How I Built This

In How I Built This, Guy Raz interviews some of the world’s most well-known entrepreneurs to uncover how they built their iconic brands. Each episode dives into moments of doubt, failure, and the turning points that led to success.

This podcast doesn’t tell the polished, overnight-success stories. Instead, it highlights the resilience behind real businesses. It’s a tribute to the idea that building something big and meaningful is never easy, but always worth it.

Why it stands out

Unlike typical business podcasts, How I Built This offers a raw, honest look behind the curtain. You hear what really happened before the IPOs, exits or brand fame – the messy, human side of entrepreneurship.

Real, relatable founder stories

Every episode features the emotional highs and lows that come with starting something new. Even the most famous founders face rejection, financial risk, and internal doubt – and that makes the stories deeply relatable.

Strategic depth and insight

The show goes beyond anecdotes. Founders explain how they made crucial decisions around product, pricing, scaling, and funding. It’s a practical masterclass in navigating startup life, full of takeaways you can apply directly.

Inspiration for founders and product teams

If you’re working on a digital product, SaaS platform, or early-stage startup, this podcast offers real lessons from people who’ve done it before. You’ll hear how others struggled with product/market fit, MVPs, or hiring their first developers – and how they moved forward.

It reflects the same lean approach we apply at GlobalOrange: start small, test fast, and learn before you scale. We go deeper into this mindset in our article about developing lean SaaS products.

Recognizable growth stages

From messy early days to structured scale-up operations, the podcast follows the natural phases of building a product. These stories help listeners anticipate challenges and feel less alone in the chaos of growth.

Mission, values and ethics

Besides product and business strategy, many episodes explore how founders stay true to their mission. Questions about ethics, brand identity, and internal culture are just as important as UX design or infrastructure decisions.

The link with SaaS thinking and lean product development

Most of the founders featured on How I Built This built tech-driven companies or digital platforms. Their experiences align with what we see in our work: the importance of focus, experimentation, and adaptability in building SaaS products.

The podcast underscores why SaaS is such a powerful model – and also why it requires clear vision and iterative thinking. For more context, check our article explaining what SaaS is and what the key benefits are.

About Guy Raz

Guy Raz is an award-winning journalist and storyteller, known for his engaging, thoughtful interview style. The New York Times described him as “one of the most popular podcasters in history,” and his shows reach nearly 19 million listeners every month.

His ability to create emotional, meaningful conversations turns How I Built This into more than just business content – it’s a collection of human journeys. If you’re building something of your own, this podcast is essential listening.