From Scratch

Bre Pettis - Co-Founder, Makerbot Industries

brian — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:43:07 +0000

Bre co-founded Makerbot Industries in 2009 after working as a public school teacher in Seattle, Washington. Makerbot makes 3-D printers that make actual objects. Instead of producing ink on paper, a Makerbot makes items including bottle openers, toys, and shells for hermit crabs(!).

Bre talks to Jessica about how he launched Makerbot Industries, from scratch.

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Alex Counts - Founder, Grameen Foundation

brian — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:00:45 +0000

Microfinance lending, the practice of making small loans to individuals who would otherwise not qualify for traditional loans, has been a proven method of nurturing entrepreneurship in developing countries. As a college student, Alex read about the work of Noble Prize winning Dr. Muhammad Yunus and his efforts in microfinance. Eager to contribute, he moved to Bangladesh soon after graduating and worked under Dr. Yunus to learn the intricacies of microfinance lending. In 1997, Alex branched off and founded the Grameen Foundation in order to expand microfinance efforts globally.

Alex speaks to Jessica about how he turned a $6000 seed investment into a leading international microfinance organization, from scratch.

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Rob Kalin - Founder, Etsy

brian — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 03:59:39 +0000

Rob Kalin initially started Etsy—the online marketplace for handmade goods—as a way to sell his own furniture in 2005. The company has become a vehicle for more than one million artisans who sell their products—ranging from knit-wear to musical instruments to clocks—through the site.

Rob speaks with Jessica about how he built Etsy, from scratch.

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Michael and Rick Mast - Founders, Mast Brothers Chocolate

brian — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:00:11 +0000

Artisanal chocolate has experienced a revolution, especially in the United States; but only a handful of producers actually go through the entire process of producing chocolate from the bean. Michael and Rick Mast were the first culinary craft men in New York City to make the “bean to bar” unchartered chocolate journey. The two brothers from Iowa decided to walk away from their respective careers in film and music to start a simple, nostalgic chocolate company in Brooklyn dedicated to American Craft Chocolate.

The Mast brothers talk to Jessica about their resourceful approach to building their chocolate business, from scratch.

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Naif Al-Mutawa - Founder, The 99

brian — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 22:00:45 +0000

Naif is the creator of The 99, a comic series that features superheroes based on Islamic archetypes. Coming from a background in clinical psychology, Naif earned his PhD and aided war victims with post traumatic stress disorder. Deciding to take a different path, Naif went to business school and developed an idea that would eventually take shape as The 99. These comics, while not overtly alluding to Islam, aim to promote values of tolerance and peace outside of and within the Muslim world.

Jessica speaks to Naif about his process of creating a unique approach to promoting cultural tolerance and understanding, from scratch.

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Jim Barton - Co-Founder, Tivo

brian — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 16:00:03 +0000

Jessica speaks with Jim Barton, co-founder of Tivo, a product that allows users to digitally record television to a hard drive that can be recalled and watched at anytime. Through the invention of the Digital Video Recorder, or DVR, Tivo effectively changed the business model of television, handing over control from the TV executives to consumers.

Jim speaks with Jessica about how he is helping to transform the television landscape, from scratch.

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Yvon Chouinard - Founder, Patagonia

brian — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 22:00:29 +0000

Yvon is one of the leading pioneers in the climbing and outdoor apparel field. Since his teens, Yvon has been an avid climber and adventure seeker. He innovated rock and ice climbing equipment, which he sold through his first company Chouinard Equipment (now Black Diamond). Yvon later started Patagonia, and the company has been a model of business and environmental responsibility since its inception in 1973.

Jessica speaks with Yvon about his journey from outdoor enthusiast to founder of Patagonia, from scratch.

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Andy Levine - Co-founder, Sixthman

brian — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 16:00:13 +0000

Andy Levine connects music bands to their fans in an unlikely venue: at sea. Since 2001 Andy has been creating and marketing musical experiences for music fans, working with artists like John Mayer, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Barenaked Ladies, among others.

Andy speaks to Jessica about the many hats he has worn in the music industry, and how he ended up launching Sixthman, from scratch.

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Zainab Salbi - Founder, Women for Women International

brian — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 22:00:04 +0000

Zainab Salbi grew up in Iraq with close ties to Saddam Hussein. Her father was Saddam’s personal pilot, causing her family to be victims of psychological abuse by the dictator. When Zainab was living in the United States as a young adult, she was again involved in an abusive relationship. Her understanding of women in extremely harsh conditions eventually led her to start Women for Women International, an organization that provides support to women in war zones worldwide.

Zainab tells Jessica about growing up in the shadow of Saddam Hussein, and how it empowered her to join the fight to help women across the globe, from scratch.

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Stephen Hannock - Painter

brian — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:00:30 +0000

We often think of an entrepreneur as a risk taker who starts a successful business, but that definition applies to someone in any industry, whether it’s the business world, the non profit sector, entertainment or the arts. Jessica’s guest is an entrepreneur from the art world, a painter named Stephen Hannock, who is known mostly for his landscape paintings. His collectors include Tom Brokaw and Sting, and Fortune Magazine called Stephen “probably the most accomplished and well connected painter you’ve never heard of.”

Jessica speaks with Stephen about how he has created his own signature in the contemporary art world, from scratch.

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Fadi Ghandour - Founder, Aramex

brian — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 22:00:58 +0000

Fadi Ghandour is one of the leading entrepreneurs of the Middle East. Fadi and his family moved from Lebanon to Jordan where his father eventually became head of Royal Jordanian Airlines. Adopting his father’s business sense and knowledge of the aviation space, Fadi recognized and filled the need for dependable logistics transportation and delivery services in the Arab world. Aramex has been referred to as “the Fedex of the Middle East.”

Fadi speaks to Jessica about how he grew Aramex from a scrappy startup to the first company from the Arab world to be listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange, from scratch.

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Sarabeth Levine - Pastry Chef and Restaurateur

brian — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 22:00:58 +0000

Pastry chef and restaurateur Sarabeth Levine started her business by first selling marmalade, a family recipe, in a small cafe on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Prior to life in the culinary world, Sarabeth was a substitute teacher, a dental assistant, and sold health insurance.

Sarabeth speaks to Jessica about how she pioneered “brunch” in New York City, from scratch.

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Andy Goldsworthy - Sculptor

brian — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 16:00:16 +0000

Some sculptors work with materials like bronze or marble, which last forever; but others build sculptures made of ice or snow, which last only a few moments. Who are some of the sculptors producing ephemeral art? Jessica speaks with one such pioneer, Andy Goldsworthy.

Andy’s outdoor sculptures have been shown at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, The National Gallery in Washington DC, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, among others. Andy discusses how he has built a successful life building sculptures outdoors, and from scratch.

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Bunker Roy - Founder, Barefoot College

brian — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 22:00:12 +0000

Despite his elite background in India, Bunker Roy chose an unconventional path dedicating his life to educating India’s impoverished population. Influenced by Ghandi’s approach toward self reliance at the village level, the Barefoot College is an organization that teaches practical skills including solar engineering, architecture and water purification, to mostly illiterate women and men. Upon completion of their six month education at the Barefoot College, students bring their newly
attained skills home to their villages, where they help to improve local living standards. The Barefoot College has expanded its reach beyond India, to Afghanistan, parts of Africa and Latin America.

Jessica speaks to Bunker about his journey of empowering countless poor people across the globe, from scratch.

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Stephen McDonnell - Founder, Applegate Farms

brian — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 16:00:32 +0000

Jessica meets Stephen McDonnell, the founder of Applegate Farms. Applegate is a natural meat company that has been a leader in the natural meat movement since the mid 1980s. Applegate supports over 200 family farms, dedicated to the humane treatment of animals, and the company’s meat is sold in delis and markets such as Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s across the United States.

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Devi Shetty - Founder, Narayana Hrudayalaya Hospital

brian — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 22:00:42 +0000

“Hands which help are better than the lips that pray” are the words that hang in Dr. Devi Shetty’s office with a picture of Mother Theresa, a former patient of his. Dr. Shetty is a cardiac surgeon who pioneered low cost cardiac surgery for India’s poor population. Dr. Shetty founded the Narayana Hrudayalaya Hospital in Bangalore India in 2001. Doctors at Narayana Hrudayalaya perform over 7,000 heart surgeries per year without comprising quality. Through its scalable, low cost model, the hospital is able to treat patients who otherwise could not afford health care. Dr. Shetty is now expanding his vision globally– through another low cost hospital in the Cayman Islands.

