How I Built This with Guy Raz

Exploding Kittens began as a jerry-rigged version of Russian Roulette — a deck of cards hastily modified with a Sharpie. But what happened next is one of the most improbable success stories in the creator economy: a $10,000 Kickstarter goal that ballooned into nearly $9 million, a community that rewrote the rules of crowdfunding, and a company that has now sold over 60 million card and board games.Co-founder Elan Lee shares the story behind Exploding Kittens — from dismantling his brother’s toys as a kid, to helping design Halo, to walking away from Microsoft…twice. He reveals how burnout, curiosity, and an obsession with interactive storytelling set the stage for one of the most successful game launches of all time.This is a story about the genius behind good marketing, and how creative storytelling can build a cult-like audience — without spending millions.If you’ve ever wondered how a strange idea becomes a global phenomenon — this is that story.WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: How burnout can be a creative turning pointHow a Sharpie and a deck of cards can unlock breakthrough ideasThe storytelling strategy that powered one of Kickstarter’s biggest launchesHow to treat your fans like collaborators, not just customersWhy marketing should feel like playUnit economics to die for: make it for $2, sell it for $20How to power through the threat of a one-hit-wonderTIMESTAMPS:00:08:30 — The physics teacher who changed Elan’s life00:10:35 — How Elan touched up the floating door scene in Titanic00:13:03 — “You’re the worst program manager I’ve ever seen” — and the pivot to game design00:15:33 — Meeting Spielberg, riffing on the movie AI, and inventing a new kind of storytelling00:21:42 — Promoting Halo 2 with payphones 00:31:35 — The Hawaii getaway that sparked Exploding Kittens00:42:12 — The Kickstarter launch: most backers on record00:48:42 — Suddenly a real company — 700,000 decks and a manufacturing crisis00:53:45 — Marketing genius: a kitty-cat vending machine that dispensed burritos and more01:00:58 — New games that bombed — the one-hit-wonder dread01:07:04 — Throw Throw Burrito, and the road to stability01:19:05 — Elan’s 4-year-old daughter helps design new games01:30:31 — Small Business SpotlightHey—want to be a guest on HIBT?If you’re building a business, why not get advice from some of the greatest entrepreneurs on Earth?Every Thursday on the HIBT Advice Line, a previous HIBT guest helps new entrepreneurs work through the challenges they’re facing right now. Advice that’s smart, actionable, and absolutely free.Just call 1-800-433-1298, leave a message, and you may soon get guidance from someone who started where you did, and went on to build something massive.So—give us a call.We can’t wait to hear what you’re working on.This episode was produced by Sam Paulson with music composed by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant with research help from Noor Gill. Our engineers were Maggie Luthar and Kwesi Lee.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tempur-Pedic founder Bobby Trussell joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Bobby talks about his new book, The Logic That God Exists.First, Lyf from Oregon asks about how to expand his fresh seafood business. Then, Colleen from Colorado has questions about where to focus her efforts in growing her whitewater paddleboarding company. And finally, Amanda from Illinois looks for advice on fundraising for her lifejacket brand. Thank you to the founders of Flying Fish Company, Hala Gear, and Line + Cleat for being a part of our show.If you’d like to be featured on a future Advice Line episode, leave us a one-minute message that tells us about your business and a specific question you’d like answered. Send a voice memo to [email protected] or call 1-800-433-1298.And be sure to listen to Tempur-Pedic’s founding story as told by Bobby on the show in 2018. This episode was produced by Chris Maccini with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Andrea Bruce. Our audio engineer was Cena Loffredo.You can follow HIBT on X & Instagram and sign up for Guy's free newsletter at guyraz.