Rick Steves' Europe: Rick Steves (2021)

In this episode of How I Built This, Guy Raz interviews Rick Steves, the founder of Rick Steves Europe, about his journey from a piano teacher and budget traveler to building a $100 million travel business. Steves recounts his early travels in Europe, funded by piano lessons and coin collecting, and how those experiences led him to start teaching travel classes. He discusses the evolution of his business, from self-publishing his first guidebook, Europe Through the Back Door, to leading minibus tours and eventually creating a successful TV show. Steves reflects on the challenges of balancing family life with his growing business, his approach to providing free travel content, and his philosophy of travel as a political act, emphasizing empathy and cultural understanding. He also touches on his philanthropic efforts and the importance of giving back.