Thrive Market: Nick Green

As a Harvard squash player, Will Ahmed discovered his game improved when he focused on things like sleep, diet, and time spent recovering from training. He was convinced that granular health and heart data would become invaluable to other athletes if it could be bundled into a wearable wrist strap. In 2012, Will founded WHOOP, and after three years the company launched its first model, with Lebron James and Michael Phelps as advocates. But WHOOP struggled to gain traction with mere mortals, and spent years overhauling its business model and fending off big name competitors. Eventually it became one of the most popular wearables on the market, with a valuation well above $3 billion.  This episode was researched and produced by Katherine Sypher and edited by Neva Grant, with music by Ramtin Arablouei. Our engineer was Patrick Murray. You can follow HIBT on X & Instagram, and email us at [email protected]. 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.

Hinge founder and CEO Justin McLeod joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Justin describes Hinge’s new initiatives around intentional dating. First, Jessica in Toronto, Canada asks about opening new markets for her self-guided mystery road trip packages. Then Nick from Auckland, New Zealand wonders about strategies to drive word-of-mouth referrals for his designer security screen door company. And finally, Chandler from Minnesota discusses the challenge of getting his story across to customers as he sells hand-drawn posters that celebrate the history of golf and hockey. Thank you to the founders of Guess Where Trips, Framework Doors, and Archive 22 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 the Hinge founding story as told by Justin on the show in 2021. This episode was produced by Casey Herman 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 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.

As a newly arrived immigrant from Turkey, Hamdi Ulukaya learned to be resourceful, determined, and even stubborn when he needed to be. All those traits would serve him well as he began to navigate the hairpin turns of building a yogurt business from the ground up. In 2005, Hamdi was running a small feta cheese business in upstate New York when he happened upon a piece of junk mail that would change his life: an ad for an abandoned yogurt factory...$700K, as is. He knew if he could get his hands on it, he could bring a new kind of dairy product to the U.S.—the thick, creamy yogurt he’d grown up eating in the mountains of Turkey. With the help of a local bank, Hamdi bought the factory, and sales grew so quickly that he could barely keep up. A few years later, some bad business decisions nearly pushed the company into bankruptcy, but today, Chobani is one of the most popular yogurt brands in the U.S; and Greek-style yogurt has become a staple of the dairy aisle. This episode was produced by Josh Lash with music composed by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant with research help from Claire Murashima. You can follow HIBT on Twitter & Instagram, and email us at [email protected]. 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.

Iconic fashion designer Norma Kamali joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early stage founders. Plus, Norma shares her take on balancing a strong creative vision with the financial realities of building a worldwide brand.  First we meet Ahmed in the U.K,, who’s refining a narrative for his eyeglass store concept in hopes of attracting investors. Then Bob in Chicago, who wants to change how people view lunch with his fast casual soup restaurants. And Adreana in Sacramento, who’s wondering if outside investment is the best way to scale her inclusive activewear business.   Thank you to the founders of Cambridge Spectacle Company, Sunny Bowls and the Love Her Shop for being part of the 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 Norma Kamali’s founding story as told by Norma on the show in 2021.  This episode was produced by Kerry Thompson. It was edited by John Isabella. Our audio engineer was Neal Rauch.  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.

Rick Steves spent the summer after high school backpacking through Europe on two dollars a day—sleeping on the floor, sneaking into museums, and subsisting on a diet of bread and jam. When he came home, he found people were hungry for tips on how to visit Europe on the cheap, so he began teaching classes, and was soon hawking a self-published guidebook out of his car. Eventually, he started leading minibus tours and hosting a travel show on Public TV, steadily growing his business even though he was giving away most of his content. His no-frills approach to travel has persisted as a powerful brand, with 70 guidebooks, an ever-popular travel show, and—in 2024—an annual revenue of $120 million. This episode was produced by Rachel Faulkner-White, with music by Ramtin Arablouei. Edited by Neva Grant. You can follow HIBT on Twitter & Instagram, and email us at [email protected]. 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.