Hardware Podcasts

Rolling Stone: Jann Wenner

How I Built This · 10 Jul 2017 · 46m

What this episode covers

Jann Wenner, founder of Rolling Stone magazine, explains how he launched the publication in 1967 with $7,500 from family and friends, leveraging his connection with jazz critic Ralph Gleason to capture the Bay Area counterculture. Wenner details the magazine's early operational challenges, including relying on volunteer staff, navigating distribution costs, and the pivotal decision to move from San Francisco to New York in 1977 to access industry resources. He also discusses the editorial crisis surrounding the false UVA rape story, his management philosophy, and the eventual sale of the company after 50 years.

Most relevant to

founders before launch, companies scaling up and established companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
San Francisco Chronicle, U.S. Bank
Products
Rolling Stone, Ramparts magazine, Micro Fantasy, Outside, Men's Journal

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