Jim McCann didn’t set out to become an entrepreneur. He was a social worker and bartender before finding his way into the floral business. But no matter what he did, he always found a way to connect with people.

That instinct eventually led him to build 1-800-Flowers, where he expanded the business strategically, turned it into a household brand, and tapped into the power of customer relationships long before it became a buzzword.

In this episode, he shares the lessons that have carried him through decades of reinvention – and why, no matter what technology disruptions may come, smart leadership always comes down to connection.

You’ll also learn:

• A simple philosophy for a smart product expansion strategy
• What it means to be an “engineer” of culture (and why it matters)
• Why working with teenagers gave him a crash course in leadership
• The #1 thing you need to do now to prepare your team for the disruption of AI