One Kings Lane’s Susan Feldman on Grit and Going for It

PAGE SOCIETY SPRING SEMINAR – APRIL 2014

In an interview led by LinkedIn Executive Editor Dan Roth, One Kings Lane Co-Founder and Chief Merchandising Officer Susan Feldman revealed how she launched a successful business during an economic downturn.Founded in 2008 with her co-founder, Allison Pincus, Feldman saw an opportunity to shake up the home décor industry by capitalizing on the flash sale trend—offering discounted items for a limited time—and elevating it into an entirely new online experience. Deciding to launch a company amidst a recession wasn’t an easy decision, but it was one backed by an editorial eye for quality products and grit.

“Unless you were out of your mind, you weren’t starting a business back then,” said Feldman. “But I had a clear vision and limited resources, which both force you to stay focused and scrappy—figuring it out along the way.”

Armed with a get-it-done-no-matter-what philosophy and the gumption to disrupt a traditional industry, Feldman and Pincus created a “fantastic brand that would resonate with customers and evolve over time.” Agility, customer service and innovation were—and remain to this day–the core values of One Kings Lane, said Feldman.

“We don’t even use the ‘F word’ (flash sale) anymore,” joked Feldman. “We’ve evolved to be more than just product; we’re storytellers. We showcase both the designers and the product, contextualizing and styling it.”

This was a very different approach from most furniture and home companies, and a major reason One Kings Lane jumped from 5,000 subscribers on opening day to 25,000 quickly after launch.

“We disrupted the retailers in the home space,” said Feldman. “There were no brick-and-mortar stores that could change their entire floor with an amazing assortment every day.”

Despite tremendous success, One Kings Lane hasn’t lost its entrepreneurial spirit of disruption and gumption. And Feldman is still looking to go after the big guys.

“The home industry is a huge industry— $165 billion worth,” she said. “We want a bigger piece of that.”