# Rolling Stone: Jann Wenner

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2017-07-10
- Length: 46m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-07-10-rolling-stone-jann-wenner

## Summary

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.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-07-10-rolling-stone-jann-wenner#t=0) Introduction: Jann Wenner and Rolling Stone
- [2:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-07-10-rolling-stone-jann-wenner#t=144) The Berkeley Roots and Meeting Ralph Gleason
- [7:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-07-10-rolling-stone-jann-wenner#t=472) Funding and Launching the First Issue
- [12:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-07-10-rolling-stone-jann-wenner#t=721) Early Operations and Distribution Challenges
- [16:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-07-10-rolling-stone-jann-wenner#t=1016) Gaining National Attention and Hunter S. Thompson
- [25:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-07-10-rolling-stone-jann-wenner#t=1504) Financial Crisis and Moving to New York
- [37:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-07-10-rolling-stone-jann-wenner#t=2265) Management Style and the UVA Editorial Crisis
- [40:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-07-10-rolling-stone-jann-wenner#t=2452) Legacy, Ownership, and Future Succession
- [43:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-07-10-rolling-stone-jann-wenner#t=2600) Postscript: Joel Crites and Micro Fantasy

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, companies scaling up, established companies

## Mentioned

- Rolling Stone (product)
- Ramparts magazine (product)
- San Francisco Chronicle (company)
- U.S. Bank (company)
- Micro Fantasy (product)
- Outside (product)
- Men's Journal (product)

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- [130: Embarrassment, Then Relief](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2026-01-09-130-embarrassment-then-relief) (Thoroughly Considered)
- [030: Launching a product with $500 and no industry knowledge, Josh Smith of Libertine Fragrance](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-12-06-030-launching-a-product-with-500-and-no-industry-knowledge-josh-smith-of-liberti) (Product Startup)
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- [321 - REPENT! The Label King, Robert Parker, is here!](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2025-08-11-321-repent-the-label-king-robert-parker-is-here) (People of Packaging)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-07-10-rolling-stone-jann-wenner. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to How I Built This.