Rebuilding Build-A-Bear: Sharon Price John’s CEO Journey

Video Description

Sharon Price John, CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop, shares her journey from a small-town Tennessee childhood to leading one of America’s most nostalgic brands. She opens up about lessons from Mars, Mattel, and Hasbro, the creative drive that shaped her leadership, and how she transformed Build-A-Bear into a modern, multi-generational company rooted in emotion, innovation, and purpose. Under her leadership, Build-A-Bear has achieved remarkable financial growth and brand revitalization, expanding beyond its traditional retail roots into digital entertainment, licensing, and e-commerce. Her strategic vision not only restored profitability but also positioned Build-A-Bear as a thriving lifestyle brand, proving her to be one of the most dynamic and successful leaders in the consumer and retail industry today. Subscribe for weekly conversations you will love 🩵 Listen On: - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1ZTnhb7uH8oepjQKOA06M2?si=2b143d2102604680 - Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sharon-price-john-the-ceo-rebuilding-build-a-bear/id1754603242?i=1000733151985 - iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-post-run-high-190281406/episode/sharon-price-john-the-ceo-rebuilding-build-a-bear-302246620?app=listen - Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/podcast/post-run-high/sharon-price-john-the-ceo-rebuilding-build-a-bear/PE:1320354077?part=ug-desktop&corr=165881122406805840 - Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e6a01db7-5f86-40f0-ba58-3b566a56cbaa/episodes/b8a8ea5d-9d49-4ec0-aaf8-4f7db9f89313/post-run-high-sharon-price-john-the-ceo-rebuilding-build-a-bear Subscribe to Post Run High | @KateMackz - Post Run High Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/postrunhigh/ - Post Run High TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@postrunhigh?lang=en - Kate's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katemackz/ - Kate's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@katemackz?lang=en Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction & Leadership Lessons 00:44 - Morning Walks & Fitness Routine 02:53 - Growing Up in Tennessee 05:29 - Early Creativity & Love for Toys 12:06 - Going to Columbia Business School 15:19 - Confidence from the MBA Experience 19:09 - Landing the Job at Mattel 23:03 - Working on Barbie in the 90s 25:00 - Overcoming Perfectionism and Finding Her Voice 30:14 - Lessons from Hasbro and Stride Rite 32:06 - Acting Like a Boss in International Roles 33:17 - Reinventing Nerf and Leading Brand Turnarounds 37:20 - Advertising Era and Mad Men Inspiration 38:10 - Studying Children and Brand Psychology 40:06 - “Go Around the Clock” Product Thinking 41:16 - State of Build-A-Bear When She Became CEO 43:55 - The “More” Strategy and E-Commerce Expansion 48:35 - From Retail Brand to Intellectual Property Company 50:26 - The Rise of the “Kidult” Trend 52:58 - Digital Transformation and Roblox Expansion 56:22 - Creating IP: Honey Girls and Mary Mission 57:03 - Vision for the Future and New Flagships 01:00:45 - Leadership Habits and Advice for Women 01:08:12 - Green Lights and Connecting the Dots 01:10:43 - Final Reflections and Closing Thoughts