How I Built This with Guy Raz
725 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 12 hours ago - ★★★★★ - 29.3K ratingsGuy 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.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
On athletic shoes: Olivier Bernhard and Caspar Coppetti
July 22, 2024 07:10 - 1 hour - 69.6 MBSwiss triathlete and Ironman champion Olivier Bernhard was warned not to challenge the goliaths in the sneaker industry. But, inspired by the cloud-like sensation of a prototype running shoe made with strips of garden hose, Olivier set out to make a new sneaker for elite runners. He initially tried to pitch the design to “big guys” like Nike and Puma, but they weren’t interested. He soon partnered with two fellow Swiss with backgrounds in branding, and gradually, their highly techni...
Advice Line with Pete Maldonado of Chomps (April 2024)
July 18, 2024 07:10 - 51 minutes - 47.4 MBIn case you missed it, we’re rerunning one of our first Advice Line episodes. Chomps co-founder and co-CEO Pete Maldonado joins Guy to answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs about growing their businesses. In this episode, we’ll meet Jennifer, a sourdough bagel slinger thinking about taking on 'big cream cheese.' Then Brandi, a tea shop owner hoping to bring her blends to big box retailers. And finally, Jake, an Alaska native trying to bring fresh wild salmon to Uta...
KAYAK: Paul English (2021)
July 15, 2024 07:10 - 1 hour - 64.6 MBPaul English is a perpetual founder. Since high school, he's started 3 philanthropies and 8 companies—ranging from e-commerce, to gaming, to GetHuman, a site that helps users access human customer support. His best-known venture is probably KAYAK, a travel website launched in 2004 over two gin-and-tonics with co-founder Steve Hafner. Using a simple interface, KAYAK specialized in search; and it made partners out of potential rivals like Orbitz and Expedia by charging them a fee to s...
Advice Line with Tony Lamb of Kona Ice
July 11, 2024 07:10 - 47 minutes - 43.8 MBKona Ice co-founder and CEO Tony Lamb joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders. Today we meet Dylan, who’s wondering how to tell if his small town Illinois candy store is a winning franchise idea. Then Zach, a Wall Street trader trying to bring a popular Asian craft to the U.S. And Jennifer, a designer in San Diego looking to promote her home decor brand on social media—without paying big bucks to influencers. If you’d like to be fe...
Ouidad hair products: Ouidad Wise
July 08, 2024 07:10 - 1 hour - 59 MBOuidad Wise found the inspiration for her multi-million-dollar business right on top of her own head. She turned her passion for curly hair into a bustling New York City salon - and then a national hair care brand, splitting the responsibilities of running the business with her husband Peter. Juggling finances and family, the couple lived apart during the week for 16 years, all while raising two kids. Eventually, in 2018, after 40 years in the hair industry, Ouidad sold the brand, a...
Advice Line with Brett Schulman of CAVA
July 04, 2024 07:10 - 48 minutes - 44.7 MBCAVA co-founder and CEO Brett Schulman joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders experiencing growing pains as they scale their companies. Today we meet Devin, who’s navigating imposter syndrome as his spiked root beer gets picked up by stores across Texas. Then Sophia, a Los Angeles mom exploring new sales channels for the accessories she designed to support children’s allergy needs. And Sean, who’s weighing whether outside investme...
American Giant: Bayard Winthrop
July 01, 2024 07:10 - 1 hour - 74.9 MBBayard Winthrop founded American Giant in 2011 with the simple idea to sell clothes made entirely in America at a time when most apparel manufacturing had moved overseas. The first struggle was finding all the components—the cotton, the buttons, the zippers, the rivets; the next was finding people to actually do the work—the dying, the napping, the sewing and the finishing. Once Bayard did all that he ended up with his first product, a plain hooded sweatshirt. But soon after a viral...
Advice Line with Mark Ramadan of Sir Kensington's
June 27, 2024 07:10 - 50 minutes - 46.5 MBSir Kensington’s co-founder and former CEO Mark Ramadan joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they work through business challenges with three early-stage founders. Today we meet Pat, a physician assistant working to bring his solution for clogged sinks to major retailers. Then Lucas, a chef whose local quick service taco joint is fending off national competition. And Beth, a working mom whose baby products brand is caught in the "messy middle" between launch and mass scale. If you’...
