Seth Goldman was frustrated with the sugar-filled drinks at the corner market. So he brewed up a beverage in his kitchen, and turned it into Honest Tea. | 1/15/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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22 |
CleanDrybar: Alli Webb | A decade ago, full-time mom Alli Webb noticed a gap in the beauty market: there was nowhere that just focused on blow-drying hair. Now with 70 locations, Drybar is testament to Webb's motto: Focus on one thing and be the best at it. | 1/8/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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23 |
CleanZumba: Beto Perez & Alberto Perlman | Zumba began as a mistake: aerobics teacher Beto Perez brought the wrong music to class, then improvised a dance routine to go with it. For his students, it was more fun than work — and it eventually grew into one of the biggest fitness brands in the wor | 1/1/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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24 |
CleanWarby Parker: Dave Gilboa & Neil Blumenthal | In 2008, it was nearly impossible to buy a fashionable, affordable pair of glasses online. That simple frustration inspired the idea behind Warby Parker – and disrupted the eyewear industry. | 12/25/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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25 |
CleanMelissa & Doug: Melissa And Doug Bernstein | Melissa and Doug Bernstein's first success was a wooden 'fuzzy puzzle' of farm animals. Today, Melissa & Doug makes over 2,000 kinds of toys and serves as an antidote to the rise of digital toys. | 12/18/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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26 |
CleanPatagonia: Yvon Chouinard | In 1973, Yvon Chouinard started Patagonia to make climbing gear he couldn't find elsewhere. Over decades of growth, he has implemented a unique philosophy about business, leadership and profit. | 12/11/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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27 |
CleanSerial Entrepreneur: Mark Cuban | Mark Cuban made millions off of tech startups, then billions off of stocks — and later went on to buy and revive the Dallas Mavericks. He has come to define the persona of the serial entrepreneur. | 12/4/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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28 |
CleanAngie's List: Angie Hicks | In 1996, Angie Hicks spent hours reading contractor reviews to members over the phone. Today, the online review and referral service, Angie's List, is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange. | 11/27/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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29 |
CleanSouthwest Airlines: Herb Kelleher | In 1968, competitors sued to keep Herb Kelleher's new airline grounded. After a 3-year court fight, the first plane took off from Dallas. Today Southwest Airlines operates nearly 4,000 flights a day. | 11/20/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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30 |
CleanCelebrity Chef: José Andrés | As a kid, José Andrés tended fires for his father's backyard paella cookouts. Later, he trained with the best Spanish chefs, and began building a restaurant empire that would transform the way many Americans dine out. | 11/13/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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31 |
CleanMusic Mogul: L.A. Reid | L.A. Reid began his music career as a drummer. Then he co-founded LaFace Records, discovering dozens of future pop superstars. Reid is now one of the most influential executives in the music industry. | 11/6/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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32 |
CleanSamuel Adams: Jim Koch | In 1984, Jim Koch felt suffocated by his cushy but boring corporate job. So he left, dusted off an old family beer recipe, started Sam Adams, and helped kickstart the craft beer movement in America. | 10/30/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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33 |
CleanDermalogica: Jane Wurwand | Jane Wurwand moved to Los Angeles with a suitcase and a beauty school diploma. She started what would become Dermalogica, an international beauty empire that set the standard for skin care. | 10/23/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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34 |
CleanAirbnb: Joe Gebbia | A chance encounter with a stranger gave Joe Gebbia an idea to help pay his rent. That idea turned into Airbnb — a company that now has more rooms than the biggest hotel chain in the world. | 10/16/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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35 |
CleanVICE: Suroosh Alvi | Suroosh Alvi was a recovering addict when he started a scrappy underground magazine in Montreal. It grew into VICE Media — a multi-billion dollar company that has shaken up the world of journalism. | 10/9/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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36 |
CleanClif Bar: Gary Erickson | Gary Erickson asked his mom, "Can you make a cookie without butter, sugar or oil?" The result was Clif Bar, an energy bar named after his dad — now one of the most popular energy bars in the U.S. | 10/2/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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37 |
CleanRadio One: Cathy Hughes | As a kid, Cathy Hughes practiced her DJ routine while her siblings banged on the bathroom door. As an adult, she founded Radio One, the country's largest African-American owned broadcasting company. | 9/25/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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38 |
CleanInstagram: Kevin Systrom & Mike Krieger | Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger launched their photo-sharing app with a server that crashed every other hour. Despite a chaotic start, Instagram became one of the most popular apps in the world. | 9/18/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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39 |
CleanSpanx: Sara Blakely | At 27, Sara Blakely was selling fax machines and desperate to reinvent her life. So she came up with Spanx — hosiery that eliminates panty lines — and set to work building her business. | 9/11/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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40 |
CleanComing Soon: How I Built This | On September 12, NPR launches a new podcast, How I Built This, hosted by Guy Raz. The show features innovators, entrepreneurs, idealists, and the stories behind the movements they built. | 9/2/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Customer Reviews
Love the debut episode
Listening to how Sara Blakely started Spanx is a great story. Thank you Guy Raz. Looking forward to future episodes.
Great show
Great show!
Looking forward to more episodes!!
Captivating Podcast
How I Built This gives great insight into some of the most creative minds that have shaped the world as we know it. It takes a direct look at how the products we know and love came to be. The episodes are not too long and keep the reader intrigued for the duration of the episode.
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