From Retail Relic to Market Darling: Sharon Price John on Reinventing Build-A-Bear

In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Will Lee speaks with Sharon Price John, President and CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop, about engineering one of retail’s most unlikely turnarounds. Recorded live at BrandWeek, the conversation explores how Build-A-Bear reinvented its business model, leveraged nostalgia and emotional connection, and reshaped investor storytelling to fuel a 2000% stock surge. Sharon shares lessons on distinguishing brand problems from business problems, balancing data with creativity, and expanding into multi-generational audiences while opening new stores as competitors retrenched. A must-listen for marketers navigating reinvention, resilience, and profitable growth.

What You'll Learn:

• How to distinguish between a brand problem and a business problem
• The "Stretchable Brand" framework
• Why 40% of Build-A-Bear's revenue now comes from teens and adults
• The art of strategic storytelling for different audiences
• How to manufacture tradition in retail
• Why financial literacy is non-negotiable for modern CMOs and creative leaders
• How to renegotiate your way out of a structural crisis
• The operational flywheel in action

About the Guest:

Sharon Price John is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Build-A-Bear Workshop, where she has led the company for nearly 13 years through a remarkable turnaround that saw stock prices increase 2,000% over five years, outpacing NVIDIA, Microsoft, and Oracle. With a background spanning global advertising agencies, brand leadership at Mattel and Disney, and executive roles at Hasbro and Stride Rite Children's Group, Sharon brings deep expertise in brand strategy, vertical retail operations, and consumer-centric marketing.

Guest Resources:

• Sharon Price John on LinkedIn
• Build-A-Bear Workshop Website

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