From Scratch with Jessica Harris
211 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 4 years ago - ★★★★★ - 89 ratingsA Show about the Entrepreneurial Life
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
Fred Bass
January 11, 2018 22:00 - 32 minutes - 44 MBStrand Book Store in New York City was founded by Fred’s father Benjamin in 1927. Fred was born in 1928 and has been working in the family business since he was thirteen years old. The Strand has roughly 2.5 million used, rare, and new books—the equivalent of roughly 18 miles of books. Fred spoke to […]
Mark Morris
December 21, 2017 22:00 - 32 minutes - 44 MBMark started the Mark Morris Dance Group (MMDG) in 1980. Headquartered in Fort Green, Brooklyn, the company is on tour more than 20 weeks per year. MMDG collaborates with leading artists, including the cellist Yo Yo Ma, the pianist Emanuel Ax, the designer Isaac Mizrahi, and the dancer Baryshnikov. Mark speaks with Jessica Harris about […]
Brendan Kennedy
November 16, 2017 22:00 - 32 minutes - 44 MBPrivateer is a private equity firm focused on making investments in the cannabis industry as the legalization of marijuana continues throughout the United States. Some of Privateer’s portfolio companies include Leafly, a user-generated reviews website for all things cannabis related; Tilray, a producer of medical cannabis in British Columbia, Canada; and Marley Natural, a global […]
Neil Blumenthal
October 05, 2017 22:00 - 32 minutes - 44 MBWarby Parker is an online eyeglass retailer that sells low cost vintage inspired glasses. For each pair sold, Warby Parker provides a pair of glasses to low income people in more than 36 countries through non-profit partners like VisionSpring. VisionSpring trains female entrepreneurs to give eye exams and sell glasses in their communities. Neil co-founded […]
AB Short
September 14, 2017 16:00 - 19 minutes - 26.1 MBMedShare is an organization that redistributes surplus medical equipment to hospitals in the developing world. These supplies include surgical instruments, gloves, stethoscopes, sutures, x-ray machines, wheelchairs, etc. AB started MedShare in 1998 in Atlanta, Georgia. He is originally from Mississippi. AB speaks with Jessica Harris about how he built MedShare, from scratch. Listen to the […]
Andy Dunn
June 20, 2017 22:00 - 32 minutes - 44 MBBonobos is an e-commerce company that sells men’s clothing. Bonobos started off with the goal of selling better fitting pants for men in 2007 and has expanded to include all type’s of men’s apparel. Bonobos was acquired by Walmart in 2017, after this interview was recorded. Andy speaks with Jessica Harris about how he built […]
Greg Lambrecht
June 01, 2017 22:00 - 31 minutes - 43.9 MBCoravin produces a device that accesses wine without removing the cork. Through a medical grade needle, the Coravin System extracts a portion of the wine and replaces it with argon gas. Greg is also a medical device inventor who founded Intrinsic Therapeutics, a company focused on spinal disorders. Greg is a graduate of MIT and […]
Skip Bennett
May 04, 2017 16:00 - 19 minutes - 26.1 MBIsland Creek Oysters supplies oysters to more than 400 chefs across the United States. Restaurants that serve its oysters include Thomas Keller’s Per Se and French Laundry, the Eastern Standard in Boston, and the Oyster Bar in New York’s Grand Central Station. The company sells roughly 120,000 oysters per week, and close to 6 million […]
Jake Wood
April 20, 2017 22:00 - 32 minutes - 44 MBTeam Rubicon is an organization comprised of former veterans who apply their military experience to emergency situations, working as first responders internationally. Jake served in the military, in Iraq and Afghanistan, before returning to civilian life. He started Team Rubicon initially in response to the earthquake in Haiti. Jake speaks with Jessica Harris about how […]
Peter Diamandis
March 09, 2017 22:00 - 32 minutes - 44 MBThe XPrize Foundation drives innovation through competitions with the hopes of improving the human experience. Its prizes are focused on bold yet achievable projects, ranging from space exploration to the human genome. The first prize of $10 Million was awarded in 2004 to creators of the first piloted space craft. Peter is the co-author of […]
Drew Houston
January 26, 2017 22:00 - 32 minutes - 43.9 MBDropbox is a file sharing and personal data storage company that allows users to access their content (Microsoft Word documents, photos, videos, etc.) from any of their devices. Prior to starting Dropbox, Drew started an online SAT prep company called Accolade (and yes, he scored 1600 on his SAT). Drew speaks with Jessica Harris about […]
Mario Schlosser
January 12, 2017 16:00 - 19 minutes - 26.1 MBOscar Health is focused on keeping health insurance simple. The company helps users connect directly to doctors, get prescriptions, and find insurance plans that are easier to navigate. Mario speaks with Jessica Harris about how he is bringing innovation to health insurance, from scratch. Listen to the interview
Naif Al-Mutawa