Jessica speaks to Dr. Devi Shetty about his new model for treating patients cheaply, yet effectively, from scratch.

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Ron Gonen - Co-Founder, RecycleBank

brian — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 16:00:23 +0000

Most people recycle due to a sense of moral obligation towards the environment. Ron Gonen also saw a business opportunity. RecycleBank partners with municipalities and encourages households to recycle by rewarding them with points and gift cards that can be used at stores. RecycleBank is able to reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfills and save cities money on waste transport and landfill costs.

Jessica speaks with Ron about how he launched his recycling business, from scratch.

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Tim Westergren - Founder, Pandora

brian — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 22:00:38 +0000

Tim Westergren, a former jazz musician and film composer, founded the online radio station Pandora in 2000. Tim brought together a team of musicologists to analyze and classify hundreds of thousands of songs based on some 400 attributes. This project, called the Music Genome Project, is the backbone of Pandora. Pandora works like this: a user enters a song or artist, and Pandora plays songs that most resemble that entry. The company became profitable for the first time ten years after launch, and Pandora has become increasingly popular thanks, in part, to its availability as an app on Apple’s iPhone.

Jessica speaks with Tim about his previous musical career and how a small startup blossomed into the most well-known internet radio site, from scratch.

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Brij Kothari - Founder, Planet Read

brian — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:00:52 +0000

Imagine if every citizen in the United States didn’t know how to read. That’s 300MM people. That’s about the number of illiterate citizens in India, a nation of over a billion people.

Jessica speaks with Brij Kothari, a social entrepreneur who is tackling India’s literacy problem through Bollywood films. His organization, Planet Read, offers same language subtitling on television screens across India, so people can read the words as they sing along.

Brij describes how he is using entertainment to improve literacy, from scratch.

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Mike Lazerow - Co-Founder, Buddy Media

brian — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 22:00:40 +0000

Mike Lazerow co-founded Buddy Media with his wife Kass in 2007. Buddy Media helps corporations connect with their customers using social media. Clients like IBM, Ford, Pepsi and Jet Blue use Buddy Media’s software to engage consumers through Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and other platforms. Mike is a serial entrepreneur who formerly launched Golf.com (bought by Time Warner) and University Wire (an Associated Press-like service for the university community now owned by CBS).

Jessica and Mike speak about the importance of social media in engaging consumers, and how Mike and Kass launched Buddy Media—a leading social media software company—from scratch.

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Bob Silvers - Co-Founder, New York Review of Books

brian — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 22:00:28 +0000

During the New York newspaper strike of 1963, people missed reading the New York Times Book Review. A literary group of friends—including New York Review of Books founding editors Bob Silvers and Barbara Epstein—decided to start a book review of their own. With essays on politics, science, art, and books, the New York Review of Books has become an iconic literary institution.

Bob speaks with Jessica about the launch and life of the New York Review of Books, from scratch.

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Richard Saul Wurman - Founder, TED Conference

brian — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:00:59 +0000

Richard is the founder of the TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) Conference, TEDMED, and 19.20.21. He is also an architect and the author of over 80 books ranging from health care to travel. Throughout his career Richard has strived to make information easier to understand.

Jessica speaks with Richard about his wide array of projects, and how he built one the most high profile conferences on innovation, from scratch.

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Bob Moore - Founder, Bob's Red Mill

brian — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 22:00:24 +0000

Bob Moore founded Bob’s Red Mill in 1978 after an earlier career in the auto mechanics business. The company produces all natural whole-grain products that are prepared in the age-old tradition of quartz stone grinding. Based in Portland Oregon, Bob’s Red Mill provides roughly 400 natural grain products to natural food stores across the United States. In 2010, at 81 years old Bob turned the company over to his more than 200 employees through an ESOP (Employee Stock Option Plan).

Bob speaks to Jessica about his appreciation for natural whole grain foods, the role that spirituality has played in his entrepreneurial life, and the founding of Bob’s Red Mill from scratch.

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Simon Pearce - Founder, Simon Pearce, Inc.

brian — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 16:00:24 +0000

Jessica meets Simon Pearce, a glass blower, potter, and the founder of Simon Pearce, Inc. Simon started blowing glass in Ireland in the 1960s, and he moved the company to Quechee, Vermont in the early 1980s. His products are known around the world for their high quality and practical design. Jessica speaks to Simon about his hands-on approach to turning his craft into a successful business, from scratch.

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Albert Maysles - Co-Founder, Maysles Films

brian — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 22:00:53 +0000

Documentaries used to be films with a bunch of talking heads. But nowadays, more docs capture reality as it accidentally unfolds in front of the camera.

Who are some of the directors who led the shift to more reality based films?

Jessica’s guest is one such pioneer, Albert Maysles, whom the New York Times calls “the dean of documentary filmmaking.” Albert has made over three dozen films of the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Truman Capote, and his film Grey Gardens was turned into a Broadway show.

Albert tells Jessica how he pioneered a new documentary genre, from scratch.

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Joan Ganz Cooney - Co-Founder, Sesame Workshop

brian — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 22:00:17 +0000

Since the 1970s, The Children’s Television Workshop—now called the Sesame Workshop— intended to help low-income children become better prepared for school by using television as a tool. The Sesame Workshop has been much more far reaching, teaching and entertaining millions of kids around the globe. Shows like Sesame Street have become so culturally ubiquitous that it’s hard to imagine life before Big Bird.

Jessica speaks with television producer Joan Ganz Cooney about the early days of educational programming, and how she helped to revolutionize children’s television, from scratch.

This interview was recorded prior to the announcement
that Gary Knell would become CEO of NPR.

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Sam Farber - Founder, OXO

brian — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 16:00:50 +0000

Jessica speaks with Sam Farber, founder of the leading kitchenware company OXO. OXO’s universal designs are appropriate for users of all ages, whether you’re 75 years old with arthritis, or a five year old who hasn’t yet mastered apple peeling. OXO’s Good Grips line has won worldwide acclaim, and has been selected for the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art, among others. Sam discusses how he launched–ironically after retirement–from scratch.

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Maguy Le Coze - Co-Founder, Le Bernardin

brian — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 00:00:05 +0000

As a teenager, Maguy Le Coze and her brother Gilbert were introduced to the culinary life while helping their parents in their hotel restaurant in Brittany, France. But staying in the French countryside was not for her. Maguy and Gilbert opened Le Bernardin first in Paris, and later in New York City in 1986. Le Bernardin is considered one of the finest restaurants in the world, earning three Michelin stars and four stars from The New York Times since it opened. Celebrity chef Eric Ripert is the restaurant’s co-owner and chef.

Maguy speaks to Jessica about how she and her brother built Le Bernardin, from scratch.

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Peter Thiel - Co-Founder and Former CEO, PayPal

brian — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 15:00:08 +0000

The ability to buy and sell products online was one of the internet’s key innovations, but how do you convince people who are not used to e-commerce to trust that their money is arriving into the right hands? There were several companies in the late 1990s working to make online buying and selling easy and secure. PayPal was the most successful among them. Co-founded by Peter Thiel, PayPal enabled people to transact simply by using their email accounts. In 2002 eBay bought PayPal for $1.5Billion.

Jessica speaks with Peter Thiel about how he helped to build a leading online global payments system, from scratch.

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Azim Premji - Chairman, WIPRO

brian — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 22:00:03 +0000

Sometimes the company you start looks a lot different from the company you end up with; Azim Premji turned his cooking fat company into one of India’s largest technology companies. With over 70,000 employees and $3Bn in sales, Wipro provides software solutions, research and development, and information technology outsourcing to multinational corporations. Azim is the Chairman of Wipro, and one of India’s five wealthiest men.

Azim explains how he turned his father’s company into a technology leader, from scratch.

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Reid Hoffman - Founder, LinkedIn

brian — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 16:00:06 +0000

LinkedIn is an online network of professionals, founded by Reid Hoffman. LinkedIn helps people find and post jobs, reference check candidates, and create new trusted contacts. Jessica speaks with Reid about how he has helped to connect professionals online, and from scratch.

