Shows
How I Built This with Guy RazGymboree: Joan Barnes. How Building a Beloved Brand Nearly Destroyed Its FounderBefore Gymboree became a cultural icon in the 80s and 90s, it was just one lonely new mom trying to find connection. Joan Barnes started hosting weekly playgroups for parents… and demand exploded. What began as a diversion became a business. Then a franchise. Then a brand everyone seemed to know, with its padded playrooms and parachute games. From the outside, it looked like a runaway success: hundreds of locations, glowing press coverage, celebrity buzz. But inside, the franchise model was failing. A potential Hasbro rescue vanished overnight. And Joan—while smiling for the world...
2026-01-191h 20How I Built This with Guy Raz93 Rejections, One Revolution: How Indiegogo Changed Crowdfunding ForeverWhat happens when three outsiders try to reinvent access to money… during the worst financial crisis in decades?Before Kickstarter.Before GoFundMe.Before crowdfunding became a thing, there was Indiegogo, an idea born from frustration, inequity, and more than 93 rejections from investors.It was a funding platform built not for banks, studios or gatekeepers… but for everybody else.In this episode, co-founders Danae Ringelmann and Slava Rubin reveal the unpolished and often painful story behind Indiegogo — from digging into savings accounts, to fighting over strategy, to grinning and bearing it whe...
2025-12-151h 07How I Built This with Guy RazBackroads: Tom Hale. How a desk worker became a trailblazer in active travelIn his 20’s, working an office job he hated, Tom woke up in the middle of the night with a wild idea: why not take people on bike trips? No playbook. No investors. Just a sense that he could make a living doing what he loved. His first trip? Four guests riding through Death Valley, pitching their own tents. From there, Backroads scaled to hotels, while weathering a bike burglary, a van rollover in the desert, 9/11, the Great Recession, and a pandemic that brought tourism to a halt. Today, Backroads runs 5,000+ trips a year in 60+ countries.T...
2025-11-1050 minHow I Built This with Guy RazBabylist: Natalie Gordon. How a new mom used nap time to build a $500M business.In 2010, software engineer Natalie Gordon was pregnant– and fed up with the overwhelming baby aisles in big box stores. So she quit her computer job to code the registry she wished existed. No pink-and-blue giraffes. No allegiance to a single store. Just a universal list that let friends give the real help that new parents need—from strollers to diaper services to dog-walking.Natalie coded the first lines of Babylist during her son’s nap time. She managed customer support, pitched bloggers from coffee shops, and learned growth the hard way—first through affiliates, then with a pivotal P...
2025-11-031h 07How I Built This with Guy RazNuts.com: Jeff Braverman. From Corner Store to Snacktime PowerhouseA century ago, Jeff Braverman’s grandfather opened a peanut shop in Newark, New Jersey. By the early 2000s, the family business was doing $1M in sales and struggling to stay afloat. Jeff had a high-paying job in finance, but walked away from it to reinvent the business. His strategy? The internet. Something his dad and uncle knew nothing about.What happened next is wild: an AdWords experiment that blew the doors off the budding online business; a slip on national TV where Rachael Ray accidentally renamed the company; 40,000 pounds of protest peanuts that crashed servers and la...
2025-10-271h 12How I Built This with Guy RazPoppi: Allison and Stephen Ellsworth. From Farmers Market Vinegar Drink to $2B Soda SensationA decade ago, Allison Ellsworth was drinking apple cider vinegar for health reasons and doctoring it with fruit so she could stand the taste. Her husband Stephen helped her turn it into a business by adding carbonation on a hacked soda line in their Dallas townhouse. They called it “Mother Beverage,” and sold out every week at the farmers market…but then heard the words no founder forgets: “Your branding is…sh*t.” What happens next is one of the wildest CPG glow-ups of the 2010s: a Shark Tank deal with brand whisperer Rohan Oza, a full rebrand to Pop...
