How I Built This with Guy Raz Advice Line with Chieh Huang of Boxed
25 snips
Apr 16, 2026 
Chieh Huang, founder of Boxed and creator of Pelgo to help people through career transitions, weighs in on founders’ dilemmas. Alec of Surfing Cow asks about scaling beef-tallow skincare production. Discussions cover when to move to co-manufacturing, protecting formulas, cautious fundraising, retail pitfalls, and tweaking coffee and pet products for broader distribution.
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What Happened When Boxed Filed For Bankruptcy
- Boxed sold its software to BlackRock and shut down its e-commerce business during bankruptcy restructuring.
- The e-commerce brand was later resurrected without Chieh Wang's involvement.
Lock Formula Then Find A CoManufacturer
- Lock the formula and move production to a co-manufacturer to avoid fulfillment failures as orders scale.
- Test shelf life, heat sensitivity, and consistency, then pilot with an FDA-registered small/midsize co-man in California or nearby states.
Local Retail Pilots Amplify Surf Lifestyle Credibility
- Local partnerships and grocery pilots amplify authenticity for lifestyle brands like Surfing Cow.
- Whole Foods and San Diego collaborations can capture the local surf audience while preserving brand soul.