YouSaid · the spoken record

Lara Merriken

lines on the record: 70
first: 2025-01-09
most recent: 2025-01-09
sittings or episodes: 1
sources: podcast

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“This episode was produced by Sam Paulson with music composed by Ramtin Erablui. It was edited by John Isabella and our audio engineer was Neil Rauch. Our production staff also includes Alex Chung, Elaine Coates, Carla Estevez, Neva Grant, JC Howard, Chris Massini, Devin Schwartz, Catherine Ceypher, and Carrie Thompson. I'm Guy Raz, and you've been listening to How I Built This.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Thank you so much for listening to the show this week. Please make sure to sign up for my newsletter. You can sign up for that for free at guyroz.com and every week we put in tons of insights from entrepreneurs, my own observations and experiences interviewing some of the greatest entrepreneurs ever. If you are working on a business and you would like to be on this show, send us a one-minute message that tells us about your business, the issues, or questions that you'd like help with, and hopefully we can help you with them. And make sure to tell us how to reach you. You can send us a voice memo at hibt at id.wondery.com or call 1-800-433-1298 and leave a message there and we'll put all this in the podcast description as well.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“The trademarking attorney called me at the 11th hour and we were getting ready to launch. It was the year 2002 summer and she said, I think you're going to need to change the name. And I just thought you're joking right. I left working at Whole Foods and we're supposed to be launching, but we don't launch. And everybody's backing out because nothing's happening.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“That's Lara American, founder of Lara Bar, and more recently co-founder of Anther, a coaching service for entrepreneurs. By the way, if you haven't heard Lara's original how I built this episode, you've got to go back and check it out. You can find a link to it in the podcast description. Just scroll down and check it out. And here is one of my favorite moments from that interview.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“It's not just the business prowess, it's the psychology behind it. How do you get up every day? You know, Loretta, like, how do you keep going when you're faced with an obstacle? What do you do? How do you get the inspiration? How do you reach out when you don't feel like you want to reach out?”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Well, it's early stages guy. But one of the ways is really coaching people. I think that I've learned I've done a lot of that myself and it really helps me. And when you, you know, coaching is about leading with curiosity and really asking people those questions. I mean, you're very good at that on your show. You're curious. You ask people really crucial questions that get them to think. And so I'm starting an organization with a cohort member of mine. And we're going to do educational pieces and coaching and just make it really fun and approachable. As entrepreneurs, you know, we”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“I did. It was typical of me on a whim, you know, just like Lara, I didn't plan it. And I had my undergrad psych and I was a social worker many years ago. And then I got into this program and then I started dissecting how did I get to where I was as an entrepreneur using grit and resilience, perseverance, optimism, all of that stuff. And I just realized like this is where I really want to put my energy and how I want to help people. Using those core concepts”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“And I should mention embarking on a new chapter in your life. I mean, you built and scaled a successful company and brand. You've been an investor and a mentor. I know you were doing that for a long time. Still do a lot of that. But you on the side went out often did like a graduate degree in psychology, right?”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“So Laura we are at the end of another episode of Advice Line and so cool to hear one of my favorite things and I mean I'd be lying if I didn't say it was one of my favorite things is when people call in or people stop me at airports or wherever and they're like I listen to this show every day building my business it's so heartening because that's why we do it that's why we brought you on all those years ago we do it for that reason to give people the energy to keep going when it's hard”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“All right, you got this. You got this. Loretta's British Ginger tea. Look for it. Look for it in your stores one day. Loretta, congrats. Good luck. We're cheering you on.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“It's so true. It's creating a new habit. I mean, you're asking for feedback right now. You've already taken a huge step. You're on this program. You've already asked. Like you have it in you to do it, right? And you just have to just little, little steps one thing at a time, right? You're not going to get to the top of the mountain tomorrow, but one little ask at a time. Everybody has their own way of asking, right? Like, I agree. I don't like asking either, but I like it to be like a natural fit, right? Like I like to connect with people because it just like we have a similar thing. And I did that with the stores when I got in the stores. I was like, I'm not going to, I'm not going to knock down the doors of people that don't believe in me, but I'm going to go where the energy is flowing, right? The people that believe in me and people like that. So that's what I would do. I mean.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“But I do think that if there's one thing I've seen in almost 700 episodes of how I built it, Virtually every entrepreneur on the show has figured out how to get over that and how to ask for help. Lara”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Lara, let's put on your positive psychology degree here. Yes, yes. Asking is hard. It's asking is a very hard for a lot of people. It's very hard. It's hard for me, I'll be honest with you.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Just like chills you. Yeah, I'm, I think it's a great idea, one of the ways to do it is you start with who you know. You start with literally your closest friends and you just ask them, can you put in 500 bucks? Can you put in 1,000 bucks? You go to, you know, if there's a community group that you're in, if there's parents at school and you just have to put yourself out there and say, no big deal if you ask, but I'm trying to raise money and you'll have equity, you'll have a stake in this thing. And I really believe in it. And I'm trying to raise about 20, 25 grand. To go to the next phase of it.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“right and it just it depletes your energy it just kills you literally right and i just thought my god if i had if this had come across my path my my brain when my mother was still alive this would have helped her enormously yes it won't cure cancer but it would help those after effects i can't i can't scream it loud enough from any mountaintop the fact that i drink this every day literally the minute it touches my mouth i'm like oh Every day, every day.