From Scratch with Jessica Harris
211 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 4 years ago - ★★★★★ - 89 ratingsA Show about the Entrepreneurial Life
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Episodes
Orion Hindawi
March 22, 2024 16:00 - 19 minutes - 26.1 MBTanium is a cybersecurity company that focuses on providing internet safety for the US government and Fortune 500 companies. Clients include Amazon, Target, Best Buy and the Department of Defense. Orion started Tanium with his father David. Orion speaks with Jessica Harris about how he launched Tanium, from scratch. Listen to the interview
Mick Mountz
March 15, 2024 16:00 - 30 minutes - 41.2 MBKiva Systems is a mobile robotics company that automates the warehouse fulfillment process. Kiva robots deliver inventory shelves to stationary human operators who then pick and pack the product. Mick started Kiva Systems in 2003, and the company was acquired by Amazon for $775 Million in Spring, 2012. Customers include Diapers.com and Zappos (both owned […]
Mike Krieger
March 08, 2024 22:00 - 31 minutes - 42.6 MBInstagram is a photo sharing app that was released through the Apple App Store in October, 2010 and reached one million users in just three months. Facebook acquired Instagram in 2012 for one billion dollars. Mike and his partner, Kevin Systrom, are both graduates of Stanford University. Mike speaks with Jessica Harris about how he […]
Andrew Cherng
March 01, 2024 16:00 - 19 minutes - 26.1 MBPanda Express is an American Chinese food chain with 2,000 restaurants located in airports, malls, universities, military bases, amusement parks, among other locations. Andrew started Panda Express with his wife Peggy in 1983. Panda’s first restaurant was located in a mall in Glendale, California. Andrew speaks with Jessica Harris about how he built Panda Express, […]
John Zimmer
February 23, 2024 16:00 - 30 minutes - 25 MBLyft is a transportation network company with a peer-to-peer mobile app that enables passengers to request rides with their smartphones. Prior to starting Lyft, John co-founded Zimride in 2007, a carpooling ride-share company available predominantly in college communities. Zimride was sold to Enterprise Rent-A-Car in 2013. Lyft is available across the United States and through […]
Ayah Bdeir
February 16, 2024 16:00 - 19 minutes - 26.1 MBlittleBits is a hardware company that aims to put the power of electronics in everyone’s hands. The company sells electronic modules that snap together with magnets, making them accessible to both adults and children. Ayah earned a degree in computer engineering from the American University in Beirut, Lebanon and has a Masters from the MIT […]
Uri Levine
February 09, 2024 16:00 - 29 minutes - 25.8 MBWaze is a crowd sourced traffic navigation app. Drivers share real-time traffic and road information to help other users on the same route. Uri founded Waze in Israel in 2007 and the company was sold to Google in 2013 for $1.1 Billion. Uri is also the founder of FeeX, which also uses crowd sourced information— […]
Jason Ackerman
February 02, 2024 16:00 - 30 minutes - 24.2 MBFresh Direct is an online grocer that disrupted the traditional food supply chain by sourcing food where it’s produced and delivering it to consumers without going through additional retailers. Fresh Direct launched in 2002 from its headquarters in a former paper plant in Long Island City, Queens. Jason speaks with Jessica Harris about how he […]
Essie Weingarten
January 19, 2024 16:00 - 30 minutes - 23.9 MBEssie started her eponymous brand in 1981 with $10,000 after working in the hosiery business. When Essie launched, there were very few companies making nail polish, and nail salons were rare. Essie nail polish is now available in roughly 25,000 salons in more than 100 countries. The company was bought by L’Oreal in 2010. Essie […]
Tristan Walker
January 12, 2024 16:00 - 30 minutes - 24.3 MBWalker & Company makes beauty and health products for people of color. Prior, Tristan was the first African American entrepreneur in residence at the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz. He is also the founder of Code2040, a program that connects Black and Latino coders with Silicon Valley startups for summer internships. Tristan speaks with Jessica […]
Luis von Ahn
January 05, 2024 22:00 - 30 minutes - 25.7 MBLuis is an inventor and computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon. He is one of the creators of CAPTCHA, a system that allows websites to determine whether you’re a human or a computer. CAPTCHAs are wavy, distorted words that people need to type out when they’re submitting a form to a website. Luis’ company ReCAPTCHA […]
Robert Stephens
December 29, 2023 16:00 - 31 minutes - 25.3 MBRobert Stephens started making computer tech-support house calls on his dirt bike while he was a college student at the University of Minnesota in 1994. He’d arrive to a customer’s house on time, take off his shoes, wear a clean uniform, and fix the problem. His cheeky “law enforcement” marketing theme caught people’s attention, and […]
