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How I Built This with Guy Raz

How I Built This with Guy Raz

By: Guy Raz | Wondery
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About this listen

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. Listen to How I Built This on the Wondery App or wherever you listen to your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/how-i-built-this now.

Get your How I Built This merch at WonderyShop.com/HowIBuiltThis.

 Economics
Episodes
  • Advice Line with Niraj Shah of Wayfair

    Advice Line with Niraj Shah of Wayfair
    Oct 30 2025

    Wayfair co-founder Niraj Shah joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs about how to bet on themselves – and define themselves to consumers. Plus, Niraj explains why Wayfair is expanding into large-format brick-and-mortar stores.

    First up, Valerie in Washington, D.C., is looking for a better way to educate consumers about her dehydrated chicken stock. Then, Bree in Utah wants to know when to seek investment in her improved mineral sunscreen brand. And finally, Tess in San Antonio is wondering if she should quit her day job and go all-in on her networking and accommodation app for solo women travelers.


    Thank you to the founders of Cookstix, Daily Shade, and HerHouse 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 go back and listen to Niraj’s original episode from 2018, where he shares how he and his college roommate Steve Conine turned 250 single-product websites into one giant billion-dollar brand.


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

    You can follow HIBT on Twitter & 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.
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    44 mins
  • Nuts.com: Jeff Braverman. From Corner Store to Snacktime Powerhouse

    Nuts.com: Jeff Braverman. From Corner Store to Snacktime Powerhouse
    Oct 27 2025
    A century ago, Jeff Braverman’s grandfather opened a peanut shop in Newark, New Jersey. By the early 2000s, the family business was doing $1M in sales and struggling to stay afloat. Jeff had a high-paying job in finance, but walked away from it to reinvent the business. His strategy? The internet. Something his dad and uncle knew nothing about.What happened next is wild: an AdWords experiment that blew the doors off the budding online business; a slip on national TV where Rachael Ray accidentally renamed the company; 40,000 pounds of protest peanuts that crashed servers and landed them in the New York Times; a hilariously polarizing rap jingle; and a COVID surge that tested leadership—and humanity—every single day.This is the blueprint for transforming a dusty, low-margin business into a profitable, $100M+ direct-to-consumer brand—while keeping it family-owned. It’s also a masterclass in earning trust, making risky bets, and scaling without losing your soul.You’ll learn:The mechanics of a paid-search playbook that 10x’d orders overnightHow to win over skeptical family members (and when to demand the keys to the store)The exploding-deal etiquette of buying a premium domainHow an improvised rap-jingle can be stickier than a professional ad How Nuts.com built a robust B2B business alongside DTCCrisis leadership lessons from the COVID floor When and how a leader should hire their replacementTimestamps:00:07:08 — Cash registers, code words, and a Newark childhood inside the peanut shop00:13:42 — The “build a website” pitch at a Jersey diner 00:29:40 — December 4, 2003: from 3 orders/day to 30 00:31:19 — Dad panics –”shut it off!”– Jeff doubles down on demand and ops00:35:26 — Losing the storefront to a hockey arena—and going all-in online00:42:29 — Jericho fans send 40,000 lbs of peanuts to CBS: press, links, and leverage00:48:38 — Rachael Ray calls them “Nuts.com” by accident… and the $700k domain deal that followed01:00:51 — The notorious Nuts.com rap jingle: how an earworm took hold01:03:11 — Offices, microbreweries, and building a sticky B2B engine01:05:08 — COVID hits: 70% call-outs, factory safety, and leading from the floor01:10:18 — Handing the reins to a new CEO: leaning into strengths, not egoThis episode was produced by Sam Paulson with music composed by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant with research help from Olivia Rockman. Our engineers were Patrick Murray and Jimmy Keeley.Follow How I Built This:Instagram → @howibuiltthisX → @HowIBuiltThisFacebook → How I Built ThisFollow Guy Raz:Instagram → @guy.razYoutube → guy_razX → @guyrazSubstack → guyraz.substack.comWebsite → guyraz.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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    1 hr and 12 mins
  • Advice Line with John Zimmer of Lyft

    Advice Line with John Zimmer of Lyft
    Oct 23 2025

    Lyft co-founder John Zimmer joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, John talks about his recent decision to step away from the company he founded in 2012.


    First, Alan from England asks about the best strategy for expanding his patented shower innovation to the U.S. Then, Teri from California looks for advice on raising money because her weighted “rucking” vest for women keeps selling out. And finally, Kobi from New York wants to know how to prioritize work-life balance while growing his craft chocolate company.


    Thank you to the founders of ShowerSpaah, RUKSTR, and slowcocoa 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 Lyft’s founding story as told by John on the show in 2017.


    This episode was produced by Chris Maccini with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Andrea Bruce. Our audio engineer was James Willetts.


    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.
    Show More Show Less
    51 mins
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