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Bikram Choudhury - Founder, Bikram Yoga

brian — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 16:00:22 +0000

Bikram Choudhury is the founder of Bikram Yoga, a series of 26 yoga postures practiced in a room that’s roughly 100 degrees. Bikram started practicing yoga in India when he was four years old, and there are now over 2000 Bikram Yoga centers across the globe, including in South Africa, China, England and the United States. Bikram refers to his class as a torture chamber but insists that 90 minutes of suffering is better than 90 years of suffering.

Bikram explains how he launched a popular—and controversial—yoga brand, from scratch.

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Bill Whyte - Founder, Badger

brian — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 22:00:35 +0000

Prior to founding Badger, Bill Whyte was a carpenter who wanted to find a remedy for his dry, cracked hands. While tinkering with different botanical and natural ingredients like olive oil and beeswax, he discovered that he had a knack for creating natural solutions to common skin conditions. Bill and his family started Badger in 1995, and the New Hampshire based company sells its expansive line of natural body care products—including sunscreen, lip-balm, body oils and soap—worldwide.

Bill speaks with Jessica about how he and his family launched a leading natural skin care company, from scratch.

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Jessica Rolph and Shazi Visram - Co-Founders, HappyBaby

brian — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 22:00:57 +0000

Babies are discriminating about the food they eat. Peas and carrots out of a jar don’t taste as good as the ‘real thing.’ Organic baby food companies are emerging to offer more tasty and nutritious options for babies. HappyBaby, founded by Jessica Rolph and Shazi Visram, is one such company.

Jessica and Shazi explain how they launched their natural food company, from scratch.

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Fadi Jabar - Founder, Sugar Daddy's Bakery

brian — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 16:00:52 +0000

Since growing up on an American compound in Saudi Arabia, Fadi Jabar developed a sweet tooth for American deserts. Many years later he found himself enjoying gourmet cupcakes in New York from bakeries such as Magnolia and Crumbs. Without wasting a beat, Fadi introduced the desert to his home country of Jordan and has since opened the gateway of American cupcakes into other central locations within the Middle East.

Jessica speaks with Fadi about his earlier days as a marketing executive and his process for exposing American sweets to the Middle East, from scratch.

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Yancey Strickler - Co-Founder, Kickstarter

brian — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 22:00:07 +0000

Have you ever had a creative project you were eager to get off the ground but you didn’t have the funding to make it happen? Yancey Strickler, co-founder of Kickstarter, has helped to develop an online solution that involves the crowd’s participation. Kickstarter connects artists and innovators with potential funders who simply learn about projects by visiting the website.

Yancey, a former music critic, tells Jessica the story of how he and a friend hatched their crowd-sourcing idea in a Brooklyn restaurant, from scratch.

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Paul Farmer - Co-Founder, Partners In Health

brian — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 22:00:57 +0000

People are becoming increasingly aware of public health initiatives, thanks to organizations like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, but who are these men and women actually out there in the fields of Rwanda and Peru making a difference in the lives of the poorest populations? Jessica speaks with one such pioneer, Paul Farmer, who since his early twenties has been committed to disease and poverty reduction. Paul is the co-founder of Partners in Health, which he started in Haiti in the 1980s. Partners in Health provides health care to the world’s poorest communities, and defies conventional wisdom which claims that it’s too difficult or expensive to train poor people effectively on a large scale.

Jessica speaks with Paul about how he got Partners in Health off the ground while he was still a student at Harvard Medical School, and we learn how this leader has helped to reshape the public health landscape, from scratch.

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Kelly Flatley & Brendan Synnott - Founders, Bear Naked

brian — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 22:00:29 +0000

There are more and more students graduating from college looking to become entrepreneurs. But where do they start? What kind of business should it be? Where will they get the funding without a track record? Jessica speaks with two pioneers who launched their natural food company when they were recent college grads. Kelly and Brendan started Bear Naked, a line of granola and cereal that’s available across the United States. They explain how they managed to build a multi-million dollar food company, from scratch.

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Erin and Phillip Stead - Illustrator and Author, A Sick Day for Amos McGee

brian — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 12:00:18 +0000

(Photo Courtesy of Nicole Haley Photography.) Phil and Erin Stead are husband and wife, and author and illustrator of A Sick Day for Amos McGee, an award winning children’s book. A Sick Day for Amos McGee received the Caldecott Medal in 2011 and was listed as one of the 10 Best Illustrated Childrens’ Books of 2010 by The New York Times.

Phil and Erin speak to Jessica about creating their first book together, from scratch.

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Connie Duckworth - Founder, Arzu

brian — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 16:00:44 +0000

Connie Duckworth is the founder and President of Arzu, an organization that promotes economic independence among women in Afghanistan through the sale of rugs. Arzu sources rugs from weavers in Afghanistan, sells them in the United States, and compensates these women at above market rates.

Connie is also the author of The Old Girls’ Network, a book that provides tips to women in entrepreneurial and corporate environments. Connie describes how she launched Arzu after retiring from a 20 year career at Goldman Sachs, from scratch.

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Jeffrey Hollender - Co-Founder, Seventh Generation

brian — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 22:00:11 +0000

Jeffrey Hollender set out to build a company that was both profitable and environmentally sustainable. Seventh Generation makes cleaning and sanitary products that focus on resource conversation and eco-friendly business practices. Jeffrey is the author of several books and an advocate of corporate and environmental responsibility.

Jeffrey discusses with Jessica how he has helped to pioneer safer cleaning, from scratch.

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Charlie Clifford - Founder, Tumi

brian — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 16:00:30 +0000

Jessica speaks with the founder of TUMI, Charlie Clifford. TUMI is a leading travel accessories company that has been making high-end, durable travel bags since 1975. The company has over 50 retail stores worldwide, with locations in Tokyo, London, NY, Paris and Chicago.

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Mia Bauer - Co-Founder, Crumbs Bake Shop

brian — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 22:00:03 +0000

Cupcakes have been a staple of American culture for generations, but lately they’ve experienced a “gourmet renaissance.” They are over sized, stuffed with just about anything you can imagine, and are priced to match. Mia Bauer left her career as an attorney and started a bakery in Manhattan that made gourmet cupcakes. A few years later, she and her husband had a successful cupcake franchise on both coasts.

Jessica speaks with Mia about how a lone shop became one of the leading gourmet cupcake businesses in the country, from scratch.

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Pat Helding - Founder, Fat Witch Bakery

brian — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 16:00:28 +0000

Pat Helding left her Wall Street job to start her brownie bakery in 1991, my pretty… Fat Witch is a mail order company with a retail shop in Manhattan’s Chelsea Market. The logo, packaging, and yummy treats make Fat Witch a favorite destination among tourists and locals. Pat tells Jessica the story behind Fat Witch, from scratch.

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Dennis Crowley - Co-founder, Foursquare

brian — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 22:00:51 +0000

“Turning life into a game” has always been of interest to Dennis Crowley. Dennis applies game dynamics to Foursquare, a popular social networking application that helps users get to know their city better. Foursquare was launched at South by Southwest in 2009 and has a following of approximately 10 million users.

Dennis speaks to Jessica about how he launched Foursquare, a recent online social phenomenon, from scratch.

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Nancy Lublin - Founder, Dress for Success

brian — Mon, 30 May 2011 21:00:37 +0000

When you’re preparing for a job interview, you want to put your best foot forward. But sometimes there’s a catch 22 when it comes to what to wear: How do you afford a suit if you don’t have a job, and how do you get the job if you’re not wearing professional clothes? Jessica speaks with Nancy Lublin, founder of Dress for Success, an organization that provides clothes to unemployed women for job interviews.

Nancy describes how she launched Dress for Success and helped thousands of women get jobs, from scratch.

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David Carmel - Co-founder, Jumpstart

brian — Mon, 30 May 2011 16:00:24 +0000

During his senior year in college, David discovered that building literacy skills in a child’s early years was vitally influential to their future success. Seeking a way to address this, he co-founded Jumpstart, a non-profit organization that pairs college students and community volunteers with pre-schoolers from low-income households. Throughout the one-year program, children are provided with one-on-one mentoring and exposure to reading.

David speaks with Jessica about America’s literacy problem and how an idea grew into an organization that provides support to thousands of young students, from scratch.

