# Advice Line with Nick Green of Thrive Market

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2026-10-08
- Length: 44m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-10-08-advice-line-with-nick-green-of-thrive-market

## Summary

Nick Green, co-founder and CEO of Thrive Market, joins Guy Raz to advise three founders: Mercedes Smith of Blackstrad Concert Attire, Danny Walsh of Peak State Coffee, and Riya Jane of Voice Back. Green discusses how Thrive Market uses data and AI to drive product selection and customer experience, while advising Mercedes on balancing quality with speed by focusing on a core product line. He counsels Danny on funding a mission-driven brand without compromising values, suggesting debt or equity from mission-aligned partners, and advises Riya on scaling awareness for her speech-loss app by targeting clinicians and influencers rather than broad ad channels.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-10-08-advice-line-with-nick-green-of-thrive-market#t=0) Introduction: Nick Green and Thrive Market's Evolution
- [6:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-10-08-advice-line-with-nick-green-of-thrive-market#t=362) Thrive Market's Use of Data and AI in Product Selection
- [9:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-10-08-advice-line-with-nick-green-of-thrive-market#t=590) Mercedes Smith and Blackstrad Concert Attire: Quality vs. Speed
- [22:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-10-08-advice-line-with-nick-green-of-thrive-market#t=1329) Danny Walsh and Peak State Coffee: Funding Mission-Driven Growth
- [34:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-10-08-advice-line-with-nick-green-of-thrive-market#t=2076) Riya Jane and Voice Back: Scaling Awareness for a Health App
- [45:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-10-08-advice-line-with-nick-green-of-thrive-market#t=2720) Nick Green's Advice to His Younger Self at Thrive Market

## Topics

- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Thrive Market (company)
- Blackstrad Concert Attire (company)
- Peak State Coffee (company)
- Voice Back (product)
- Anthropic (company)
- Claude (product)
- U.S. Bank (company)
- Engine (company)
- Delta Sky Miles (product)
- Whole Foods (company)
- Costco (company)
- figs (company)
- Beryl Stafford (other)
- Bobo's (product)
- Tom Hale (other)
- Backroads (company)
- Brian Scudamore (other)
- 1-800-GOT-JUNK? (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [#169 - "How to Take Advice" with Nikhil Arora](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2024-11-12-169-how-to-take-advice-with-nikhil-arora) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [How to Ask Someone to Invest in Your CPG Brand, with Fave's Ryan Raish](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-10-10-how-to-ask-someone-to-invest-in-your-cpg-brand-with-faves-ryan-raish) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [#232 - 2026 Brand Resolutions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-01-20-232-2026-brand-resolutions) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [#142 - Buyer Spotlight: Christine McNerney and Jason Bidart, Thrive Market](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2024-05-14-142-buyer-spotlight-christine-mcnerney-and-jason-bidart-thrive-market) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [#237 - Inside Founders & Funders with Alex Michaelsen from Leisure Hydration and Alex Malamatinas from Melitas Ventures](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-02-24-237-inside-founders-funders-with-alex-michaelsen-from-leisure-hydration-and-alex) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

## Citing this page

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