Stephen Riggio — CEO of Barnes & Noble | The Art of Storytelling
Start Here: https://newsletter.scottdclary.com
Like The Show? Leave A Rating: https://ratethispodcast.com/successstory
About The Guest
Steven Riggio served as CEO of Barnes & Noble from 2002 to 2010, having previously worked alongside his brother Leonard Riggio to help transform the company into the nation’s largest bookseller. During his tenure as CEO, he spearheaded the company’s digital transformation through the launch of the NOOK e-reader and expansion of bn.com, while also strengthening the company’s publishing arm through the acquisition of Sterling Publishing in 2003. Having started at Barnes & Noble in 1975, Riggio played an instrumental role in developing the book superstore model that would revolutionize book retail, helping to grow the business from a single store into America’s dominant brick-and-mortar book retailer.
Talking Points
- 00:00 — Intro
- 02:17 — The Common Thread in Stephen’s Work
- 05:17 — How Stephen Entered the Book World
- 09:23 — Why Books Still Matter
- 12:57 — Content Consumption Then vs. Now
- 17:12 — Life After Being a CEO
- 21:31 — What Makes a Great Story?
- 28:52 — Tips for Authors to Market Books
- 32:00 — Sponsor: My First Million Podcast
- 32:50 — The Business of Selling Books
- 37:07 — Getting Publishers to Believe in You
- 40:21 — Breaking Into Barnes & Noble
- 44:35 — The Impact of Translation Projects
- 52:39 — Wisdom for Listeners
- 56:06 — Finding Purpose After Retirement
- 1:02:09 — Advice to Younger Self
Show Links
Podcast & Newsletter Sponsors
- Hubspot — https://hubspot.com/
- My First Million Podcast — https://www.mfmpod.com
- Tailor Brands — https://www.tailorbrands.com/podcast35
- Incogni — https://incogni.com/success (Code: success)
- NetSuite — https://netsuite.com/scottclary/
- Indeed — https://indeed.com/clary
- Range Rover Sport — https://www.landroverusa.com/
Watch on YouTube
What is the Success Story Podcast?
Welcome to the Success Story Podcast, hosted by entrepreneur, business executive, author, educator & speaker, Scott D. Clary. On this podcast, you’ll find interviews, Q&A, keynote presentations & conversations on sales, marketing, business, startups, and entrepreneurship.
Scott will discuss some of the lessons he’s learned over his own career, as well as have candid interviews with execs, celebrities, notable figures, and politicians. All who have achieved success through both wins and losses, to learn more about their life, their ideas, and insights. He sits down with leaders and mentors and unpacks their stories to help pass those lessons on to others through both experiences and tactical strategies for business professionals, entrepreneurs, and everyone in between.
Website: https://www.scottdclary.com
Podcast: https://www.successstorypodcast.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/scottdclary
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scottdclary
Twitter: https://twitter.com/scottdclary
Facebook: https://facebook.com/scottdclarypage
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottdclary
