This guy really has it out for this podcast. This reads to me like Guy Raz personally pissed him off. It’s been a few years since I listened to How I Built This but most of the ones I listened to were about the early days of the company when it really is kind of the leader doing long hours and chasing a dream. I think we can recognize that and also recognize what the companies became later.

Many of the ones I listened to would mention that it was a lot of luck - though there were exceptions and those CEOs didn’t come across well. It also talked pretty openly about companies that got stolen - Dippin’ Dots and Burt’s Bees come to mind.

Maybe the vibe has shifted since I stopped listening but this feels unnecessarily harsh. Personally, I don’t think this would be the right venue for pressing them on hard issues like unions and regulations - maybe as a retrospective at the end of the interview at most. I think we can recognize the hard work and long hours that go into starting these companies without also accepting their suspect business practices as they get larger (which can have a lot of complicated drivers). Attack the companies and CEOs, not a podcast host who is just trying to make an easy and interesting podcast.

Half of NPR is just slush for millionaire donor advised funds

‘This is brought to you by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’