Innovative Leadership: Steve Finlan's Strategies for The Wine Society

In this episode of Scaling with Samir, Steve Finlan, CEO of The Wine Society, discusses the unique mutual business model where members are shareholders, emphasizing member satisfaction over profit. Finlan shares insights on modernizing a 150-year-old institution, maintaining the lowest margins in the industry, and offering unparalleled services such as free next-day delivery. He highlights the importance of understanding consumer behavior, building high-performance teams through curiosity and collaboration, and leveraging strong supplier relationships for sustainability. Finlan also touches on the significance of allowing teams to make and learn from mistakes, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation, and the strategic focus on long-term goals over short-term gains.