Advice Line with Bill Creelman of Spindrift
Host Guy Raz and Spindrift founder Bill Creelman co-host an advice line, taking calls from three founders about their growth challenges. They discuss ingredient integrity and defensibility with a fast-growing pickle beer brand, hiring and marketing strategy for a flannel-aloha apparel startup, and focus and simplification for a kombucha company juggling multiple revenue streams. Bill also reflects on his own journey, emphasizing the importance of narrowing focus and solving the biggest problems rather than trying to do everything.
#835: Ben Patrick (KneesOverToesGuy) - 20-Minute Workouts That Produce Wild Results, From Chronic Knee Pain to Dunking Basketballs, Lessons from Charles Poliquin, Bulletproofing the Lower Body, and More
Tim Ferriss interviews strength coach Ben Patrick, also known as Knees Over Toes Guy, about his journey from debilitating knee pain and multiple surgeries to pain‑free athletic performance. Ben explains the origins of his knees‑over‑toes approach, the key exercises and minimalist programming he uses for joint health and performance, and how he applies this with clients and family, including his 71‑year‑old mother. They also discuss equipment innovations, American manufacturing, and Tim's philosophy on integrity, long‑term thinking, and resisting audience capture in media and business.
TIP766: Intelligent Fanatics: How Great Business Leaders Win w/ Clay Finck
Host Clay Fink summarizes the book "Intelligent Fanatics" by Ian Cassel and Sean Iddings, explaining how extraordinary business leaders build durable competitive advantages through culture, incentives, and long-term thinking. He dives into case studies of Herb Kelleher at Southwest Airlines, Les Schwab at Les Schwab Tire Centers, and Chester Cajot at QuickTrip, highlighting their unconventional strategies and employee-first philosophies. The episode distills common traits of intelligent fanatics and connects them to how investors can better evaluate management teams and business quality.
Advice Line with Tony Xu of Doordash
This Advice Line episode of How I Built This features DoorDash co-founder and CEO Tony Hsu joining Guy Raz to coach three early-stage founders through strategic decisions. They discuss when to expand a product line beyond the core offering, how to think about raising capital versus using debt while maintaining control of a growing CPG brand, and how a small, mission-driven meat company can differentiate and educate consumers in a crowded "grass-fed" market. Tony also reflects on DoorDash's evolution, his approach to managing stress, and what he wishes he'd known as a first-time founder.
Craigslist: Craig Newmark - The Forrest Gump of the Internet
Guy Raz interviews Craigslist founder Craig Newmark about how a simple email list for San Francisco tech and arts events in 1995 evolved into one of the world's most-used online classified sites. Newmark describes his socially awkward childhood, early work in computer science and the internet, the organic growth and minimalist philosophy behind Craigslist, his decision to hand over leadership to CEO Jim Buckmaster, and his later-life focus on philanthropy in journalism, veterans' support, and animal rescue. They also discuss the disputed impact of Craigslist on newspaper classified revenue and Newmark's belief that he was largely lucky and in the right place at the right time.
Advice Line with Randy Hetrick of TRX
Host Guy Raz speaks with TRX founder Randy Hetrick on an 'Advice Line' episode where they take calls from three founders seeking guidance on scaling their businesses. Randy first updates listeners on his journey selling TRX to private equity, starting a new outdoor fitness venture, and eventually buying TRX back in a turnaround. Together, Guy and Randy advise the founders of an emerging low-caffeine energy drink brand entering Target, an Australian meat pie franchise looking for strategic investment, and an adaptive apparel company debating how narrowly to focus its target markets.
Do the Right Thing Even When It's Hard
Hosts Rachel Cruze and Dr. John Deloney take live calls about complex money and relationship decisions, from inheritance conflicts and potential divorce to overwhelming debt and family housing arrangements. Throughout the episode they emphasize integrity, shared values in marriage, clear boundaries with family, and choosing disciplined financial action even when it's emotionally difficult.