008: Barbershop Quartets, Blinds.com, and Being True to Your Core Values with Jay Steinfeld

The Digital Marketing Mentor

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Jay Steinfeld launched Blinds.com, an e-commerce store, in 1996, eventually selling it to Home Depot in 2014. This bold but measured decision would characterize many of his subsequent career decisions. Listen in to hear Jay discuss how he is always learning, being mentored, and mentoring others, every day of his life - and how you should too!
Episode Highlights

• [6:00] Jay shares how being a part of a barbershop quartet for 50 years has taught him many life and business skills, especially how to be on stage despite being an introvert.
• [8:03] If your employees need more skill at something, you should let them learn about it. Allow them to sit in on meetings from other departments, even if it isn’t their job.
• [9:37] If you want to move up in a company, do not view the path as a ladder. Instead, view yourself as a sponge.
• [11:38] Jay shares his definition of a mentor: anyone who systematically helps someone figure out NOT what they should DO but how they should THINK. Everyone who has someone working for them is a mentor.
• [17:54] Jay’s shares his keys to success in mentoring others.
• [28:57] Learn the difference between mentoring students vs mentoring a direct report.
• [33:35] Jay took the risk of breaking into the e-Commerce world in the very early days to sell blinds online.
• [44:19] Jay shares the journey of discovering his personal core values.

Episode Links

• Vistage
• Blinds.com
• The University of Texas, BBA in Accounting Program
• Guest Links
  • LinkedIn
  • Website
  • Twitter
• Podcasts
  • Cafe Insider
  • All In

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