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Greg Mortenson - Founder, Central Asia Institute

brian — Wed, 18 May 2011 22:00:47 +0000

Growing up in the shadow of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Greg Mortenson was raised by a family of humanitarians. After his sister died from a struggle with epilepsy, he decided to climb K2 in her memory. While descending K2 after a failed attempt at the summit, Greg accidentally stumbled into Korphe, a remote Pakistani village. Nurtured back to health by the community, he made a promise to return and build a school for the girls.

Greg is the founder of the Central Asian Institute, an organization responsible for establishing schools, mostly for girls, in Northern Pakistan and Afghanistan. Greg’s story is captured in the New York Times best-selling book Three Cups of Tea.

Jessica recorded her interview with Greg in May 2010, prior to the allegations that surfaced against him a year later, in April 2011. He is charged with fabricating stories in his books and misusing the Central Asian Institute’s funds to promote his books. Greg tells his story in this interview, from scratch.

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Khalil Nasrallah - Co-founder, Wadi Foods

brian — Sat, 07 May 2011 22:00:10 +0000

Growing up in the middle of a civil war in Lebanon, Khalil Nasrallah and his family made their way to Egypt where they founded a leading natural foods company in the middle of the desert. Their company, Wadi Foods, pioneered the production of high quality, healthy food products in the Middle East.

Khalil speaks with Jessica about his path from planting the first few olive trees to creating one of the leading food companies in Egypt, from scratch.

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Jennifer Morrill - CEO, Adiri

brian — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 22:00:43 +0000

Baby bottles come in various shapes that aren’t necessarily “baby friendly.” But there is one company, Adiri, that makes a bottle that most closely simulates a mother’s breast and makes feeding easier for parents and baby. Jessica speaks with Adiri CEO Jennifer Morrill, as we learn the inspiring story behind this innovative baby-feeding company, from scratch.

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Chuck Close - Painter

brian — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 22:00:20 +0000

When we see a painting hanging on the hallowed walls of a museum, we get a sense of an artist’s technique and imagination, but we don’t get a sense of the process and hurdles that artist faced on the way to critical acclaim. What goes on behind the scenes, or behind the canvas? How does a starving artist becoming a financially secure cultural icon?

Jessica speaks with one such artist, Chuck Close. Chuck is considered one of the leading contemporary painters of the 20th and 21st century. His works hang in New York’s Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney, the Walker Museum in Minneapolis, and the National Gallery in Washington DC, just to name a few.

Many of us are familiar with his work, but this show makes us more familiar with his life, as he tells us how he built a successful art career, from scratch.

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Danny Meyer - Restaurateur, Union Square Hospitality Group

brian — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 22:00:22 +0000

A successful restaurant is more than a dining establishment; it is a form of entertainment. Danny Meyer, with his emphasis on hospitality, has become one of New York’s most successful restaurateurs. His restaurants include the Union Square Cafe, Gramercy Tavern, Eleven Madison Park, and The Modern, at the Museum of Modern Art.

Jessica speaks with Danny about how he built some of New York’s leading restaurants, from scratch.

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Jim Koch - Founder, Boston Beer Company

brian — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 22:00:45 +0000

When one thinks of beer, the images of scantily clad women or football games typically come to mind. But in the last few years, beer has undergone an artisanal revolution in the United States. Who are these craft beer pioneers providing new flavors and images to the beer category? Jessica’s guest is one such brewer, Jim Koch, the founder of Boston Beer, the maker of Samuel Adams. We’ll learn how Jim turned his family’s beer recipe into a leading luxury beer company, From Scratch.

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Nick Lobel-Weiss - Co-Founder, NYC Medics

brian — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 22:00:50 +0000

When earthquakes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters happen, who comes to the rescue? There’s government relief, NGOs, and fifteen guys from New York City!

Nick Lobel-Weiss is the cofounder of NYC Medics, an organization that provides medical services to emergency victims around the world. Nick speaks with Jessica about how his organization is providing urgent healthcare, from scratch.

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Robert Stephens - Founder, Geek Squad

brian — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 22:00:59 +0000

Robert Stephens started making computer tech-support house calls on his dirt bike while he was a college student at the University of Minnesota in 1994. He’d arrive to a customer’s house on time, take off his shoes, wear a clean uniform, and fix the problem. His cheeky “law enforcement” marketing theme caught people’s attention, and the company grew from one employee to now over 20,000. Geek Squad was acquired by Best Buy in 2002, and there are over 1,000 Geek Squad “precincts” across the United States, Canada and China. Robert tells Jessica how he turned his tiny tech support business into a customer service giant, from scratch.

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Max Barenbrug - Co-Founder, Bugaboo

brian — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 22:00:17 +0000

Parents want what’s best for their child, but they might not be too picky about the diapers or bottles they buy; but when it comes to transportation, all strollers are not created equal. With a price near $1000, the Bugaboo is considered the Rolls Royce of strollers. The Bugaboo’s versatile design makes it a favorite among parents. Jessica speaks with the co-founder of Bugaboo, Max Barenbrug.

After the Bugaboo was a sensation among parents in Holland, it made its debut on the TV show Sex and the City, in the United States. Max describes how he turned his final project in graduate school into the world’s “uber stroller” from scratch.

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Marie Moody - Founder, Stella and Chewy's

brian — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 22:00:33 +0000

Marie Moody, the founder of Stella and Chewy’s, fed her dog (Chewy) raw meat when he was sick. After Chewy recovered, Marie was inspired to provide organic, raw, frozen pet food to other dogs and cats. S&C simulates how these pets would have eaten in the wild and offers a nutritious alternative to existing processed pet foods. Marie tells Jessica how she got her innovative pet food company off the ground, from scratch.

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Raegan Moya-Jones - Co-Founder, Aden and Anais

brian — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 22:00:35 +0000

The ancient practice of swaddling, or wrapping a baby in a tight blanket, proves to have benefits for a baby’s health and development. Growing up in Australia, Raegan Moya-Jones was exposed to mothers swaddling their babies with muslin, a type of cotton. Years later, after a move to the United States and the birth of her first daughter, Raegan could not find the muslin blankets her family used back home. As a result, Raegan started Aden and Anais to fill this need, and the wraps are now increasingly popular among new families across the United States.

Raegan talks about how she introduced a new product for American babies and built her company, from scratch.

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Dorothy Hamilton - Founder, French Culinary Institute

brian — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 22:00:46 +0000

Jessica speaks with Dorothy Hamilton, founder of the French Culinary Institute (FCI), one of the country’s leading centers for culinary education. FCI, now part of the International Culinary Center, offers total immersion courses to people looking to become professional chefs or just master chefs of their own kitchen. Dorothy explains how she became one of the pioneers of culinary education, from scratch.

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Jordan Kassalow - Co-founder, Scojo Foundation

brian — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 16:00:45 +0000

Jessica speaks with Jordan Kassalow, co-founder of the Scojo Foundation, an organization that sells low-cost eyeglasses in developing countries such as India, Bangladesh, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico. Jordan is an optometrist who also co-founded Scojo Vision, a company that sells high end reading glasses to stores like Barneys, Neiman Marcus, and Saks Fifth Avenue. The company donates 5% of its sales to the Scojo Foundation. We’ll learn how Jordan is pioneering affordable eye care in the developing world, and changing the livelihood of thousands of individuals, from scratch.

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Jake Burton - Founder, Burton Snowboards

brian — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 22:00:37 +0000

Some entrepreneurs start companies, but others pioneer whole industries. Jake Burton, founder of Burton Snowboards, both built an international snowboard company and helped to turn snowboarding from an underground activity to a more widely acceptable sport. He convinced ski resorts one by one to allow snowboarders on the mountains, and, with his help, snowboarding became an Olympic sport in 1998.

Jake tells Jessica the story behind launching both his company, and the snowboarding industry, from scratch.

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Felina Rakowski-Gallagher - Founder, The Upper Breast Side

brian — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 22:00:16 +0000

The benefits of breast-feeding are legion (helping with baby’s immune and cognitive development, facilitating parental/child bonding, etc.), but its challenges are also numerous– especially for new moms unfamiliar with the process. After going through some of the frustrations of breastfeeding firsthand, Felina Rakowski-Gallagher decided to open a breast feeding boutique on the upper west side of Manhattan. Her store is cleverly named “The Upper Breast Side.” Her slogan: “You bring your breasts, we’ve got the rest.”

