Coworking with Jason Holland

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Jason Holland is chief business officer at Firework, a video commerce platform used by Walmart, L’Oréal, and Mattel.

How would you describe your job to someone who doesn’t work in retail? You know that feeling you get when entering one of your favorite stores? You take in the space, stroll the aisles, scan the shelves, and get that little lift of excitement that comes with a positive experience? Well, at Firework, my team and I are helping companies enable those experiences and possibilities online, bringing the best aspects of the in-store customer experience to the world of e-commerce.

One thing we can’t guess about your job from your LinkedIn profile? Although my title is chief business officer, my role spans practically all functions of the business. In truth, my role is far more akin to that of a global COO who just happens to oversee sales, vendor contracting and negotiation, financial modeling, global headcount and OpEx controls, HR alignment, PR, investor relations—the list goes on. I also serve as a formal partner to Firework’s co-founders, Vincent Yang and Jerry Luk. And knowing all that, I imagine few people would guess that I love every minute of it!

What’s your favorite project you’ve worked on? Believe it or not, it wasn’t a Firework project. In fact, it wasn’t even in my field. In 2015, I discovered my mother was battling stage 3.b. metastatic melanoma, and when faced with these kinds of challenges, you can’t really help but reassess your life’s priorities. I quickly concluded that I needed to invest in her, my family, and myself. So, I left the business world to pursue a passion and spend more time with my family. At 36 years old—and during what is, for many, some of their most critical years for professional growth and earnings potential—I chose to spend 18 months working for minimum wage at a flower shop. I went from an executive to an entry-level hire in a flash. But, being in that position afforded an incredible opportunity for learning and growth. I spent those 18 months learning the entire floral trade: design, sourcing, transportation, warehousing, supply chain, pricing, scarcity, and category financial modeling. I’m now an expert floral designer and will design the arrangements for my upcoming wedding in July 2024.

Which emerging retail trend are you most excited about right now, and why? Personalization. For a long time, my idea of personalization was much more acute and linear: the application of personally identifiable information (PII) to enhance marketing efforts, drive loyalty, inform R&D, and enable commercialization functions between retailers and brands. But since joining Firework, the idea of personalization has taken on an entirely new meaning for me. Using things like interactive video, digital showrooms, and 1-to-1 clienteling, Firework is making personalization online look, feel, and function a lot more like it does behind brick and mortar. And in the ultimate irony, it’s AI that’s allowing us to make these digital customer experiences so much more human.

What’s your go-to coffee order? Stok Extra Bold Cold Brew Coffee chugged straight out of the container (one bottle/day).

Worst piece of advice you’ve received? “Always be the smartest person in the room.” As you might imagine, this person was not the smartest person in any room. Nevertheless, they occupied an extremely powerful, influential role in their organization. The second you think you’re the smartest person in any room is the second you become the least intelligent, least likable, and least respectable person in the room.

What was your favorite retail product when you were 15, and what’s your favorite retail product now? Life Savers. Was back then, and still is now. I don’t go a day without having a few, with Wild Cherry being my undisputed fave. When the mood strikes, I’ll get a pack of Wild Cherry only!