How I Built This with Guy Raz

Today’s callers: Yadi from New York thinks through an expansion strategy for her college campus-based empanada business. Then, Zachary from New York looks for ways to break into big retailers with his fresh-made frozen pies. And Josh from Indiana wonders how to go all-in on his small mouth bass lifestyle brand without overhauling his family’s lifestyle.
Plus, Pete and Rashid reflect on the ‘protein-ification’ of our food, and how a scare last year reaffirmed the importance of doing right by the customer — no matter the cost.
Thank you to the founders of Yadi’s Artisanal Empanadas, Noble Pies, and Achigan 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 [email protected] or call 1-800-433-1298.
And be sure to listen to Chomps founding story as told by Pete and Rashid on the show in 2023.
This episode was produced by Kerry Thompson with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by John Isabella. Our audio engineer was Jimmy Keeley.
You can follow HIBT on X & 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.

Before Spinbrush became the top selling toothbrush in the U.S—and before Procter & Gamble paid $475M for it—John Osher was a teenager selling earrings for $4.99.
In this episode, John walks through the strange, scrappy, but disciplined path that led to one of the fastest consumer-product breakouts ever: from a six-year stint in a commune (where he learned plumbing and carpentry), to selling baby products and battery-powered spinning lollipops. Finally, the big bet: a $5 electric toothbrush that was cheap enough to compete with manual brushes, and good enough to become a best-seller.
You’ll hear the make-or-break moment that many founders can’t survive: the decision to scrap 400,000 defective brushes before they hit the shelves. And then, the stealth move that turned a “licensing pitch” into a buyout —with one perfectly timed bluff.
What you’ll learn:
Why pricing is about what the market will pay, not what your product costs
The hidden power of packaging (How “Try Me” changed everything)
How to recover from “entrepreneurial terror”
Why scrapping inventory can be the most important decision you’ll ever make
The acquisition formula: you get a lot more money when they want to buy… than when you want to sell

Timestamps:
07:01 - A pricing lesson that John used forever: The 19-cent earrings that sold for $4.99.
12:04 - Six years in a commune and the unexpected skill stack: plumbing and construction.
22:09 - “Entrepreneurial terror” and a lifeline from Toys R Us
29:11 - Spinning lollipops lead to a $166 million Hasbro exit.
35:54 - What’s the real competition: $80 electric toothbrushes, or cheap manual ones?
38:42 - The design breakthrough: fixed + oscillating bristles.
55:43 - P&G admits: “We’ve bought three companies like yours… and ruined them all.”
58:07 - The earnout problem: What happens when Spinbrush performs much better than expected?

Hey—want to be a guest on HIBT?
If you’re building a business, why not get advice from some of the greatest entrepreneurs on Earth?
Every Thursday on the HIBT Advice Line, a previous HIBT guest helps new entrepreneurs work through the challenges they’re facing right now. Advice that’s smart, actionable, and absolutely free.
Just call 1-800-433-1298, leave a message, and you may soon get guidance from someone who started where you did, and went on to build something massive.
So—give us a call. We can’t wait to hear what you’re working on.

This episode was produced by Katherine Sypher, with music composed by Ramtin Arablouei.
It was edited by Neva Grant, with research by Rommel Wood.
Our engineers were Patrick Murray and Kwesi Lee.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s callers: Mia from Germany wants to know how to balance her pottery business between an online shop and a YouTube channel. Then, Jen from Connecticut is looking for ways to reach more families with her print magazine for tweens and teens. And Anagha from California wonders how to convince people to embrace the time required for her globally-inspired baking kits.

Plus, Julia reflects on Eventbrite’s recent acquisition announcement, and how in-person events can help brands and creators build community in today’s digital world.

Thank you to the founders of Pottery to the People, Anyway Magazine, and Aunty Misri 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 [email protected] or call 1-800-433-1298.

And be sure to listen to Eventbrite’s founding story as told by Julia on the show in 2020.

This episode was produced by Chris Maccini with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by John Isabella. Our audio engineer was Cena Loffredo.

You can follow HIBT on X & 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.

Netflix shouldn’t have survived.
In 1997, Blockbuster owned home entertainment—9,000 stores, a business fueled by late fees, and a brand that felt untouchable. Netflix was a scrappy DVD-by-mail experiment that almost sold itself off to stay alive.
So how did Netflix win?
In this conversation, Reed Hastings breaks down the behind-the-scenes decisions that helped the business thrive: the uncomfortable leadership choices, the culture blueprint that surprised corporate America, and a near-catastrophic misstep that could have blown the whole thing up.
Reed also talks about what shaped him long before Netflix: being a late-bloomer, teaching in the Peace Corps, learning humility from a former boss, and the painful management mistakes he made while building his first company.
This is a masterclass in: challenging the status quo, choosing a culture on purpose, and making big bets without pretending you’re always right.

What you’ll learn:
Why Netflix’s early “obvious” advantages weren’t enough—and how close it came to dying
The leadership lesson Reed learned from a CEO who was admirable… but strategically wrong
Why Reed says the best companies are like championship sports teams: if you can’t perform at peak, leave
The “keeper test” and how it changed corporate culture
The Qwikster fiasco: what went wrong, and how Netflix moved to prevent future missteps
Building a House of Cards: How Netflix made the leap to original content
Reed on the media landscape: The remote-control moment of truth, rival streamers, and the rise of AI

Timestamps:
00:08:06 — “I was a late bloomer.” Reed on why no one saw greatness coming
00:09:30 — Peace Corps in Swaziland, and the moment he nearly quit
00:11:23 — An unforgettable lesson learned from the CEO who washed Reed’s coffee cups
00:14:39 — Building his first company in a cold cabin—no internet, just obsession and proof of concept
00:16:48 — Reed’s early struggles as a manager: “Too busy chopping wood to sharpen the axe.”
00:24:11 — Blockbuster’s late-fee pain and an early bet on DVDs
00:44:47 — The dot-com crash… and the $50M LVMH round that saved Netflix (barely)
00:47:12 — A possible Blockbuster buyout: “We probably would’ve taken any offer.”
00:56:18 — The Netflix culture deck: “We’re not a family,” and why that shook people up
01:05:07 — The Qwikster crisis, and the backlash that humbled Reed
01:19:33 — The competition: Netflix is just <10% of TV viewing—and the real threat is YouTube

Hey—want to be a guest on HIBT?
If you’re building a business, why not get advice from some of the greatest entrepreneurs on Earth?
Every Thursday on the HIBT Advice Line, a previous HIBT guest helps new entrepreneurs work through the challenges they’re facing right now. Advice that’s smart, actionable, and absolutely free.
Just call 1-800-433-1298, leave a message, and you may soon get guidance from someone who started where you did, and went on to build something massive.
So—give us a call. We can’t wait to hear what you’re working on.

This episode was produced and researched by Sam Paulson with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant. Our engineers were Patrick Murray and Robert Rodriguez.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Plus, Jon’s take on why now is a good time to start a business — in spite of market uncertainty.
Today’s callers: Dan from Washington considers new offerings beyond his core loose leaf yerba mate product. Then, Mike from New Hampshire wants to expand his woodworking business beyond his basement, without taking on debt. And Maggie from Georgia wonders how to respond to rising customer acquisition costs for her soccer-themed dog brand.
Thank you to the founders of Heretic Yerba, MTS Woodworking, and Floofball 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 [email protected] or call 1-800-433-1298.
And be sure to listen to Betterment’s founding story as told by Jon on the show in 2018.
This episode was produced by Noor Gill with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by John Isabella. Our audio engineer was Kwesi Lee.
You can follow HIBT on X & 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.