Building 'How I Built This' With Guy Raz: Patterns, Pivoting, And The Value Of Time

Every builder’s journey is non-linear.

What looks like a straight path in hindsight is often shaped by setbacks, pivots, and unexpected opportunities along the way.

In this episode of Building One, host Tomer Cohen sits down with Guy Raz — creator and host of How I Built This — to explore what he’s learned from interviewing hundreds of founders, and from building his own media company.

Before becoming one of the most recognizable voices in podcasting, Guy was a journalist and foreign correspondent — covering wars, filing stories on deadline, and learning how to operate with urgency and resourcefulness.

That experience shaped his approach to building: prioritize progress over perfection, and improve through repetition.

In this conversation, Tomer and Guy discuss:

The patterns Guy has seen after interviewing thousands of founders

Why relationships — not intelligence — are often the deciding factor in success

The craft behind great storytelling — and what it takes to earn a listener’s time

How a career setback became the turning point that led him into podcasting

Why the “safe” path can sometimes be the riskiest decision

Guy also shares how he thinks about value creation — and why the best builders aim to create an experience where the user feels they received more than they gave.