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Ep 6- Steven Stark- How Thriftworld Built 8 Stores Without Selling Out
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What does it take to grow a thrift store empire in a world obsessed with fast fashion? In this episode of The Unscripted Climb, we sit down with Steve Stark, founder of Thriftworld—an Omaha-based thrift chain now spanning eight locations—to uncover the real journey behind building a sustainable business that actually scales.
Steve doesn’t hold back. He dives into the 12-year grind of growth, the myths surrounding thrift stores, and how his team reinvented the thrifting experience to feel more like a treasure hunt than a discount bin. You'll hear how e-commerce reshaped their strategy, why culture and leadership became his secret weapon, and how COVID nearly wrecked everything—but didn’t.
Whether you’re a fan of entrepreneurship, marketing strategy, sustainability, or you just love a good business underdog story—this episode delivers. Unfiltered, real, and packed with hard-earned insight.
What You'll Learn:
- How Steve transitioned from a family biz into the thrift economy
- The operational differences between Thriftworld and Goodwill
- Why branding and experience matter—even in secondhand retail
- How to lead with empathy, define clear roles, and grow a resilient team
- The marketing strategies that turned Thriftworld into a regional brand
- What COVID taught him about business (hint: adapt or die)
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