2025-09-221h 06How I Built This with Guy RazNirav Tolia: Nextdoor. How neighborhood chatter went globalMany of us don’t know our neighbors anymore — and Nirav Tolia wanted to change that. He walked away from millions in stock options at Yahoo and eventually co-founded Nextdoor, the hyperlocal social network where neighbors share local news and recommendations. Along the way, he learned that for a digital service, Nextdoor demanded a ton of manual work: drawing neighborhood boundaries with Sharpies, sending individual “invite” postcards by snail mail, talking to neighbors about the information they wanted. After 8 years of grind, Nirav stepped away as CEO, only to return 6 years later to spearhead an ambitious rebrand of Nextdoor, which now...
2025-09-151h 08How I Built This with Guy RazCrumbl: Jason McGowanCrumbl may be a cookie business – but Jason McGowan turned it into a fast-growing restaurant chain by building it like a tech startup. He and co-founder Sawyer Hemsley meticulously A/B tested the recipe, launched a delivery app early on, and went viral with weekly drops of wild new flavors like bubblegum and Almost Everything Bagel. In just eight years, Crumbl has opened over 1,000 stores, and has dominated the cookie conversation on social media, with more TikTok followers than Starbucks, Domino’s, and Taco Bell combined.This episode was produced by Alex Cheng with music composed by Ramt...
2025-08-111h 04How I Built This with Guy RazSimon Cowell: Music MogulLong before he became famous as the sharp-tongued TV personality who launched the careers of pop stars, Simon Cowell was a rebellious teenager who dropped out of school and started his career in the mailroom at EMI. After a failed business left him nearly bankrupt, he found success by zigging where others zagged—initially by selling hit records based on TV shows like Power Rangers and WrestleMania. Eventually Simon got behind the TV camera himself, where his brutally honest feedback on shows like American Idol and The X Factor made him a household name. Today, through his company Syco En...
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The Happy Homesteadmaker22. Micro Steps to Becoming a Beginner GardenerIf you’ve never gardened before, that’s totally okay. Gardening doesn’t have to be overwhelming. The key is to take tiny steps—micro baby steps—that help you learn and grow without stress.Here’s what I’d do if I were starting from scratch:First, start right in your kitchen with something simple like growing sprouts. You can buy sprouting seeds or even little sprout kits at the store. They grow fast, require almost no space, and give you a little win to build your confidence.Next, try getting a baby plant—a s...
2025-06-1729 minHow I Built This with Guy RazFigma: Dylan FieldThe dashboard in your car – the interface on your Zoom screen … many of the products we interact with every day were created with the collaborative software Figma. Figma is a kind of Google Docs for design, created by Dylan Field and Evan Wallace after they won a Thiel fellowship in 2012. Dylan was just 20 when he became CEO. The only other job he’d had before that….? was college intern. He eventually figured out how to manage his team, and grew the company enough to attract a 20 billion dollar acquisition bid from Adobe. The deal fell through, but Figma continued to grow...
2025-06-161h 14The Happy Homesteadmaker21. Don’t Be Afraid to Get Dirty: The Truth About Building AssetsNeva has been thinking about something that doesn’t get talked about much—assets. Not the dreamy, polished version often seen online, but the real kind. The kind that requires getting hands in the dirt and figuring things out along the way.She didn’t inherit assets. No land handed down, no safety net built in. Every piece of what’s been created has come through slow, steady work—one decision at a time.Getting dirty is part of it.Building anything—whether it’s a homestead, a short-term rental, or a business—means starting f...
2025-06-0327 minThe Happy Homesteadmaker20. Do This First If You Want to HomeschoolHomeschooling can feel overwhelming—choosing curriculum, juggling schedules, keeping up with state rules. In today’s episode, Neva (mom of seven!) shares her very first step: joining HSLDA. She walks you through the top benefits of membership—instant curriculum resources, expert legal support, and real-world case reviews—so you can start your homeschool journey with confidence and peace of mind.Top 3 Reasons to Join HSLDAIt’s an ever-growing library of homeschool resources ready when you are.You get expert legal representation any time questions arise.You can read and review real families’ cases to learn from...
