# The Chipmunks: Ross Bagdasarian Jr. & Janice Karman

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2017-09-18
- Length: 56m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-09-18-the-chipmunks-ross-bagdasarian-jr-janice-karman

## Summary

Ross Bagdasarian Jr. and Janice Karman explain how they revived the Alvin and the Chipmunks franchise after their father's death, overcoming years of rejection from major studios by leveraging the success of the 'Chipmunk Punk' album. They detail the business strategy of retaining intellectual property rights, the financial pitfalls of early TV deals and a failed partnership with Universal, and the eventual billion-dollar success of the Fox films. The episode also covers their personal dynamic as a husband-and-wife team running the company from their home in Santa Barbara.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-09-18-the-chipmunks-ross-bagdasarian-jr-janice-karman#t=0) Introduction: Ross Bagdasarian Jr. & Janice Karman
- [8:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-09-18-the-chipmunks-ross-bagdasarian-jr-janice-karman#t=500) Reviving the Franchise After Rejection
- [15:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-09-18-the-chipmunks-ross-bagdasarian-jr-janice-karman#t=917) The Chipmunk Punk Breakthrough
- [23:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-09-18-the-chipmunks-ross-bagdasarian-jr-janice-karman#t=1416) Producing the 1983 TV Series and Syndication
- [36:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-09-18-the-chipmunks-ross-bagdasarian-jr-janice-karman#t=2193) The Universal Partnership and Lawsuit
- [43:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-09-18-the-chipmunks-ross-bagdasarian-jr-janice-karman#t=2592) Fox Films and Billion-Dollar Revenue
- [49:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-09-18-the-chipmunks-ross-bagdasarian-jr-janice-karman#t=2942) Running the Business as a Couple
- [54:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-09-18-the-chipmunks-ross-bagdasarian-jr-janice-karman#t=3259) Postscript: Daniel Clark-Webster and RompHim

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Intellectual property](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/intellectual-property)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Alvin and the Chipmunks (product)
- Chipmunk Punk (product)
- NBC (company)
- Universal (company)
- Fox (company)
- Viacom (company)
- RompHim (product)
- U.S. Bank (company)

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- [Ep. 26 | Microchip's Steve Sanghi on How to Bring a Company from Debt to Billions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2021-06-08-ep-26-microchips-steve-sanghi-on-how-to-bring-a-company-from-debt-to-billions) (Moore's Lobby)
- [Bootstrapped to 800,000 Units Sold Worldwide: The Story Behind Rockit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/its-only-a-prototype/2025-04-17-bootstrapped-to-800-000-units-sold-worldwide-the-story-behind-rockit) (It's Only a Prototype)
- [134: Kevin Kelly Remains Undefeated](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2026-06-24-134-kevin-kelly-remains-undefeated) (Thoroughly Considered)
- [008: Temporary Face Masks & Surviving Shark Tank, Doug Marshall of The Game Face Company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-05-17-008-temporary-face-masks-surviving-shark-tank-doug-marshall-of-the-game-face-com) (Product Startup)
- [Against All Odds: Overcoming Huge Setbacks to Sell 5 Million Worldwide](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/its-only-a-prototype/2025-05-15-against-all-odds-overcoming-huge-setbacks-to-sell-5-million-worldwide) (It's Only a Prototype)

## Citing this page

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