Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.

Davis Smith has spent the last nine years building the outdoor gear and clothing brand, Cotopaxi. The company’s slogan, Gear for Good, encapsulates everything about the way they do business, from using recycled and remnant materials to donating a portion of their revenue to nonprofits that fight poverty. It’s a story that Davis told when he was first on How I Built This in 2020.This week on How I Built This Lab, Davis returns to give Guy an update on how Cotopaxi weathered the COVID-19 pandemic and transitioned to a remote-first workplace. Plus, why Davis is stepping down from his role as CEO to pursue another passion: serving his church for three years as a mission leader in Brazil. This episode was produced by Chris Maccini and edited by John Isabella, with music by Ramtin Arablouei. Our audio engineer was Katherine Silva.You can follow HIBT on Twitter &amp; Instagram, and email us at hibt@id.wondery.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How I Built This with Guy Raz

HIBT Lab! Cotopaxi: Davis Smith

For Monique Rodriguez, hair care was a hobby; she never thought she could build a business. In fact, after high school, Monique followed her mother’s advice to find a solid, recession-proof career, and she went into nursing. However, Monique realized it was not for her, and she pursued side gigs selling everything from Mary Kay to cable subscriptions. But when a devastating loss turned Monique’s world upside down, she found joy in her hobby. What started as Monique’s homegrown haircare experiments posted on Instagram eventually became Mielle Organics, a line of products made for textured hair with natural and organic ingredients. Educating herself through internet research, going to trade shows and conferences, and learning from some big mistakes, Monique and her husband Melvin turned her hobby into a massive global haircare and beauty brand.This episode was produced by Casey Herman, with music by Ramtin ArabloueiEdited by Andrea Bruce, with research help from Alex Cheng.You can follow HIBT on Twitter &amp; Instagram, and email us at hibt@id.wondery.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mielle Organics: Monique Rodriguez

Pricey down payments have put homeownership out of reach for many Americans, especially those who don’t have access to intergenerational wealth. This issue is particularly acute in cities, where the salaries of essential workers like educators, healthcare professionals, and municipal service providers haven’t kept pace with skyrocketing home values.  An introductory finance course got Alex Lofton thinking about his own experience with this issue — and creative ways to address it. In 2015, he and two co-founders launched Landed, a for-profit company that offers down payment assistance in exchange for a share in a home’s eventual appreciation.This week on How I Built This Lab, Alex talks with Guy about his company’s work to help more Americans build wealth by purchasing homes. Alex also recounts how working for the Obama for America campaign in 2008 influenced his approach to organizational leadership, plus he and Guy discuss the potential consequences of capitalism unchecked. This episode was produced by Sam Paulson and edited by John Isabella, with music by Ramtin Arablouei. Our audio engineer was Katherine Silva.You can follow HIBT on Twitter &amp; Instagram, and email us at hibt@id.wondery.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

HIBT Lab! Landed: Alex Lofton

In 2010, Justin McLeod was in business school, still trying to get over a bad breakup that had happened years before. Determined to solve his own problem and convinced that the best way to meet people was through friends of friends, he built an app to replicate that experience. Gradually, Hinge grew into a streamlined swiping platform that yielded mixed results: good dates, bad hookups, mismatched swipes, and missed opportunities. Disappointed with this outcome and inspired by a sudden twist in his own love life, Justin redesigned Hinge as an app for finding meaningful relationships, with the tag line "designed to be deleted." Today, Hinge is owned by Match Group and is one of the most popular dating apps in the U.S.This episode was produced by J.C. Howard, with music by Ramtin ArabloueiEdited by Neva Grant, with research help from Daryth Gayles.You can follow HIBT on Twitter &amp; Instagram, and email us at hibt@id.wondery.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hinge: Justin McLeod (2021)

What would it take to build America’s first solar-powered town? What about a town that could withstand a direct hit from a hurricane? In the early 2000s, Syd Kitson, a former NFL football player and real estate developer, set out to do both at the same time. The result was a community in southwest Florida called Babcock Ranch.This week on How I Built This Lab, Guy talks with Syd about how he negotiated the purchase of a 91,000 acre parcel of land, conserved 80% as a nature preserve, and developed the remainder into an innovative planned community. Plus, how advance planning enabled Babcock Ranch to survive Hurricane Ian, a Category 4 storm in 2022, with minimal damage.This episode was produced by Chris Maccini and edited by John Isabella, with music by Ramtin Arablouei. Our audio engineer was James Willetts.You can follow HIBT on Twitter &amp; Instagram, and email us at hibt@id.wondery.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

HIBT Lab! Babcock Ranch: Syd Kitson

When Fokke de Jong started selling suits out of his dorm room in Amsterdam in the late 90's, he wasn’t planning on becoming the next Tom Ford—he just wanted to supply luxury suits at an affordable price. But he was so successful that around 2000, Suitsupply went from his side hustle to his full-time gig. Fokke sourced the best fabrics and production in Italy, and grew the business by selling his wares online long before that was the norm. Suitsupply thrived on Fokke's unorthodox ideas, like when he opened his first physical shop by the side of a highway, or when he goaded competition into suing him over ads. By 2011, Suitsupply had grown beyond Holland, opening stores in cities like London, Milan, and New York. Today, they have over 150 locations worldwide.This episode was produced by J.C. Howard, with music by Ramtin ArabloueiEdited by Casey Herman, with research help from Sam Paulson.You can follow HIBT on Twitter &amp; Instagram, and email us at hibt@id.wondery.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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