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Yeah, of course it is. And even for at one point I was talking to someone about trying to maybe get into the hospital, the shops in hospitals because of cancer patients. My mother died in 2006 from stomach cancer and watching the effects of chemotherapy and nausea is a huge side effect of it”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“And there are so many ways to really push this out cold and flu season, just a sipping beverage, anti-inflammatory. I mean, as we speak today, the New York Times has an article about anti-inflammatory foods, and I believe ginger is right on the front of that article.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“I know. I know. And I, because I'm just so interested in what about the human condition and what compels us as human beings. And I think entrepreneurs are very forward and future-thinking people. And so. To Guy's point about you, you've got it. I face those same peaks and those same valleys that you're going through right now, which is why am I going to do this? Why? I mean, at the time I had my idea, everybody thought I was completely out of my mind. I was dealing with an oversaturated category, which it still is today. Yet there was still room for something new and different. There is always a way, right? If there's a will, there's a way and you've got it going on.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Know I really led with optimism and I was really passionate as you are. And that passion and optimism is future and forward thinking. Is really what it's about. I actually just got a degree in that and positive psychology. And because I'm so curious about...”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“I just tried it. I just launched But then try it again, or try a different one. But you're trying one because Everything you've said here is so interesting and makes so much sense. It's the story, it's the product, it's what is done for you. I mean, this really helped you in your pregnancy. What a great way to start marketing or telling a story around a product. And so that's where I think you have an opportunity to start to raise a little bit of cash and to see if you can maybe raise another 20, 25 grand and find hopefully other people who can help you kind of begin to take this to the next level.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Right okay. So that's not an inconsiderable amount of money and obviously you've got something worth pursuing. But here's where you have a massive competitive advantage versus every micro brand out there in all categories. You are an actor. You have a background in acting. You have incredible charisma. You are just a very, there's an infectious quality to your personality. And to me, it feels like you can really use those qualities to build this brand up slowly and methodically. One simple idea I thought for funding is to try crowdfunding.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Trying to give people this help. I love this. I love this. Okay. So are those basically your questions? Like, how do I figure this out, or do you have an additional question?”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“So, you haven't been able to figure this out yet. You're still at this point where you're trying to figure out how to make it shelf stable or how to make it last longer, right?”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“I love this. And by the way, ginger also anti inflammatory. And it's just an amazing root. There's so many things you can do with it. Okay, so this clearly was helping you. And then at what point did you say, you know, I'm going to turn this into a business. I'm going to bottle this up and try and sell this.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“So, Loretta, how did you tell me about the idea behind the product? I mean, were you in food and beverage? What were you doing? How did you start this thing? Or why?”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Okay, so let's kind of break this down. So, this is ginger tea made with ginger root. Like it's strong and spicy, right? Like it clears your sinuses kind of ginger.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Alright, let's take another quick break, but we'll be right back with another caller. Stay with us, I'm Guy Ros, and you're listening to the advice line right here on how I built this lab. Welcome back to the advice line on how I built this lab. I'm Guy Raz, and today I'm taking calls with Lara Merican. Let's bring on another caller.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Simple messages, simple value proposition, fuel your workout, whatever it says, but simple few words on there that tells me what it is, because Max doesn't do it. It's not caffeine gum is not enough.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“If you lead with curiosity, people will tell you a lot. And I would also say that like people do know what caffeine is, but they don't know, right? They know they go to say Starbucks to get their coffee or the coffee shop. But what are you offering that's different than that? Like how can you replace that? Like for Lara Bar, it was portable food, right? You're eating real food still, but you're on the go and you still have that quality there.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“I understand you're trying to reach people, Uber drivers and nighttime people and hospital workers, but maybe you want to just start by focusing on one of those categories. And the other ones may follow naturally. It's like you start with a tribe, Lara started with hikers. Now Lara bar is consumed by, it's a mass consumption product. What do you think, Laura? And you can disagree with me, Laura. You can tell me that I'm full of it.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Absolutely critical point here, I think, which is sometimes even when the opportunity seems amazing, you've got to stick to your principles and your vision around this product, right? Like this is not candy. To me, I mean, this is something that you discovered at a GNC, right? Or in the protein powder's aisle at Whole Foods, and where I think you have an opportunity, right? You've got 125 grams of caffeine. 30 grams more than the cup coffee. And to me, it's like you could have a tagline on your bag that literally says, you know, rocket fuel for your workout.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Going straight out of that store because we didn't belong with candy bars, we were a nutrition bar, a healthier version kind of indulgent and delicious. And I really push back and we didn't end up going into that retailer, which was a good thing because you have to be in the right spot where people are actually going to find you.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Lead the way, and I had to articulate it in a way that it was fun for people and interesting. And they felt like they knew something. So as Guy was pointing out, like if you want people to pick your product up, you've got to make it compelling. Why is gum and caffeine compelling? Right. And then I'm going to go back to, you're talking about they want to put you in the candy aisle. I had the exact same problem. I remember we were getting into a major retailer and at the time, I wasn't clear. About where I saw Larabar.