Narrative · Global & US
How I Built This
with Guy Raz
Founders telling the story of how their company began, in a produced narrative format — the most accessible show on this list and a genuinely good one.
Why an angel should listen
This is the show to give someone who has never thought about startups. It is well produced, the interviews are warm without being uncritical, and the range extends far beyond technology into consumer brands, food, retail and services — categories most venture podcasts ignore entirely.
The investor-relevant part is the early chapter of each story, which the format lingers on. You hear how the founder funded the first year, what they were doing before, and the specific moment the thing started working. That moment is what an angel is trying to identify prospectively.
The known limitation is survivorship. Every guest succeeded, which means the show cannot tell you what the same behaviours look like in companies that failed. Listen to it for texture, not for a base rate.
Where to begin
Start with these
- Any episode about a non-technology business — the constraints are different and the lessons transfer surprisingly well.
- Episodes where the founder nearly ran out of money, for what the decision actually felt like.
- Anything in a category you might invest in, for how the early customers were found.
Listening orders