# Calm: Alex Tew and Michael Acton Smith

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2025-05-26
- Length: 1h 17m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-05-26-calm-alex-tew-and-michael-acton-smith

## Summary

Alex Tew and Michael Acton Smith, co-founders of Calm, recount the journey from their early internet ventures (Firebox, Moshi Monsters) to building the meditation app Calm. They discuss overcoming investor skepticism about monetizing mindfulness, the strategic pivot to 'Sleep Stories' narrated by celebrities like Matthew McConaughey and Harry Styles, and the scrappy user acquisition tactics that drove growth without early VC funding. The episode highlights their decision to step down as CEOs to focus on healthcare expansion via the acquisition of Ripple Health Group.

## Chapters

- [3:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-05-26-calm-alex-tew-and-michael-acton-smith#t=223) Early Ventures: Firebox and Moshi Monsters
- [12:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-05-26-calm-alex-tew-and-michael-acton-smith#t=774) The Million Dollar Homepage and Pixelato
- [36:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-05-26-calm-alex-tew-and-michael-acton-smith#t=2177) Buying calm.com and Early Prototyping
- [46:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-05-26-calm-alex-tew-and-michael-acton-smith#t=2818) Investor Skepticism and Bootstrapping
- [1:00:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-05-26-calm-alex-tew-and-michael-acton-smith#t=3613) The Pivot to Sleep Stories and Celebrity Narrators
- [1:08:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-05-26-calm-alex-tew-and-michael-acton-smith#t=4132) Scaling, Series A, and Healthcare Expansion

## Topics

- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Calm (product)
- Moshi Monsters (product)
- Firebox (company)
- Mind Candy (company)
- Perplex City (product)
- Million Dollar Homepage (product)
- Headspace (product)
- Ripple Health Group (company)
- United Healthcare (company)
- Matthew McConaughey (other)
- Stephen Fry (other)
- Harry Styles (other)
- LeBron James (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Founder Feature: Daniela Suarez of iCalm](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2024-11-01-founder-feature-daniela-suarez-of-icalm) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [#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)
- [#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)
- [#79 First Hire Series: Behind the scenes on hiring with Sweet Nothings](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-02-14-79-first-hire-series-behind-the-scenes-on-hiring-with-sweet-nothings) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [#028 - Meet the creators of FitBit for medication, with Peter Havas of PillDrill, USA](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-05-31-028-meet-the-creators-of-fitbit-for-medication-with-peter-havas-of-pilldrill-usa) (The Hardware Entrepreneur)

## Citing this page

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