Almost 40 years ago when 800 phone numbers that spelled something were all the rage, Jim McCann transformed his chain of New York flower shops into what became the national chain 1-800-Flowers. It's stayed relevant through the years by adopting new technology, making acquisitions in the gift-giving and delivery space, and staying true to an always-desired product. On Monday, the day after one of the busiest in the flower delivery business, Adolfo Villagomez takes over from McCann as 1-800-Flowers's new CEO. McCann will remain the company's executive chairman.
Megan Poinski talked to McCann last month about his time in the flower business, the risks he's taken, and the reasons business has persevered. This interview has been edited for length, clarity and continuity. It was excerpted in the Forbes CEO newsletter.
How did you get started in the floral business?
McCann: It was an accident. I grew up in Queens, New York, and looking around at the potential role models around me, there were some bad people and there were lots of good people: civil servants, shopkeepers, tradesmen. I decided to be a policeman, so I went to John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
While I was in school, I started working in a group home for teenage boys. I was a live-in night counselor, and that caused me to accidentally have a career in the social services because I really came to like the work and did it for quite a while. Over the years, I went from living in a group home to running a group home to running all the group homes. That's where I grew up. It really changed me as a person, matured me, so I kept postponing going into the police department.
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