Episodes

John Gabbert transformed a shattered family partnership into Room & Board, a modern furniture empire worth half a billion dollars. After his father's company reneged on a handshake deal, John refused to abandon his vision for accessible modern design. Starting with $500,000 of his own money in 1990, he built a brand that proves patience and authenticity beat hype every time. Today, with 22 showrooms nationwide, his furniture graces homes across America—a legacy built not on family approval, but on quiet persistence.

BuzzFeed founder Jonah Peretti joins Guy Raz on the Advice Line to help founders tackle scaling and brand differentiation challenges. Anthony Cortez of MotionFlix wrestles with franchise versus partner-led expansion for his outdoor cinema business. Melissa Bermudez of Unrefined Foods seeks to stand out in the crowded healthy food market. Peretti's core insight: in an AI-driven world, human connection and obsessive storytelling are the last sustainable competitive advantages.

Gregg Renfrew built Beautycounter into a clean beauty powerhouse worth nearly $1 billion, championing safer cosmetics when the industry ignored toxic chemicals. Then, in dramatic boardroom move, the very investors who backed her growth fired her from the company she founded. Her story reveals how mission-driven brands can both empower and betray their creators, and what happens when your success outgrows your control.

David Neeleman, the aviation entrepreneur behind JetBlue, Azul, and Breeze, shares hard-won lessons on scaling airlines without losing soul. He argues that true leadership means hiring people who care more than you do, and that cutting costs at the expense of culture is the fastest way to destroy a brand. From choosing the right airplanes to building teams that treat customers like family, Neeleman's advice cuts through the noise of typical business platitudes.

Two brothers turned a dying product category into a half-billion dollar lifestyle empire by selling not ties, but a feeling. Shep and Ian Murray built Vineyard Vines from scratch, capturing the essence of Martha's Vineyard summers in every stitch. Their journey from corporate drudgery to brand builders shows how emotional connection can transform even the most stale markets.

Guy Raz brings Eric Ryan back to the Advice Line alongside founders Christina Peng of Haven Beauty and James Chambliss of Pigeon Toes for a masterclass in turning setbacks into comebacks. Eric reveals how Method weathered near-bankruptcy before its eco-cleaning revolution, while Christina confronts the fear of scaling beauty without losing soul. James unpacks the emotional labor behind founding a toy company that makes childhood magic. Three raw conversations about what happens when the vision meets reality—and why some brands survive the collision.

Daniel Lubetzky turned a simple snack bar into a $5 billion empire by making kindness central to every business decision. Starting with a car full of KIND bars and scaling to a cultural movement, Lubetzky's journey shows how purpose can reshape an industry. This episode covers the make-or-break moments, including a Whole Foods rejection that nearly ended everything, and how staying true to his mission eventually attracted Mars, Inc. to acquire the brand.

Guy Raz and Boxed co-founder Chieh Huang tackle real business challenges from three founders in this Advice Line episode. Alec from Surfing Cow wrestles with scaling his beef tallow skincare brand without losing its soul, Jessica from Tail Cinch debates selling through major pet retailers, and Eli from Makor Coffee balances product formulation with mass-market brewing. Chieh shares hard-won lessons from Boxed's rise and fall, focusing on co-manufacturer partnerships, capital strategy, and finding product-market fit.

iRobot CEO Colin Angle tells Guy Raz how a failed military robot project accidentally birthed the Roomba—a quirky cleaning bot that became a cultural icon. From near-abandonment to 30 million homes worldwide, the story reveals how listening to customers turned a clunky prototype into a household name. Colin shares the hard lessons of scaling a robotics company, why Roomba succeeded where others failed, and why the dream of full home automation remains just out of reach.

Steve Ells, founder of Chipotle, joins host John Conti alongside Rebecca Smith of Streaky Bay Distillers and Sri Hollema of Mat Zero for tactical business advice. The conversation covers scaling without sacrificing quality, cutting through category noise, and building operational discipline before growth becomes urgent. Ells shares hard-won lessons from turning a single burrito truck into a global chain while maintaining food safety and brand integrity.

Antonio Swad turned a simple chicken wing restaurant into a nationwide franchise empire, then made the shocking decision to walk away just as it peaked. His story reveals how an Italian immigrant built Wingstop from a single North Carolina location to over 1,400 restaurants worldwide, leveraging a laser focus on one iconic product and relentless operational discipline. The exit came when private equity offered a life-changing sum—but the real lesson is in knowing when to sell, and what comes after.

Angie and Dan Bastian, the founders behind Angie's Boom Chicka Pop, return to The Advice Line to guide founders through the messy middle of growth. In this episode, they counsel Michelle Pusateri of Nana Joe's Granola on raising capital without selling out, Gloria Kolb of Elida on breaking the stigma around pelvic health, and Eric Poulin of MapleRoo on scaling authentically in a crowded market. Their advice? Stay rooted in mission, let your passion show, and remember that slow, steady wins the race.