Spin Master/PAW Patrol: Ronnen Harary (2021)
June 24, 2024 07:10 - 1 hour - 60.5 MBRonnen Harary built a 4 billion dollar toy company without relying on market research or focus groups. Instead, he believed wholeheartedly in intuition: the "ah-hah" moment that comes from thinking like a 7-year old. Over a 25-year period, he and his Spin Master partners launched innumerable hit toys and amusements, including Air Hogs, Bakugan, and the smash hit franchise PAW Patrol. Spin Master's journey began in the mid-1990s, when Ronnen and his friend Anton Rabie began selling t...
Advice Line with Sarah Kauss of S'well
June 20, 2024 07:10 - 49 minutes - 45 MBS’well founder Sarah Kauss joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders about positioning their products in competitive markets. Today we meet Chiara, a recent college grad who invented a protein-packed chickpea hot cereal. Then Jesús, who left his tech job to go all-in on a line of greeting cards inspired by his Latino heritage. And Adam, a former X Games gold medalist who launched a brand of razors for men who shave their legs. If yo...
The Cronut and Dominique Ansel Bakery: Dominique Ansel
June 17, 2024 07:10 - 1 hour - 58 MBDominique Ansel’s invention of the Cronut — an inspired liaison between croissant and donut — was supposed to be a one-time indulgence for Mother’s Day. But once word spread about the perfect hybrid pastry, his Manhattan bakery was overwhelmed by endless lines and Cronut scalpers. Dominique eventually learned to manage the hype and grow his business while maintaining his craft. Named the World’s Best Pastry Chef in 2017, he has found an entrepreneurial sweet spot in three brick-and-...
Advice Line with Randy Goldberg of Bombas
June 13, 2024 07:10 - 49 minutes - 44.9 MBBombas co-founder and Chief Brand Officer Randy Goldberg joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders about building brands and reaching new communities. Today we meet Rivky, an Orthodox Jewish woman who's redefining modest clothing for plus-size women. Then Shyam, a rocket engineer who wants to introduce Americans to a popular South Asian tabletop game. And Änna, a boutique owner who wants to translate her hip brick-and-mortar vibes int...
Dave’s Hot Chicken: Arman Oganesyan
June 10, 2024 07:10 - 1 hour - 60.6 MBDave’s Hot Chicken began as a tiny pop-up, selling spicy chicken tenders and fries from a tent in East Hollywood. Their homemade take on Nashville Hot Chicken was an overnight sensation in a city that had barely heard of it, and within days, co-founder Arman Oganesyan and his partners were working frantically to serve the long lines out front. Since launching seven years ago, the pop-up has grown into a chain of 200 stores, with franchises across the country, and a beloved rubber ch...
Advice Line with Fawn Weaver of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey (April 2024)
June 06, 2024 07:10 - 37 minutes - 34.2 MBIn case you missed it, we’re rerunning our Advice Line launch episode from a few weeks ago. Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey founder Fawn Weaver joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs about telling their brand story. In this episode, we’ll meet Kevin, the owner of a coffee trailer and roastery who grew up on a coffee farm in Honduras. Then Elisabeth, whose jewelry company aims to make a difference in the developing world. And fi...
ECKO UNLTD and COMPLEX: Marc Ecko
June 03, 2024 07:10 - 1 hour - 77.4 MBGrowing up in the ‘80s in New Jersey, Marc Ecko loved hip hop, graffiti art, and painting t-shirts for friends. His passion soon bloomed into a full-on business: ECKO UNLTD, a streetwear brand known for its iconic rhino logo. By the 1990’s, the brand had become a cultural force, but not without its share of bad deals, daunting debt, and a close brush with bankruptcy. Eager to keep innovating, Marc launched COMPLEX, a media company hyper-focused on “convergence” culture: hip hop, f...
Advice Line with Mauren Kelly of Tarte Cosmetics
May 30, 2024 07:10 - 47 minutes - 43.1 MBTarte cosmetics founder and CEO Maureen Kelly joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders about their marketing strategies. Today we meet Kristina, who’s designed sweat-wicking underwear that's both functional and stylish. Then Ashley, who recently launched a line of chemical-free hair care products. And Marcelle, the owner of an international career coaching service. If you’d like to be featured on a future Advice Line episode, leave ...