2025-05-2012 minThe Happy Homesteadmaker19. One of My Brutally Honest Mantras for Raising 5 Girls“Classy not trashy” isn’t just something Neva says—it’s a standard in her home.With five girls, the conversations run deep: what they wear, how they talk, who they spend time with. Neva doesn’t skirt around it. She calls it like it is.She reminds her daughters that their clothes and words say something. And that character matters—especially when no one’s watching.In this episode, Neva shares the honest, unfiltered way she’s helping her girls think differently about clothing, makeup, and the influence of the people around them.It’s n...
2025-05-1325 minThe Happy Homesteadmaker18. The Myth of Self-SufficiencyToday, Neva is debunking one of the biggest myths in homesteading: self-sufficiency.Homesteading is often sold as a "do it all yourself" lifestyle. But the idea that anyone can be 100% self-sufficient is simply not true. True homesteading isn’t about doing everything alone—it’s a frame of mind, a way of living that values hard work, learning, and connection.Neva has seen how chasing total self-sufficiency leads to burnout and a narrow view of what homesteading is meant to be. No one was created to do it all. Homesteading was never meant to be an iso...
2025-04-2919 minThe Happy Homesteadmaker17. One Way to Decrease ScreentimeNeva grew up with very little screen time—TV had specific hours, and you watched what was on. That was it. Fast forward to today, and screens are everywhere, all the time. It’s not just the kids. The demand for our attention has gotten louder, more persistent, and more exhausting.So if you’ve found yourself thinking, “We need a break” or “This just doesn’t feel good anymore”—you’re not alone.One thing that’s helped us? Creating a rhythm. Nothing fancy. Just a simple routine with two anchors: what we do, and when we do it....
2025-04-2227 minThe Happy Homesteadmaker16. Quit Your Job and Get to WorkIf you’ve been aching to leave your job and be home full time, this episode with Neva might be the nudge you need. She’s not holding back—because sometimes the truth needs to hit hard.The most important work you’ll ever do doesn’t come with a paycheck. It happens within the four walls of your home.Neva shares how she once tied her value to a job title and income. She thought working outside the home meant she was contributing. But over time, she realized that was a lie. Real value isn’t in i...
2025-04-1547 minThe Happy Homesteadmaker15. Three Books to Inspire Your Homesteading JourneyYou don’t need to be living off the grid or raising chickens just yet to get something out of a good homesteading book. If you’ve been thinking about the lifestyle, these reads aren’t about giving you a strict to-do list—they’re more like a mindset shift.Neva is sharing three books to consider if you’re curious about homesteading—or just craving a little more simplicity in your life.1. The Backyard Homestead This one is packed with inspiration. If you’ve got even a small patch of land (or just a dream), T...
2025-04-0817 minThe Happy Homesteadmaker14. Top 3 Ways to Deal with Extra EggsSpring and summer bring warm weather, longer days, and—if you’ve got chickens—more eggs than you know what to do with. It starts with a few extras here and there, and before you know it, you’re drowning in eggs, wondering how many omelets one family can eat.In this episode, Neva is finally sharing her go-to recipes for making the most of the egg overload. French toast and egg salad are staples, but what about something a little different? Whether you’re looking for new ways to cook with them or considering a small project li...
2025-04-0120 minThe Happy Homesteadmaker13. Three Simple Ways to Put Pulled Weeds to Good UseWith homesteading comes gardening, and with gardening comes weeds. But instead of tossing them aside, there are a few simple ways to make those pulled weeds work for you. Neva shares her three favorite ways to turn weeds into something beneficial.One option is to repurpose them in a way that benefits other parts of your homestead. Whether they serve a practical use or support the natural cycle of your space, weeds don’t have to go to waste.Another idea is to let nature do the work. Over time, weeds break down and can be...
2025-03-2512 minThe Happy Homesteadmaker12. #1 Lesson in MarriageNeva is approaching 30 years of marriage, and if there’s one lesson that has stood the test of time, it’s this: I don’t own him. As a military wife, Neva learned early on to figure things out on her own. But she also realized marriage is a team effort. You share the same mission, but you each have different roles.Marriage isn’t about control. It’s about trust, respect, and working with each other, not against each other. There will be checks and balances, but never fault. Keeping score only creates distance.The bigges...