Martine Rothblatt
December 22, 2023 16:01 - 31 minutes - 25 MBMartine is a pioneer in the satellite industry, launching companies including Geostar, PanAmSat, and Sirius Satellite Radio. She also founded United Therapeutics, a pharmaceutical company focused on cardiopulmonary disorders. In 2013, she became the highest paid female CEO in America. Martine is a helicopter pilot and a parent of four children. She also used to […]
Andrew Rosen
December 15, 2023 16:00 - 31 minutes - 23 MBAndrew launched Theory, a contemporary clothing company, in 1997 with co-founder Eli Tahari. Theory used the stretchy fabric lycra to create a more modern, slender look initially for young professional women. Theory was sold in 2003 to the Japanese company Fast Retailing and IPO’ed in 2005. In addition to his role at Theory, Andrew has […]
Jessamyn Rodriguez
December 08, 2023 16:00 - 19 minutes - 14.6 MBHot Bread Kitchen is an organization that teaches immigrant women to bake artisanal breads from their home country. HBK provides culinary and management training and english classes to these women who have come to New York City from countries including Bangladesh, Mexico, and Morocco, among others. HBK’s breads are available at select grocery stores including […]
Azim Premji
December 01, 2023 16:00 - 30 minutes - 42.5 MBSometimes the company you start looks a lot different from the company you end up with; Azim Premji turned his cooking fat company into one of India’s largest technology companies. With over 70,000 employees and $3Bn in sales, Wipro provides software solutions, research and development, and information technology outsourcing to multinational corporations. Azim is the […]
Mark Ramadan
November 24, 2023 16:00 - 19 minutes - 26.1 MBSir Kensington’s is a condiment company that sells ketchup, mayo, mustard, etc. Mark and his partner Scott tried to create a gourmet alternative to Heinz and started tinkering with recipes in their off-campus apartment while they were students at Brown University. Unilever acquired the company in April, 2017. Mark speaks with Jessica Harris about how […]
Fabrice Penot
November 17, 2023 16:00 - 31 minutes - 43.2 MBLe Labo is a perfume company that launched on Elizabeth Street in New York City in 2006. Le Labo perfumes are prepared on the spot for the client in each store, and the brand is appreciated for its minimalist peeled-back aesthetic. Le Labo was bought by Estee Lauder in 2010. Fabrice speaks with Jessica Harris […]
Scott Moody
November 10, 2023 16:00 - 19 minutes - 26.1 MBAuthenTec makes fingerprint sensors that could unlock mobile phones and computers. AuthenTec was sold to Apple in 2012 for $356 million, and the fingerprint sensor first appeared on the iPhone 5s in 2013. Scott speaks with Jessica Harris about how he launched AuthenTec, from scratch. Listen to the interview
Coss Marte
November 03, 2023 16:00 - 19 minutes - 26.1 MBConBody is an exercise program that Coss developed while he was in prison for selling drugs. Coss lost 70 pounds in six months by working out in his 9’x6′ cell. Con body is located on the Lower East Side of Manhattan and also offers classes online for those who want prison-style workouts from the solitary […]
Jo Malone
October 27, 2023 16:00 - 31 minutes - 24.3 MBJo Malone is a fragrance entrepreneur. She launched Jo Malone London in a retail shop in London in 1994. The company was bought by Estee Lauder in 1999. Jo launched her next company, Jo Loves, in 2011 after a five year hiatus from the fragrance industry. Jo is the author of Jo Malone: My Story. […]
Daniel Lubetzky
October 20, 2023 16:00 - 30 minutes - 23.2 MBKIND is a food company that produces sweet and savory bars with whole nuts, spices, and fruit, among other products. KIND is sold in a diverse array of locations including Whole Foods, Walmart, convenience stores and newspaper stands. Daniel launched KIND in 2003. Daniel is also the founder of PeaceWorks, which sells Mediterranean spreads. PeaceWorks […]
Brian Liu
October 13, 2023 22:00 - 19 minutes - 15 MBLegalZoom is an online service that provides legal documents and solutions for consumers and small businesses. The company helps visitors form corporations, file patents, trademark a name, create a living trust, etc. without the fees associated with hiring a lawyer. Brian speaks with Jessica Harris about how he launched Legal Zoom, from scratch. Listen to […]
Maguy Le Coze
October 06, 2023 16:00 - 31 minutes - 23.3 MBAs a teenager, Maguy Le Coze and her brother Gilbert were introduced to the culinary life while helping their parents in their hotel restaurant in Brittany, France. But staying in the French countryside was not for her. Maguy and Gilbert opened Le Bernardin first in Paris, and later in New York City in 1986. Le […]
Dr. Robert Langer
September 29, 2023 16:00 - 30 minutes - 23.7 MBDr. Langer is a chemical engineer who has pioneered the fields of drug delivery and tissue engineering. His lab at MIT receives roughly $10 Million in annual grants and has 100 researchers. Dr. Langer has helped to launch close to 30 start-ups, and his lab’s innovations have been licensed or sublicensed by 250 companies. Dr. […]
