The company behind the blockbuster acne fighter, Mighty Patch, was launched in 2017 with a single product sold exclusively on Amazon. It was inspired by similar patches Ju Rhyu had seen while living in Korea. Ju struggled with breakouts herself, and when she tried a patch and saw how well they worked, she was inspired to tailor a patch for the U.S. market. So, while the product wasn’t new, Ju recognized a niche to be filled.

Over the next five years, Ju and her co-founders—brothers Dwight and Andy Lee—grew Mighty Patch from a niche product to a cosmetics industry sensation. Seemingly overnight, teens and young adults across America and all over social media could be seen proudly wearing patches on their faces. The Mighty Patch became so successful that in 2022 Hero Cosmetics sold for $630 million. And today, Hero is the number one selling acne treatment brand in the United States.

This episode was produced by Chris Maccini with music by Ramtin Arablouei and Sam Paulson.

Edited by Andrea Bruce, with research from Olivia Rockeman.

Our engineers were Gilly Moon and Robert Rodriguez.

You can follow HIBT on X & Instagram, and email us at hibt@id.wondery.com. Sign up for Guy’s free newsletter at guyraz.com

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Serial entrepreneur and U.S. National Bobsled Team qualifier Marc Lore joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early stage founders. Marc also discusses his latest venture - Wonder - and its recent shift away from food prep and delivery vans; plus, what founders should consider when making their own strategic pivots.

First we meet Ben in Oregon, who’s wondering if his chocolate factory should double down on an experiential offering in light of increased cocoa prices. Then Lindsey in Utah, who’s looking for ways to convince retailers to carry her portable diaper kits. And Ryan in Colorado, who’s weighing whether to focus on national expansion for his whiskey brand, or deepening market penetration in the Rockies.

Thank you to the founders of Chomp Chocolate, Baby a GoGo and 10th Mountain Whiskey and Spirit Company for being part of the show.

If you’d like to be featured on a future Advice Line episode, leave us a one minute message that tells us about your business and a specific question you’d like answered. Send a voice memo to hibt@id.wondery.com or call 1-800-433-1298.

And be sure to listen to Marc Lore’s founding story as told by Marc on the show in 2021.

This episode was produced by Kerry Thompson. It was edited by John Isabella. Our audio engineer was Cena Loffredo.

You can follow HIBT on X & Instagram and sign up for Guy’s free newsletter at guyraz.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When Kip Tindell co-founded The Container Store in 1978, people laughed at him for wanting to sell empty boxes. But Kip and his partners had identified a clear problem—the tyranny of household clutter—and a new category of solutions: metal crates, stackable wicker baskets, sleek lucite canisters. The Container Store’s promise of affordable organization made it an instant hit, and Kip’s wife Sharon soon joined the partnership. Decades later, as online shopping took off, the business faltered; and in 2013, when The Container Store went public, Kip and Sharon came to regret it.

This episode was produced by J.C. Howard, with music by Ramtin Arablouei

Edited by Neva Grant, with research help from Sam Paulson.

You can follow HIBT on Twitter & Instagram, and email us at hibt@id.wondery.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

AOL co-founder and former CEO Steve Case joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Steve reflects on the challenges and opportunities facing today’s nascent tech companies.

First we meet Silvia in San Francisco, who’s wondering how to engage more men with her homelife management app. Then Mindy in St. Louis, who’s considering new models for her online concierge for college students. And Jason in Las Vegas, who wants to convert a key demographic into customers for his music education products.

Thank you to the founders of Coexist, mindyKNOWS, and Kidenza for being a part of our show.

If you’d like to be featured on a future Advice Line episode, leave us a one-minute message that tells us about your business and a specific question you’d like answered. Send a voice memo to hibt@id.wondery.com or call 1-800-433-1298.

And be sure to listen to AOL’s founding story as told by Steve on the show in 2017.

This episode was produced by Sam Paulson, with music composed by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by John Isabella. Our audio engineer was Cena Loffredo.

You can follow HIBT on X & Instagram and sign up for Guy’s free newsletter at guyraz.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

No athlete wishes for an injury, but when Kurt Ainsworth’s bad shoulder derailed his professional pitching career, it created a big opportunity. Kurt and two partners started a wooden bat company in his backyard, bringing their intimate knowledge of baseball to every bat they sold. Soon, big-name players like Sammy Sosa were swinging them, but Kurt knew they had to expand to aluminum bats to reach the wider field of non-professional players. The company faced a near death experience when the NCAA decertified its bats for being too powerful, but eventually regained its footing. In 2013, Marucci Sports was acquired for over half a billion dollars; and next year, Marucci will slide past Louisville Slugger to become the official bats of Major League Baseball.

This episode was produced by Devan Schwartz with music composed by Ramtin Arablouei.

It was edited by Neva Grant with research from Katherine Sypher.

Our engineers were Maggie Luthar and Jimmy Keeley.

You can follow HIBT on Twitter & Instagram, and email us at hibt@id.wondery.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jane Wurwand, co-founder of the global skincare brand Dermalogica, joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early stage founders. Plus, Jane shares her philosophy on the importance of customer education for building a trusted brand.

First we meet Camille in Virginia, who’s wondering how to scale her vegan baby food company without compromising on quality. Then Molly in Maine, who’s trying to build a community of new parents for her baby-friendly workout classes. And Sarah in Connecticut, who’s considering whether to expand beyond her core performance underwear product.

Thank you to the founders of Chunky Vegan, Baby Booty and Paradis Sport for being part of the show.

If you’d like to be featured on a future Advice Line episode, leave us a one minute message that tells us about your business and a specific question you’d like answered. Send a voice memo to hibt@id.wondery.com or call 1-800-433-1298.

And be sure to listen to Dermalogica’s founding story as told by Jane on the show in 2016.

This episode was produced by Katherine Sypher. It was edited by John Isabella. Our audio engineer was Neal Rauch.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When Norma Kamali studied fashion illustration in the 1960s, she never expected to become a designer. So when a job as an airline clerk came along, she was glad to accept it—along with the perk of dirt-cheap flights from New York to London. On those weekend trips abroad, she discovered fashion that was exuberant and eye-catching, so she started loading her suitcase with clothing to sell in the U.S. By the 1970s, she was designing her own pieces out of a shop in New York; soon she was selling them to celebrities like Cher and Bette Midler. Today, after more than 50 years in the fashion industry, Norma Kamali is known for iconic designs like the sleeping bag coat, and the bold red bathing suit popularized by Farah Fawcett.

This episode was produced by J.C. Howard with music composed by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant.

You can follow HIBT on X & Instagram, and email us at hibt@id.wondery.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Clif Bar founder Gary Erickson joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders about expanding their customer base.

Today we meet James, who recycles water bottles into one of the most sustainable plastics on the market. Then Valerie, a leathercrafter with a co-op of artisans born from a strike against Etsy. And finally, Elsie, who accidentally invented a pet hair remover while cleaning her dog’s muddy pawprints.

If you’d like to be featured on a future Advice Line episode, leave us a one minute message that tells us about your business and a specific question you’d like answered. Send a voice memo to hibt@id.wondery.com or call 1-800-433-1298.

And check out Clif Bar’s founding story from Gary’s first appearance on the show in 2016.

This episode was produced by Sam Paulson with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by John Isabella. Our audio engineer was James Willetts.

You can follow HIBT on X & Instagram, email us at hibt@id.wondery.com, and sign up for Guy's free newsletter at guyraz.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.