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Dave Finnegan is a customer experience executive and brand strategist who serves as Strategic Advisor at NewRoad Capital Partners, following transformative leadership roles at Orvis and Build-A-Bear Workshop, where he helped grow the company from 4 stores to over 400 locations globally.

Here’s some of my takeaways from this week’s episode…

1/ 🤝 Connection Drives Commerce

Core insight: Business success is rooted in human relationships, not just transactions. At Build-A-Bear, the heart ceremony (where kids kiss the heart before putting it in their bear) wasn’t planned - it emerged from store associates creating meaningful moments with customers.

2/ 🎯 Problems > Solutions

Start by deeply understanding customer needs before jumping to solutions. Domino’s didn’t just need faster delivery - they needed better-tasting pizza. Only after nailing the core product did speed and convenience innovation matter.

3/ 🧠 Experience First, Economics Second

When innovating, focus on getting the customer experience right before worrying about costs. Good CFOs will invest millions if you can prove the experience drives returns. Build-A-Bear’s success came from prioritizing experience over immediate profitability.

4/ 👥 Culture Beats Strategy

Hire for culture alignment first, skills second. Build-A-Bear looked for people whose “faces lit up” when interacting with others. Product expertise can be taught; genuine care for customers can’t.

5/ 🎭 Physical Beats Digital

The ultimate interaction is product-in-hand. When Build-A-Bear created digital “try on” experiences, customers ignored them in favor of physically dressing their bears. Digital should enhance, not replace, tactile experiences.

6/ 🌱 Wisdom + Youth = Growth

Pair experienced mentors with energetic new talent. The Maasai tribe’s warrior path demonstrates this perfectly: 5 years of a young warrior learning from an elder guide creates exceptional leaders.

7/ 🎪 Location Strategy Matters

Build-A-Bear’s expansion succeeded by targeting vacation destinations first. Families would experience the brand while traveling, then demand stores in their hometowns.

8/ 📚 Stay Teachable

Success comes from maintaining a “ready to receive” mindset. The moment you think you know everything, you stop growing. Every interaction is a chance to learn something new.

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Where to find Dave Finnegan:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davefinnegan/

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In this episode, we cover:

00:00 The Importance of Physical Product Interaction02:41 Building Human Connections in Business03:40 Build-A-Bear’s Culture and Innovation Philosophy06:53 Evolution of the Build-A-Bear Experience09:43 Balancing Innovation with Financial Responsibility12:10 Brand Recognition and Growth Strategy15:01 Strategic Store Placement and Media Exposure20:07 Digital vs Physical Experience Design25:01 Learning from Customer Behavior34:36 The Role of Human Connection in Business Success43:34 Customer and Employee Onboarding52:04 Learning from Global Travel Experiences54:30 Leadership Lessons from Maasai Warriors1:06:17 Perspectives on AI and Future of Business

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Obligatory disclaimer: I've worked at YouTube and Google for about a decade in various marketing teams. Nothing I say in my personal spaces is necessarily endorsed by them.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit horizonspod.substack.com