Philip Krim
September 22, 2023 16:00 - 19 minutes - 16.3 MBCasper is a company focused on sleep. Casper’s leading product is its mattress, which can be ordered online and delivered in a box, sometimes within hours if you live in New York City. Casper makes one type of mattress for all consumers, believing that more choice does not mean more comfort. Philip speaks with Jessica […]
Gary Kremen
September 15, 2023 16:00 - 31 minutes - 24.9 MBGary is a serial entrepreneur who launched Match.com, the online dating service, in 1993. A host of other online matchmaking personals companies have hatched as a result of Gary’s innovation. Gary also registered a number of lucrative domain names in the early days of the internet including housing.com, jobs.com, and autos.com. He was also the […]
Jay Kimmelman
September 08, 2023 16:00 - 30 minutes - 24.4 MBBridge International Academies is a private network of nursery and primary schools educating the poorest students in developing countries including Kenya, Uganda and India. Bridge charges families roughly six dollars per month for a pupil to attend school and uses economies of scale to keep costs low across its more than 400 academies. Jay speaks […]
Bertha González Nieves
September 01, 2023 16:00 - 19 minutes - 14.3 MBCasa Dragones is a luxury sipping tequila made from 100% blue agave. Bertha González Nieves speaks with Jessica Harris about how she launched Casa Dragones, from scratch.
Dan Widmaier
February 05, 2021 16:00Bolt Threads is a materials innovation company. Using proprietary technology and revolutionary bio-engineering concepts, Bolt Threads seeks to deliver high-performance materials focused on sustainability. Their first project is spider silk, using the DNA of a spider’s silk to manufacture clothes. Dan speaks with Jessica Harris about how he is innovating new materials from nature, from […]
Sam Goldman
January 31, 2020 16:00 - 19 minutes - 26.1 MBOne third of the world population does not have access to reliable electricity. D.light sells solar lighting and power to consumers in developing countries. The company’s lamps are healthier, cleaner, and cheaper than the traditional kerosene lamp alternatives. Sam speaks with Jessica Harris about how he launched d.light, from scratch. Listen to the interview
Gary Goldberg
January 25, 2020 18:56Gary Goldberg was a producer and writer for television and film. His TV sitcoms included the 1982 hit show Family Ties, starring Michael Fox, as well as Brooklyn Bridge and Spin City. Gary was the author of the memoir Sit Ubu Sit. Ubu Productions, founded in 1981, was named after his black labrador retriever Ubu. […]
Fadi Ghandour
January 17, 2020 16:00 - 31 minutes - 23.3 MBFadi Ghandour is one of the leading entrepreneurs of the Middle East. Fadi and his family moved from Lebanon to Jordan where his father eventually became head of Royal Jordanian Airlines. Adopting his father’s business sense and knowledge of the aviation space, Fadi recognized and filled the need for dependable logistics transportation and delivery services […]
Marc DaCosta
January 08, 2020 20:00 - 19 minutes - 26.1 MBEnigma is a company that uses the internet to make public data available and understandable to users. Enigma links across various databases to uncover relevant facts that a user might not notice by looking at a single data set. The universe of data sources to choose among includes SEC filings, public health records, government spending […]
Patrick Collison
January 03, 2020 22:00 - 31 minutes - 23.2 MBStripe is a financial software company that helps businesses manage their online and mobile transactions. Patrick started Stripe in 2009 when he was 21 years old with his younger brother, John. He is originally from Dromineer, Ireland, which has a population of roughly 70 people. Patrick speaks with Jessica Harris about how he launched Stripe, […]
Ethan Brown
December 27, 2019 16:00 - 19 minutes - 14.3 MBBeyond Meat makes meat using plant protein instead of animal protein. The goal is to make a healthier product that looks, tastes, feels, and smells like chicken or beef using fewer natural resources. Ethan speaks with Jessica Harris about how he launched Beyond Meat, from scratch. Listen to the interview
Chris Barton
December 20, 2019 16:00 - 19 minutes - 15.7 MBShazam is an app that identifies the music or TV show around you simply by holding up your phone to the sound. Shazam was one of the first apps available in the Apple app store in 2008. Now, a hundred million people per month use the service. Chris speaks with Jessica Harris about how he […]
Joan Ganz Cooney
July 26, 2018 16:00 - 30 minutes - 42.3 MBSince the 1970s, The Children’s Television Workshop—now called the Sesame Workshop—intended to help low-income children become better prepared for school by using television as a tool. The Sesame Workshop’s shows—including Sesame Street, The Electric Company, 3-2-1 Contact—ended up being much more far reaching, teaching and entertaining children from all backgrounds, internationally. Jessica Harris speaks with […]
