Good reading between the lines

Great ideas often start with a simple spark. Former Buddhist monk Andy Puddicombe, for instance, realised the best way to share mindfulness was through an app: Headspace. NPR host Guy Raz dives into stories like this, interviewing successful entrepreneurs to uncover their journeys, in his podcast, How I Built This.

Raz also offers practical advice for every step of the entrepreneurial path, from shaping your idea and raising funds to building a team, battling competitors, and eventually earning a proper salary.

In this Feb 2022 episode, Goodreads: Otis and Elizabeth Chandler, Raz interviews founders of Goodreads, diving into how the husband-wife duo launched it in the mid-2000s. From coding the site in an LA apartment and persevering despite naysayers, to reaching their first users, and eventually striking a major deal with Amazon in 2013, the Chandlers' journey is a masterclass in persistence. Today, Goodreads is the world's largest platform for readers, boasting 125 mn users.


Raz shines as an interviewer, making each conversation relatable. His episodes follow a classic arc - rising, falling, and rising again - centred on the ingenuity of each entrepreneur. The biggest takeaway? If you don't ask, the answer'll always be no.