How I Built This: The Unexpected Paths to Success from the World's Most Inspiring Entrepreneurs
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How I Built This: The Unexpected Paths to Success from the World's Most Inspiring Entrepreneurs Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Guy Raz (Author, Narrator), Audible Studios (Publisher)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 1,705 ratings
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Based on the highly acclaimed NPR podcast How I Built This with Guy Raz, this book offers priceless insights and inspiration from the world's top entrepreneurs on how to start, launch, and build a successful venture.

Great ideas often come from a simple spark: A soccer player on the New Zealand national team notices all the unused wool his country produces and figures out a way to turn them into shoes (Allbirds). A former Buddhist monk decides the very best way to spread his mindfulness teachings is by launching an app (Headspace). A sandwich cart vendor finds a way to reuse leftover pita bread and turns it into a multimillion-dollar business (Stacy’s Pita Chips).

Award-winning journalist and NPR host Guy Raz has interviewed more than 200 highly successful entrepreneurs to uncover amazing true stories like these. In How I Built This, he shares tips for every entrepreneur's journey: from the early days of formulating your idea, to raising money and recruiting employees, to fending off competitors, to finally paying yourself a real salary. This is a must-listen for anyone who has ever dreamed of starting their own business or wondered how trailblazing entrepreneurs made their own dreams a reality.

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  1. Listening Length
    10 hours and 31 minutes
  2. Author
    Guy Raz
  3. Narrator
    Guy Raz
  4. Audible release date
    September 15, 2020
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Audible Studios
  7. ASIN
    B08BT74368
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 10 hours and 31 minutes
Author Guy Raz
Narrator Guy Raz
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date September 15, 2020
Publisher Audible Studios
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B08BT74368
Best Sellers Rank #16,594 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#14 in New Business Enterprises
#63 in Starting a Business (Books)
#123 in Entrepreneurship (Audible Books & Originals)

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
1,705 global ratings
HIBT's Greatest Hits with Insights from Some Guy
5 Stars
HIBT's Greatest Hits with Insights from Some Guy
I've been a fan of Guy Raz's How I Built This from NPR for quite some time. Guy has a real talent for interviewing entrepreneurs and engaging his listeners, which is what made his book intriguing. This book compiles Guy Raz's greatest hits into one volume, complete with his insights and guidance on how certain situations may (or may not) apply to you. The selection of stories are from some of the best and most entertaining episodes, from Away bags and AirBnB (and their Obama Os) to FUBU and Allbirds. These are some of the most inspiring stories of people overcoming challenges, making almost every mistake along the way, and still coming out on top. If you've got an idea, a plan, a willingness to iterate, and a lot of grit, this book will definitely help you in your journey.
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Top reviews from the United States

Andrew
5.0 out of 5 stars Solid Guide Book
Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2020
Verified Purchase
Finally got around to reading the book and must say it’s easily the most concise and comprehensive in its category. I was honestly rather hesitant to purchase it initially as I listen to the HIBT podcast every Monday, so I was worried that the book would just be a written recount of Guy’s interviews. I took the plunge primarily to support Guy, since the HIBT podcast continues to motivate me in my own endeavors each week. While it does contain many summaries of founder stories heard on the podcast, Guy does so merely to provide anecdotal evidence to support a particular concept (e.g. funding, pivotal moments, etc.).

If you’re someone interested in, or currently in the midst of, starting your own business this book will provide immense value. Guy concisely buckets many considerations/milestones to starting and growing an effective business based on the common experiences heard across many founders along with his own. Even if you’re just someone interested in memoirs, you’ll enjoy this. The chapters discussing iterations, perfection paralysis, and generating buzz were huge personal takeaways. Do note, however, this isn’t a book guaranteeing success - it’s merely a tool to equip you with the proper mindset. I’m sure if you’re here to buy the book you know that a guaranteed success manual doesn’t exist, otherwise you’d be spending money on a “get rich quick” guru eCourse from a Youtube ad.