September 28, 2016 22:00Naif is the creator of The 99, a comic series that features superheroes based on Islamic archetypes. Coming from a background in clinical psychology, Naif earned his PhD and aided war victims with post traumatic stress disorder. Deciding to take a different path, Naif went to business school and developed an idea that would eventually […]
Ian Falconer
September 15, 2016 22:00 - 32 minutes - 44 MBIan is the author and illustrator of Olivia, a children’s book series about a pig. His first book, initially a gift for his niece Olivia, was awarded the Caldecott Medal in 2000. Ian is a set and costumer designer for opera and dance, as well as the creator of more than 30 covers for The […]
Elizabeth Cutler and Julie Rice
September 15, 2016 16:00 - 19 minutes - 26.1 MBFrom joining gyms to taking Yoga classes, finding a workout that was both effective and satisfying did not come easily to Elizabeth and Julie. Unable to discover a cardio program that motivated and inspired (as well as burned calories), Julie and Elizabeth set out to create a new kind of routine. Fusing elements of indoor […]
Dwight Merriman
August 25, 2016 16:00 - 19 minutes - 26.1 MBMongoDB—an open source database company that focuses on helping companies manage their data—is just one of the several companies that Dwight has successfully launched. He is also the co-founder of Doubleclick, the ad serving platform (acquired by Google for $3.1Bn); Gilt Groupe, the online fashion company; Business Insider, the news web platform, among others. Dwight […]
Daphne Koller
July 21, 2016 22:05 - 32 minutes - 44 MBCoursera offers online courses to the public through partnerships with leading universities internationally. Coursera was launched in 2012 and reached its first one million users faster than Facebook or Twitter. Coursera is one of a number of companies offering massive open online courses– or MOOCs– to address a growing global population and the rising costs […]
Arianna Huffington
July 14, 2016 16:00 - 32 minutes - 44 MBArianna launched the Huffington Post, the online media platform, in 2005. The company was acquired by AOL in 2011 and was the first online-only news organization to win the Pulitzer Prize for national reporting in 2012. Arianna has written more than a dozen books on topics including feminism, Maria Callas, Picasso, and Greek mythology. Her […]
Lyndon Rive
July 07, 2016 16:00 - 19 minutes - 26.1 MBSolarCity is a clean energy company that sells solar energy to consumers. SolarCity has installed solar panels for companies including Walmart, Intel, and eBay, among others. Elon Musk, the entrepreneur behind PayPal, Tesla electric cars and SpaceX, is Lyndon’s cousin and the company’s chairman. Lyndon founded the company with his brother, Pete, in 2006. SolarCty went […]
Dan Yates
June 30, 2016 16:00 - 19 minutes - 26.1 MBOpower is a software company focused on energy efficiency. Opower works with utilities to monitor how much energy a consumer uses and gives households and businesses incentives to lower their consumption. The idea is that through the use of behavioral science techniques such as peer proof, people will feel compelled to consume energy more responsibly. […]
Bunker Roy
June 02, 2016 16:00 - 13 minutes - 17.9 MBDespite his elite background in India, Bunker Roy chose an unconventional path dedicating his life to educating India’s impoverished population. Influenced by Ghandi’s approach toward self reliance at the village level, the Barefoot College is an organization that teaches practical skills including solar engineering, architecture and water purification, to mostly illiterate women and men. Upon […]
Zainab Salbi
May 19, 2016 22:00 - 32 minutes - 44 MBZainab Salbi grew up in Iraq with close ties to Saddam Hussein. Her father was Saddam’s personal pilot, causing her family to be victims of psychological abuse by the dictator. When Zainab was living in the United States as a young adult, she was again involved in an abusive relationship. Her understanding of women in […]
Fred Swaniker
May 12, 2016 16:00 - 19 minutes - 26.1 MBAfrican Leadership Academy (ALA) is an institution focused on developing Africa’s next generation of leaders. ALA provides practical leadership education, networking and mentoring opportunities for its students, as well as financial incentives to remain on the African continent. Fred started ALA when he was 27 years old. Fred speaks with Jessica Harris about how he […]
Jack Dorsey
April 14, 2016 22:00 - 32 minutes - 44 MBJack is a serial entrepreneur who has started two companies — Twitter and Square — that, on the face of it, seem entirely different. Twitter is a social networking service; Square is a mobile payments company. But Jack believes that their shared purpose is to make each of their related tasks — communicating and transacting […]
Tony Fadell
March 31, 2016 20:00 - 32 minutes - 44 MBNest Labs is focused on helping to create the next-generation home by making energy-saving smart digital assistants. Tony calls Nest’s first product, the Nest Learning Thermostat, “a smartphone in disguise.” Prior to launching Nest, Tony worked at Apple where he led the team that developed the iPod and iPhone. He was a special advisor to […]
