# HOORAE: Issa Rae

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2022-09-26
- Length: 1h 20m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-09-26-hoorae-issa-rae

## Summary

Issa Rae, founder of HOORAE Media, explains how she transitioned from making low-budget college web series like 'Dorm Diaries' and 'The F Word' to creating the breakout hit 'Insecure'. She details the pivot to 'The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl', which utilized a Kickstarter campaign to fund production and attracted Pharrell Williams' support, leading to her HBO deal. Rae also discusses the painful failure of her earlier pitch 'I Hate L.A. Dudes' with Shonda Rhimes, which taught her the importance of maintaining a distinct creative voice against network notes.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-09-26-hoorae-issa-rae#t=0) Introduction: Issa Rae and the Sandbox Concept
- [6:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-09-26-hoorae-issa-rae#t=367) Early Influences: Family, Acting, and Writing Scripts
- [17:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-09-26-hoorae-issa-rae#t=1059) Stanford Years: College Theater and Web Series Experiments
- [25:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-09-26-hoorae-issa-rae#t=1535) New York Struggles and the Theft of Equipment
- [35:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-09-26-hoorae-issa-rae#t=2141) Moving to LA and Creating 'The F Word'
- [40:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-09-26-hoorae-issa-rae#t=2409) The Birth of 'Awkward Black Girl' and Kickstarter
- [53:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-09-26-hoorae-issa-rae#t=3211) The Failure of 'I Hate L.A. Dudes' with Shonda Rhimes
- [1:01:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-09-26-hoorae-issa-rae#t=3712) Developing 'Insecure' with Larry Wilmore and HBO
- [1:10:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-09-26-hoorae-issa-rae#t=4250) Building HOORAE Media and Color Creative
- [1:17:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-09-26-hoorae-issa-rae#t=4644) Reflections on Success, Luck, and Family

## Topics

- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Debugging & failure analysis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/debugging-and-failure-analysis)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- HOORAE Media (company)
- Insecure (product)
- The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl (product)
- Dorm Diaries (product)
- The F Word (product)
- I Hate L.A. Dudes (product)
- Color Creative (company)
- Shonda Rhimes (other)
- Pharrell Williams (other)
- Kickstarter (tool)
- HBO (company)
- Larry Wilmore (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [#100 Toasting to 100 Episodes of The Startup CPG Podcast with Our Favorite Moments](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-07-25-100-toasting-to-100-episodes-of-the-startup-cpg-podcast-with-our-favorite-moment) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Ep. 39 - Starting a Hardware Company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2025-05-15-ep-39-starting-a-hardware-company) (Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast)
- [S3 E7: Building Bootstrapped Hardware That Sells with Christian Reed](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-builder-circle/2026-01-13-s3-e7-building-bootstrapped-hardware-that-sells-with-christian-reed) (The Builder Circle)
- [2: Launching](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2015-10-05-2-launching) (Thoroughly Considered)
- [027: Inventing the Arctic Stick & Crowdfunding with Brandon Adams of Keys to the Crowd](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-11-15-027-inventing-the-arctic-stick-crowdfunding-with-brandon-adams-of-keys-to-the-cr) (Product Startup)

## Citing this page

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