2025-03-1818 minHow I Built This with Guy RazSkype and Kazaa: Niklas ZennströmIn the early 2000s, one of the most popular pieces of software in the world was a free peer-to-peer file-sharing network called Kazaa. It was launched by two Scandinavian entrepreneurs, Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis, with the simple idea that internet users should be able to share anything with anyone in the world. After being knee-capped by lawsuits from the music industry, Niklas and Janus applied peer-to-peer technology to a new business: Skype, a service that allowed anyone with an internet connection and a microphone to talk to anyone else in the world… for...
2025-03-171h 10The Happy Homesteadmaker11. Starting Seeds Without a GreenhouseAre you itching to start your garden but don’t have a greenhouse? You don’t need fancy equipment to get your seeds growing! There are plenty of creative ways to start your garden, even without a greenhouse.Some gardening methods are carefully planned—greenhouses, temperature-controlled rooms, and specialized tools. But sometimes, the urge to start planting sneaks up on you.In today’s episode, Neva shares how you can start your garden, even if you don’t have all the fancy tools. No greenhouse? No problem. She dives into simple, effective ways to create the right...
2025-03-0413 minThe Happy Homesteadmaker10. A Few of Our Unintentional Family TraditionsSome traditions are intentional—birthday pancakes, holiday movie marathons, first-day-of-school pictures. Others sneak up on us, forming quietly over the years until one day, we stop and ask, Why do we always end up here on May 4th?When I started my homestead journey, I wasn’t thinking about traditions. I was thinking about what I could do with this land, how I could make it work for our family. But over time, certain rhythms formed—little things we do every year, in the same season, without even planning it.In today’s episode, Neva shares s...
2025-02-2514 minThe Happy Homesteadmaker9. Tidying With Tots to TeensKeeping a home tidy with kids around can feel like a never-ending task, but a few simple strategies make all the difference. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s creating habits that make cleaning up easier for everyone.Matching tasks to a child’s age helps set them up for success. Younger kids do best with clear, simple instructions. Instead of saying, “Clean up,” try breaking it down into specific steps like putting toys in the bin or placing books back on the shelf. Older kids can handle a set order of tasks, like making the bed before picki...
2025-02-1817 minHow I Built This with Guy RazMrs. Meyer's Clean Day: Monica NassifMrs. Meyer’s is a hugely successful line of soaps and cleansers named for a real Mrs. Meyer: a no-nonsense Iowa homemaker who raised nine kids, including the brand’s founder. When Monica Nassif started Mrs. Meyer’s, she’d already launched an upscale cleaning brand, but it was too pricey for the mass market. Worried that another company might muscle into her lane, Monica decided to knock herself off: she launched Mrs. Meyer’s with an elegant design and exotic fragrances– but at a price point that allowed her to target Target. Monica’s mom Thelma became a beloved mascot f...
2025-02-171h 21The Happy Homesteadmaker8. How I Made My Unproductive Days ProductiveSome days, the to-do list feels endless, yet nothing seems to get done. It can be discouraging, making it feel like nothing is moving forward. The weight of unfinished tasks can be hard to shake, leading to frustration and self-doubt.Instead of focusing on everything that didn’t get done, start smaller. Rather than a mile-long to-do list, narrow it down to one to three priorities. What is the one thing that absolutely must be done today? Completing even a single task creates momentum, turning an overwhelming day into a productive one.Productivity doesn’t alwa...
2025-02-1125 minThe Happy Homesteadmaker7. How Much Money Do You Need to Start HomesteadingOne of the most common questions about homesteading is, “How do you make it work financially?” The truth is, you don’t need a lot of money to get started. Homesteading is less about what you have and more about how you make the most of where you are.Homesteading is a lifestyle choice, not a financial barrier. It’s about shifting your mindset—viewing your homestead as a legacy and rethinking how you approach your family’s future. Start where you are. Don’t let money become the problem that holds you back. You can begin small and grow...
2025-02-0426 minThe Happy Homesteadmaker6. What To Do Before You Start Your HomesteadHomesteading isn’t about having everything figured out from the start—it’s about making the decision to begin. For a long time, I thought I needed the perfect setup before I could get started. But in reality, the journey begins with deciding that you want to live that life.Your homestead vision will be unique to you. It doesn’t need to look like anyone else’s. Take some time to really think about what your dream homestead would look like. What’s important to you? That’s where you begin.You don’t have to know eve...
