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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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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.

Economics
Episodes
  • Advice Line: What’s Your Value?

    Advice Line: What’s Your Value?
    Mar 19 2026
    In today’s special episode, Guy and four former show guests talk with callers about how they can prove the value of their products—and themselves.First, Meagan from Vermont questions whether an experiential pop-up concept for her reusable gift wrap and bags is worth the effort. Then, Amanda from Wisconsin seeks new ways to explain her deck of dog enrichment activities to potential customers. And finally, Mark from New York looks for a complement to help grow his artisanal pesto business.Thank you to the founders of Shiki Wrap, Woofsie, and In Mark’s Kitchen for coming on the show. Also thanks to WeWork co-founder Miguel McKelvey, Paperless Post co-founder Alexa Hirschfeld, and Chomps co-founders Pete Maldonado and Rashid Ali.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.This episode was produced by Alex Cheng with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by John Isabella. Our audio engineer was Robert Rodriguez.You can follow HIBT on X & Instagram and sign up for Guy’s free newsletter at guyraz.com or on Substack.To hear our returning guests’ previous episodes:Miguel's original episode: https://wondery.com/shows/how-i-built-this/episode/10386-wework-miguel-mckelvey/Miguel's HIBT Lab episode: https://wondery.com/shows/how-i-built-this/episode/10386-hibt-lab-wework-miguel-mckelvey/Miguel's Advice Line episode: https://wondery.com/shows/how-i-built-this/episode/10386-advice-line-with-miguel-mckelvey-of-wework/Alexa's original episode: https://wondery.com/shows/how-i-built-this/episode/10386-paperless-post-james-and-alexa-hirschfeld/Alexa's Advice Line episode: https://wondery.com/shows/how-i-built-this/episode/10386-advice-line-with-alexa-hirschfeld-of-paperless-post/Pete and Rashid's original episode: https://wondery.com/shows/how-i-built-this/episode/10386-chomps-pete-maldonado-and-rashid-ali/Pete and Rashid's Advice Line episode: https://wondery.com/shows/how-i-built-this/episode/10386-advice-line-with-pete-maldonado-and-rashid-ali-of-chomps/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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    38 mins
  • Scrub Daddy: Aaron Krause. How a Failed Experiment Became a Billion-Dollar Sponge

    Scrub Daddy: Aaron Krause. How a Failed Experiment Became a Billion-Dollar Sponge
    Mar 16 2026
    Aaron Krause did not set out to reinvent the kitchen sponge. He was a car detailer, building buffing pads and the machines that made them. To clean his greasy hands, he made a makeshift hand scrubber out of extra-rough foam, and it worked so well he decided to sell it. But nobody wanted it.He shelved the product for years. Then one day while cleaning up around the house, he accidentally discovered the foam’s “magic” properties and realized it would make the perfect kitchen sponge. Scrub Daddy was born. As a friend advised him, nobody goes to the supermarket to discover new innovations in sponges. So Aaron did a furious round of in-store demos and eventually wound up on QVC (where he nearly got kicked off) and finally Shark Tank, where he made $1M the night it aired.In this episode, Aaron breaks down the unglamorous mechanics of building a consumer brand—negotiation, patents, and the obsession needed to keep going when no one believes in your vision.You’ll learn:How Aaron’s many patents helped drive his car-detailing business The hidden downside of “great” deals: exclusivity traps and corporate bureaucracyHow Aaron forced 3M to rethink value during acquisition negotiations How to sell a product no one is shopping for How Scrub Daddy built a brand block (Scrub Mommy & more) to become a category leaderHow to defend against copycats—patents, trade dress and aggressive enforcementTimestamps:07:24 — “You get to buy your own sneakers”—the childhood lesson that shapes Aaron’s hustle09:03 — The brutal factory internship that sends him back to washing cars17:50 — The mirror snaps off a Mercedes… leading to a buffing pad breakthrough19:58 — The parable of the DIY patent: “If you had a toothache, would you drill your own tooth?”27:36 — Dirty factory hands inspire Aaron to invent a special hand scrubber… which no one wants41:35 — Aaron hangs up on a corporate powerhouse: refusing to sell to 3M based on EBITDA51:16 — The shelved scrubbers come out of storage and Aaron discovers their “magical” properties 1:02:31 — Retail won’t bite—so he demos in ShopRite and sells 100 sponges a day1:13:43 — Shark Tank → $1M in one night… and retailers suddenly call backFollow 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 29 mins
  • Advice Line with Hernan Lopez of Wondery

    Advice Line with Hernan Lopez of Wondery
    Mar 12 2026

    Today’s callers: Heather from Ontario talks through a DTC strategy for her retail pain relief tape and patches. Then Nawal in Michigan considers a rebrand for her uniforms designed for Muslim students. Finally, Casey in Idaho seeks new revenue streams for her farmer and worker-owned seed cooperative.

    Plus, Hernan’s take on the future of podcasting and the sweet relief of vindication...

    Thank you to the founders of Heali Medical, Studyous Monday, and Snake River Seed Cooperative 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 Wondery’s founding story as told by Hernan on the show in 2023.

    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.
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    45 mins
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