Insights from visionary entrepreneur Maxine Clark
In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, special guest host Parker Middleton speaks with visionary entrepreneur and philanthropist Maxine Clark, founder of Build-A-Bear Workshop.
In their discussion, Clark shares insights into her career, including:
- How her mother influenced her lifelong passion for entrepreneurship and problem solving
- Her community impact organization Delmar DivINe
- How communities can build to ensure sustainability
About Maxine Clark
Maxine Clark is one of the true innovators in the retail industry. During her career, her ability to spot emerging retail and merchandising trends and her insight into the desires of the American consumer have generated growth for retail leaders, including department, discount and specialty stores. In 1997, she founded Build-A-Bear Workshop®, a teddy-bear themed retail-entertainment experience. Today there are nearly 500 stores around the world, and over 225 million stuffed animals have been sold. In 2022, Build-A-Bear celebrated its 25th anniversary.
In June 2013, Maxine stepped down from her chief executive bear role to apply her entrepreneurial skills to her passion for improving K-12 public education and to invest in and mentor women and minority entrepreneurs.
Her next “act” is making public education much more consumer friendly by creating more access for families and students to systems and supports to enrich each child’s learning experience. Launched in 2015, her first product, Blueprint4.com, is a free and easy-to-use mobile app designed to help families navigate the best summer activities, pre-college programs and career options.
Aside from her work with Delmar DivINe, Maxine is also a managing partner of Prosper Women’s Capital, a fund created to invest in women-owned businesses, and a member of the board of advisors of Lewis & Clark Ventures, a St. Louis-based private equity firm, and is a trusted advisor and mentor to several women- and minority-owned businesses.
In 2008, Maxine Clark was named one of The 25 Most Influential People in Retailing by Chain Store Age; and in 2006, she was inducted into the Junior Achievement National Business Hall of Fame. Maxine was named one of the Wonder Women of Toys by Playthings magazine and Women in Toys and was also one of the National Finalists in Retail for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2004.
Read more about Maxine here
Connect with Maxine of LinkedIn
delmardivine.com
About Parker Middleton
Parker is a screenwriter and community volunteer in Athens who served as executive senior director of strategy and engagement at the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.
