Advice Line: Scaling Strategies

Intro

Guy Raz opens a special mashup of How I Built This: The Advice Line by teaming up three former guests with three real business owners who need clarity on how to grow. Travis Boersma of Dutch Bros Coffee, Michael Preysman of Everlane, and Chris Ruder of Spikeball each take a caller through the messy middle of scaling, where the answer is almost never obvious.

Caller 1: Andy Atkins & Bad Luck Burger Club

Andy runs a successful food truck and mobile burger operation, and he's convinced that opening a permanent brick-and-mortar location will unlock the next level of growth. Travis pushes back on the instinct to add overhead before the unit economics are bulletproof. The conversation lands on whether a physical store actually amplifies the brand or simply splits attention from the trucks that already generate revenue. Andy leaves with a clearer set of tests to run before signing a lease.

Caller 2: Tiffany Narbonne & T. Jazelle

Tiffany built T. Jazelle into a beloved jewelry brand, but large retailers want her on their shelves and the terms feel risky. Michael asks her to map out what she would gain versus what she would control, and he warns against assuming retail is the only path to scale. Tiffany starts to see a hybrid model-retail as a marketing channel rather than the core business-and walks away with a negotiation checklist.

Caller 3: Peter Hauck & Rink Rabbit

Peter's hockey-training brand is growing in the U.S., and overseas expansion looks tempting. Chris focuses on the operational jump: shipping, support, currency, and local competition. The discussion turns to whether Peter needs a partner on the ground or if he can test demand remotely first. Peter commits to validating each market with small batches before committing to a full rollout.

Final Thought

The episode closes with a reminder that scaling is not a single decision; it is a series of small bets that should each be tested before doubling down. The founders agree that the best growth strategy is the one you can measure, iterate on, and afford to reverse if it does not work.