For anyone that loves business memoirs, I’d also recommend Creativity Inc (Ed Catmull co-founder of Pixar) if you haven’t read it yet. I think it pairs really well with the HIBT book especially to the points of iterative processes and what to do when you feel like you’ve achieved your goal.
39 people found this helpful
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reader
5.0 out of 5 stars Entrepreneurship
Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2024
Verified Purchase
My grandson is always looking for ways to go into business. This was a gift! He liked, we’ll see what happens!
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Vernon
5.0 out of 5 stars HIBT's Greatest Hits with Insights from Some Guy
Reviewed in the United States on September 23, 2020
Verified Purchase
I've been a fan of Guy Raz's How I Built This from NPR for quite some time. Guy has a real talent for interviewing entrepreneurs and engaging his listeners, which is what made his book intriguing. This book compiles Guy Raz's greatest hits into one volume, complete with his insights and guidance on how certain situations may (or may not) apply to you. The selection of stories are from some of the best and most entertaining episodes, from Away bags and AirBnB (and their Obama Os) to FUBU and Allbirds. These are some of the most inspiring stories of people overcoming challenges, making almost every mistake along the way, and still coming out on top. If you've got an idea, a plan, a willingness to iterate, and a lot of grit, this book will definitely help you in your journey.
Customer image
Vernon
5.0 out of 5 stars HIBT's Greatest Hits with Insights from Some Guy
Reviewed in the United States on September 23, 2020
I've been a fan of Guy Raz's How I Built This from NPR for quite some time. Guy has a real talent for interviewing entrepreneurs and engaging his listeners, which is what made his book intriguing. This book compiles Guy Raz's greatest hits into one volume, complete with his insights and guidance on how certain situations may (or may not) apply to you. The selection of stories are from some of the best and most entertaining episodes, from Away bags and AirBnB (and their Obama Os) to FUBU and Allbirds. These are some of the most inspiring stories of people overcoming challenges, making almost every mistake along the way, and still coming out on top. If you've got an idea, a plan, a willingness to iterate, and a lot of grit, this book will definitely help you in your journey.
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8 people found this helpful
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Madison N.
4.0 out of 5 stars Great book, but bound upside down!
Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2020
Verified Purchase
A really great book but once I hit off 45 a large section of the book was bound upside down. Not a huge deal and you can just rotate the book to read but be aware when buying.
One person found this helpful
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Tenderfart
5.0 out of 5 stars Love hearing stories from the frontlines from entrepreneurs themselves
Reviewed in the United States on September 15, 2020
Verified Purchase
A lot of entrepreneurship books over the last decade have felt like they were aimed at the tech space or they presumed that you would raise hundreds of millions from silicon valley. It was refreshing to hear stories about successful companies that make normal every day stuff that real people use--like chips and protein bars and lotion and those thingies you plug into your iphone so you can use headphones. The stories were really inspiring and I felt like I got a ton of info I could actually use if I ever had an idea I wanted to pursue. Great read. Couldn't recommend more.
14 people found this helpful
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Byron Walker
5.0 out of 5 stars Every business owner must read
Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2020
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The podcast is great, but i have also loved this book. After the first page, you can't put it down. There is so much in this book that you can learn from other entrepreneurs who have gone through hard times and resiliently made it to the other side (even when they didn't think they could). After recently surviving a big downturn in my own business I find so many common threads with each inspirational short story. The challenges of starting and owning a business are great, but these challenges (past, current or future challenges) have been experienced by other people and Guy seems to find the best of the best and shares their stories in this book.
3 people found this helpful
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Belladonna
5.0 out of 5 stars Must read for founders
Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2023
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Really great book!
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k_rich7
5.0 out of 5 stars Read it now!
Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2022
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Best book I have read in years. I love Guy Raz and this composition. Vast amount of knowledge and wisdom compiled into one fun to read book. Reading this completely changed my approach to business. I hope you can read this and experience the same impact!
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Top reviews from other countries

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Brady D
5.0 out of 5 stars If you love the Podcast you'll love this
Reviewed in Canada on April 25, 2022
Verified Purchase
A companion guide to all the podcasts and insights over the years. Inspiring as always!
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Pablo Reyes
5.0 out of 5 stars No es uno más del montón...
Reviewed in Mexico on December 5, 2020
Verified Purchase
Este libro es distinto a lo ya existente en el medio,no te habla de cómo ser millonario te habla de las dificultades dentro de cada persona(en este caso CEO) y como lograron sortearlo para salir adelante,más allá de cuestiones de negocios son problemas de la vida cotidiana y cómo es que estos líderes los afrontaron, nos pone a reflexionar que para llegar a ser como ellos no es más que prestar atención a los pequeños detalles.
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prakash
5.0 out of 5 stars worth and must have
Reviewed in India on May 21, 2022
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The content is interesting ,more live facts and solutions , gripping experience ,
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Paola
3.0 out of 5 stars Belle storie ma libro non bellissimo
Reviewed in Italy on March 16, 2021
Verified Purchase
Bello, ma pensavo meglio. A tratti autoreferenziale e in altri generico. Comunque utile per alcune storie che mi interessavano (Headspace ad esempio).
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Lorenz Hendrik ✅ 📷 🎞
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
Reviewed in Germany on February 9, 2021
Verified Purchase
I loved it. Very inspiring with a lot of great examples how to be successful. For a Native German (me) with very good English skills it was easy to read.
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