# Advice Line with RJ Scaringe with Rivian

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2025-05-15
- Length: 52m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-05-15-advice-line-with-rj-scaringe-with-rivian

## Summary

Rivian founder and CEO RJ Scaringe joins Guy Raz to answer questions from three early-stage founders: Ashley Vetter of Vedder's Organic Ice Cream, Kwadwo Tompong of Crafted Glory, and Robert Button of Zoa Engineering. Scaringe discusses how shifting trade policies and tariffs impact the complex, multi-tiered automotive supply chain, noting that reshoring capabilities like nickel processing takes years, not months. He also emphasizes the importance of consumer choice in the EV market, citing Rivian's software licensing partnership with Volkswagen Group to expand options beyond Tesla. For the callers, he advises on scaling strategies, from securing aligned investors for global expansion to balancing product design with business development for legacy brands.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-05-15-advice-line-with-rj-scaringe-with-rivian#t=0) Introduction: RJ Scaringe and Rivian's Supply Chain Challenges
- [3:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-05-15-advice-line-with-rj-scaringe-with-rivian#t=236) Tariffs, Trade Policy, and Supply Chain Complexity
- [9:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-05-15-advice-line-with-rj-scaringe-with-rivian#t=551) EV Competition, Consumer Choice, and the Volkswagen Partnership
- [11:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-05-15-advice-line-with-rj-scaringe-with-rivian#t=670) Vedder's Organic Ice Cream: Scaling and Fundraising Advice
- [22:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-05-15-advice-line-with-rj-scaringe-with-rivian#t=1332) Crafted Glory: Leaving Corporate Job and Scaling Furniture Business
- [37:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-05-15-advice-line-with-rj-scaringe-with-rivian#t=2269) Zoa Engineering: Moving from Early Adopters to Mainstream
- [49:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-05-15-advice-line-with-rj-scaringe-with-rivian#t=2947) Scaringe's Advice to Younger Self: People and Flexibility

## Topics

- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, founders before launch

## Mentioned

- Rivian (company)
- Vedder's Organic Ice Cream (company)
- Crafted Glory (company)
- Zoa Engineering (company)
- Volkswagen Group (company)
- Tesla (company)
- GM (company)
- Porsche (company)
- Audi (company)
- R1T (product)
- R1S (product)
- R2 (product)
- R3 (product)
- PL1 (product)
- Model 3 (product)
- Model Y (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [S5E6 Alex Anderson & Lilly Macaruso | Rivian & The Rebelle Rally](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-02-09-s5e6-alex-anderson-lilly-macaruso-rivian-the-rebelle-rally) (Being an Engineer)
- [Interview with Eric Ries - Transorted Testing Tachydidaxy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-08-21-interview-with-eric-ries-transorted-testing-tachydidaxy) (The Amp Hour)
- [Rainer Koppitz of KATEK SE on Trends and Speedboats - EMS@C-Level 2023](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2023-01-22-rainer-koppitz-of-katek-se-on-trends-and-speedboats-ems-c-level-2023) (EMS@C-LEVEL)
- [#048 - RERUN - How to think like Elon Musk - scrum for hardware, with Joe Justice of WIKISPEED and Scrum Inc, USA](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2018-02-14-048-rerun-how-to-think-like-elon-musk-scrum-for-hardware-with-joe-justice-of-wik) (The Hardware Entrepreneur)
- [#115 Pure Gold Series: Lessons on Iterating from Seth Goldman + Updates on Eat the Change & Just Ice Tea](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-11-21-115-pure-gold-series-lessons-on-iterating-from-seth-goldman-updates-on-eat-the-c) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

## Citing this page

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