The stories of successful entrepreneurs and leaders who don’t follow conventional business wisdom. From showing financial restraint to valuing people above profit, we tell the stories of mavericks who grew their empires the right way, leaving you inspired to do the same.
When Yvon Chouinard started making climbing pitons in a chicken coop behind his parent's house, he had no interest in creating one of the world's most iconic outdoor brands. He and his fellow climbers just wanted higher quality tools that left a smaller environmental footprint. But the 83-year-old did more than create a $1 billion brand known around the world from professional climbers to runway models. He created a company that has become synonymous with fighting climate change and supporti...
30 Nov 2021
S3 E5: Sara Blakely - SPANX
In 2000, no one would've expected that an industry like women's undergarments had room for breakthrough innovation, let alone one worth over a billion dollars. And despite people laughing in her face, Sara Blakely had dreams of building SPANX in to a $20 million company. In this week's episode, we reveal how this former door-to-door fax machine saleswoman eclipsed ever her own goals, building SPANX to a $1.2B+ brand.
16 Nov 2021
S3 E4 - How Zola Conquered the Wedding Industry
Growing up in Australia, Shan-Lyn Ma felt cut off from the excitement of the early 2000s tech boom in Silicon Valley. So she got there as soon as possible. After getting her MBA at Stanford, working at her dream company, Yahoo, and building her skills as a product developer, Shan-Lyn decided to optimize an industry she and many of her friends took part in multiple weekends a year—weddings. In this week's episode we learn how Zola became a one-stop shop for wedding planning, honeymoon ...
9 Nov 2021
S3 E3: Whitney Wolfe Herd - Bumble
Sometimes you need to break the rules in order to create a new societal reality. And when Whitney Wolfe Heard created Bumble, that's exactly what she did. In this week's episode, we reveal how Wolfe Heard took traditional dating and product development concepts and turned them upside down to create one of the world's leading online dating apps, and became the world's youngest self-made female billionaire.
2 Nov 2021
S3 E2: Wolfgang Puck and the Rise of the Celebrity Chef
Before Wolfgang Puck, the words "celebrity" and "chef" were never found in the same sentence. That all changed in 1982 when Puck opened Spago in West Hollywood. With its open kitchen, delicious food, parade of A-list celebrities, and ebullient chef, Spago catapulted Puck into worldwide stardom while his cookware, cookbooks, and regular television appearances made him a household name. In this week's episode, we learn how a boy from Austria, who never felt good enough, conquered th...
26 Oct 2021
S3 E1: Ingvar Kamprad - IKEA
IKEA is a $45.5 billion global conglomerate. But did you know this furniture empire was all started by a 17-year-old boy from a small Swedish town? In our kickoff to Season 3, we're diving into learn how Ingvar Kamprad, a small-town Swedish boy, went from a modest upbringing selling pens to his neighbors to founding one of the world's biggest and most recognizable furniture stores.
3 Aug 2021
S2 E6: How Kendra Scott is Designing a Better World One Piece of Jewelry at a Time
You don’t have to be a fashion insider to know the name Kendra Scott. It’s inscribed in gold letters over the door of more than 100 stores where customers not only find a perfect piece of jewelry but an experience like no other. But jewelry is only half the story of the woman who Forbes recently ranked ahead of Taylor Swift and Beyoncé on a list of the country’s “richest self-made women.” The $1 billion-dollar brand that started as a $500 side project when she was pregnant and on bed rest is...
27 Jul 2021
S2 E5: How Keller Williams Transferred Power to Their Agents to Become a Real Estate Giant
Being in an established industry doesn't mean that there's no room for innovation. And Gary Keller did just that when he left the real estate brokerage he worked for, partnered with Joe Williams, and launched Keller Williams Realty. In this episode, Arun shares how thinking differently allowed Keller Williams to attract top real estate agents and grow the company into one of the largest in the Unites States.