Jonathan Cedar
July 19, 2018 16:00 - 19 minutes - 26.1 MBBiolite is a company that produces clean, portable stoves for cooking off the grid in developing countries as well as for camping. The stove reduces toxic smoke emissions by 90 percent by using its own heat waste to generate energy. Biolite is targeting a global public health challenge of smoke pollution caused by cooking over […]
Nolan Bushnell
July 05, 2018 22:00 - 30 minutes - 42.4 MBNolan is considered one of the pioneers of the video game industry. Nolan developed the first coin operated game (Computer Space), as well as Atari’s popular debut game, Pong. Nolan also founded Chuck E. Cheese’s, a game centric restaurant chain. He is the author of Finding the Next Steve Jobs. He and his partner Al […]
Jonathan Bush
June 28, 2018 22:00 - 31 minutes - 42.8 MBathenahealth is helping to build the internet architecture for the healthcare industry. It is a cloud based software enabled company that helps physicians manage patients’ electronic medical records, among other services. The company was initially focused on childbirth services in San Diego before transitioning into a digital management company for the healthcare industry. Jonathan speaks […]
Charles Best
June 22, 2018 22:00 - 31 minutes - 43 MBDonorsChoose is an online philanthropic marketplace that connects citizen philanthropists— members of the public– to public school teachers who request supplies for their classroom projects across the United States. Charles started DonorsChoose in 2000 while he was a public school teacher in the Bronx facing his own shortage of supplies for the projects he wanted […]
Michael Dubin
May 03, 2018 16:00 - 19 minutes - 26.1 MBDollar Shave Club is a membership club for men’s grooming products. The company started delivering razors in 2011 for less than $10 per month. DSC now offers a range of bathroom products from hair gel to body cleanser. Michael speaks with Jessica Harris about how he started DSC, from scratch. Listen to the interview
Scott Harrison
March 29, 2018 22:00 - 30 minutes - 42.1 MBcharity: water provides clean water to communities in developing countries. Scott launched charity: water in 2006 after raising $15,000 from his friends at his 31st birthday party. Prior to launching charity: water, Scott was a night club promoter, of course. Scott speaks with Jessica Harris about how he launched charity: water, from scratch. Listen to […]
Emily Weiss
March 24, 2018 21:12Emily Weiss, Founder Glossier. Glossier is a beauty brand that launched in 2014. Glossier was introduced on Instagram and its products are sold on the company’s website. Glossier caters to the Millenials that Emily is connected to on social media. Emily is also the founder of Into the Gloss, an online community dedicated to beauty. […]
David Kelley
March 16, 2018 22:00 - 30 minutes - 41.3 MBIDEO is a global design firm that takes a human-centered approach to innovation. IDEO has helped to innovate products including Apple’s first computer mouse in 1980, the first stand-up toothpaste for Procter and Gamble, surgical tools for Medtronic, and furniture for Steelcase. The company also helps governments and social organizations innovate internationally. David is the […]
Robert Hammond
February 22, 2018 22:00 - 32 minutes - 44 MBFriends of the High Line is the organization that pioneered the transformation of an abandoned elevated train line into a public space about 1.5 miles long on Manhattan’s west side in New York City. Robert and his Co-Founder Joshua David started the organization after attending a community board meeting to protest the High Line’s demolition […]
Emily Weiss
February 22, 2018 12:00 - 19 minutes - 26.1 MBGlossier is an online beauty company that launched on Instagram in 2014. Emily is also the founder of Into the Gloss, an online community dedicated to beauty. Visitors get tips on skin, hair, makeup, and learn the beauty routines of leading members of the cosmetic and fashion industries. Emily speaks with Jessica Harris about how […]
Peter Manning
February 15, 2018 16:00 - 19 minutes - 26.1 MBPeter Manning launched his eponymous clothing company to focus on men 5’8″ and under. Prior to starting the company in 2012, Peter was a Tony Award winning theatrical producer. Peter speaks with Jessica Harris about his career shift– and the sartorial needs of this segment of the male population— from scratch. Listen to the interview
Jon Oringer
January 25, 2018 16:00 - 19 minutes - 26.1 MBShutterstock is an online marketplace for photos, graphic images, video clips and music. The content is crowdsourced, with photographers, artists and other contributors uploading their content in exchange for a percent of revenue when their work is purchased. Jon started Shutterstock in 2003, and the company went public in 2012. Jon speaks to Jessica Harris […]