How I Built This with Guy Raz

Shep and Ian Murray: Vineyard Vines. A Stale Product Transforms into a Lifestyle Brand.

In the late 1990s, Shep and Ian Murray looked at a shrinking category–men’s ties–and saw an opportunity: a necktie isn’t just functional. It’s expressive. It can signal identity, taste, aspiration.    With no fashion experience and no outside investors, the Murray brothers started making colorful ties inspired by their childhoods in Martha’s Vineyard — tiny whales, sailboats, island street signs. What began as a small, improbable tie business grew into Vineyard Vines: a half-billion-dollar lifestyle brand with more than 100 stores and major department store distribution.  In this episode, Shep and Ian talk about why they quit their stable jobs to turn a sleepy product into a national brand, which began as a family business and remains so to this day.  What you’ll learn:  * Why a great business can start in a category that everyone thinks is dying * How to build distribution when you have no roadmap and few connections  * What bootstrapping teaches founders that outside capital often doesn’t * How improvised marketing can create outsized attention * Knowing the difference between a fashion brand and a “brand” brand Timestamps:  * 00:10:22 - The brothers both hate their desk jobs: “How was your day?” “It sucked.” *  00:11:20 - Vineyard Vines starts on a family trip, with a nudge from a hotel manager * 00:13:46 - Early designs: whales, fish, jeeps, street signs  * 00:25:39 - Finally quitting their jobs– they’re thrilled, their parents–not so much * 00:30:42 - Landing their first order for $1800. “We’re never gonna have to work anymore!” * 00:34:40 - The brand gets a boost from a PR stunt during the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal * 00:47:00 - The “Get to $5 million” mentor advice that kept them focused  * 00:49:23 - The brothers open their first store - and realize they have a lot to learn   * 01:01:18 - The 2008 financial crisis, and the brutal inventory decisions that help save the business * 01:09:06 - Why stepping back from the CEO role didn’t work — and what it taught them about brand culture This episode was produced by Kerry Thompson with music composed by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant with research help from Casey Herman.  Follow How I Built This: Instagram → @howibuiltthis [https://www.instagram.com/howibuiltthis/] X → @HowIBuiltThis [https://x.com/howibuiltthis] Facebook → How I Built This [https://www.facebook.com/howibuiltthis] Follow Guy Raz: Instagram → @guy.raz [https://www.instagram.com/guy.raz/] Youtube → guy_raz [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNSfrxNEmCruNtjIzxCBHjg] X → @guyraz [https://x.com/guyraz] Substack → https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/guyraz.substack.com__;!!Iwwt!RZoD751oWzUzoqqdJiqaoL6HdJfRHDUO1TKvYJ424d3Udn7-Pw9Nj6nEsauh9zcgEvLjUEc$guyraz.substack.com [http://guyraz.substack.com] Website → https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/guyraz.substack.com__;!!Iwwt!RZoD751oWzUzoqqdJiqaoL6HdJfRHDUO1TKvYJ424d3Udn7-Pw9Nj6nEsauh9zcgEvLjUEc$guyraz.com [http://guyraz.com] See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

Advice Line with Eric Ryan of Method returns

Today’s callers: Christina from California wonders how to build trust with her fragrance brand formulated without allergens. Then, James, also from California, assesses how he can create more brand awareness for his kids' flip flop company. And Ben from Florida evaluates whether he should raise outside capital for his light-up jewelry products.  Plus, Eric’s philosophy on identifying strong founders and the brands now that he’s moved from being an entrepreneur to being an investor.  Thank you to the founders of Havyn, Pidgin Toes, and Reserved for Humans for being a part of our 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 [hibt@id.wondery.com] or call 1-800-433-1298. And be sure to listen to Method’s founding story [https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/method-adam-lowry-eric-ryan-2018/id1150510297?i=1000494407555] as told by Eric Ryan and Adam Lowry on the show in 2018.   This episode was produced by Noor Gill with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Casey Herman. Our audio engineer was Cena Loffredo. You can follow HIBT on X [https://x.com/HowIBuiltThis] & Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/howibuiltthis/] and sign up for Guy's free newsletter at guyraz.com [http://guyraz.com/] and on Substack [https://guyraz.substack.com/]. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

KIND bars: Daniel Lubetzky. From peace in the Middle East to a $5 billion snack bar

