Podcast Summary: "Advice Line with John Zimmer of Lyft"

How I Built This with Guy Raz | Wondery
Date: October 23, 2025
Host: Guy Raz
Guest: John Zimmer, Co-founder of Lyft

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode of "How I Built This: Advice Line" features John Zimmer, co-founder of Lyft, who returns to the show to advise early-stage entrepreneurs. The discussion spans Zimmer’s personal transition out of Lyft, the mental health impacts of entrepreneurship, and live coaching for three founders at different stages and industries. Key topics include building mission-driven businesses, managing work-life balance, the importance of focus and experimentation, funding and scaling challenges, and integrating purpose with profit.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. John Zimmer’s Transition from Lyft (02:05–08:55)

• Leaving Lyft: Zimmer describes his and co-founder Logan Green’s recent departure from all roles at Lyft, emphasizing a two-year transition to ensure the right new leadership (03:13–03:40).
• Emotional Impact: The immediate aftermath brought relief, but was followed by a sense of being lost and questions over personal purpose (04:44–05:34).
  • Notable Quote:

    “The harder step for me was leaving the operating role.…going from being obsessed with making Lyft the best possible company it could be…to having all my time in the day free. It was a hard transition.” — John Zimmer (03:44)

• New Ventures & Philosophies: Zimmer discusses his new project, “Yes. And,” focusing on building businesses that align capitalism's strengths with positive outcomes for consumers and society (05:52–07:23).
  • Notable Quote:

    “If you apply capitalism to sugar water, you get diabetes…I don’t think that’s a great outcome. …How could we create multiple consumer businesses…with very positive outcomes?” — John Zimmer (06:52)

Mental Health and Leadership

• Zimmer reflects on the toll of leadership and the importance of basic self-care: sleep, diet, and exercise. He realized that neglecting these basics made him less effective for those depending on him (07:59–08:55).

2. Caller Segment #1: Alan Sommerfield, Showerspa (09:02–20:27)

Background

• Alan founded Showerspa, a UK startup selling a device that dispenses soap and water from the showerhead—originally aimed at luxury, but then pivoted to help those with mobility challenges.

Core Questions

• How to scale into the US market?
• Should he focus on warehousing and logistics, or broader product positioning beyond the mobility market? (13:05)

Discussion & Advice

• Focus First, Then Experiment: Zimmer encourages Alan to focus on the mobility segment, learn the true unit economics, and only then run experiments in emerging use cases—such as dog washing or luxury wellness—to measure customer acquisition costs (14:44–16:16).

• Low-Risk US Entry: Use third-party logistics (3PL) and platforms like Shopify or Amazon to “test and learn” with minimal capital investment before full US expansion (15:31).

• Channel Partnerships: Explore direct relationships with care homes and facilities, given their scale, but recognize this can be a longer-term B2B play (17:09–17:30).

  • Notable Quotes:

    “One risk of going too wide early is that maybe you’re tweaking the product or the way you market it and can do it more efficiently…” — John Zimmer (15:36) “I love the kind of personal story of why it’s meaningful to you, Alan…A lot of the best products and businesses come from a passionate place.” — John Zimmer (13:55)

• On Hiring: Zimmer suggests considering an entrepreneurial business development hire, possibly with equity, to pursue these longer B2B conversations without diluting Alan’s focus (17:57).

• Guy Raz compares the path to brands like Peloton and Warby Parker: start with a focused market, then expand (16:16).

  • Memorable Moment: Alan proudly embraces the “bootstrapping” journey, even “cashing in [his] pension fund” to launch (11:47).

Timestamped Segment

• Alan’s intro & product explanation: 09:10–11:26
• Business stage & challenges: 11:47–13:35
• Zimmer’s deep-dive & advice: 13:51–19:55

3. Caller Segment #2: Terri Levy, Ruckster (RUKSTR) (25:46–35:33)

Background

• Terri founded Ruckster in Los Angeles to create weighted vests and backpacks for “rucking,” particularly designed for women—direct-to-consumer with strong first-year sales ($400K).

Core Question

• With booming demand, limited inventory, and new tariff complications, how can she fund inventory reliably to meet and grow demand? (28:55)

Discussion & Advice

• Inventory Financing: Zimmer suggests exploring specialized financing options, including credit funds that support fast-growing DTC brands (30:03–31:20).

  • Terri has already used Shopify Capital debt but finds traditional credit lines insufficient.

• Alternative Funding: Consider friends and family loans, using Shopify loan terms as benchmarks, to raise necessary working capital (31:20).

• Tariff Strategy: Guy Raz recommends exploring manufacturing beyond China or Pakistan, such as Mexico or the US, though Terri notes raw material (iron pellets) supply chains are a barrier (32:04–33:07).

• Pre-Orders: Both Zimmer and Raz advocate for pre-orders to manage customer-financed inventory and test demand—even with Terri’s ethical hesitations as a digital marketer (33:14–34:52).