Jessica speaks with the ex- New York City cop turned breast feeding boutique owner about how Felina’s store grew from a business run out of her apartment to a premier destination for everything pertaining to breast-feeding in New York, from scratch.

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Doug Tompkins - Co-Founder, North Face and Esprit

brian — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 22:00:09 +0000

Entrepreneur, conservation philanthropist, and documentary filmmaker are some of the titles that Doug Tompkins has possessed over his career. Doug’s love of mountaineering led him to start North Face, the outdoor apparel company. He then cofounded the international clothing giant, Esprit, which he later sold. Doug has spent the last few decades focusing his energies on sustainable farming, land conservation and biodiversity preservation in Chile and Argentina. With the purchase of more than 2 million acres of land in South America, Doug has pioneered one of the largest private conservation efforts in the world.

Doug speaks to Jessica about his journey from selling dresses out of a van to conserving South America’s natural environment, from scratch.

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Linda Mason - Co-Founder, Bright Horizons Family Solutions

brian — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 22:00:46 +0000

One of the most difficult issues for a new parent is going back to work after your baby is born. If you can’t spend time with your child, you at least want to find the best care possible. What are some of the high quality childcare options?

Jessica’s guest is Linda Mason, the co-founder of Bright Horizons Family Solutions, the nation’s leading provider of worksite childcare services. Linda started the company with her husband Roger Brown in 1986, and Bright Horizons has over 600 centers catering to children from infancy to six years old. Linda shares the challenges she faced —professional and maternal— while launching Bright Horizons, from scratch.

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Ina Garten - Founder, Barefoot Contessa

brian — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 22:00:24 +0000

Photo: Quentin Bacon If you’re having a dinner party, how many people should you invite? What kind of drinks should you serve? Which course should you cook in advance? How much sugar do you add to that soufflé? Ina Garten has spent her professional life addressing these questions. Jessica speaks with Ina, who has built a culinary empire around “no fuss” entertainment.

Ina operated Barefoot Contessa, a specialty food store in East Hampton, New York, for 20 years before becoming a leading cookbook author. Her first five books sold over five million copies, and her show on the Food Network has attracted almost six million viewers per week. Ina also sells a line of prepared ingredients called Barefoot Contessa Pantry, and writes a regular column in the magazine House Beautiful.

Ina discusses the ingredients she used in building her culinary business, from scratch.

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Richard Meier - Architect

brian — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 22:00:10 +0000

When we see a skyscraper or a museum, we might marvel at its shape, its height, or the materials used; but what was the process behind the building’s initial design? Who are some of the architects influencing our landscape? Jessica speaks with one such pioneer, Richard Meier.

Richard’s emphasis on clean design and natural light has made him one of the world’s leading modern architects. His projects include The Getty Center in Los Angeles, Perry Street apartments in New York City, and the Jubillee Church in Rome, among others.

Richard explains how he built some of the world’s most respected buildings, as well as his own career, from scratch.

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Sheila Lukins - Silver Palate Cookbook

brian — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 22:00:10 +0000

Most well known chefs and restaurateurs write cookbooks these days, but which book is a “must have?” Sheila Lukins’ Silver Palate Cookbook is considered a staple in American kitchens, whether one is a novice or advanced chef. The book’s accessible recipes and personal illustrations have been appreciated worldwide, with copies in English, French, Japanese, Dutch, and German.

Sheila spoke to Jessica in 2007, upon the 25th Anniversary of the Silver Palate, about how she turned her tiny shop on Manhattan’s Upper West Side into a culinary publishing empire, from scratch. Sheila will be remembered for her breakthrough recipes, her wit, and unyielding work ethic toward the culinary life that she loved.

Thomas Moser - Founder, Thos. Moser

brian — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 22:00:52 +0000

Some people might look at a wooden chair as a functional piece of furniture, but others might see it as a work of art, the result of careful craftsmanship. Who are some of the country’s leading woodworkers who emphasize form as well as function? Jessica speaks with one such entrepreneur, Thomas Moser.

Tom is the founder of Thomas Moser, a wooden furniture company recognized worldwide for its clean, simple designs. Tom explains how he built his wood shop into a multi-million dollar company, from scratch.

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Philip Gourevitch - Former Editor, The Paris Review

brian — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 16:00:18 +0000

The Paris Review is a literary magazine that was founded in 1953 by a group of then aspiring writers including Harold Humes, William Styron, Peter Matthiessen and George Plimpton. George Plimpton was the larger than life editor who ran the magazine until his death in 2003 on the magazine’s 50th anniversary. The future of the magazine was in question until Philip Gourevitch became the editor in 2005. Jessica speaks with Philip, now at The New Yorker magazine, about how he’s leading the Paris Review into the 21st century, from scratch.

Eliza Gaynor Minden - Founder, Gaynor Minden

brian — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 03:59:49 +0000

Ballerinas started wearing point shoes in the late 19th century. Despite advancements in the dance world, the construction of toe shoes has remained pretty much unchanged. The same materials– paste, cardboard, paper and leather– are still used today, and the result is a dancer prone to excess pain and injury. Eliza Gaynor Minden, a former dancer, designed a more modern, longer lasting point shoe to address this stress.

Eliza explains how Gaynor Minden shoes successfully overcame controversy and finally gained acceptance among the world’s leading dancers, from scratch.

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Jennifer Lobo & Donna Rubin - Co-founders, Bikram Yoga NYC

brian — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:00:27 +0000

Jessica speaks with the Co-Founders of Bikram Yoga NYC, a chain of “hot” yoga studios that teach the 26 step series developed by Bikram Choudhury in the 1970s. We’ll learn how Donna, a former Broadway performer, and Jennifer, an athlete, came upon Bikram Yoga, and why they felt compelled to start their business, from scratch.

Jules Kroll - Founder, Kroll

brian — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 19:00:45 +0000

Jules is the founder of Kroll, the leading risk consulting firm. Jules is considered one of the pioneers of the modern day corporate investigative and security industry, investigating individuals, governments and corporations. Kroll’s work includes restructuring Enron after its bankruptcy and uncovering Ferdinand Marcos’ secret wealth in the mid 1980s.

Jessica speaks with Jules about how he built an international company that works to uncover corruption, from scratch.

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Elizabeth Scharpf - Founder, Sustainable Health Enterprises

brian — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 19:00:26 +0000

Women in developing countries often do not have access to adequate sanitary protection because such products are prohibitively expensive. As a result, menstruating women miss a significant amount of school and work, which leads to serious economic consequences for women and society overall. Elizabeth Scharpf, founder of Sustainable Health Enterprises (S.H.E), is addressing this issue by helping to create sustainable, low-cost methods of sanitary pad production and distribution. S.H.E emphasizes market-based solutions to social issues in developing countries, and adequate sanitary care is S.H.E’s first initiative.

Jessica speaks with Elizabeth about how she is building S.H.E to focus on sustainable, market friendly solutions to social challenges, from scratch.

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Elizabeth Cutler and Julie Rice - Co-founders, SoulCycle

brian — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 03:56:24 +0000

From joining gyms to taking Yoga classes, finding a workout that was both effective and satisfying did not come easily to Elizabeth and Julie. Unable to discover a cardio program that motivated and inspired (as well as burned calories), Julie and Elizabeth set out to create a new kind of routine. Fusing elements of indoor cycling with upper body workouts, the two opened a
small studio on the upper west side of Manhattan. They soon found themselves attracting media attention, serving celebrities, and opening multiple locations in New York City and the surrounding region.

Julie and Elizabeth speak with Jessica about how an unknown cycling studio transformed itself into a lifestyle brand, from scratch.

David Dodson - Founder, Project Healthy Children

brian — Sat, 29 May 2010 19:00:31 +0000

Vitamin consumption is often taken for granted in prosperous nations. In contrast, populations in developed countries often do not have access to essential vitamins or minerals. Especially pregnant women in developing countries run the risk of denying their fetuses proper nutrition because basic foods are not fortified with micronutrients like folic acid, iron, iodine, and vitamin A.

Jessica speaks with David Dodson, founder of Project Healthy Children, an organization that fights malnutrition in developing countries through food fortification programs. By helping governments fortify foods with micronutrients, David and his team are helping women have healthier pregnancies, leading to fewer nutrient-related birth defects. David describes how an overseas trip inadvertently led to the start of an organization that saves lives, from scratch.

