Leap Academy with Ilana Golan Build-A-Bear CEO, Sharon Price John: The Mindset Behind a Billion-Dollar Comeback | E134
Nov 18, 2025
Sharon Price John, President and CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop and author of Stories & Heart, shares her journey through retail challenges. She discusses how climbing a tree as a child taught her the value of courage and resilience. Sharon reveals her bold moves in advertising and the lessons learned from a failed startup. Her two-step turnaround framework emphasizes eliminating wasteful habits. With impactful storytelling, she reshaped Build-A-Bear's mission, leading the company to profitability and expansion, all while navigating the complexities of leadership during crisis.
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The Tree That Created Tenacity
- As a child Sharon climbed a huge tree, reached the top, then realized she couldn't get down and improvised by swinging into pine needles.
- That moment taught her to treat tough goals as fun and to believe there is always a way out.
Bold Moves Landed Her Big Agency Job
- Sharon quit her Tennessee job, flew to New York with 15 interviews in one week and landed an offer from DDB Needham.
- She credits bold action and ignoring worst-case imagining for breakthrough opportunities.
Startup Collapse Built Executive Muscle
- Sharon started a doll company whose Toys R Us order was canceled after 9/11, forcing her to sell inventory at cost and pivot back to corporate roles.
- That failure taught her full-product-cycle skills and made her a stronger executive for turnarounds.