Advice Line with Maureen Kelly of Tarte Cosmetics
May 30, 2024 07:10 - 47 minutes - 43.1 MBTarte cosmetics founder and CEO Maureen Kelly joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders about their marketing strategies. Today we meet Kristina, who’s designed sweat-wicking underwear that's both functional and stylish. Then Ashley, who recently launched a line of chemical-free hair care products. And Marcelle, the owner of an international career coaching service. If you’d like to be featured on a future Advice Line episode, leave ...
Concept2 Rowing Machines: Dick and Peter Dreissigacker
May 27, 2024 07:10 - 1 hour - 55.6 MBBrothers Dick and Peter Dreissigacker used their experience as Olympic-level rowers to build a rowing machine that captured the sensation of being on the water. Initially made of bicycle parts in a Vermont barn, the machines had a limited market at first: mostly rowing clubs and schools that competed in the sport. But in the 2000’s, business began to take off when Greg Glassman, the founder of Crossfit, began putting the machines into his gyms. Today Concept2 sells rowing machines t...
Advice Line with Tom Rinks of Sun Bum
May 23, 2024 07:10 - 43 minutes - 39.8 MBSun Bum co-founder Tom Rinks joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders about refining their brand identities. Today we meet Wendy, a former comedian whose sugar scrub takes the sticky-icky off your hands. Then Allyson, who went from producing reality television to trucker hats designed for women’s heads. And Zephyrus, an opera performer with a new way for kids to hear their favorite bedtime stories. If you’d like to be featured on a...
Therabody: Jason Wersland
May 20, 2024 07:10 - 1 hour - 65.1 MBThe Theragun was born out of a late-night experiment with a Makita jigsaw, by a man searching desperately for pain relief in his arm. Jason Wersland was studying to become a chiropractor when he got injured in a motorcycle accident. While casting about for solutions, he discovered that the percussive massage from his jury-rigged power tool helped ease his pain and increase range of motion. Jason soon discovered the device worked on his patients, so he MacGyvered hundreds more jigsa...
Advice Line with Andrew Abraham of Orgain
May 16, 2024 07:10 - 51 minutes - 47.4 MBOrgain founder and CEO Andrew Abraham joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders about strategically positioning their products. Today we meet Brynn, who’s tackling cavities and dental anxiety with an electric flosser. Then Turner, a radiologist mixing up craft cocktails for the golf course. And Catherine, whose pasta sauces and dressings help ease the weeknight dinner juggle. If you’d like to be featured on a future Advice Line ep...
nutpods: Madeline Haydon
May 13, 2024 07:10 - 56 minutes - 51.9 MBWhen Madeline Haydon decided to turn her homemade, plant-based coffee creamer into a business, she didn’t fit the mold of a typical founder. She was a woman of color, pregnant with her second child, and had no experience in the food industry. At first, almost all of her sales were through Amazon, and she struggled to convince investors to take a risk on her. But over 10 years, she grew nutpods from a $30,000 Kickstarter campaign into a leading coffee creamer brand, now available in...
Advice Line with Gary Erickson of Clif Bar
May 09, 2024 07:10 - 54 minutes - 50.1 MBClif Bar founder Gary Erickson joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders about expanding their customer base. Today we meet James, who recycles water bottles into one of the most sustainable plastics on the market. Then Valerie, a leathercrafter with a co-op of artisans born from a strike against Etsy. And finally, Elsie, who accidentally invented a pet hair remover while cleaning her dog’s muddy pawprints. If you’d like to be featur...
Listen Now: The Competition
May 07, 2024 08:00 - 7 minutes - 6.59 MBEvery summer for the past seven decades, 50 high school seniors—one from every state—descend on Mobile, Alabama to take part in one of the country’s most lucrative scholarship competitions for teen girls. The Competition takes you behind the scenes of the Distinguished Young Women (DYW) program, and follows seven girls as they experience the highs and lows of competing for two weeks, away from home and under the most high-stress circumstances. Some girls enter for the money, some ...
Twitter, Medium and Blogger: Ev Williams
May 06, 2024 07:10 - 1 hour - 68.3 MBAs co-founder of Twitter and founder of Blogger and Medium, Evan Williams literally helped change the conversation: he understood that real-time connectivity—being able to write a post and have people read it seconds later—was the future of engagement online. A Nebraska farm boy who dropped out of college, Ev ran into several business failures before starting Blogger, and—after it sold to Google—launching Twitter with Jack Dorsey and others. Ev also came to learn that he understood ...