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Would agree, I had the same issue. So when I started Lara Bar, it was, you know, fruit and nuts. And nuts have a lot of fat in them. And people would freak out about the fat. And I would have to figure out, yes. It is.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“You know, one of the things that I think is interesting about the opportunity here is that everything that you've talked about, you've told us here in this conversation, is not reflected in the product when you see it on the shelves. Where you want to start in the storytelling side of it is with the packaging and with your whole kind of theme on your website says world's strongest caffeine gun, but what does that tell me? It doesn't tell me anything. I need to understand all the things you just told me in just a few words right from the get-go on the packaging, on the website, in your brand Bible that clearly, you know, you haven't put together and you should put together because it's going to really help you.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Correct that. Also, another big thing we have going for us, we're cheaper. And that was done absolutely by design. We saw what the pricing was out there, we were just like, Why would anyone pay this much? Because at the end of the day, we're going to be compared to chewing gum, right? So why would anyone pay so much more for chewing gum? I understand as caffeine. There's definitely a value add there. But to be paying 10, 15 times with normal chewing gum, I didn't think that was right. One of the things we really set out to do was provide a better product with more caffeine at a lower, more affordable price.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Correct. And our goal was like, we want you when you chew this and that you feel it like you are ready to go, ready to take on anything that's going on in the day. And that was our goal. So, you know, just for the listeners, 125 milligrams of caffeine is equivalent to about a cup and a quarter of coffee. So, we really wanted that to be a differentiator.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Absolutely, yes. There's a couple other brands, big brands. They've done a great job. I will say that when I Started looking into this stuff. The problem I had was I didn't like, it didn't feel like gum Oreo's so expensive. And one of the things we really wanted to do with this gum is we did put a lot of caffeine into each piece. We put 125 milligrams of caffeine per piece.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“It's a great question. Some of the stories that we're in have put us actually next to energy drinks as well. It sells well in those places. We haven't had many people put in the supplement section. And then we have had people put it in the candy section. So in terms of just trying to figure out where it sells more, and obviously that's a function also of, is there enough shelf space to put a product like this? Because, you know, energy drinks in that section is very. So we've had to find ways around it. We actually started selling them in like clips Can hang the bags, you don't have to move anything.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Right, so it's actually based on what I just talked about, just a little bit of background. Since we left Walmart, we've tripled our sales online, more than tripled our sales online. We continue to grow the brand. The category itself is growing. There's data behind this. And yet we're having trouble getting our foot in the door with some of these major buyers. I understand they're inundated, but my question would be that how do you get your foot in these doors?”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“I mean, awesome that you had that opportunity and you learned a lot from that. But basically people were confused. Like, what is this? Is it a supplement? But it was in the candy section, a lot of confusion. Before I get to Laura, what's the question you have for us?”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Was all over the country. Originally, it was going to be 100 stores and ended up being 450, and so it was quite a ride, learned a lot. We kind of got some guidance from the buyer in terms of how to package this for the candy aisle, which ended up hurting us just logistically.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Gut it. And from what I gather, this was at one time available in some stores, or I think even maybe in Walmart, but it's not anymore. Now you're mainly selling direct to consumer.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“I imagine that there are plenty of people who probably want this, right? People have to work late. And by the way, does it have the same effect? Let's be honest, because when you drink a lot of coffee, you have to go pee or something else. Does this have the same effect?”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“All right, so Mariano, a lot of questions for you. First of all, how did you, I mean, how did you get into this business? I don't think you were the inventor of caffeine gum. I'm sure that versions of this have been around for a while, but how did you get into making this product?”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Hello, welcome to the advice line you are on with me and Laura American. Welcome. Please tell us your name, where are you calling from, and a little bit about your business”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Yeah, it's exciting Alright, after the break, another caller with another business challenge. I'm Guy Ross, and we're answering your business questions right here on the advice line on how I built this lab. Welcome back to the advice line on how I built this lab. I'm Guy Ros. My guest today is Laura Merrickan. She's the founder of the Energy Bar brand, Laura Bar. So Lara, let's get right into it and take another call.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“I'm out and walking every single day. You know, I'm in the Bay Area. We're lucky. We get to do that year round. So I'm all about it. As I approach the age of 50, I'm all about it.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“By the way, speaking of skincare routines, I would say in the last two years, I have started to do something I never did in my life. I use a mineral sunblock on my face every day. I mean, a friend of mine is a dermatologist, was like, if you're not using that every day, you're basically exposing yourself to skin damage.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Would just use this time to just pay attention to everything going on, make sure that the product is stable and it's packaging and all of that before you get distributed out widely, right? Like in my world with food, it was. What's the shelf life? But you have the same thing in body care, and you want to make sure that you're dotting your eyes and crossing your T's with that stuff so that you know that when you go to a bigger retailer that wants you, you're like, you're solid on that. You know what works, what doesn't, and you're still going to learn on the fly. But this is a great time to really do that research and development.”
2025-01-09 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024) · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT