How I Built This · 4 Sept 2025 · 37m
Guy Raz is joined by Troy Carter, Joe Gebbia, and Sadie Lincoln to advise callers on leveraging their business strengths. Honor from Dosey seeks advice on celebrity partnerships for her pill organizer brand, while RV from ProltUp Optics asks how to scale his South African optics company into mass retail. Finally, Genevieve from Go Sail Virgin Islands discusses scaling her sailing instruction business and hiring for technical sales roles.
early-stage companies, companies scaling up and established companies
Other shows on the same ground, closest first.
Tom Gerhardt and Dan Provost of Studio Neat discuss hitting their growth ceiling as a two-person DIY company and their strategic pivot to hire staff and build systems for sales, marketing, and logistics in 2023. They outline plans to expand revenue through B2B custom sales, affiliate programs, and improved e-commerce infrastructure, while Dan Provost’s Tech Corner evaluates large monitors like the Dell 49-inch and Apple Studio Display for creative workflows.
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.
Host Daniel Scharff interviews Rebecca Styn of Blind Tiger Spirit Free Cocktails, Dava Guthmiller of A Dash of, and Andrew Schundler of CH Matcha about their 2026 brand resolutions. Rebecca resolves to eliminate noise by saying no to unaligned opportunities like expensive celebrity gifting, focusing instead on strategic regional growth. Dava aims to step into the spotlight by sharing her personal story and passion for salt terroir to build authenticity, rather than just curating others' products. Andrew plans to double down on retail execution and in-person tastings for his canned matcha brand, learning from early data to avoid stretching the business too thin.
Jimmy Diresta, Bob Clagett, and David Picciuto reflect on their 2021, discussing Diresta’s new Walmart product line and a streaming TV show, Clagett’s CNC candy dishes and trailer build, and Picciuto’s go-karting and upcoming 3D printing projects. They share advice on handling contracts and maintaining a positive mindset, while also touching on personal challenges like Diresta’s rib injury and the loss of Aaron. The hosts conclude by recommending YouTube channels and Jocko Willink’s Kickstarter course.
Jimmy Diresta, Bob Clagett, and David Picciuto discuss the concept of the 'tipping point' in business growth, debating whether to expand capacity only when absolutely necessary or to plan for it proactively. They share personal anecdotes about their own scaling decisions, such as Diresta moving to a larger warehouse, Clagett hiring full-time staff to handle increased workload, and Picciuto gradually adding help as his vision outgrew his solo capacity. The hosts also touch on the importance of brand identity over individual execution, referencing artists like Andy Warhol and Jeff Koons, and conclude with recommendations for other makers and creators.
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