Vinnie Bharara and Marc Lore
March 03, 2016 22:00 - 32 minutes - 44 MBMarc and Vinnie have been close friends since they were elementary school classmates in New Jersey. Mark and Vinnie spent their earlier careers in finance and law respectively, before becoming business partners in their late twenties. In addition to Diapers.com, the online retail site specializing in baby products, they have started a number of other […]
Brad Katsuyama
February 11, 2016 22:00 - 32 minutes - 29.7 MBIEX is an alternate trading platform whose mission is to ensure fair trading in the US equity capital market system. IEX was launched specifically to counter the behavior of high frequency traders who take advantage of the information arbitrage made possible by electronic trading. Prior to starting IEX, Brad worked at Royal Bank of Canada […]
Thomas Keller
January 21, 2016 22:00 - 32 minutes - 29.5 MBChef and restaurateur Thomas Keller bought the French Laundry, a restaurant in Napa Valley California, and turned it into one of the leading fine dining establishments in the world. The French Laundry and Per Se, located in the Time Warner Center in New York City, have both been awarded three Michelin Stars. Thomas has won […]
Yancey Strickler
November 05, 2015 22:00 - 32 minutes - 29.5 MBHave you ever had a creative project you were eager to get off the ground but you didn’t have the funding to make it happen? Yancey Strickler, co-founder of Kickstarter, has helped to develop an online solution that involves the crowd’s participation. Kickstarter connects artists and innovators with potential funders who simply learn about projects […]
Devi Shetty
August 13, 2015 22:01 - 32 minutes - 25.2 MB“Hands which help are better than the lips that pray” are the words that hang in Dr. Devi Shetty’s office with a picture of Mother Theresa, a former patient of his. Dr. Shetty is a cardiac surgeon who pioneered low cost cardiac surgery for India’s poor population. Dr. Shetty founded the Narayana Hrudayalaya Hospital in […]
Bre Pettis
July 09, 2015 22:00 - 32 minutes - 28.7 MBBre co-founded Makerbot Industries in 2009 after working as a public school teacher in Seattle, Washington. Makerbot makes 3-D printers that make actual objects. Instead of producing ink on paper, a Makerbot makes items ranging from bottle openers and toys to homes for hermit crabs(!). Bre talks to Jessica Harris about how he launched Makerbot […]
Jeremy Stoppelman
June 18, 2015 22:00 - 32 minutes - 28.8 MBYelp provides user-generated reviews of local businesses through its website and mobile app. Its contributors provide their opinions on a variety of businesses, ranging from clothing stores to restaurants. Prior to launching Yelp, Jeremy worked at Paypal. Yelp went public in 2012. Jeremy speaks with Jessica Harris about how he launched Yelp, from scratch. Listen […]
Rob Kalin
June 11, 2015 22:00 - 32 minutes - 31 MBRob Kalin initially started Etsy—the online marketplace for handmade goods—as a way to sell his own furniture in 2005. The company has become a vehicle for more than one million artisans who sell their products—ranging from knit-wear to musical instruments to clocks—through the site. Rob speaks with Jessica Harris about how he built Etsy, from […]
Rodney Brooks
May 28, 2015 22:00 - 32 minutes - 29.5 MBDr. Rodney Brooks is the co-founder of Rethink Robotics, a company that makes robots for the manufacturing industry. Rethink’s first robot, Baxter, was introduced in October 2012 with the goal of increasing US manufacturing productivity. Prior to Rethink, Dr. Brooks co-founded iRobot, which makes robots for the consumer and defense industries. iRobot’s first consumer product […]
Darrell Cavens
May 28, 2015 16:00 - 19 minutes - 17.6 MBZulily is an e-commerce company focused on products for mothers and their children. The company offers daily flash sales of boutique and leading brands at discounted prices. Darrell launched Zulily in 2009 with Mark Vadon, the founder of the online diamond merchant Blue Nile. Darrell speaks with Jessica Harris about how he launched Zulily, from […]
David Karp
May 07, 2015 22:00 - 32 minutes - 31.2 MBDavid developed an interest in computer programming when he was 11 years old. Instead of finishing high school he started working, and innovating, in the online community. Tumblr is a leading micro blogging and social media tool where creators can upload images, video, audio clips and bursts of text. The site– with more than 50 […]
Jeffrey Hollender
February 05, 2015 22:00 - 32 minutes - 28.7 MBJeffrey Hollender set out to build a company that was both profitable and environmentally sustainable. Seventh Generation makes cleaning and sanitary products that focus on resource conservation and eco-friendly business practices. Jeffrey is the author of several books and an advocate of corporate and environmental responsibility. Jeffrey discusses with Jessica Harris how he has helped […]
Valentin Abe