What if the thing you care about most ... might be what’s holding your business back? Daniel Lubetzky didn’t leave his law job to build a straightforward business. He left it to build a company he believed would support peace in the Middle East. Daniel named it, aptly, PeaceWorks. It partnered with Israeli and Arab businesses across the region to make and sell gourmet foods—together. But Daniel ran into a big problem: he discovered that lots of people don’t shop for a “cause”. Most people buy things they like—especially when it comes to food. Soon, Daniel was scrambling to find new revenue streams to support PeaceWorks. When he got the chance to sell an Australian snack bar in the U.S., he jumped on it—and did really well! But when Daniel's ONE big retailer dropped it, profits tanked. Daniel faced a brutal choice: Walk away… or start over. What came next was a leap of faith. He decided to create his OWN bar. It was almost completely unlike the competition at the time: It was made of whole nuts, fruits, sea salt, and a little chocolate—all easy to see in a novel, transparent wrapping.  Daniel named his company KIND, and when he sold it to Mars in 2020, it was valued at $5 billion! This is a story about why mission alone doesn't sell, how failure forces clarity, and the moment every founder faces when they must decide: Do I keep going ... or do I quit? What you’ll learn: Why customers don’t buy your mission—they buy your product The hidden danger of being “too purpose-driven” How to pivot without abandoning what matters to you Why control over manufacturing can make or break your business The surprising power of retail placement (and why checkout counters changed everything) How scarcity thinking can limit growth—even when you’re winning Why saying “yes” to the wrong opportunity (like Walmart too early) can hurt you Timestamps: 00:06:18 – “It really did shape almost all of my decisions”: How Daniel's father survived the Holocaust and built a new life in Mexico 00:17:40 – A landmark meeting of world leaders—and a dramatic career change 00:19:30 – From a bankrupt sun-dried tomato spread to PeaceWorks 00:24:29 – “They think you're adorable”: Why a mission isn’t enough to grow a business 00:30:59 – Overnight collapse: Finding a big, new revenue stream—then losing it 00:36:47 – The creation of the KIND bar 00:47:36 – “You couldn't say no to Walmart”: Entering big box too early 00:49:28 – The investment that pulled Daniel away from PeaceWorks 00:55:43 – Starbucks and sampling: How KIND became a household name 01:03:05 – An acquisition worth billions 01:06:25 – Daniel's new mission: Builders vs. destroyers This episode was produced by Alex Cheng with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Andrea Bruce with research help from Noor Gill. Our engineers were Maggie Luthar and Robert Rodriguez. Follow How I Built This: Instagram → @howibuiltthis [https://www.instagram.com/howibuiltthis/] X → @HowIBuiltThis [https://x.com/howibuiltthis] Facebook → How I Built This [https://www.facebook.com/howibuiltthis] Follow Guy Raz: Instagram → @guy.raz [https://www.instagram.com/guy.raz/] Youtube → guy_raz [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNSfrxNEmCruNtjIzxCBHjg] X → @guyraz [https://x.com/guyraz] Substack → guyraz.substack.com [http://guyraz.substack.com] Website → guyraz.com [http://guyraz.com] See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

Advice Line with Chieh Huang of Boxed

Today’s callers: Alec from California wonders if it’s time to bring production for his beef tallow skincare brand out of his kitchen to a co-manufacturer. Then, Jessica from California has a hit horse care product on her hands: is a major pet distributor a dream partnership or a brand-killer? And Eli in Minnesota is curious if he should tweak his signature anti-inflammatory coffee blend for bulk brewing or protect the original taste? Plus, Chieh reflects on his exit from Boxed and how his latest venture, Pelgo [https://www.pelgo.com/], helps people through similarly significant career transitions. Thank you to the founders of Surfing Cow, Tail Cinch, and Makor Coffee for being a part of our 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 the founding story of Boxed [https://wondery.com/shows/how-i-built-this/episode/10386-boxed-chieh-huang/?queryID=15aab058bc94424ce6e5d01219cc2c8] as told by Chieh on the show in 2021.  This episode was produced by Rommel Wood with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by John Isabella. Our audio engineer was Robert Rodriguez.   You can follow HIBT on X [https://x.com/HowIBuiltThis] & Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/howibuiltthis/] and sign up for Guy's free newsletter at guyraz.com [http://guyraz.com/] and on Substack [https://guyraz.substack.com/]. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

iRobot: Colin Angle. How The Roomba Became a Household Icon

Colin Angle didn’t start out trying to clean people’s floors. He started out trying to shape the future–with robots.  In the early days of iRobot, there was no business model. No steady funding. No clear customer. Just a belief that robotic technology would one day make the world a better place.  In the early days, the company built babbling toy dolls for Hasbro, and roving bomb-detectors for the military. But for more than a decade… nothing truly took off.  Until one idea—a robot vacuum—finally did.  With the Roomba, iRobot created a category from scratch, and a product that felt almost like a member of the family. Tens of millions of units sold, and the Roomba became part of popular culture.  But to avoid stagnation, iRobot had to sell to a bigger company. When a lucrative deal with Amazon fell through, the company hit a wall–and never recovered.    This is a story about building a business in survival mode, creating a household icon, and eventually getting bested by forces beyond your control.  What You’ll Learn  * How to launch a company when you’re not sure who your customers are * Why iRobot engineers underestimated marketing (and paid for it later) * How piles of Cheerios helped sell the Roomba * How iRobot shored up customer loyalty when the Roomba faltered  * Why even a hero product is not enough to sustain a company * How competition–and regulation–can unravel a business Timestamps  7:25 - “What have you built?”: The robotics lab job application. 12:25 - iRobot’s early business model: contracts, not consumers. 25:05 - Breaking into the toy market: The doll with a mind of its own. 36:10 - A key cleaning insight: people will pay hundreds—but only if it vacuums. 39:10 - The office Cheerios demo that won a retailer. 44:20 - A soaring launch, then stagnation: 250,000 vacuums stuck in inventory. 46:10 - The ad (for Pepsi!) that turbocharged Roomba.   55:55 - The need to diversify: robotic scrubbers, mops, pool cleaners?  58:00 - The $1.7 billion offer from Amazon–and how it unraveled. 1:03:40 - Life after Roomba.  This episode was produced by Katherine Sypher with music composed by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant with research help from Noor Gill. Our engineers were Patrick Murray and Kwesi Lee.  Follow How I Built This: Instagram → @howibuiltthis [https://www.instagram.com/howibuiltthis/] X → @HowIBuiltThis [https://x.com/howibuiltthis] Facebook → How I Built This [https://www.facebook.com/howibuiltthis] Follow Guy Raz: Instagram → @guy.raz [https://www.instagram.com/guy.raz/] Youtube → guy_raz [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNSfrxNEmCruNtjIzxCBHjg] X → @guyraz [https://x.com/guyraz] Substack → guyraz.substack.com [http://guyraz.substack.com] Website → guyraz.com [http://guyraz.com] See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].