2025-01-2823 minThe Happy Homesteadmaker5. #1 Must Have Homestead AnimalStarting a homestead can feel overwhelming, but where do you even begin? If you’re considering adding animals to your homestead, chickens are an excellent first choice.Today, Neva is here to help clear up some of the jargon you might encounter and give you the details on where to start. She shares her favorite breeds for beginners, including Rhode Island Reds, Barred Rocks, and Buff Orpingtons. These breeds are hardy, friendly, and great egg-layers—making them perfect for those just getting started.Most importantly, Neva provides some encouragement. Starting your homestead with chickens is a re...
2025-01-2115 minThe Happy Homesteadmaker4. Starting a Homestead in the WinterWinter might not seem like the ideal season to start your homestead journey. After all, the ground is frozen, the garden is dormant, and everything feels a bit slower. But here’s the thing—starting in the winter has its perks, especially when you focus on something that’s essential, manageable, and rewarding: food.If you’re wondering where to begin, start with what’s on your plate.Homesteading can feel overwhelming when you think about all the possibilities. But instead of trying to do it all at once, narrow your focus to one meal. Choose a f...
2025-01-1416 minThe Happy Homesteadmaker3. If I Were Starting From Scratch as a HomemakerAre you thinking about starting a homestead, or maybe you’ve already taken the first steps? It’s an exciting adventure, but it can also feel overwhelming at times. There’s so much to learn, and let’s be honest—it doesn’t always go as planned. But starting from scratch is a chance to build something meaningful, one intentional step at a time.In today’s episode, Neva shares her reflections on what she’d do differently if she could start over. She opens up about the mistakes she made and the lessons she learned along the way. From ma...
2025-01-0718 minThe Happy Homesteadmaker2. Overview of How to Mind Your MANORSThe concept of a “happy homestead” is more than just a place to live. It’s a mindset and a lifestyle that brings purpose, joy, and fulfillment to every corner of your home. It’s about intentionally shaping your environment, your relationships, and yourself to create a space where everyone thrives. But how do you do that?In today’s episode Neva teaches listeners how to mind their MANORS. An acronym that is a framework for living intentionally both inside and outside of your home. By focusing on key areas such as managing your mindset, nurturing relationships, and optimiz...
2025-01-0715 minThe Happy Homesteadmaker1. In the Beginning God Created the HomesteadmakerWelcome to the first episode of Happy Homesteader! In today’s episode, Neva is here to encourage and uplift homemakers who are done with the pressure to be perfect. If you’ve ever felt like you’re juggling too much or doubted your worth in this role, you’re not alone—and this episode is for you.Neva shares her personal story of growing up in a broken family, the struggles of balancing motherhood with a busy career, and the moments when she felt like she was failing at it all. She talks about how society doesn’t always val...
2025-01-0738 minHow I Built This with Guy RazMarucci Sports - Kurt AinsworthNo athlete wishes for an injury, but when Kurt Ainsworth’s bad shoulder derailed his professional pitching career, it created a big opportunity. Kurt and two partners started a wooden bat company in his backyard, bringing their intimate knowledge of baseball to every bat they sold. Soon, big-name players like Sammy Sosa were swinging them, but Kurt knew they had to expand to aluminum bats to reach the wider field of non-professional players. The company faced a near death experience when the NCAA decertified its bats for being too powerful, but eventually regained its footing. In 2013, Marucci Sports was ac...
2024-12-161h 10The Happy HomesteadmakerThe Happy Homesteadmaker ManifestoThe Happy Homesteadmaker ManifestoWe Believe:Homemaking is the most important and impactful role we will ever hold.Our families are the heart of our homes, and nurturing them is a calling of the highest purpose.Faith, family, and freedom are the pillars of a meaningful life, guiding every choice we make.Simplicity is not a sacrifice—it’s a gift that brings clarity, connection, and joy.We Reject:· The societal narrative that devalues homemaking and denies its importance seeing it as static or outdated.The notion that homemaking is “just staying home”...
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