  • Notable Quotes:

    “I like that it makes you uncomfortable because it shows you care a lot about the customer. I think it’s an opportunity if you are honest and explain your story.” — John Zimmer (34:26)

• Community Building: Frame pre-orders as a community activity, with transparency and perhaps small discounts (34:38).

Timestamped Segment

• Terri’s intro & product evolution: 26:08–28:38
• Funding/tariff challenges: 28:55–33:07
• Pre-orders/marketing discussion: 33:14–35:33

4. Caller Segment #3: Kobi Goodwin, SlowCoco (37:02–52:30)

Background

• Kobi, with his sister, founded SlowCoco in the Bronx—a craft chocolate business focused on ethical, direct-sourced chocolate with as few as four ingredients, selling mainly at farmers’ markets and online.

Core Question

• How can he maintain personal sustainability without sacrificing business growth, especially when his work feels like a calling rather than just a company? (41:24)

Discussion & Advice

• Self-Care as Leadership: Zimmer insists personal wellness is non-negotiable for leaders—caring for oneself maximizes value for others and the business (42:13).

  • Notable Quote:

    “If you are not taking care of yourself first, then all those people that you care about…I think will be less cared for by you. So that is step one.” — John Zimmer (43:13)

• Tactical Solutions: Guy Raz shares his strategy—using a device to "brick" his phone and enforce morning routines (sun, workout) before work begins, inspired by Zimmer’s past use of minimal-digital devices (Light Phone) (45:34–46:49).

• Scale, Ownership & Purpose: Both Zimmer and Raz encourage Kobi to align business growth with purpose—considering Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) or profit sharing to decentralize some pressures while building a lasting, mission-driven enterprise (47:58–51:41).

  • John Zimmer: “Scale really matters...the bigger it is, the more purpose there is to go around.” (48:34)
  • Guy Raz: “The best thing you could do is make a profitable business that’s ethical and employs people. That is the best possible thing an entrepreneur can do.” (51:41)

• Memorable Moment: When Kobi describes the collective spirit of craft chocolate and connecting directly with cacao farmers:

  “As soon as I discovered a space that was not gatekeeping…that was interested in elevating the industry for everyone’s sake, that stood out to me.” — Kobi Goodwin (38:34)

Timestamped Segment

• Kobi’s intro & philosophy: 37:02–40:32
• Business practicalities and emotional journey: 40:47–44:35
• Solutions for sustainability, purpose, and scale: 44:35–51:41

5. Closing Reflections with John Zimmer (52:36–53:54)

• On Lessons Learned: Zimmer reiterates the importance of enjoying the journey, embracing the hardships that make one a better entrepreneur and person.

  • Notable Quote:

    “Enjoy the journey. All those hard times, and they were very hard, have made me a better entrepreneur, a better parent, a better husband, and a more empathetic human.” — John Zimmer (53:06)

• Favorite Lyft Memory: Zimmer shares an early story about marketing on campus in a beaver costume, humorously highlighting the scrappy beginnings of Lyft (54:03–54:46).

Timestamps for Key Segments

• John Zimmer’s Departure & Mental Health: 02:05–08:55
• Showerspa with Alan Sommerfield: 09:02–20:27
• Ruckster with Terri Levy: 25:46–35:33
• SlowCoco with Kobi Goodwin: 37:02–52:30
• John Zimmer's Final Reflections & Lyft Anecdote: 52:36–54:46

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Going from being…obsessed with making Lyft the best possible company it could be to…having all my time in the day free. It was a hard transition.” — John Zimmer (03:44)
• “If you apply capitalism to sugar water, you get diabetes…I don’t think that’s a great outcome.” — John Zimmer (06:52)
• “I myself was putting a lot of pressure on myself…It felt selfish almost to take time for myself.” — John Zimmer (08:06)
• “One risk of going too wide early is that maybe you’re tweaking the product or the way you market it and can do it more efficiently…” — John Zimmer (15:36)
• “I like that it makes you uncomfortable because it shows you care a lot about the customer.” — John Zimmer (34:26)
• “If you’re not taking care of yourself first, then…those people…will be less cared for by you.” — John Zimmer (43:13)
• “Enjoy the journey…all those hard times…have made me a better entrepreneur, a better parent, and a better human.” — John Zimmer (53:06)
• “The best thing you could do…is make a profitable business that’s ethical and employs people…” — Guy Raz (51:41)

Engaging Takeaways

• Founders experience profound identity shifts post-exit, and purpose-driven reinvention is key.
• Mental health is foundational: sleep, diet, and exercise are non-negotiable, even under high pressure.
• Early focus and controlled testing help balance niche dominance with broader, long-term appeal.
• Creative financing (pre-orders, community building, specialized inventory loans) helps bootstrappers scale.
• Social purpose—through ESOPs, profit sharing, and ethical sourcing—can coexist with profitability and growth, fueling both impact and business viability.
• Practical routines and digital boundaries are essential for founder sustainability.
• Enjoy the journey. Every challenge enriches both the entrepreneur and the company.