To find your big idea? Look for it. And look for it. And be ready to act. Spanx founder Sara Blakely was actively seeking a business idea when she thought of Spanx. Then she moved fast, found help in the right places, and went all-in. The result: A billion-dollar company & women's wardrobes transformed. With cameos by National Geographic Explorer Andrés ... Show More
Today
Chicago Fed President on inflation, recession, and Trump’s attacks
The economy is strong, prices are still too high, and the job market is sending mixed signals. The Federal Reserve is navigating all of it while fending off the most overt political pressure in its modern history. Austan Goolsbee, President of the Chicago Fed, joins Rapid Respons ... Show More
35m 42s
Aug 25
Ford's Jim Farley on beating China, and the storm nobody sees coming
With the ongoing disruption in the Strait of Hormuz and fuel prices still elevated, few auto executives are feeling the pressure more acutely than Ford Motor Company CEO Jim Farley. He joins Rapid Response to give a candid account of what the turmoil means for the auto industry, ... Show More
28m 23s
Aug 20
How Barnes & Noble made a comeback, with CEO James Daunt
CEO James Daunt has now rescued two iconic bookstore chains: Barnes & Noble and Waterstones. He joins host Jeff Berman to discuss the turnarounds, plus how bookstores are preparing for an onslaught of AI-written content, his BookTok strategy, and why local control is the key to m ... Show More
32m 54s
Mar 2025
Spanx vs Skims | Not Your Grandmother’s Girdle | 1
In 1998, a young office equipment sales rep named Sara Blakely can’t find anything to wear under a pair of tight fitting white pants. Everything she tries on makes her feel unattractive. In a moment of inspiration, she cuts off the feet of a pair of pantyhose, saving the outfit a ... Show More
41m 34s
Mar 2025
Spanx vs Skims | Not Your Grandmother’s Girdle | 1
In 1998, a young office equipment sales rep named Sara Blakely can’t find anything to wear under a pair of tight fitting white pants. Everything she tries on makes her feel unattractive. In a moment of inspiration, she cuts off the feet of a pair of pantyhose, saving the outfit a ... Show More
41m 34s
Dec 2019
Live From The HIBT Summit: Sara Blakely Of Spanx
Our first episode from the 2019 <em>How I Built This </em>Summit features Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx. In front of a live audience, she tells Guy how she stayed confident in the earliest days of building the business, and why one day she still wound up sobbing on the floor of ... Show More
19m 53s
Feb 2024
How to take your good idea to the next level
You have a fantastic idea, but you're going to need help with execution. Thankfully, that’s what your network is for. In this week’s episode, a listener who developed her own pilates equipment business comes to Anne and Frances for advice on how to turn a successful product into ... Show More
31 m
Sep 2024
Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
Being a business owner means having to innovate constantly and navigate change. So Inc., in partnership with Capital One Business, wants to help you figure out Your Next Move. Join Anu Duggal, founding partner of Female Founders Fund, the first early-stage fund for female-founded ... Show More
33m 53s