How I Built This with Guy Raz

Dollar Shave Club founder Michael Dubin joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Michael shares his latest career pivot into the screenwriting world. First, Benita from New Jersey asks how to create a “guerilla-style” marketing campaign to introduce customers to her specialty Syrian Cheese. Then, Brandon from California wonders how he can encourage his mobile mini golf employees to become more emotionally invested in his business. And finally, Bria from Kansas wants to know the best way to scale her custom wildland firefighter uniforms.  Thank you to the founders of Kasbo’s Middle Eastern Kitchen, Parrs Mobile Mini Golf, and Incidental Wildland for being a part of our show. 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 [hibt@id.wondery.com] or call 1-800-433-1298. And be sure to listen to Dollar Shave Club’s founding story [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-episode-dollar-shave-club-michael-dubin/id1150510297?i=1000425929182] as told by Michael on the show in 2018.  This episode was produced by Noor Gill with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Andrea Bruce. Our audio engineer was Cena Loffredo. You can follow HIBT on Twitter & Instagram 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].

What if the best startup isn’t sexy at all? In 2013, Vijen Patel left private equity to pursue “the least-worst idea”: dry cleaning. No patents. No app wizardry. Just laundry lockers in high-rises, ruthless unit economics, and a $1.99-a-shirt price that was seared into America’s brain. From bootstrapping routes at 5 a.m. to breaking even in 6 weeks, Vijen and co-founder Drew McKenna scaled Pressbox to hundreds of locations, stared down well-funded competitors, and ultimately sold to Procter & Gamble, where Pressbox became Tide Cleaners (now ~1,200 locations). After the exit, Vijen launched The 81 Collection, a VC fund backing “boring” businesses that quietly power the economy. This episode is a masterclass in building profit first, creating user behavior (not changing it), and protecting customer retention like your life depends on it. What you’ll learn: * How the “least-worst idea” found product-market fit * How sidestepping rent + labor can flip margins from 15% to ~40% * The efficiency insight that beat “Uber-for-X” rivals * The new-residence edge: creating customer habits with a welcome-kit * Why Pressbox had to set crazy-high retention goals (98%!) * How to keep competitors close—and turn a Goliath into your buyer * The post-exit premise: “boring” businesses are engines of the middle class Timestamps: * Choosing dry cleaning with a private equity lens: don’t do it for passion–focus on practicality — 00:09:30 * The SMS “app”: low tech, high convenience — 00:14:14 * Unit economics breakthrough: lockers (26 transactions per hr) versus scheduled pickup (4-6) — 00:18:55 * The $1.99 insight: a price everyone expected — 00:24:58 * How getting into Chicago’s top high-rise was a game-changer — 00:31:11 * Margins that work: if you’re a high-rise “amenity,” you don’t pay rent — 00:33:08 * Competing with Washio: convenience wins — 00:39:07 * Vertical integration: building the plant, staffing via Spanish newspapers — 00:41:48 * P&G looms: head-to-head, then the acquisition dance — 00:51:25 * Burnout, trade-offs, and life after exit: launching a VC fund that specializes in boring businesses — 01:03:28 This episode was produced by Alex Cheng with music composed by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant with research help from Olivia Rockeman. Our engineers were Patrick Murray and Maggie Luthar. Follow How I Built This: Instagram → @howibuiltthis [https://www.instagram.com/howibuiltthis/] X → @HowIBuiltThis [https://x.com/howibuiltthis] Facebook → How I Built This [https://www.facebook.com/howibuiltthis] Follow Guy Raz: Instagram → @guy.raz [https://www.instagram.com/guy.raz/] Youtube → guy_raz [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNSfrxNEmCruNtjIzxCBHjg] X → @guyraz [https://x.com/guyraz] Substack → https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/guyraz.substack.com__;!!Iwwt!RZoD751oWzUzoqqdJiqaoL6HdJfRHDUO1TKvYJ424d3Udn7-Pw9Nj6nEsauh9zcgEvLjUEc$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].

