First Movers: Michael Callahan

MICHAEL CALLAHAN is Vice President of eCommerce and Transformation for Maytex and Zenith Home Corp. Michael started his career in large CPG companies and has worked on national brands like Mr. Coffee, CrockPot and T-fall.

Over the past 15 years, Michael has been transforming organizations to think Consumer and Digital First. He believes that the key to running any successful eCommerce business is full organizational integration and buy in… The words he lives by are “Work Hard, Stay Humble”. He also has two pups Murphy and Gracie! 

Why did you choose to pursue eCommerce in your career? I started out my career in the music industry, and I saw a shift happening to online through the start of illegally pirating music. Yes, LimeWire! This was the start of the whitespace I saw and I started to shift my thinking from traditional brick and mortar to online. 

What is your biggest strength, and how have you used it for your success in eCommerce? Distributive Leadership. We must be in constant BETA especially in eCommerce, but really in total omnichannel. My biggest pet peeve is the old adage... but we have always done it that way... or we have tried in the past and it didn’t work. That mentality is something I constantly try to break when I go into organizations and transform their way of thinking and doing.

What is the weirdest skill or talent to come in handy in your eCommerce experience? My ability to due multiple voices and accents. One time, I was in a meeting and they asked me to act like a QVC host and sell my product... nonetheless, British Michael showed up and we sold in the program. 

How have you most successfully influenced change within your organization (or with your clients)?  This is one of my greatest strengths…. and there aren’t many! By caring for people and the organization and trying to zoom out to the larger good, I have been able to have people buy into the vision and have them feel like they have a vested interest along the way.

What was your most “valuable” career failure, and why? Early on, I thought I had to know it all...but I have learned I don’t have to do it all... I don’t have to know it all... I hire people much smarter than me…and that is ok. The need to be the smartest person in the room isn’t something that drives me anymore. What does drive me is being the hardest one working in the room! 

In the last five years, what new belief, behavior or habit has most improved your life? Waking up at 5am every morning … being able to exercise, mediate and start my day early has allowed me to be more productive, present and an overall better version of myself.

In a day filled with meetings and to-dos, it helps me get centered for my day….and no you don’t need to respond to my 5:17am email! 

What are you learning right now? To be a better speller and focus more on grammar. It’s a struggle in the 280-character world we live in. When in doubt, use an emoji! 

What are the 1-3 songs that would make up your career soundtrack today?

• 9-5 by Dolly Parton
• Unstoppable by SIA
• Everything is Everything by Lauryn Hill 

What are the 1-3 books you’ve gifted the most or that have greatly influenced your life, and why?

• A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson: This booked transformed my life. It has allowed me to show up in every situation in life as my authentic self and bring more love into the world... in and out of the office. 

If you could have a gigantic billboard for the world to see with anything on it, what would it say, and why? #bethelovebringthelove….

It’s my slogan and words I live by... everything good comes from love... in and out of the boardroom. Bringing a little more love into every situation, even when it seems impossible, will make the situation just a touch better.

What are the worst recommendations or advice you have heard related to eCommerce? Put your whole catalog on every single account... this is something I have never done. It just causes marketplace wars and a race to the bottom. And really, when is the last time you even made it to page 2?

What advice would you give to a future leader of change about to enter business, or specifically the eCommerce field? Leave the ego at the door, get on your soapbox, set the vision, get the total organization to buy in, set KPIs work in sprints, get out of your silo, overcommunicate, celebrate the small wins, don’t take all the credit, honor your team and take people on the journey with you…. oh, and lots of caffeine! 

What specific, industry-related change do you believe will happen that few others seem to see? I believe we will eventually get to a place where it's just commerce.. not B&M, not eComm or social... just commerce.. and we will build organizations that way.

What is the last thing you bought online, and why?  An area rug from West Elm… after almost a year of working from home, it's time to refresh!

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First Movers is a change leader interview series featuring select industry pioneers who are driving the evolution of commerce, the consumer and everything in between. If you would like to recommend a change leader for consideration, please reach out to me on LinkedIn.