INspired INsider Podcast [One Question] Expanding Leadership and Influence with Jay Steinfeld Founder of Blinds.com
Jay Steinfeld is the Founder of Blinds.com. He set up the original e-commerce site NoBrainerBlinds for $3000 in 1996 and has since grown the e-commerce company to over $200 million in annual revenue. It is the world's top retailer for blinds and shades and provides blinds for over a million windows every year. The company was acquired in 2014 by Home Depot.
Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn:- [1:00] Jeremy introduces his guest, Jay Steinfeld.
- [2:00] Jay talks about marketing via video and social media in the 90's.
- [6:20] Utilizing radio and TV advertisements.
- [8:00] Jay talks about Home Depot acquiring his business.
- [14:00] Lessons learned from an acquisition.
- [16:47] Why did Jay stay on once Home Depot acquired his company?
- [18:10] What skill sets did Jay have to learn as a CEO that was different from being an entrepreneur?
- [19:50] Hiring the right people and creating effective systems.
- [21:10] What was the highest and lowest points for Jay in life and business?
Expanding leadership and influence is really the goal of anyone successful. People rise to the top not to hide their talents and success but to put them to greater and greater use. The same is true for entrepreneur Jay Steinfeld. He built Blinds.com, a successful company from the beginning and led it into a beneficial acquisition by Home Depot. This allowed Jay and his team to have an even greater platform to expand their leadership and influence on the marketplace. On this episode of Inspired Insider, listen to Jay talk about the early days of social media promotion, his experience with Home Depot, and other lessons in leadership.
Why did Jay Steinfeld lead his company into and stay on after their acquisition by Home Depot? Jay's work building and creating a successful culture and product at Blinds.com wasn't just business, it was passion. Jay loved the work he and his team were able to do, that's why they accepted Home Depot's offer. Because of their acquisition by such a large organization they were able to bring their product and success to a larger platform. It was this opportunity that thrilled Jay and brought him and his company through a beneficial transition. To hear more about how the acquisition happened and Jay's lessons learned, listen to this episode of Inspired Insider.
Transitions in life and business can sometimes be extremely difficult. This is especially true when you go from something that is growing and successful into the unknown. Jay Steinfeld experienced this transition when his company that he founded was acquired by Home Depot. Jay went from a primary role as an entrepreneur to now operating as a CEO. This transition wasn't necessarily bumpy or unpleasant just, new. He went from being a product expert to now having to run, manage, and expand the company's influence and platform on a larger scale. It was an exciting and successful time for Jay and his team. Listen to this episode of Inspired Insider to hear more about Jay's story.
Do you ever find yourself wondering that motivates high performing leaders and entrepreneurs? What is it that they believe in that makes them so fired up and dedicated? Jay Steinfeld is a successful entrepreneur and innovator. As he has grown as a leader over the years, Jay has developed and shared what drives his core values. He mentioned, creating the right systems, the right process, the right environment, and hiring the right people that fit. Don't miss out on Jay expanding on these ideas and more on this episode of Inspired Insider!
Have you ever struggled with navigating a particularly difficult time in your life or business? How did you respond? Business leader, Jay Steinfeld went through one of the toughest things someone could face, the loss of a spouse. He cites this the lowest point in his life and one is quick to empathize. Even in his pain and loss, Jay was able to see the flourishing and success of the company he started. It's both of these moments, the devastating and the joyous that have shaped Jay into the leader he is today. Listen to this episode of Inspired Insider to hear more from Jay and his interesting journey.
Resources Mentioned on this episode- Jay's Twitter Page: twitter.com/blindscomceo
- Blind.com's Facebook Page: facebook.com/Blindscom
- Blinds | Window Blinds and Shades | Custom Window Coverings
- Danny Sullivan
- Eric Ward
- Nick Usborne
- XPRIZE
- Nick's Inc articles: inc.com/author/jay-steinfeld
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