Tony Xu, founder of DoorDash, joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs. Plus, Tony updates Guy on his latest ventures: expanding into grocery and retail delivery - and taking on international markets. First, we hear from Ron in Portland, who’s wondering about the right time to expand his product line - from kitchen knives to cutting boards. Then Kathryn in Raleigh, North Carolina asks if it’s time to raise outside money to expand her line of date sweetened dark Chocolate bars.  Finally, Yori in Stanford, Connecticut - wants to know the best way to educate customers about the benefits of buying grass raised beef.  Thanks to the founders of Steelport Knife Company, Spring and Mulberry and Route 22 Meats for being a part of our show. 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 Doordash’s founding story [https://wondery.com/shows/how-i-built-this/episode/10386-doordash-tony-xu/], as told by Tony on the show in 2018. This episode was produced by Kerry Thompson with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Andrea Bruce. Our audio engineer was Cena Loffredo. 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].

What if the founder of one of the internet’s most enduring brands… never wanted to run a company? In 1995, Craig Newmark was a 42-year-old computer programmer in San Francisco who simply wanted to share local tech meetups with friends. He started an email list that became Craigslist—a website that reshaped how we find jobs, apartments, and community. In this conversation, Craig opens up about how not having a grand vision (or a taste for power) led to one of the most popular platforms in the world. With fewer than 50 employees, Craigslist still generates hundreds of millions in revenue—while looking like a website frozen in 1996. This is the story of an “accidental entrepreneur” who built a global brand by being in the right place at the right time—and why he now calls himself the Forrest Gump of the Internet. In this episode, you’ll learn: * Why keeping things simple is often the smartest design choice. * How knowing your weaknesses can be the ultimate superpower. * Why community beats marketing every time. * How to monetize minimally—and still build a wildly profitable company. * Why luck and timing matter more than you might think. Timestamps: * 07:10 Craig’s childhood struggles with social situations—and how local Holocaust survivors shaped his worldview * 16:15 Discovering the early internet and becoming an “evangelist” at Charles Schwab * 20:07 The simple email list that broke at 240 addresses—and became “Craig’s List” * 29:16 Why Craig refused banner ads and said no to early monetization * 35:00 Handing the CEO role to Jim Buckmaster—and how that decision led to Craigslist’s success * 49:44 eBay buys a stake in Craigslist, then launches a competitor—sparking a messy legal battle * 53:46 Was Craigslist really responsible for killing newspaper classifieds? Craig reveals his opinion * 58:08 Why Craig gave hundreds of millions of dollars to support journalism, veterans, and… pigeons * 1:03:10 Craig on money, meaning, and why billionaires are often miserable 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/] X → @guyraz [https://x.com/guyraz] Substack → guyraz.substack.com [http://guyraz.substack.com/] Website → guyraz.com [http://guyraz.com/]   This episode was produced by Chris Maccini with music composed by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Kevin Leahy with research by Sam Paulson.  Our engineers were Patrick Murray, Maggie Luthar and Robert Rodriguez. 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].

Randy Hetrick, former Navy SEAL and founder of the suspension training company TRX, joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs. Plus, Randy updates Guy on his latest venture, a mobile gym called Outfit that brings the workout to you. First, we hear from Paige in Toronto, who’s wondering how to best capitalize on a major new retail account for her caffeine-conscious energy drink company. Then Kerri in British Columbia asks how to select the right strategic investor for her Australian-style meat pie bakery chain. And Katharine in Ontario wonders whether it's best to expand or narrow the focus of her adaptive clothing brand. Thank you to the founders of Benny, Peaked Pies and Adaptt Apparel for being a part of our show. 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 TRX’s founding story [https://wondery.com/shows/how-i-built-this/episode/10386-trx-randy-hetrick/?queryID=61feaae61e84a8f4a2d93d99e780d2cd] as told by Randy on the show in 2017. This episode was produced by Katherine Sypher with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Andrea Bruce. Our audio engineers were Robert Rodriguez and Kwesi Lee. 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].