February 04, 2015 16:00The Caribbean Harvest Foundation is helping to revitalize the commercial farming industry in Haiti. The organization uses solar powered hatcheries to produce tilapia fingerlings, which are then raised in cages by villagers around the nearby lake. CHF is alleviating poverty by employing locals and providing social services in the health and education sectors. Valentin speaks […]
Andy Goldsworthy
December 18, 2014 16:00 - 19 minutes - 16.9 MBSome sculptors work with materials like bronze or marble, which last forever; but others build sculptures made of ice or snow, which last only a few moments. Who are some of the sculptors producing ephemeral art? Jessica speaks with one such pioneer, Andy Goldsworthy. Andy’s outdoor sculptures have been shown at the Metropolitan Museum of […]
Israel Ganot
November 27, 2014 16:00 - 32 minutes - 28.4 MBGazelle is a company that resells used electronic equipment including iPhones, BlackBerries, iPads, and recent Apple computers, among other items. Prior to starting Gazelle, Israel was at eBay where he helped to build the international business and worked with eBay’s M&A team to acquire PayPal, which he subsequently joined. He was formerly a research analyst […]
Jim Barton
September 04, 2014 16:00Jessica speaks with Jim Barton, co-founder of Tivo, a product that allows users to digitally record television to a hard drive that can be recalled and watched at anytime. Through the invention of the Digital Video Recorder, or DVR, Tivo effectively changed the business model of television, handing over control from the TV executives to […]
Bertrand & Roy Sosa
June 18, 2014 16:00 - 19 minutes - 17.4 MBNetspend was the first prepaid debit card company focused on the “underbanked” population in the United States. Launched in 1999, Netspend targets people who do not have access to credit cards or hold bank accounts. Bertrand and Roy started the company out of their one bedroom apartment in Austin, Texas with $750. They later raised […]
Michael Brown
May 22, 2014 16:00 - 19 minutes - 16.8 MBCity Year is an organization focused on addressing the national dropout rate; one million American students drop out of high school annually. City Year’s corps members serve as tutors, mentors, and role models in America’s most challenging schools. City Year also played a role in the national service movement, helping to establish youth service programs, […]
Alexa Hirschfeld
May 08, 2014 16:00The idea for Paperless Post developed while Alexa was an assistant to Katie Couric at CBS and her brother and co-founder James was still a student at Harvard College. Paperless Post allows people to send digital cards that have the look of actual stationary. Users can customize around various design elements including font, color, size, […]
Nandan Nilekani
April 26, 2014 22:00 - 13 minutes - 12.3 MBInfosys is a leading global information, technology and consulting company with more than 150,000 employees and $7 Billion in revenue. Nandan started Infosys in 1981 in Bangalore, India with 6 colleagues. Nandan then served as the Chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), which through its project Aadhaar is seeking to provide unique […]
Jessica Rolph and Shazi Visram
April 09, 2014 22:00Babies are discriminating about the food they eat. Peas and carrots out of a jar don’t taste as good as the ‘real thing.’ Organic baby food companies are emerging to offer more tasty and nutritious options for babies. HappyBaby, founded by Jessica Rolph and Shazi Visram, is one such company. Jessica Harris and Shazi explain […]
Thomas Moser
April 09, 2014 22:00Some people might look at a wooden chair as a functional piece of furniture, but others might see it as a work of art, the result of careful craftsmanship. Who are some of the country’s leading woodworkers who emphasize form as well as function? Jessica speaks with one such entrepreneur, Thomas Moser. Tom is the […]
Fadi Jaber
April 09, 2014 22:00Since growing up on an American compound in Saudi Arabia, Fadi Jaber developed a sweet tooth for American desserts. He later moved to New York City where he enjoyed gourmet cupcakes from shops such as Magnolia Bakery and Crumbs. Fadi opened his first American-inspired cupcake shop in Jordan, his home country, and has since expanded […]
Dennis Crowley
April 09, 2014 22:00“Turning life into a game” has always been of interest to Dennis Crowley. Dennis applies game dynamics to Foursquare, a popular social networking application that helps users get to know their city better. Foursquare was launched at South by Southwest in 2009 and has a following of approximately 10 million users. Dennis speaks to Jessica […]
Eliza Gaynor Minden
April 09, 2014 22:00Ballerinas started wearing point shoes in the late 19th century. Despite advancements in the dance world, the construction of toe shoes has remained pretty much unchanged. The same materials– paste, cardboard, paper and leather– are still used today, and the result is a dancer prone to excess pain and injury. Eliza Gaynor Minden, a former […]