Advice Line with Pete Maldonado of Chomps
May 02, 2024 07:10 - 50 minutes - 46.6 MBFormer guest Pete Maldonado, co-founder and co-CEO of Chomps, joins Guy for another “Advice Line” edition of HIBT Lab. In this episode, we’ll meet Jennifer, a sourdough bagel slinger thinking about taking on 'big cream cheese.' Then Brandi, a tea shop owner hoping to bring her blends to big box retailers. And finally, Jake, an Alaska native trying to bring fresh wild salmon to Utah…even if he has to knock on every door north of Salt Lake. If you’d like to be featured on a future...
Dhar Mann Studios: Dhar Mann
April 29, 2024 07:10 - 1 hour - 77.7 MBFive years before he became a massively successful content creator, Dhar Mann was nearly broke and living in a studio apartment. It’s the kind of story he might tell in one of his videos: bite-sized, live-action morality tales that have earned 60 billion views across YouTube, Facebook, and other platforms. Raised in an Indian Sikh family, Dhar had a strong entrepreneurial drive, which led to early business success, but also a spectacular downfall when he got pulled into a Ponzi sche...
Advice Line with Fawn Weaver of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey
April 25, 2024 07:10 - 36 minutes - 33.6 MBFormer guest Fawn Weaver, founder of Uncle Nearest Whiskey, joins Guy for an “Advice Line” edition of HIBT Lab. Three early-stage entrepreneurs call in for advice on telling their brand story. In this episode, we’ll meet Kevin, the owner of a coffee trailer and roastery who grew up on a coffee farm in Honduras. Then Elisabeth, whose jewelry company aims to make a difference in the developing world. And finally, Joanne, a home baker looking to turn her love of pecan pie into a full...
YouTube Creator and Cookbook Author: Rosanna Pansino
April 22, 2024 07:10 - 59 minutes - 54.7 MBWith over 14.5 million subscribers, Rosanna Pansino has one of the most popular baking channels on YouTube But she never would have imagined her success back in 2010 when she started making videos as a hobby. At the time, she was a working actor in Hollywood with dreams of landing a leading role, but after receiving an ultimatum from her agent, she was forced to choose between a career in traditional television or the nascent digital world of YouTube. More than a decade after her fa...
Healing through food with Danielle Walker of Against All Grain (2022)
April 18, 2024 07:10 - 47 minutes - 43.8 MBGrowing up, Danielle Walker’s family often convened for big meals prepared by her Italian grandmother, Grandma Marge. Back then, Danielle enjoyed a wide variety of food without restriction; but she began experiencing severe abdominal pain in her 20s that ultimately led her to totally transform her diet—cutting grains, lactose, sugar and more. As Danielle found relief in this approach—and realized that others with similar ailments could as well—she began compiling her recipes in an...
CrunchLabs: Mark Rober
April 15, 2024 07:10 - 1 hour - 63.4 MBAs one of the most successful creators on YouTube, Mark Rober doesn’t see what he does as a business. Instead, it’s a way to celebrate science in the most joyful way possible. While working as an engineer at NASA, he made his YouTube debut with a tutorial on how to make a gory Halloween costume with two iPads and a lot of duct tape. Over time, his videos became more elaborate, including a belly flop into a pool full of Jello, and a demo of a glitter-fart bomb to get revenge on porch...
AI is smarter than you think with Shane Legg of Google DeepMind
April 11, 2024 07:10 - 37 minutes - 34.2 MBFor decades, Shane Legg has anticipated the arrival of “artificial general intelligence” or AGI. In other words: an artificial agent that can do all the kinds of cognitive tasks that people can typically do, and possibly more... Now as the Chief AGI Scientist and a co-founder of Google DeepMind, he stands by that prediction and is calling on the world to prepare. This week on How I Built This Lab, Shane’s path to becoming an early AI expert and the work he and his team are doin...
Mythical: Rhett and Link
April 08, 2024 07:10 - 1 hour - 71.6 MBBest friends Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal started out as “comedians for Christ,” and grew their partnership into one of the most successful YouTube platforms in existence. During college they created silly videos and songs for Christian events, and later built a following on YouTube before most people knew what it was. After struggling to find stardom in Hollywood, they continued to build a presence on YouTube: sampling punishingly hot peppers, writing ear-wormy songs about random...
