Stord’s Plan to Take on Amazon’s Logistics Advantage | Sean Henry

In this episode of the Grit podcast, Joubin Mirzadegan interviews Sean Henry, the co-founder and CEO of Stord, along with Ilya Fushman, to discuss Stord's journey and Sean's leadership. They delve into the challenges Stord faced when the macro environment shifted, prompting a strategic recalibration despite having recently raised a significant Series D round. Sean reflects on the importance of aligning with investors, making difficult decisions like team reductions, and focusing on sustainable unit economics. He emphasizes the transition to "founder mode," where he became deeply involved in all aspects of the business, pushing for efficiency and a strong team culture. Ilya praises Sean's ability to operate with discipline and rigor, treating every dollar as scarce, which ultimately led to profitability and less dilution for shareholders. The conversation also touches on the complexities of scaling a logistics business, the importance of sequencing strategic initiatives, and the need for founders to adapt and learn quickly in the face of changing market conditions. Sean shares his perspective on building a company for the long term, focusing on consumer trust, and the exciting potential of applying AI to Stord's vertically integrated platform.