All You Need Is the Seed
Guy Raz Newsletter – July 18, 2025
There’s a quote near the end of this week’s episode with Hamdi Ulukaya (the founder of Chobani) that’s easy to miss if you’re not listening closely.
Reflecting on how it all started, Hamdi says,
“All I had was the seed of an idea.”
Not a fully thought out plan or blueprint.
Just a seed.
And when you look at what Chobani is today – one of the most recognizable yogurt brands in the world – it’s kind of wild to think about how it all began.
With an abandoned factory.
With a few thousand bucks.
And with a man who had just left everything behind in Turkey in pursuit of something new.
Hamdi wasn’t a traditional founder. He didn’t have experience in food or retail or manufacturing. But he had this small idea. An idea he believed in.
And he nurtured it.
He put in the work. He learned as he went. And that seed grew into something bigger than he probably ever imagined.
Now, of course, not every seed turns into a billion-dollar company. If that were the case, we’d all be billionaires, right?
But that’s not the point.
The point is: you don’t need everything perfectly mapped out to start.
You don’t need to know how it ends.
You just need the seed.
A tiny idea. A thought. A new approach to something old.
Maybe it’s been done. Maybe it hasn’t. That doesn’t really matter.
What matters is that you plant it.
Have a great weekend!
—Guy
On the Podcasts This Week!
Chobani: From Humble Beginnings to a $1B Brand
Hamdi Ulukaya grew up herding sheep in a remote Turkish village. I’m positive he never imagined that one day he’d run a billion-dollar brand.
He came to the U.S. with $3,000 and barely any English. His first business nearly broke him. Then one day… a piece of junk mail caught his eye: an abandoned yogurt factory for sale.
Everyone told him not to buy it.
But Hamdi couldn’t let go of the idea. Not because it made sense, but because it felt right.
What happened next is part underdog tale, part emotional rollercoaster: near-bankruptcy, product recalls, billion-dollar offers, and a relentless belief that better yogurt was possible.
HIBT Advice Line: Build With Intention
This week on the Advice Line, I’m joined by Justin McLeod, founder and CEO of Hinge. Justin’s mission has always been about deeper connection. And today, he’s helping three founders build businesses with more clarity, focus, and emotional resonance.
First up, Jessica: How do I expand into new markets with a niche product?
Jessica runs Guess Where Trips, a mystery road trip company that sells surprise itineraries across Canada. It’s clever, creative, and deeply local…but hard to scale. Justin urged her to pick one new market and go deep, not wide. Build trust by showing traction.
Next, Nick: How do I drive word-of-mouth for my unique product?
Nick’s company, Framework Doors, makes high-end steel security doors in New Zealand. The product is beautiful, but not yet buzzworthy. Justin suggested engineering shareable moments. The goal: bake virality into the experience. Because if you want people to talk, you have to give them something to talk about.
Finally, Chandler: How do I explain the value of my business?
Chandler launched Archive22 – hand-drawn posters celebrating the history of golf and hockey. The work is gorgeous, but his website undersells it. We push him to include better visuals, behind-the-scenes content, and limited-edition offerings. Help people feel what they’re buying.
Justin reminds us to not go it alone. Ask more questions. Find more mentors. The best way to grow is by staying curious and letting others help you along the way.
If you would like to be featured on an upcoming episode, call and leave a 1-minute message at 1-800-433-1298 or send a voice memo to hibt@id.wondery.com
T Bone Burnett on Making His Best Music at 76
When he was 17, T Bone Burnett took out a small loan and bought a recording studio.
He wasn’t chasing fame. He just wanted to learn how sound worked, how songs were built, how to make music that meant something.
That impulse has defined his life ever since.
In this episode, T Bone opens up about his early days recording late at night in Fort Worth. He shares about the unexpected moment Bob Dylan forced him into the spotlight. And why he believes the best work of his life is still ahead of him.
Enjoy this one!
Watch it on YouTube:
Shellye Archambeau: Ambition Without Apology
Shellye Archambeau knew early on that she wanted to be a CEO. But in 1980, there were almost no examples that looked like her.
As a Black woman entering the corporate world, Shellye faced barriers at every turn. But she didn’t wait for permission. She took risks, made bold moves, and carved her own path.
From leading an IBM division overseas to top roles at Blockbuster, Zaplet, and MetricStream, she built a career defined by vision and grit.
In this episode, Shellye shares lessons from her book Unapologetically Ambitious, including how to own your goals, navigate obstacles, and lead with clarity and conviction.Science Podcasts for Kids!
A 400-Year-Old Birthday Bash!
What do you get when you order a giant clam-and-squid cake with 400 candles? A birthday party for one of the world’s oldest living creatures…the Greenland shark!
In this week’s Wow in the World, we discover what makes the Greenland shark such a genetic wonder. Turns out, scientists recently mapped the shark’s DNA and found two wow-worthy secrets: jumping genes that help it adapt and super fix-it genes that repair aging cells!
From DNA magic to candle chaos, it’s a birthday bash 400 years in the making. Don’t miss this deep-sea, gene-fueled celebration on Wow in the World!
Let’s Listen Together!
This week on Two Whats?! And A Wow!, we’re tuning into the science of stories, podcasts, and your amazing ears!
Join us as they explore how listening to stories can actually help you remember more facts, boost your imagination, and even bring you closer to the people you’re listening with.
So grab your headphones and your favorite listening buddy. It’s time to wow your earballs!
From the Archives!
Hinge: Justin McLeod
In 2010, Justin McLeod was nursing an old heartbreak while in business school. And wondering if there was a better way to meet someone new.
That question led him to build Hinge, a dating app inspired by the idea that the best connections come through friends of friends.
Early versions of the app had mixed results: lots of dates, not many lasting relationships. Then a twist in Justin’s own love life pushed him to reimagine the product entirely.
He redesigned Hinge from the ground up and re-positioned it as the app “designed to be deleted.” The shift worked. And today it ranks among the most popular dating apps in the U.S.
Justin’s story is a reminder that sometimes, the best way to fix a problem is to start with your own…and be willing to change everything along the way.
Bumble: Whitney Wolfe
Whitney Wolfe was just 22 when she helped launch Tinder, a dating app that would go on to change how people meet. But a few years later, she walked into a media storm after filing a sexual harassment lawsuit against the company.
The experience was painful and public, but it sparked a new idea: what if women were in control of the conversation? That idea became Bumble, a dating app where only women can make the first move.
Bumble quickly stood out in a crowded market by flipping the script on online dating. Today, it’s been downloaded millions of times and has become a broader platform for connection.
Whitney’s story is one of resilience, reinvention, and building a company that rewrites the rules.
See you next time!
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