Interview

Christian Lander - Blogger, NYT Bestselling Autho

brian — Sat, 29 May 2010 19:00:16 +0000

Drinking free-trade coffee, riding bicycles, and going to the occasional farmer’s market are things you might enjoy. But if you do partake in these activities there is a high probability that you are “white,” according to Christian Lander. Jessica interviews Christian, the blogger and author of the New York Times bestselling book “Stuff White People Like,” a satirical take on the characteristics that make up “white” people.

Christian started the humorous blog mainly to amuse his friends, but hype quickly built up and cut through the thick brush of the online blogesphere attracting millions of visitors, a literary agent, and a book deal within a couple of months. Christian talks about what he means exactly by “white people” and how a small unknown blog became an Internet sensation virtually overnight, from scratch.

Spencer Rascoff - Co-founder, Hotwire

brian — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:21:06 +0000

Spencer Rascoff co-founded Hotwire, an online discount travel site that offers customers access to unused inventory, including empty airline seats, vacant hotel rooms, and un-rented cars. Hotwire was founded in 1999 and sold to Interactive Corporation in 2003 for roughly $700Million. Spencer later helped launch Zillow, an online real estate company that provides tools and information to customers. Spencer explains how he helped to launch Hotwire while he was in his early twenties, from scratch.

Marc Ecko - Founder, Marc Ecko Enterprises

brian — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 05:45:17 +0000

Safi Bahcall - Co-Founder, Synta

brian — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 18:28:02 +0000

Pharmaceutical companies are constantly looking for more effective cancer treatments, but drug discovery is a very difficult area; typically nine out of ten drugs fail. Synta has found an unconventional way to successfully treat cancers like melanoma. Synta was founded in 2001 and is dedicated to the treatment of severe medical conditions, including cancer and chronic inflammatory disease. Safi speaks to Jessica about Synta’s innovative treatments, from scratch.

Lela Rose - Fashion Designer

brian — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 21:40:32 +0000

Lela Rose sources some of her inspiration for her clothing by riding her bike around Manhattan, observing architecture and patterns of everyday life. Lela started her company Lela Rose in 1998 when she was 30 years old, and her clothing can be found in boutiques and department stores around the globe.

Lela speaks with Jessica about how she launched her fashion design company, from scratch.

Lara Hedberg Deam - Founder, Dwell Magazine

brian — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 00:11:16 +0000

If you’re looking to build or decorate a house, the choices and prices can be overwhelming. What are some of the resources that can help you through this process? Lara Hedberg Deam is the founder of Dwell, a magazine about modern architecture and design.

Lara speaks with Jessica about how she built a modern and accessible magazine, from scratch.

Rajesh Hukku - Founder, i-flex solutions

brian — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 23:56:11 +0000

Rajesh is the founder of i-flex, a software company that provides the infrastructure for the banking industry. i-flex enables banks across the globe to perform multiple tasks, from approving your credit card at the checkout counter, to giving you cash at the ATM machine. i-flex is one of the only software companies with a “Made in India” label.

Rajesh speaks with Jessica about how he built one of the world’s leading financial software companies, from scratch.

Reed Hastings - Co-Founder, Netflix

brian — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 04:34:37 +0000

Couch potatoes were thrilled when the online movie rental business came along, because they no longer had to leave their house to get another movie.

Netflix, co-founded by Reed Hastings, was the pioneer behind this phenomenon. Netflix now offers over 80,000 titles to more than 7 million customers. Blockbuster has had to change its business model in order to compete. Reed tells Jessica the story behind Netflix, from scratch.

Alice Waters - Founder, Chez Panisse

brian — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 04:32:49 +0000

Where do those eggs on your plate come from? Were the chickens cage free?

These answers have become increasingly important to Americans in recent years. Who are some of the pioneers who used local, seasonal ingredients in restaurants before it was “in?”

Jessica’s guest is one such restaurateur, Alice Waters. Alice is the founder of Chez Panisse in Berkeley California, and the Edible Schoolyard, a foundation that pushes for food education in the nation’s public schools.

Alice describes how she’s trying to change the way Americans eat, from scratch.

Josh Abramson and Ricky Van Veen - Co-Founders, CollegeHumor

brian — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 11:55:33 +0000

What do college kids find funny? For millions of American students, CollegeHumor has become the sine qua non of online college comedy. Josh Abramson and Ricky Van Veen were high school friends from Baltimore Maryland who launched CollegHumor in 1999. They started by posting silly photos, essays, and videos created by their friends, and the site grew to become one of the most popular online destination among the college crowd. CollegeHumor was sold to Barry Diller’s Interactive Corporation in 2006.

Jessica speaks with Ricky and Josh about the evolution of CollegeHumor, from scratch.

Rich Barton - Co-Founder, Expedia.com and Zillow.com

brian — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 18:04:54 +0000

If you’re looking to buy or sell your home, where do you start? What’s the right price? Traditionally, the consumer had unequal access to information, making the real estate market imperfect. Zillow is an online real estate service that helps consumers make more informed decisions by providing them with free information and tools. Jessica speaks with the co-founder of Zillow, Rich Barton.

Prior to starting Zillow, Rich started Expedia, the largest online travel service. Expedia started as a project inside of Microsoft before it was spun out and sold for roughly $4.5 Billion. Rich tells us how he helped to transform the travel industry, and now the real estate sector, from scratch.

Dr. John Adler - Founder, Accuray

brian — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 17:29:27 +0000

Chemotherapy and surgery are two ways to treat cancer, but these procedures are expensive and invasive. What are some of the less invasive alternatives?

Jessica speaks with Dr. John Adler, a neurosurgeon at Stanford Medical School and founder of Cyberknife, a medical device that destroys solid tumors without anesthesia, or harm to healthy tissue. Dr. Adler describes how he is pioneering less invasive treatment of tumors, from scratch.

Effi Atad - Co-Founder, WiNetworks

brian — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 17:28:39 +0000

When you pass a Starbucks, you may often find customers at their computers, hooked up to the internet through a wireless connection; but how do these wireless systems work? You can increasingly check your email, speak on the phone, and watch a video on the same deviceâ€¦ but how?

Jessica’s guest is Effi Atad, founder of WiNetworks, a company that enables satellite and cable operators to offer “triple” play services (voice, data, and video) to their customers. Effi explains the wireless landscape and describes how he is launching one of the leading wireless infrastructure companies, from scratch.

Seth Goldman - Co-Founder, Honest Tea

brian — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 01:58:39 +0000

Jessica speaks with Seth Goldman, co-founder and “TEO” of Honest Tea, an organic bottled tea company. Seth started Honest Tea with his Yale Business School professor in 1998. Seth describes why he started the company, and how he managed to get his bottles on store shelves, from scratch.

Matt Flannery - Co-Founder and CEO, Kiva

brian — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 00:46:46 +0000

Social networking sites help people connect for all different reasons. You might go to craigslist to find an apartment, ebay to find a buyer for your toaster, or kiva.org to lend money to an entrepreneur. Matt Flannery and his wife Jessica Flannery founded Kiva in 2005 in order to connect lenders in developed countries with small business owners in developing countries. If you have $25 and an internet account, you can lend money to a butcher in Bulgaria, a hair stylist in Iraq or a clothing vendor in Uganda.

Matt speaks with Jessica about how he came up with the idea for Kiva, got the lending platform off the ground, and how he’s helping to provide capital to thousands of entrepreneurs globally, from scratch.

Rosalyn Drexler - Painter

brian — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 00:41:47 +0000

Rosalyn Drexler, born in 1926, is a novelist, playwright, painter, former professional wrestler, and singer. She painted and exhibited among pop artists like Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein in the 1960s. Her work can be found in the collections of museums such as the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City, and the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, MN. Rosalyn walks Jessica through her life of experimentation and artistic provocation, from scratch.

Jean Oelwang - Managing Director, Virgin Unite

brian — Wed, 02 May 2007 22:46:33 +0000

Jessica speaks with Jean Oelwang, Managing Director of Virgin Unite, the independent charitable arm of the Virgin group. Jean speaks about Virgin Unite’s entrepreneurial approach to social change, from scratch.

