Hardware Podcasts

Simon Cowell: Music Mogul

How I Built This · 4 Aug 2025 · 1h 08m

What this episode covers

Simon Cowell, founder of Syco Entertainment, recounts his journey from an EMI mailroom employee to a global music and television mogul. He details his early A&R successes with Sonita and Zig and Zag, his strategic pivot to licensing music from pop culture phenomena like Power Rangers and WrestleMania, and his creation of the reality TV format for shows like American Idol and The X Factor. Cowell explains how he leveraged blunt honesty and a focus on mass appeal to build Syco, while also discussing his recent challenges in launching a new boy band for Netflix.

Most relevant to

established companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Syco Entertainment, EMI, Netflix
Products
Sonita, Zig and Zag, Power Rangers, WrestleMania, American Idol, The X Factor

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • 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

  • Product Startup · 40m

    079: How To Start Selling Your Product Then Scale

    Jan Cavelle, founder of Jan Cavelle Furniture Company and author of 'Scale for Success', explains how she built a multi-million dollar furniture business by starting with direct B2B phone sales and identifying market gaps through customer listening. She details the transition from a cottage industry to a scaled operation, emphasizing the critical importance of implementing CRM systems and operational processes early to avoid complexity and data loss as the team grows. Cavelle argues that building a great product based on customer feedback is the foundation for successful scaling, while maintaining creative freedom through structured but flexible systems.

    Direct-to-consumer & e-commerceScaling production
    7 chapters

  • The Startup CPG Podcast · 1h 09m

    #147 - Rising Star: Simon Solis-Cohen, Huxley

    Simon Solis-Cohen, founder of Huxley, explains how he launched a plant-powered energy drink in just 130 days, leveraging his background in culinary arts and wine marketing to prioritize real fruit juice and upcycled cascara. He details the rapid formulation process with a local co-packer, the strategic importance of national park-inspired branding, and securing early retail partnerships with UNFI, Lululemon, and Misfits Market. Solis discusses his 'slow growth' strategy, focusing on the Minneapolis market and targeting demographics like Gen Z and 'Diet Coke moms' while maintaining high sustainability standards through 1% for the Planet and plastic-free packaging.

    Materials & manufacturing processesIndustrial & consumer product design
    6 chapters

  • Thoroughly Considered · 49m

    134: Kevin Kelly Remains Undefeated

    Dan Provost, co-founder of Studio Neat, discusses his new custom guitar company, Offkilter Guitars, detailing the transition from hobbyist to small business, including sourcing parts from Warmouth and managing a fragmented manufacturing process. Myke Hurley shares insights from his successful Kickstarter campaign for 'Designed in California,' a historical podcast series with Jason Snell, explaining how pre-selling memberships helped fund ambitious production goals and overcome subscription fatigue.

    Crowdfunding & preordersStarting a product company
    8 chapters

  • Predictable Designs Podcast · 54m

    How to Build an Audience for Your Product with Craig Rettew

    Craig Rettew, founder of Zepto Industries and an electrical engineer, discusses his journey from corporate roles at FLIR Systems to launching his own product, the Stomp Switch, a wired USB foot pedal for media control. He explains his strategy of building an audience through YouTube, guest blogging, and Facebook ads before finalizing the product, emphasizing the importance of validating a niche market early. Rettew highlights the challenges of component shortages and the need to balance engineering services with product development, advocating for using crowdfunding like Kickstarter as a market validation tool rather than just a funding source.

    Crowdfunding & preordersMarketing & brand
    8 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.