# Sonos: John MacFarlane

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2024-02-19
- Length: 1h 00m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-19-sonos-john-macfarlane

## Summary

John MacFarlane, co-founder and former CEO of Sonos, recounts the company's journey from a 2002 garage startup to a billion-dollar enterprise, detailing the technical challenges of creating a reliable wireless home audio system before Wi-Fi was mature. He explains how Sonos survived early skepticism, a hostile confrontation with Steve Jobs over patent infringement, and the market disruption caused by Amazon's Echo by doubling down on sound quality and integrating with voice assistants rather than building their own. MacFarlane also discusses the personal toll of leadership, his decision to step down in 2017 due to burnout, and his belief that timing and luck played a larger role in Sonos's success than hard work alone.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-19-sonos-john-macfarlane#t=0) Introduction: John MacFarlane and the Vision for Wireless Music
- [3:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-19-sonos-john-macfarlane#t=228) From software.com to the Genesis of Sonos
- [22:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-19-sonos-john-macfarlane#t=1349) Building the Mesh Network with Atheros
- [27:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-19-sonos-john-macfarlane#t=1628) The All Things Digital Launch and Steve Jobs Confrontation
- [31:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-19-sonos-john-macfarlane#t=1870) Early Product Struggles, Pricing, and Retail Distribution
- [38:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-19-sonos-john-macfarlane#t=2323) The Play 5 Launch and Streaming Service Integration
- [44:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-19-sonos-john-macfarlane#t=2684) Competing with Amazon Echo and Voice Assistants
- [50:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-19-sonos-john-macfarlane#t=3056) Founder Burnout and Stepping Down as CEO

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Wireless & RF](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/wireless-and-rf)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [Founder wellbeing](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/founder-wellbeing)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies, companies scaling up, established companies

## Mentioned

- Sonos (company)
- Atheros (company)
- software.com (company)
- Rhapsody (product)
- Pandora (product)
- iTunes (product)
- Amazon Echo (product)
- Alexa (product)
- Siri (product)
- Play 5 (product)
- Best Buy (company)
- Tweeter (company)
- Steve Jobs (other)
- Walt Mossberg (other)
- Phil Schiller (other)

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## Citing this page

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