PV Kannan - Founder, 24/7 Customer

brian — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 20:47:07 +0000

When you used to call an airline or computer company for tech support, you used to speak to someone at Microsoft, or Dell or Delta, but instead of speaking to someone in Ohio or Indiana, chances are you’re now speaking to someone in the Phillipines or India. Who are some of the pioneers building international call centers? Jessica’s guest is one such entrepreneur, PV Kannan.

PV founded 247 Customer, one of the leading business process outsourcing centers, with offices in India, the Phillipines, and Latin America. PV explains how he’s changing the customer call center landscape, from scratch.

Sir Richard Branson - Founder, Virgin

brian — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:59:15 +0000

It’s hard enough for an entrepreneur to launch one successful business, but Jessica’s guest, Sir Richard Branson, has launched over 200.

Richard founded Virgin in 1970, and his empire has grown to include airlines, mobile phones, trains, space travel, cosmetics, and financial services, just to name a few. Virgin has recently become a leader in building more socially responsible businesses, with green projects that focus on climate control and sustainable energy. The Virgin Earth Prize will offer $25 million to someone who invents a commercial solution to climate stability; Virgin Atlantic will use more fuel efficient Boeing planes; Virgin Fuels will invest $3 Billion on friendlier fuels.

Richard speaks with Jessica about his entrepreneurial approach to responsible business and social change, from scratch.

Ian Schrager - Founder, Ian Schrager Company

brian — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 23:13:15 +0000

Boutique hotels have become leaders in hospitality and design. The hotels’ swank bars and creatively designed lobbies have become the social scene for guests and even locals. Who are some of the pioneers who created among the first fashion forward hotels?

Jessica speaks with one such entrepreneur, Ian Schrager.

Ian was the co-founder of Studio 54 in New York City before reinventing himself and becoming a leading hotel developer. Some of his hotels include the Delano in Miami Beach, the Royalton, and the Gramercy Park Hotel in New York City. Ian discusses how he managed to build both the country’s most memorable night club, as well as some of the most stylish hotels and residences, from scratch.

Elisa Strauss - Founder, Confetti Cakes

brian — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 23:16:34 +0000

Elisa Strauss founded Confetti Cakes when she was in her twenties. In addition to baking the traditional wedding cake, Elisa designs cakes in the shape of cars, purses, Cambell soup cans, x-ray machines, sushi, bathtubs, Monolo Blaniks, you name it. Her cakes are so identical to the real things that it’s hard to believe they’re edible. Elisa’s Confetti Cakes cookbook shares some of her baking secrets, and Elisa shares with Jessica her inspiration and launching process, from scratch.

Liz Lange - Founder, Liz Lange Maternity

brian — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 00:58:36 +0000

What do pregnant women wear when they’re expecting? There are many options nowadays, but until recently the choices were grim. Who are some of the pioneers now offering fitted, fashionable clothes to moms-to-be? Jessica speaks with one such entrepreneur Liz Lange, founder of Liz Lange Maternity.

Liz explains how she helped to change the world of maternity fashion, from scratch.

David Neeleman - Founder, Jet Blue Airways

brian — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 01:00:00 +0000

Jessica speaks to David Neeleman, the founder and CEO of Jet Blue Airways. Jet Blue was the country’s most highly capitalized start-up in US aviation history. David discusses the challenges behind launching Jet Blue (while also being a father to nine children).

Jim Rogers - Investor

brian — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 23:12:11 +0000

One might think of an entrepreneur as someone who takes a risk and builds a business, but Jim Rogers is an entrepreneur of life. Jim is an author, pioneer investor and world traveler. He’s been around the world twice, one time on motorcycle, and has visited 116 countries. Jim built a hedge fund in 1970 before hedge funds were “in,” and he’s written books about commodity investing and his global adventures (Investment Biker, Adventure Capitalist). Jim tells Jessica how he built an unconventional investing and personal life, from scratch.

Adam Gopnik - Writer, The New Yorker Magazine

brian — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 23:09:01 +0000

The best writers take a piece of life and describe it as if you were touching or tasting it yourself. Adam Gopnik is one writer who demonstrates the small stuff best. He’s been a staff writer for the New Yorker Magazine since 1986, and his books include Paris to the Moon, about his years living in Paris, and Through the Children’s Gate, about life in New York City with his wife and two children.

Jessica talks to Adam about his writing process, and how he built a career as one of the country’s leading essayists, from scratch.

Tod Lippy - Esopus Magazine

brian — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 14:45:53 +0000

Esopus is an arts magazine where artists of all stripes can contribute their work and connect directly with the public. Esopus does not contain ads or commercially driven content, so the magazine survives on funds from its readers and donors. The magazine uses materials like construction paper, cardboard, vellum, expensive inks, photographs, etc. and it looks more like a coffee table art book than a twice-yearly magazine. Tod speaks to Jessica about his inspiration for this one-of-a kind project, and his process, from scratch.

Safwan Masri & Eric Widmer - King's Academy

brian — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 14:34:12 +0000

Safwan Masri, Founding Board Chairman and Eric Widmer, Founding Headmaster Kings Academy Campus located outside Amman, Jordan

New England boarding schools have been a part of America’s elite educational fabric for centuries. Now picture a school of this kind taking root in the Middle East.

His Majesty King Abdullah had some of the best years of his life attending Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts, and he’s trying to emulate Deerfield in Jordan. His school is called King’s Academy, and the goal is to educate a generation of Middle Eastern students with the same educational standards as his New England alma mater.

Jessica traveled to Jordan to speak with Eric Widmer, the founding headmaster of Kings Academy and the former headmaster of Deerfield, and Safwan Masri, the founding Chairman of the Board. Kings Academy is located on 144 acres outside Amman, Jordan, and the school opens its doors to students in Fall, 2007. Listen to how Eric, Safwan, and King Abdullah are bringing the best of western education to the Middle East, From Scratch.

Peter Nicholas - Co-Founder, Boston Scientific

brian — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 23:56:46 +0000

When patients are faced with a medical problem that may require surgery, they’ll often consider less invasive options first; but these alternatives to surgery have only become available thanks to a few pioneers willing to defy medical convention initally. Jessica’s guest is one such pioneer, Peter Nicholas, the co-founder of Boston Scientific (BSC). BSC is the world’s largest alternative medical device company. Peter tells us how he brought welcomed choices to patients, From Scratch.

Greg Olsen - Scientist, Founder of Epitax and Sensors Unlimited

brian — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 23:51:03 +0000

Jessica speaks with Greg Olsen, the scientist and founder of Epitax and Sensors Unlimited, a near infra-red camera company. Greg was the third civilian to visit space in 2005.

J. Darius Bikoff - Founder, Glaceau Water

brian — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 02:26:20 +0000

There is so much bottled water to choose from, yet most people have trouble distinguishing one brand from the next. How creative can you get with H2O? Jessica’s guest is Darius Bikoff, the founder of the enhanced water company Glaceau, maker of Smart Water, Vitamin Water, and Fruit Water. By adding vitamins, fruit flavors, and minerals to its water, Glaceau is becoming the water of choice for a growing number of consumers. Darius talks to Jessica about how he pioneered the enhanced water category, From Scratch.

Jacqueline Novogratz - Founder, Acumen Fund

brian — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 02:23:12 +0000

Jacqueline is the founder of the Acumen Fund, a venture capital firm that invests in social entrepreneurs around the world. Acumen uses market-based approaches to alleviate poverty in countries like India, Pakistan, and Rwanda. Jessica speaks with Jacqueline about her experience launching Acumen, and her unique approach to solving problems in the developing world, From Scratch.

Peter Thum - Co-Founder, Ethos Water

brian — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 00:01:41 +0000

Corporate philanthropy historically occurred after a company had made its profits. But for some companies lately, corporate giving is embedded in the company’s mission at the point of transaction. Ethos Water, now owned by Starbucks, is one such company that donates $.05 per bottle to water purification efforts in developing countries such as Honduras and India.

Jessica speaks with the co-founder of Ethos Water, Peter Thum. We’ll learn how Peter has married social responsibility with profitability, from scratch.