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What 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 when their idea was dismissed as “cute.” You’ll hear how their mission was shaped by loss of parents, financial instability, and a fundamental belief in fairness.How the 2008 crash nearly killed the company before it began.And how in the end, Indiegogo helped spark a massive cultural shift—proving that anyone, anywhere, could bring an idea to life.WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: How gatekeepers underestimate outsiders’ ideasHow grief and personal history shape entrepreneurial courageHow to recover from 93 “no’s” Why making money matters, but maintaining your values matters even more How co-founder conflict can sharpen (or break) a companyWhy Indiegogo didn’t become Kickstarter — and what founders can learn from thatHow to know when it’s time to walk away from your own companyTIMESTAMPS: 0:05:34 - Slava’s childhood, and the deep loss that shaped his worldview0:09:00 - Danae’s first lesson in leadership… from her dad’s moving business0:12:43 - “Hollywood Meets Wall Street:” the emotional spark that led to Indiegogo0:18:43 - The Golden Gate conversation where Slava asked, “Why not put this on the internet?“ 0:32:56 - Building Indiegogo: mismatched personalities, big arguments, and the first 10 campaigns0:40:22 - The 2008 crash hits: 93 investor rejections and many moments of truth0:46:53 - Expanding beyond film: the inevitable pivot that ignited explosive growth0:54:04 - Internal evolution: roles, titles, hires, and the first taste of real scale 0:59:56 - Why the founders eventually stepped away — and why some opportunities were squandered1:05:19 - The legacy: how Indiegogo reshaped culture, creativity, and opportunity1:09:44 - Bonus: Small Business Spotlight This episode was produced by Katherine Sypher, with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant, with research help from Chris Maccini. Our engineers were Patrick Murray and Jimmy Keeley.Follow How I Built This:Instagram → @howibuiltthisX → @HowIBuiltThisFacebook → How I Built ThisFollow Guy Raz:Instagram → @guy.razYouTube → guy_razX → @guyrazSubstack → guyraz.substack.comWebsite → guyraz.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

CEO and co-founder of Boll & Branch, Scott Tannen joins Ring founder Jamie Siminoff and Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs. Plus, Jamie and Guy talk about how creating repeat customers often comes from creating social good. First, we hear from Melita in Toronto who's wondering whether to continue bootstrapping her organic clothing business. Then Eric in the Sunshine State asks which direction to take to grow his sunscreen apparel lines. And Chris in Alpine Meadows, California, is trying to figure out how to get his sleek binoculars into the hands of more people.Thank you to the founders of Q for Quinn, L Cubed Lifestyle, and Nocs Provisions. If you’d like to be featured on a future Advice Line episode, leave us a one-minute message that tells us about your business and a specific question you’d like answered. Send a voice memo to [email protected] or call 1-800-433-1298.And be sure to listen to the story of how Jamie founded Ring from our episode back in 2020, as well as his appearance on the Advice Line in 2024.. And how Scott and his wife Missy started Boll & Branch, a story they told on the show in 2024.This episode was produced by J.C. Howard with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Andrea Bruce. Our audio engineer was Jimmy Keeley.You can follow HIBT on Twitter & Instagram and sign up for Guy's free newsletter at guyraz.com and on Substack.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Khan Academy offers hundreds of free tutorials in fifty languages, and has 170 million monthly global users. It all began in 2009 when Sal Khan walked away from a high-paying job to start a business that had no way of making money. His idea to launch a non-profit teaching platform was sparked while helping his young cousins do math homework over the computer. When he started posting his tutorials on Youtube, the world took notice. You will learn: Not just cat videos: How Sal discovered the early power of YouTube. How a book by Isaac Asimov lay the foundation for Khan AcademyWhy Sal said no to a for-profit business modelHow Sal got discovered by Bill Gates–and other wealthy donors How Sal defines ambition: Free world class education for anyone, anywhere Listen now to hear how Khan Academy has grown to become one of the most trusted teaching tools around the world. This episode was produced by Jed Anderson, with music composed by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant. Follow How I Built This:Instagram → @howibuiltthisX → @HowIBuiltThisFacebook → How I Built ThisFollow Guy Raz:Instagram → @guy.razYoutube → guy_razX → @guyrazSubstack → guyraz.substack.comWebsite → guyraz.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.