Hardware Podcasts

Rick Steves' Europe: Rick Steves (2021)

How I Built This · 7 Jul 2025 · 1h 17m

What this episode covers

Rick Steves, founder of Rick Steves' Europe, explains how he built a $100 million travel business by giving away content for free, starting with self-published guidebooks like 'Europe Through the Back Door' and low-cost minibus tours. He details the transition from a one-man operation selling books out of his car to launching the PBS show 'Rick Steves' Europe' with Small World Productions, which served as a marketing engine for his paid tours and books. Steves discusses the strategic decision to keep his core products (TV and radio) free to drive revenue from high-margin tour operations, while navigating the personal toll of balancing a growing company with family life.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Rick Steves' Europe, Small World Productions
Products
Europe Through the Back Door
Also
Arthur Frommer

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • People of Packaging · 34m

    92 - Combining faith and business with Ben Steuart

    Ben Steuart, founder of Stewart Contract Packaging, discusses building a food co-packing business in rural Minnesota, transitioning from his father's production facility to serving brands with blending and filling services. He details operational challenges, including the rapid scaling during the pandemic and the subsequent cancellation of hand sanitizer contracts, which forced a pivot to nutritional powders and stick packs. Steuart emphasizes a company culture rooted in faith and mentorship, focusing on employee development, lean manufacturing, and transparent relationships with packaging suppliers to minimize waste.

    Manufacturing partners & offshoringHiring & workforce
    7 chapters

  • It's Only a Prototype · 44m

    Bootstrapped to 800,000 Units Sold Worldwide: The Story Behind Rockit

    Matt Dyson, co-founder of Rockit, explains how he and his brother-in-law Nick Webb transformed a gaffer-taped DIY prototype into a global brand selling over 800,000 units. Dyson details the journey from quitting teaching to bootstrapping the business, securing IP protection on a shoestring, and raising £250,000 via CrowdCube. He discusses the strategic decision to use distributors for global expansion, maintaining a lean team of four, and fighting off cheap Chinese copycats through strong branding and IP enforcement.

    Starting a product companyIntellectual property
    7 chapters

  • Thoroughly Considered · 48m

    34: Goals and Plans for 2018

    Dan Provost and Tom Gerhardt of Studio Neat discuss their 2018 goals, including a new Kickstarter product and structural changes to their workflow. Mike Curley of Relay FM shares his strategy for revenue growth through increased ad rates and new show launches, while explaining his focus on business metrics over download numbers. The hosts compare their operational models, with Studio Neat adopting a 'profit first' financial system and cyclical work schedules to manage product development cycles.

    Pricing, margins & unit economicsLeadership, teams & culture
    5 chapters

  • Just Gonna Send It · 1h 04m

    Mike Burroughs (Founder / Creator, Stanceworks)

    Mike Burroughs, founder of Stanceworks, explains how he pivoted from a car culture blog to a full-time YouTube career, driven by the decision to buy and modify a Ferrari 308 with a Honda engine swap. He details the financial risks of funding his ambitious Ferrari F40 tube-chassis project by liquidating other assets, leaving him with only $258 to his name. Burroughs also discusses the operational realities of running a small content business, including managing sponsors like Send Cut Send and balancing creative momentum with production demands.

    Creator businessCrowdfunding & preorders
    5 chapters

  • People of Packaging · 12m

    331 - I wrote a book and it's out TODAY!

    Adam Peek, founder of Label King, discusses the release of his new book, 'Sales Exegesis: A Pastor’s Journey into Packaging Sales,' detailing the unique process of writing it. He explains how he leveraged 14 years of LinkedIn content and voice memos from his commute to train an AI ghostwriter, allowing him to structure his thoughts without extensive typing. Peek outlines his core philosophy of building sales strategies on observable, objective truth rather than hype, drawing parallels between his past as a pastor and modern sales techniques.

    Direct-to-consumer & e-commerceAI & machine learning
    1 chapters

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by How I Built This. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.