Richard Fuller - Founder, Blacksmith Institute

brian — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 00:01:31 +0000

Richard Fuller is the founder of the Blacksmith Institute, a non profit organization that solves pollution-related problems in the developing world. Richard is also the founder of Great Forest, a company that advises corporations on their environmental responsibilities, such as recycling, energy conservation, etc.. Jessica speaks with Richard about how he is finding solutions for some of the worlds most urgent pollution issues, from scratch.

Jimmy Wales - Founder, Wikipedia and Wikia

brian — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 04:02:50 +0000

People used to turn to the Encyclopedia Britannica to get information on topics ranging from photo-synthesis to the Spanish Inquisiton, but more and more people are turning to Wikipedia, the on-line encyclopedia. Wikipedia is a collaborative encyclopedia edited by the on-line community, and is available in over 200 languages.

The founder of Wikipedia, Jimmy Wales, speaks with Jessica about how “wikis” are transforming the way we think about political activism, pop culture, etc.. We’ll also learn how Jimmy is creating his new company, Wikia, from scratch.

Michael Zivyak and Seth Rogovoy - Berkshire Living Magazine

brian — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 04:01:25 +0000

Jessica speaks with the founder and Publisher and Editor and Chief of Berkshire Living Magazine, Michael Zivyak and Seth Rogovoy. Berkshire Living Magazine is a lifestyle magazine that covers the Berkshires, a region that covers the areas of four states: New York, Western Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Southern Vermont.

Joe Thompson - Founding Director, MASS MoCA

brian — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 04:01:42 +0000

Jessica speaks with the founding director of MASS MoCA, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, located in the Berkshires in North Adams, MA. Joe explains the process of getting the museum off the ground after 13 years, and discusses how the museum has helped to revitalize an entire community.

Arthur Agatston - Founder, South Beach Diet

brian — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 04:02:49 +0000

For those people trying to lose weight or simply lead healthier lives, there are so many diets out there that it’s hard to khow which are the most effective. The South Beach diet however, has gained credibility among consumers and the medical establishment, and might be more than a fad.

Jessica speaks with Doctor Agatston, a cardiologist and founder of the South Beach Diet, who founded the diet by accident, as a way to treat his overweight patients. We’ll learn how Dr. Agatston turned a novel diet into a multi-million dollar company, from scratch.

Martin Eberhard - Co-Founder, Tesla Motors

brian — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 04:02:51 +0000

As Americans try to decrease their dependency on oil, companies are working to develop alternative fuels that power cleaner, more efficient cars. Jessica’s guest is Martin Eberhard, one such inventor who founded Tesla Motors, an electric car company that emphasizes good design and high performance. His first product, the Tesla Roadster, is a sportscar that can accelerate to 60 MPH in four seconds.

Martin speaks with Jessica about his process for providing a virtuous and sporty alternative to the car industry, from scratch.

David Giuliani - Founder, Sonicare Toothbrush

brian — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 04:00:52 +0000

Jessica speaks with David Giuliani, the inventor of the Sonicare Toothbrush, which uses sonic technology to clean teeth. Sonicare was sold to Phillips, and David is working on his next invention, the Clarisonic, a dermatological brush for the face.

Amy Sacco - Founder, New York City night clubs (Bungalow 8, Lot61)

brian — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 21:40:17 +0000

If one wants to know where the entertainment and fashion elite goes to party when everyone else has gone to bed, one has to look no further than Amy Sacco’s night clubs in new York City.

While most clubs are trendy for a moment, Amy’s clubs, Lot 61 and Bungalow 8, have been going strong since the late 1990s.What happens Inside Bungalow 8? As Amy says, “It’s kind of the same thing as Vegas. What happens in the Bungalow stays in the Bungalow.” Amy takes us inside her clubs on the next show, and tells us her entrepreneurial story, from scratch.

Craig Newmark - Founder, Craigslist

brian — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 04:01:24 +0000

Jessica speaks with Craig Newmark, the founder of craigslist, a popular on-line bulletin board that Craig started as a hobby in the mid 1990s. The site has grown from a total of 12 users to over ten million visitors per month, and provides information for over 200 cities world wide.

While sites similar to craigslist have sold for hundreds of millions of dollars to the large media conglomerates, craigslist has remained true to Craig’s original values by remaining mostly independent and community-service based. The site charges a minimal amount for job and real estate listings, but is free to all its users. A visitor won’t find colorful pop-up or banner ads; the site is “puritan” in its aesthetics, which adds to the no nonsense, authentic vibe that Craig established in the early days.

Garth Fagan - Choreographer, Garth Fagan Dance

brian — Sun, 05 Nov 2006 04:01:59 +0000

Jessica speaks with Garth Fagan, the founder and Artistic Director of Garth Fagan Dance. Garth was an athlete in Jamaica before turning his life to dance, and in addition to building a dance company, he’s gone so far as to create his own innovative dance technique, which combines the discipline of ballet with the energy of African and Carribean Dance, the Martial Arts, and Modern Dance.

Despite Garth’s critical acclaim in the dance world, he wasn’t recognized by the public until his choreography role in the Lion King, for which he won a Tony Award. Jessica speaks with Garth about his life before his Tony Award, and how he built a world class dance company, from scratch.

Emmanuel Stern - Founder, So-Ho Grand Hotel, NYC

brian — Sat, 21 Oct 2006 21:41:46 +0000

Jessica speaks with Emmanuel Stern, the founder of the popular, fashion forward boutique hotel, the Soho Grand. The Soho Grand was the first hotel to be built in Soho, in New York City, since the late 1800s.

Julie Clark - Founder, Baby Einstein

brian — Sat, 21 Oct 2006 04:01:01 +0000

People say that necessity is the mother of invention, but more and more, actual mothers are becoming the mother of invention. One such mother was frustrated with the lack of videos for her newborn daughter, and she decided to produce an educational video involving classical music and historic painters. Her video, called “Baby Einstein,” quickly grew from a $100,000 in sales in her first year to a $20 Million media company consisting of videos, books, and music CDs for toddlers. The company was sold to Disney in 2001.

Jessica speaks to the founder of Baby Einstein, Julie Clark, to learn how this Colorado mom launched a media company from home, and from scratch.

Gary Hirshberg - Founder, Stonyfield Farm Yogurt

brian — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 22:01:05 +0000

More organic foods are appearing on store shelves lately, but who were some of the first people to bring natural ingredients to our palates? Jessica interviews one such entrepreneur, Gary Hirshberg, the co-founder of Stonyfield Farm Yogurt. Gary and his partner started Stonyfield in 1983 on a farm in New Hampshire in order to finance their struggling non profit organization devoted to teaching responsible food production.

They were on a mission to prove that they could run a profitable company and be environmentally sustainable. Two decades, and millions of dollars later, Stonyfield has more than proven itself. The company has over $250MM in sales and serves as a prototype for other companies who wish to be successful financially AND environmentally.

Gary tells us about his life at Stonyfield Farm in the early days, and how he built a successful-and delicious- yogurt company, from scratch.

Scott Griffith - CEO, Zip Car

brian — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 22:00:08 +0000

Jessica speaks with Scott, the CEO of ZipCar. The company enables people in urban areas, such as San Francisco, Washington DC, Toronto and New York, to use cars by the hour. The concept, known as car sharing, is becoming more popular in the United States, and Zipcar is one of the pioneers behind this movement.

Christine Whitman - Former CEO, CVC

brian — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 04:02:31 +0000

When one thinks of an entrepreneur, the person that usually comes to mind is someone who founds a company, but one doesn’t necessarily have to start a company to be an entrepreneur.

Jessica’s guest, Christine Whitman, is an unconvenetional entrepreneur who bought a distressed company and turned it around. She is the former CEO and President of CVC, a Rochester based company that supplies processing equipment to the semi-conductor industry. Christine speaks with Jessica about her shift from employee of a $10 Million company to owner of a $100 Million tour de force.

Austin Ligon - Co-Founder and CEO, CarMax

brian — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 04:01:41 +0000

Jessica speaks with Austin Ligon, the co-founder of the nation’s most popular used car superstore.

Austin started Carmax with the electronics giant Circuit City, who was looking for a new business opportunity in the mid 1990s. When one thinks of the used car industry, the words “corruption,” and “seedy car salesman” come to mind; but CarMax has started a used car revolution by offering fixed prices, a huge selection, easy shopping, generous return privileges and guaranteed quality. Austin explains how CarMax managed to beat the fierce competition in the early days, and emerge as the market leader.