Listen Now: Business Wars
April 05, 2024 08:00 - 9 minutes - 8.57 MBFrom Wondery, Business Wars is a podcast about the biggest corporate rivalries. In the newest season, host David Brown tracks the power struggles and philosophical differences within OpenAI that culminated in Sam Altman’s shocking firing, the chaos that followed, and what it means not just for OpenAI, but for the future of artificial intelligence safety overall. Follow Business Wars on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to Business Wars early and ad-f...
Less competition, more creation with Renée Mauborgne
April 04, 2024 07:10 - 29 minutes - 26.7 MBBest-selling author and economics professor Renée Mauborgne thinks that too many entrepreneurs focus on the wrong things—consumed with making their companies outperform one another as they fight for a greater share of a crowded market space. But what if entrepreneurs focused on creating new markets instead of fighting over old ones? This week on How I Built This Lab, Renée shares insights from her Blue Ocean Strategy series to help founders crack open new opportunities. Plus, what ...
Whole30: Melissa Urban
April 01, 2024 07:10 - 1 hour - 60.6 MBWhole30 began as a dietary experiment: For 30 days, Melissa Urban went without grains, dairy, legumes, alcohol and added sugar. She was trying to address several health problems, and the results were so extraordinary that she decided to share the diet with others. What followed was a blog, a series of seminars, a best-selling book and eventually a wide-ranging wellness brand that’s helped millions of people identify the best diet for their own body. But in 2015, Melissa had to ret...
“Beaming” people anywhere in the world with David Nussbaum of Proto
March 28, 2024 07:10 - 34 minutes - 31.9 MBThe popular science fiction idea of beaming someone instantly to another location was part of David Nussbaum’s inspiration to design a “holoportation box.” His company, Proto, invented a device the size of a telephone booth that projects a hologram-type image so realistic it appears someone is standing inside... This week on How I Built This Lab, how Proto’s technology is used today to virtually transport professors, doctors, speakers, and celebrities to classrooms, hospitals, and ...
MGA Entertainment: Isaac Larian
March 25, 2024 08:10 - 1 hour - 67.8 MBIsaac Larian moved from Iran to Los Angeles at age 17 with just a few hundred dollars, and went on to build one of the biggest toy companies in the world. Along the way, he took on Barbie with a wildly successful line of punky dolls called Bratz — a success that touched off an epic legal battle with Mattel. Today, at age 70, Isaac is still the CEO of MGA Entertainment, and says he still has the fighter’s instinct that he learned in the slums of Tehran. This episode was produced by ...
Achieving greater things with Adam Grant
March 21, 2024 07:10 - 37 minutes - 34 MB“Growth is not about the genius you possess—it’s about the character you develop.” That’s what organizational psychologist and podcast host Adam Grant believes, and he offers a new framework on how we can elevate ourselves and others in his latest book, Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things. This week on How I Built This Lab, insights on what great entrepreneurs have in common and the steps anyone can take to develop these skills. Plus, redesigning workplace s...
Weee!: Larry Liu
March 18, 2024 07:10 - 1 hour - 77.7 MBIf you told 19-year-old Larry Liu that his hobby re-selling used electronics “for fun” would someday help him build a multi-billion-dollar company, he probably would have laughed. He was an electrical engineering student in Shanghai at the time. His goals were to land a corporate job and go to grad school in the U.S. He did both, starting with a job at Intel. But his passion for e-commerce stayed with him through his MBA and other corporate jobs. And when he moved to Northern Califo...
AI that can be your second brain with Bethany Bongiorno and Imran Chaudhri of Humane
March 14, 2024 07:10 - 45 minutes - 42 MBImran Chaudhri and his wife Bethany Bongiorno are responsible for bringing some of the most widely-used screened products to market—like the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. And while these devices have connected humans like never before, Imran and Bethany couldn’t help but wonder about the downsides of spending so much time tethered to screens. After leaving Apple, they eventually brought a new tool to life; something screenless... This week on How I Built This Lab, Imran and Beth...
Primal Kitchen: Mark Sisson
March 11, 2024 08:10 - 1 hour - 62.1 MBMark Sisson made a big bet on mayonnaise, and won: four years after launching his Paleo-friendly condiment company Primal Kitchen, he sold it for $200 million. He succeeded partly because he drew lessons from his previous failures and accomplishments - as a marathon runner, Ironman triathlete and coach, frozen yogurt proprietor, sports supplement founder, TV show host, and Paleo book author. But Mark’s biggest business came at an age when most people contemplate retirement. He devel...
