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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.

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Episodes
  • 93 Rejections, One Revolution: How Indiegogo Changed Crowdfunding Forever

    93 Rejections, One Revolution: How Indiegogo Changed Crowdfunding Forever
    Dec 15 2025
    What happens when three outsiders try to reinvent access to money… during the worst financial crisis in decades?Before Kickstarter.Before GoFundMe.Before crowdfunding became a thing, there was Indiegogo, an idea born from frustration, inequity, and more than 93 rejections from investors.It was a funding platform built not for banks, studios or gatekeepers… but for everybody else.In this episode, co-founders Danae Ringelmann and Slava Rubin reveal the unpolished and often painful story behind Indiegogo — from digging into savings accounts, to fighting over strategy, to grinning and bearing it when their idea was dismissed as “cute.” You’ll hear how their mission was shaped by loss of parents, financial instability, and a fundamental belief in fairness.How the 2008 crash nearly killed the company before it began.And how in the end, Indiegogo helped spark a massive cultural shift—proving that anyone, anywhere, could bring an idea to life.WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: How gatekeepers underestimate outsiders’ ideasHow grief and personal history shape entrepreneurial courageHow to recover from 93 “no’s” Why making money matters, but maintaining your values matters even more How co-founder conflict can sharpen (or break) a companyWhy Indiegogo didn’t become Kickstarter — and what founders can learn from thatHow to know when it’s time to walk away from your own companyTIMESTAMPS: 0:03:09 - Slava’s childhood, and the deep loss that shaped his worldview0:07:33 - Danae’s first lesson in leadership… from her dad’s moving business0:10:18 - “Hollywood Meets Wall Street:” the emotional spark that led to Indiegogo0:16:18 - The Golden Gate conversation where Slava asked, “Why not put this on the internet?“ 0:28:16 - Building Indiegogo: mismatched personalities, big arguments, and the first 10 campaigns0:35:42 - The 2008 crash hits: 93 investor rejections and many moments of truth0:40:43 - Expanding beyond film: the inevitable pivot that ignited explosive growth0:47:54 - Internal evolution: roles, titles, hires, and the first taste of real scale 0:53:46 - Why the founders eventually stepped away — and why some opportunities were squandered0:59:09 - The legacy: how Indiegogo reshaped culture, creativity, and opportunity1:03:34 - Bonus: Small Business Spotlight This episode was produced by Katherine Sypher, with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant, with research help from Chris Maccini. 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 7 mins
  • Advice Line with Scott Tannen of Boll & Branch and Jamie Siminoff of Ring

    Advice Line with Scott Tannen of Boll & Branch and Jamie Siminoff of Ring
    Dec 11 2025

    CEO and co-founder of Boll & Branch, Scott Tannen joins Ring founder Jamie Siminoff and Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs. Plus, Jamie and Guy talk about how creating repeat customers often comes from creating social good.

    First, we hear from Melita in Toronto who's wondering whether to continue bootstrapping her organic clothing business. Then Eric in the Sunshine State asks which direction to take to grow his sunscreen apparel lines. And Chris in Alpine Meadows, California, is trying to figure out how to get his sleek binoculars into the hands of more people.

    Thank you to the founders of Q for Quinn, L Cubed Lifestyle, and Nocs Provisions.

    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 the story of how Jamie founded Ring from our episode back in 2020, as well as his appearance on the Advice Line in 2024.. And how Scott and his wife Missy started Boll & Branch, a story they told on the show in 2024.


    This episode was produced by J.C. Howard with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Andrea Bruce. Our audio engineer was Jimmy Keeley.


    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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    43 mins
  • (September 2020) Khan Academy: Sal Khan. From Tutoring His Cousins to Teaching the World For Free

    (September 2020) Khan Academy: Sal Khan. From Tutoring His Cousins to Teaching the World For Free
    Dec 8 2025

    Khan Academy offers hundreds of free tutorials in fifty languages, and has 170 million monthly global users.


    It all began in 2009 when Sal Khan walked away from a high-paying job to start a business that had no way of making money.


    His idea to launch a non-profit teaching platform was sparked while helping his young cousins do math homework over the computer.


    When he started posting his tutorials on Youtube, the world took notice.


    You will learn:

    • Not just cat videos: How Sal discovered the early power of YouTube.
    • How a book by Isaac Asimov lay the foundation for Khan Academy
    • Why Sal said no to a for-profit business model
    • How Sal got discovered by Bill Gates–and other wealthy donors
    • How Sal defines ambition: Free world class education for anyone, anywhere


    Listen now to hear how Khan Academy has grown to become one of the most trusted teaching tools around the world.


    This episode was produced by Jed Anderson, with music composed by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant.


    Follow How I Built This:

    Instagram → @howibuiltthis

    X → @HowIBuiltThis

    Facebook → How I Built This


    Follow Guy Raz:

    Instagram → @guy.raz

    Youtube → guy_raz

    X → @guyraz

    Substack → guyraz.substack.com

    Website → guyraz.com


    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    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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    1 hr and 18 mins
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