Build-A-Bear’s CEO started her career working at a McDonald’s drive-thru. Now she leads a $486 million toy empire

Quick Summary:

Sharon Price John has led Build-A-Bear to new heights—and her journey to the C-suite started serving people burgers at a Fortune 500 fast-food chain.

And Build-a-Bear Workshop chief executive Sharon Price John is part of that figure.

After her stint at McDonald’s, the future executive tested out a variety of jobs in her hometown of Fayetteville, honing her floral arrangement skills at a local florist, selling tickets at a theater, waitressing at a restaurant, and more.“[I] learned a lot that I still use to this day, believe it or not,” she says.

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Article Details

Author / Journalist: Imani Racine

Category: EconomyBusiness

Markets: United States

Topics: Toys Lifestyle Work-life balance Careers Leadership advice Chief executive officer (CEO)

Source Website Secure: Yes (HTTPS)

News Sentiment: Neutral

Fact Checked: Legitimate

Article Type: News Report

Published On: 2025-04-27 @ 11:00:00 (18 hours ago)

News Timezone: GMT +8:00

News Source URL: fortune.com

Language: English

Article Length: 862 words

Reading Time: 5 minutes read

Sentences: 6 lines

Sentence Length: 144 words per sentence (average)

Platforms: Desktop Web, Mobile Web, iOS App, Android App

Copyright Owner: © Fortune

News ID: 28227007

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Official Website: fortune.com

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Year Established: 1929

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