Jim McCann, Part 2
Founder, Chairman, and CEO, 1-800-Flowers
Author, Lodestar: Tapping Into the 10 Timeless Pillars of Success
One of the things that came out over and over again in our research was that it’s not the outcome, it’s not the destination – it’s the journey.
Summary
This week on Leadership Matters, Alan was joined again by the founder, chairman, and CEO of 1-800-Flowers, Jim McCann. An accomplished entrepreneur and charitable leader, Jim founded the world’s leading florist and gift company in 1976.
During their second conversation, Jim spoke with Alan about his new book on leadership, Lodestar: Tapping Into the 10 Timeless Pillars of Success. Co-authored with Johns Hopkins clinical psychologist George S. Everly, it’s a powerful exploration of leadership and a must-read guide to distilling the most impactful themes from top self-help literature. Throughout their hour together, Alan and Jim dive into the book’s key findings and catch-up about Jim’s wide-reaching career and inspiring journey.
Mentions & Resources in this Episode
Guest Bio
Jim McCann is a highly successful entrepreneur whose vision and energy have helped grow 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, the company he founded in 1976, into the world's leading florist and gift company.
The man who revolutionized the floral industry grew up with a bare patch of lawn outside his home occupied not by flowers, but by weeds. How ironic that Jim McCann would go on to take a single flower shop on Manhattan’s East Side and turn it into a billion-dollar omni-channel retailer, and one of the world’s leading gourmet food and floral gift providers. It was Jim’s belief in the universal need for social connections and interaction that led to his founding of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. and today as a highly successful entrepreneur, philanthropist, public speaker and published author, Jim’s passion remains the same – to help people create better, more meaningful relationships.
Jim’s willingness to embrace new technologies that enhanced customer engagement, such as 800 phone numbers and e-commerce, often long before other retailers, has consistently kept 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. ahead of the curve and positioned it as a leading innovator in the marketplace. His strategy for growth has included an effective combination of birthing and acquiring new businesses and brands that resonate with customers for their gifting and celebratory occasions. The company’s offerings include such iconic brands as Harry & David®, PersonalizationMall.com®, Wolferman’s Bakery®; Cheryl’s Cookies® and The Popcorn Factory®, as well as Simply Chocolate®, Things Remembered®, 1-800-Baskets.com®, and SmartGift Inc. among others.
Jim is also deeply involved in philanthropy and is especially devoted to helping individuals with developmental disabilities. This includes Jim’s continued work as Founder and Chairman of Smile Farms Inc., a 501c3 not-for-profit organization established in 2015. Smile Farms provides meaningful work opportunities for people with disabilities, allowing them to master new skills, experience teamwork, contribute to their community, and, importantly, take home a paycheck. Today, Smile Farms has several campuses and serves hundreds of people and their families.
In addition to his roles as Founder and CEO of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. and Chairman of Smile Farms, Jim also serves as Chairman of Worth Media Group, which celebrates organizations and leaders who are using their influence and success to have a positive impact on society. Jim also serves on a variety of other private and not-for-profit boards and is Vice-Chairman and lead Independent Director for International Game Technology PLC.