S03 E15: Justin Golden – Chief Executive Officer, Stephen Gould
Meet Justin Golden
Justin Golden is CEO of Stephen Gould, one of the largest independent supply chain solutions providers in the country. Founded in 1939 as a small packaging storefront on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, Stephen Gould has grown under three generations of the Golden family into a global partner for some of the biggest names in consumer products, tech, aerospace and retail, spanning more than 40 locations across six countries. Justin spent nearly two decades earning his seat, starting as a sales manager in 2007 before becoming VP, then president, then CEO this past January.
What makes this conversation compelling isn’t just the family business success story — it’s Justin’s honesty about what generational leadership actually requires.
In this episode, we cover:
How Stephen Gould’s founders built a profit-sharing platform for independent sales agents that still drives the business today
The story behind Stephen Gould’s shift from a roughly $2 million mom-and-pop operation to a $1 billion national and global supply chain partner
How Justin’s early years — from filing invoices in 7th grade to getting kicked out of a Manhattan office building by security — shaped his leadership instincts
What it took to break down decades of decentralized silos and connect intelligence across 200+ independent agents
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