Supercharging Lithium-Ion Batteries with Gene Berdichevsky of Sila Nanotechnologies
March 07, 2024 08:10 - 40 minutes - 36.8 MBGene Berdichevsky and his team have been working for over a decade to solve a major problem: Lithium-ion batteries are not getting any better. They power our cell phones and laptops and nearly every other modern, rechargeable device—and at this point have reached their energy-storing limit. This week on How I Built This Lab, Gene discusses a new approach that could eventually make lithium-ion batteries 40% more efficient, unlocking a future where electric vehicles and other battery...
Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey: Fawn Weaver (2021)
March 04, 2024 08:10 - 1 hour - 66.1 MBIn 2016, Fawn Weaver became fixated on a New York Times article telling the little-known story of Nearest Green, a formerly enslaved man who taught Jack Daniel—yes, that Jack Daniel—how to make Tennessee whiskey. After diving deeper into the story, Fawn ended up purchasing the farm in Lynchburg, Tennessee where Nearest had taught Jack how to distill; and she began meeting the descendants of both men. She eventually decided the best way to preserve Nearest’s legacy was with a bottl...
The peril (and promise) of AI with Tristan Harris: Part 2
February 29, 2024 08:10 - 32 minutes - 29.6 MBWhat if you could no longer trust the things you see and hear? Because the signature on a check, the documents or videos presented in court, the footage you see on the news, the calls you receive from your family … They could all be perfectly forged by artificial intelligence. That’s just one of the risks posed by the rapid development of AI. And that’s why Tristan Harris of the Center for Humane Technology is sounding the alarm. This week on How I Built This Lab: the second of a...
Poshmark: Manish Chandra
February 26, 2024 08:10 - 1 hour - 60.8 MBWhen the iPhone 4 was released in 2010, Manish Chandra was dazzled by its picture quality, and saw an opportunity for a new type of mobile marketplace. A year later, he and three co-founders launched Poshmark, a shopping app for second-hand clothes and accessories, meant to capture the feel of going thrifting with your friends. The online community grew quickly and vocally—when Poshmark raised shipping fees, users lobbied furiously to lower them, and won. The company faced many more...
The peril (and promise) of AI with Tristan Harris: Part 1
February 22, 2024 08:10 - 28 minutes - 26.2 MBWhen Tristan Harris co-founded the Center for Humane Technology in 2018, he was trying to educate tech leaders and policymakers about the harms of social media. But today, he’s sounding the alarm about a different technology — one that he says could pose an existential threat to the entire world … Artificial intelligence. This week on How I Built This Lab: the first of a two-episode series in which Tristan and Guy examine the serious risks posed by the rapid development and deplo...
Sonos: John MacFarlane
February 19, 2024 08:10 - 1 hour - 55.3 MBIn 2002, John MacFarlane and his co-founders began tinkering on what was then an ambitious idea: create a new way to enjoy music throughout the home, without wires. At the time, streaming and the iPod were brand new, and smart speakers were over a decade away. But the team at Sonos engineered a top-quality wireless sound system, and–with many fits and starts–integrated it with mobile technology and, eventually, Siri and Alexa. Along the way, John and his team contended with the earl...
Powering cars with solar energy with Steve Fambro of Aptera Motors (2023)
February 15, 2024 08:10 - 39 minutes - 36.5 MBThere’s a new car coming to market that will probably make its owners search out the sunniest spots in the parking lot… Aptera Motors is designing and manufacturing this car: a plug-in electric hybrid that can run up to 40 miles on a single, solar-powered charge. This week on How I Built This Lab, Steve Fambro shares how he and his co-CEO revived their once-defunct auto company thanks to the promise of solar energy. Plus, Steve’s take on why today’s vehicles require so much energy, ...
Magic Spoon & Exo: Gabi Lewis and Greg Sewitz
February 12, 2024 08:10 - 1 hour - 65.7 MBGabi Lewis and Greg Sewitz founded Magic Spoon to create a sugary breakfast cereal without the sugar. If that sounds daunting, consider their first business: protein bars made with cricket flour. Riffing on an idea that began as a college assignment, the founders ordered live crickets to roast at home, and worked with a top-rated chef to perfect their recipes. The only problem: getting people to eat a snack made of ground-up bugs. When Exo protein bars eventually stalled, the pair p...