Graduate Hotels: Ben Weprin

Graduate Hotels: Ben Weprin

In 2014, Ben Weprin decided to take people’s best college memories and spin them into a new business: Graduate Hotels. Each of the chain’s properties was decorated to reflect the character of the college town in which it was based, with photos of famous alums or life-sized sports mascots in the lobby. After 13 years in commercial real estate, Ben got the idea for Graduate after renovating a dilapidated Days Inn in Chicago, and realizing that a hotel can tell a story as well as—maybe even better than—a box of cereal or a pair of shoes. Although the Covid lockdowns threatened to bankrupt Graduate, Ben was able to secure the chain’s future by selling it to Hilton, and today the 35 (+) chain is expected to add dozens more properties.

This episode was produced by Devan Schwartz with music composed by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant with research assistance from Katherine Sypher. Our engineers were Robert Rodriguez and James Willetts.

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Lyft: John Zimmer

Lyft: John Zimmer

Ridesharing wasn't a thing 12 years ago when John Zimmer was in college. But a class on green cities got him thinking about the glut of underused cars on the road, and eventually led him to co-found Lyft, a company that has helped make ridesharing a way of life. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

13 Feb 201739min

Kate Spade: Kate & Andy Spade

Kate Spade: Kate & Andy Spade

A 1991 conversation at a Mexican restaurant led Kate & Andy Spade to ask, "What's missing in designer handbags?" Kate's answer was a simple modern-shaped handbag that launched the iconic fashion brand: Kate Spade. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

6 Feb 201739min

Virgin: Richard Branson

Virgin: Richard Branson

Richard Branson took a record shop and built it into a label, a bank, an airline, space tourism, and 200 other businesses — all under the name Virgin. But the serial entrepreneur has also had his share of failures. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

30 Jan 201733min

Zappos: Tony Hsieh

Zappos: Tony Hsieh

Computer scientist Tony Hsieh made millions off the dot-com boom. But he didn't make his mark until he built Zappos — a customer service company that "happens to sell shoes." Now Zappos is worth over a billion dollars and known for its completely unorthodox management style. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

23 Jan 201728min

Honest Tea: Seth Goldman

Honest Tea: Seth Goldman

In 1997, after going for a long run, Seth Goldman was frustrated with the sugar-filled drinks at the corner market. So he brewed up a beverage in his kitchen, and turned it into Honest Tea. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

16 Jan 201729min

Drybar: Alli Webb

Drybar: Alli Webb

A decade ago, full-time mom Alli Webb noticed a gap in the beauty market: there was nowhere that just focused on blow-drying hair. Now with 70 locations, Drybar is testament to Webb's motto: Focus on one thing and be the best at it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

9 Jan 201732min

Zumba: Beto Perez & Alberto Perlman

Zumba: Beto Perez & Alberto Perlman

Zumba began as a mistake: aerobics teacher Beto Perez brought the wrong music to class, then improvised a dance routine to go with it. For his students, it was more fun than work — and it eventually grew into one of the biggest fitness brands in the world. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

2 Jan 201737min

Warby Parker: Dave Gilboa & Neil Blumenthal

Warby Parker: Dave Gilboa & Neil Blumenthal

In 2008, it was nearly impossible to buy a fashionable, affordable pair of glasses online. That simple frustration inspired the idea behind Warby Parker – and disrupted the eyewear industry. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

26 Dec 201630min

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