20 Jul 2021
S2 E4: How Alamo Drafthouse Changed the Movie Theater Experience Forever
Before Alamo Drafthouse came along, the movie theater experience wasn't an experience at all. That all changed in 1997 when Tim and Karrie League opened the first Drafthouse in Austin, Texas. Now with dozens of locations across the country, the duo has managed to do what other theater chains couldn't in the streaming era—get people to see a movie outside their homes. In this week's episode, how Alamo Drafthouse changed what it meant to go to the movies and why it's a special place for directo...
13 Jul 2021
S2 E3: How P. Terry's Became a Texas Favorite
Sometimes size does matter, and in the case of P. Terry's burger stand, smaller actually played in their favor. In this episode, we share the story of P. Terry's founder Patrick Terry, and how he was able to use their small size, to build one of Austin's favorite burger joints.
6 Jul 2021
S2 E2: How Two Brothers Unleashed the Ice Monster
With Yeti, Ryan and Roy Seiders did more than build a billion dollar-brand. They created a lifestyle. In this week's episode, we go back to a time when durable coolers and stainless steel tumblers weren't synonymous with everyday life and reveal how two born entrepreneurs changed the outdoor industry forever.
22 Jun 2021
S2 E1: John Mackey and the Unconventional Rise of Whole Foods
In the first episode of our season focusing on Austin-based companies, we talk about the health-focused grocery store that took over the country. From showering with a kitchen dishwasher hose to building a quality food empire, John Mackey embodies a true business hustler. Discover the unconventional practices John Mackey instilled at Whole Foods that resulted in the company regularly appearing in Fortune's list of best companies to work for.
25 May 2021
Season Two Trailer: Keep Austin Unusual
Austin, Texas has a reputation for being "weird" so it's no surprise that many of its local businesses do things unusual. Zoho opened its Austin office almost 10 years ago and officially moved its corporate headquarters there in 2019. So for season two we wanted to look at the companies we are proud to call neighbors, and even more proud to share some of the unusual qualities and values that make the Austin community so special.
4 May 2021
S1 E6: Soichiro Honda (Honda Motor Company)
Soichiro Honda wasn't afraid to dream big and didn't let adversity get in his way—including a violent race car crash and targeted opposition from his home country's government. In our season one finale, Austin tells us why Honda is a hero to CEOs and entrepreneurs around the world, including Zoho's own CEO, Sridhar Vembu.
20 Apr 2021
S1 E5: Daymond John (FUBU)
From selling hats on a street corner in Brooklyn, NY, to becoming a clothing icon, television personality, and highly sought after investor, Daymond John has experienced it all. In this episode, Arun details the "against the grain" decisions and true hustle that embodies John and has led to his meteoric rise as an entrepreneur.
13 Apr 2021
S1 E4: Chuck Feeney (Duty Free Shoppers)
Last year, the billionaire who's life goal was to die broke, finally did it—going broke that is. In this episode, Austin tells the story of Chuck Feeney, the very alive and well co-founder of Duty Free Shoppers, and the man who inspired people like Bill Gates and Warren Buffett to give away their fortunes while still alive.
6 Apr 2021
S1 E3: Kevin Systrom (Instagram)
The story of how Kevin Systrom did things differently to build Instagram and turn it into one of the most popular social media platforms of all time.
23 Mar 2021
S1 E2: Ellen Bennett (Hedley & Bennett)
As the founder of the culinary lifestyle brand, Hedley & Bennett, Ellen Bennett built a multi-million dollar company thanks to her vision, tenacity, and unwillingness to accept "no" as an answer. In this episode, Austin tells Ellen's story that took her from some of the best kitchens in Mexico City and Los Angeles to the founder and leader of the company that makes your favorite chef's favorite apron.
16 Mar 2021
S1 E1: Arianna Huffington (HuffPost)
She became one of the most famous names in digital media, but how much do you really know about Arianna Huffington? In our inaugural episode, Arun tells us how Arianna built the Huffington Post and then walked away to change how people prioritize wellness in their daily lives.
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